Siuslaw National Forest Facilities Master Plan
Beaver Creek Seed Orchard

This 65 acre site is located approximately 10 miles west of Corvallis. The site was purchased in the 60's to serve as a regional seed orchard. A large tree cooler, office/warehouse, two shade houses, and two equipment storage buildings were constructed in the 60's and 70's. At the height of operations, as many as 30 persons worked the seed beds. Today, the tree cooler and office/warehouse buildings are only used to store excess property. Only one shade house remains and serves as a roof to protect the forest rock quarry core log inventory and several pieces of equipment. One equipment storage building is being used to house the equipment needed to care for the seed stock.

The region has developed a regional seed orchard plