F O R E ST P R A C T I C E

N O T E S

JANUARY 1997 NUMBER 3 

(Revised August 2007) 

 PUBLISHED BY 

THE PRIVATE AND COMMUNITY 

 FORESTS PROGRAM 

 OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY 

2600 STATE STREET 

SALEM, OR 97310 “STEWARDSHIP IN FORESTRY” 

This Forest Practices Note explains the Oregon 

Board of Forestry's regulations for using pest control 

chemicals and other petroleum products on 

forestlands. The Oregon Department of Forestry 

administers these regulations under the authority of 

the Oregon Forest Practices Act. 

In using chemicals and petroleum products, forest 

landowners and operators need to know about other 

agencies' rules, in addition to the forest practice 

rules. Forest operations using chemicals and 

petroleum products on forestland may also be 

subject to: 

• The pesticide control laws administered by the 

Oregon Department of Agriculture 

• The hazardous waste laws administered by the 

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality 

• The hazard communication rules administered 

by the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health 

Division 

• The water use laws administered by the Oregon 

Water Resources Department 

For example, using water from streams, lakes, or 

other surface water bodies to mix pest control 

chemicals requires prior notice to the Oregon Water 

Resources Department and the Oregon Department 

of Fish and Wildlife. Notifying the Department of 

Forestry of the planned operation does not satisfy 

this requirement. The forest operator must send 

copies of the original notification to the other 

agencies' local offices at least 15 days before 

beginning the operation. 

CHEMICALS AND OTHER 

PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

Questions answered in this 

Forest Practices Note... 

What types of “chemicals” and “other petroleum 

products” are subject to the forest practice rules? .......2 

What is the purpose of the forest practice rules 

regulating the use of chemicals and other petroleum 

products?......................................................................2 

What is required in a Written Plan?.............................2 

What additional information is required on a 

notification of operation when a forest operation 

involves a chemical application? .................................3 

What actions must be taken to prevent, control, and 

report leaks and spills of chemicals and other 

petroleum products? ....................................................3 

What special precautions must be taken to protect 

water quality when mixing chemicals on forestland?..3 

What actions must be taken to protect water quality 

when locating mixing, transfer, and staging areas for 

chemicals and other petroleum products?....................4 

When chemicals are applied on forestlands, how will 

water quality and other resources be protected?..........5 

What information must be recorded and maintained 

on forest chemical application? ...................................5 

......See the Daily Application Record Form on page 7. 

What special actions must be taken when applying 

chemicals near streams used by community water 

systems?.......................................................................5 

Where can information on chemicals used on 

forestland be obtained?................................................6 

How can citizens learn about forest chemical 

operations in their local area?......................................6 

1 
What types of "chemicals" and "other petroleum 

products" are subject to the forest practice rules?

In the rules, the term "chemicals" refers to all classes 

of pesticides and more, including: 

• Herbicides 

• Insecticides 

• Rodenticides 

• Fungicides 

• Petroleum products used as carriers for 

pesticides 

• Additives called adjuvants used in pesticide 

solutions, such as surfactants, drift control 

additives, anti-foam agents, wetting agents, and 

spreading agents 

• Fertilizers 

"Other petroleum products" that may be present on 

any forest operation and subject to the forest practice 

rules include engine fuels, hydraulic fluid, 

lubricating oils, and greases. 

The forest practice rules distinguish between 

"chemicals" and "other petroleum products" and only 

certain rules apply to the "other petroleum products." 

What is the purpose of the forest practice rules 

regulating the use of chemicals and other 

petroleum products?

The Board of Forestry encourages voluntary use of 

integrated pest management. This is a process that 

reduces the effects of forest pests (including 

vegetation competing with young trees) in an 

environmentally and economically sound manner to 

meet the landowner's site-specific objectives. Using 

pesticides is one of a variety of integrated pest 

management strategies forest landowners may use. 

When properly used, pesticides and other chemicals 

can be effective tools in freeing forest trees from 

damaging competitive vegetation, insects, and 

diseases. 

What is required in a Written Plan? 

A written plan must be submitted for any chemical 

operation located within 100 feet of a type F or 

D stream, or within 300 feet of a specified resource 

site. Written plans must be clear, concise, and 

capable of standing alone as complete documents. 

Three basic elements are essential to such plans: 

1. An adequate description of the planned 

operation 

2. An adequate description of the protected 

resources 

3. A description of how the resources will be 

protected during the operation 

The operation's specific conditions will determine 

the information needed to fulfill these elements of 

the written plan. 

Some information items are needed in every written 

plan, while some are not. The following list is a 

good reference. For more detail, contact your local 

department office for assistance. 

Items for every chemical application written plan: 

• Names of the operator and landowner 

• Legal description or clear association with a 

particular notification and unit number 

• A complete map showing the operation, the protected 

resources, section lines, access roads, etc. 

• The common name(s) and, if known, the product 

brand name(s) of the chemical(s) to be used 

• The type of application method (aerial/ground, 

pressurized backpack/hack and squirt, etc.) 

• The type of vegetation to be controlled 

• An adequate description of the protected resource 

(stream type & size, nesting site, etc.) 

• A description of the resource site's associated 

components (alternate nest trees, perch trees, etc.) 

• The measures that will be taken to protect the 

resource site during the operation (using a single 

boom system to minimize drift, using a targetspecific chemical, using the wind to carry drift in a 

safe direction, etc.) 

• The signatures of the operator and/or landowner 

Additional items which may be required in the written 

plan: 

• The heliport location 

• The chemical mixing location 

• Plans for meeting any unique requirements on the 

product label 

• Plans for finding and marking the locations of 

streams prior to spraying 

2 
The purpose of the forest practice chemical and 

other petroleum product rules is to establish 

requirements that will ensure: 

1. Chemicals and other petroleum products used on 

forestland do not occur in the soil, air, or waters 

of the state in quantities that would be injurious 

to water quality or to the overall maintenance of 

terrestrial wildlife or aquatic life; and 

2. Vegetation near the waters of the state and other 

sensitive resource sites receives protection on 

herbicide operations consistent with the 

requirements of other forest practice rules 

dealing with the protection of these important 

forest resources. 

What additional information is required on a 

notification of operation when a forest operation 

involves a chemical application?

A notification must be submitted to the Department 

of Forestry at least 15 days before conducting a 

chemical application or other operation on 

forestland. When chemicals will be used, 

notifications must include: 

a) the common name of the chemical(s) to be used 

b) the product brand name, if known at the time of 

notification 

c) the application method 

d) for fertilizers, the intended application rate per 

acre 

What actions must be taken to prevent, control, 

and report leaks and spills of chemicals and other 

petroleum products?

Operators must maintain chemical handling 

equipment in a leakproof condition. Operators 

include landowners, loggers, and pesticide 

applicators. The equipment may include whatever is 

used for transportation, on-site storage, or 

application of chemicals. If there is evidence of 

chemical leakage, the equipment must not be used 

any more until it is repaired. Operators must also 

take adequate precautions to prevent leaks or spills 

of chemicals and other petroleum products from 

entering streams, ponds, lakes, wetlands or other 

waters. 

When a spill or leak does occur, operators must 

immediately stop the leak and contain the spread of 

the spill. If the spill enters, or may enter streams, 

lakes, wetlands, or other waters of the state, 

operators must also immediately report it to the 

nearest Department of Forestry office. Reporting to 

the department will not exempt the operator from 

any requirements of other local, state, and federal 

agencies to report chemical or other petroleum 

product spills. 

Persons responsible for spills of reportable 

quantities of chemicals or petroleum products 

must contact the Oregon Emergency Response 

System (OERS) at 1-800-452-0311 (503-378-

6377 if near Salem). OERS serves as a central 

contact to notify state agencies of spills. 

What special precautions must be taken to 

protect water quality when mixing chemicals on 

forestland?

Whenever water is taken from any stream or water 

impoundment for use in mixing chemicals, the 

operator must prevent chemicals from entering the 

water by taking at least the following precautions: 

• Providing an air gap or reservoir between the 

water source and the mixing tank; and 

• Using pumps, suction hoses, feed hoses, and 

check valves that are used only for water, never 

carrying chemical mix. 

What actions must be taken to protect water 

quality when locating mixing, transfer, and 

staging areas for chemicals and other petroleum 

products?

When forest operations involve: 

• Mixing chemicals; 

• Transferring chemicals or other petroleum 

products between equipment or containers; 

• Cleaning tanks or equipment used during 

chemical applications; or 

• Landing and staging aircraft. 

3 
operators must conduct those activities only in 

locations where the site does not provide a route for 

any chemical or petroleum spill to run off into 

streams, lakes, wetlands, or other water bodies. The 

minimum precaution is to avoid locating chemical 

mixing and staging areas within 100 feet of fish 

bearing streams or streams from which water is 

withdrawn for domestic use. 

Table 1 summarizes the buffer requirements for different types of water bodies when chemicals are applied on 

forestland under the forest practice rules. 

Herbicides, Rodenticides, 

Biological Insecticides, and All 

Other Chemicals Except 

Fungicides, Non-Biological 

Insecticides, and Fertilizers

Fungicides and Non-Biological 

Insecticides Fertilizers 

Chemical Application Buffers 

Required for the Water of the 

State by the Chemical and Other 

Petroleum Product Rules (Also 

see notes below table) Aerial 

Applications 

Ground 

Applications 

Aerial 

Applications 

Ground 

Applications Aerial Applications Ground 

Applications 

Aquatic Areas of Fish Bearing 

Streams with no Domestic Use 

(Most Type F streams) 

60 feet 10 feet 300 feet 10 feet No direct 

application 

No direct 

application 

Aquatic Areas of Domestic Use 

Streams (All Type D and some 

Type F streams) 

60 feet 10 feet 300 feet 10 feet 100 feet 100 feet 

Aquatic Areas of Other Streams 

(Type N streams) 

No buffer 

specified 

No buffer 

specified 

60 feet if flowing 

at time of 

application 

No buffer 

specified 

No direct application 

to large and medium 

streams 

No direct application 

to large and medium 

streams 

Significant Wetlands 60 feet 10 feet 300 feet 10 feet No direct 

application 

No direct 

application 

Aquatic Areas of Lakes larger than 

8 acres 60 feet 10 feet 300 feet 10 feet No direct 

application 

No direct 

application 

Aquatic Areas of Other lakes with 

fish use 60 feet 10 feet 300 feet 10 feet No direct 

application 

No direct 

application 

Other standing water larger than 

1/4-acre at the time of application 60 feet 10 feet 300 feet 10 feet No direct 

application 

No direct 

application 

All other waters No buffer 

specified 

No buffer 

specified 

No buffer 

specified 

No buffer 

specified No buffer specified No buffer specified 

Notes for Table 1: 

• All distances listed are measured horizontally. 

• Direct application of chemicals is not allowed within the listed distances. 

• In all cases when pesticides are used, applicators must also comply with all requirements of the label for the applied 

product. Label requirements may require wider buffers than specified in the chemical and other petroleum 

product rules.

• For herbicide applications, applicators must protect the vegetation required to be retained near the waters of the state by 

the general forest practice water protection rules. These other rules may require wider buffers than specified in the 

chemical and other petroleum product rules and apply to all types of forest operations. 

• In certain situations, the Department of Forestry may approve plans for alternate practices that involve reducing the 

widths of buffers for aerial fungicides and non-biological insecticide applications. 

4 
When chemicals are applied on forestlands, how 

must water quality and other resources be 

protected? 

Each forest pesticide has a federally approved label 

which describes how it must be applied. The label is a 

legal document and failing to follow the label 

requirements is a violation of both federal and state law. 

In addition, the forest practice rules require the following 

further actions by operators, because of the unique blend 

of resource issues, rugged terrain, and operational 

constraints that exist on forestland. These actions are 

related to weather conditions, aerial application parallel to 

streams, and buffering water bodies (see Table 1 on page 

4). 

Weather conditions such as temperature, relative 

humidity, wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric 

temperature inversions, and precipitation may 

strongly affect the deposition and drift of chemicals, 

especially during aerial and pressurized, ground-based 

chemical applications. Pesticide product labels may 

include specific requirements for weather conditions 

during applications. The forest practice rules do not 

contain weather limitations, but do require the 

weather during the application to be closely 

monitored and evaluated to ensure chemicals do not 

drift outside the target area. 

Aerial chemical applications must be made parallel 

to the edges of streams and other waters to reduce 

the potential for chemicals to enter the water. 

What information must be recorded and 

maintained on forest chemical applications? 

Table 2 lists the information that operators must 

collect and retain on file for three years after a forest 

chemical application. This information must be 

made available to the Department of Forestry upon 

request. 

A standardized form is offered 

on page 7 of this note as one 

method of keeping the required 

records. 

What special actions must be 

taken when applying chemicals 

near streams used by 

community water systems?

It is important that community 

water system managers are 

informed about planned chemical 

operations so they can coordinate 

their water quality monitoring 

activities with such operations. 

These requirements apply when 

chemicals will be aerially applied 

within 100 feet, or applied from 

the ground within 50 feet of 

domestic 

Table 2

Aerial pesticide applications 

and pressurized, ground-based 

broadcast pesticide 

applications with potential for 

drift, such as right-of-way and 

backpack sprayer applications 

Other ground-based 

pesticide applications 

(stem injection, "hack 

and squirt", granular, 

etc.) Fertilizer 

Legal description 3 3 3

Acres treated 3 3 3

Chemical brand name or 

EPA registration number & 

application rate 

3 3

Date and time of application 3 3 3

Air temperature 3

Relative humidity 3

Wind speed and direction 3

Applicator's name 3 3 3

Note: Air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction must 

be measured at least hourly for aerial applications and at least at the beginning 

and ending of each day's work for ground-based applications.

5 
use portions of Type F or Type D streams used by a 

community water system. The operator must notify 

the water system manager about the planned chemical 

operation at least 15 days before the operation begins. 

 Notifying the Department of Forestry does not satisfy 

this requirement. This requirement generally only 

applies to community watersheds 100 square miles 

(64,000 acres) in size or smaller. Department field 

offices have a list of water systems requiring 

notification. This list is periodically updated. 

If requested by the community water system 

manager, the operator must provide the following 

additional information before commencing the 

operation: 

• The application technology that will be used 

• Practices that will be followed to minimize drift 

toward the stream 

• Any monitoring efforts that will be conducted 

by the landowner 

• The planned time schedule for the application 

Where can information on chemicals used on 

forestland be obtained? 

Technical information on individual pesticides is 

available from a variety of sources, including the 

following: 

• The Forest Chemical page at 

http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/ (look under 

“chemical use”). Concerned individuals or 

groups may use this site to view specimen 

pesticide and additive labels for allowable 

application rates and other information. The 

labels may also be useful for operators, but 

applicators must always follow the 

instructions on the label that comes with the 

pesticide product. Forest pesticide fact sheets 

are also available at this site. 

• The National Pesticide Information Center 

(NPIC) at 1-800-858-7378, or 

http://npic.orst.edu/. 

• The Extension Toxicology Network 

(EXTOXNET) at http://extoxnet.orst.edu/. 

To learn about the potential human health effects of 

pesticide exposures and what to do if someone may 

have been exposed to pesticides, contact: 

The Oregon Pesticide Analytical 

and Response Center 

at (503) 986-6470 

or 

Oregon Poison Center 

at 1-800-222-1222 

How can citizens learn about forest chemical 

operations in their local area? 

Persons living in and near managed forestlands are 

encouraged to communicate directly with their 

neighboring forest landowners. Most industrial and 

non-industrial forest landowners are willing to 

explain the management plans for their property and 

listen to public comments and concerns. 

Citizens may also receive information about forest 

operations, including chemical applications, by 

annually subscribing to copies of notifications of 

operations received by the Department of Forestry. 

Subscriptions apply to a geographic area of interest, 

and there is a fee to cover the cost of this service. 

Persons with a surface water right may request to 

receive copies of forest chemical application 

notifications within ten miles upstream of their 

property at no cost. Such requests must be made in 

writing to the department. A mandatory 15-day 

waiting period for all aerial chemical applications, 

and some ground-based applications, on forestlands 

allows interested parties the opportunity to comment 

to the Department of Forestry and to the operator 

about the planned activity. 

For more information about the Oregon Forest 

Practices Act or the forest practice rules, please 

contact one of the Oregon Department of Forestry 

offices shown on the back page of this publication. 

6 
Daily Chemical Application Record Form 

O

D

F 

O

D

A 

U

S

D

A 

This form outlines daily pesticide application information an applicator must record to meet 

requirements of the Oregon Departments of Forestry (ODF) 1 and Agriculture (ODA), 2 and the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) 3. An applicator may use a different form if the required 

information is included. The applicator must retain the ODA and ODF-required records for 3 years, 

and the USDA-required records for 2 years. 

Landowner and Location 

3

Name, address, and telephone of person or business who owns or controls the property: 

3 3 3 Legal Description of Application Area: 

Applicator 

3 3 3 Applicator (Name of Person Applying Chemical): 

3 Applicator Certification Number: 

3 Applicator Contractor: 

Application Information 

3 Supplier of Chemical Product: 

3 3 3 EPA Registration Number and Product Brand Name: 

3 3 3 Number of Acres Treated: 

3 3 Per Acre Application Rate: 

3 Total Amount of Pesticide Product Applied: 

3 Carrier Used, including Rate/Acre: 

3 Application Equipment Used (Aerial, Backpack, Etc.): 

 If Aerial F.A.A. Aircraft Number: 

3 3 Crop (enter “forest” for forestry applications): 

3 3 3 Date of Application: 

 Beginning Time: Ending Time: 

ODF Only: Weather Information (For Aerial Applications Measure and Record Information Hourly; For 

Ground-Based Pressurized Broadcast Application Measure and Record Information at the Beginning and 

End of Each Day’s Application):

Time: 

Air Temperature 

Relative Humidity 

Wind Speed 

Direction wind coming 

from (e.g., N or NNW) 

Applicator Signature: 

 

1

 Oregon Department of Forestry requirements for all pesticide applicators 

2

 Oregon Department of Agriculture requirements for commercial and public applicators. Applicators must also 

report to the Pesticide Use Reporting System at http://oregon.gov/ODA/PEST/purs_index.shtml. 3

 U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements for private pesticide applicators using restricted use products.

7 
ODF Field Offices Directory 

Northwest Oregon Area

Astoria District

92219 Hwy 202 

Astoria, OR 97103 

(503) 325-5451 

Forest Grove District/Forest Grove 

Unit

801 Gales Cr. Rd 

Forest Grove, OR 97116 

(503) 357-2191 

Columbia City Unit

405 E Street 

Columbia City, OR 97018 

(503) 397-2636 

North Cascade District/Santiam Unit

22965 North Fork Rd SE 

Lyons, OR 97358 

(503) 859-2151 

Molalla Unit

14995 S. Hwy 211 

Molalla, OR 97038 

(503) 829-2216 

Tillamook District

5005 East 3rd 

Tillamook, OR 97141 

(503) 842-2545 

West Oregon District/W. Oregon Unit

24533 Alsea Hwy 

Philomath, OR 97370 

(541) 929-3266 

Dallas Unit

825 Oak Villa Rd 

Dallas, OR 97338 

(503) 623-8146 

Toledo Unit

763 NW Forestry Rd 

Toledo, OR 97391 

(541) 336-2273 

Southern Oregon Area

Coos District

63612 Fifth Road 

Coos Bay, OR 97420 

(541) 267-3161 

Douglas District

1758 NE Airport Road 

Roseburg, OR 97470 

(541) 440-3412 

South Cascades District/

East Lane Unit

3150 Main Street 

Springfield, OR 97478 

(541) 726-3588 

Sweet Home Unit

4690 Hwy 20 

Sweet Home, OR 97386 

(541) 367-6108 

Western Lane District

P.O. Box 157 

Veneta, OR 97487 

(541) 935-2283 

Southwest Oregon District/ 

Medford Unit (Central Point)

5286 Table Rock Rd 

Central Point, OR 97502 

(541) 664-3328 

Grants Pass Unit

5375 Monument Drive 

Grants Pass, OR 97526 

(541) 474-3152 

Eastern Oregon Area

Central Oregon District/ Prineville Unit

3501 E. 3rd Street 

Prineville, OR 97754 

(541) 447-5658 

The Dalles Unit

3701 W. 13th St 

The Dalles, OR 97058 

(541) 296-4626 

John Day Unit

P.O. Box 546 

John Day, OR 97845 

(541) 575-1139 

Klamath-Lake District/

Klamath Falls Unit

3200 DeLap Road 

Klamath Falls, OR 97601 

(541) 883-5681 

Lake Unit

2290 North 4th Street 

Lakeview, OR 97630 

(541) 947-3311 

Northeast Oregon District/

La Grande Unit

611 20th Street 

La Grande, OR 97850 

(541) 963-3168 

Pendleton Unit

1055 Airport Road 

Pendleton, OR 97801 

(541) 276-3491 

Wallowa Unit

802 W. Hwy 82 

Wallowa, OR 97885 

(541) 886-2881 

ODF on the Internet 

Current Oregon forest practice rule information is available on the Internet at: 

http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF 

(click on “Private Forests”) 

”STEWARDSHIP IN FORESTRY” 

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY 

PRIVATE AND COMMUNITY FORESTS PROGRAM 

2600 STATE STREET 

SALEM, OR 97310

FP Note 3 Chem.doc/Jaz B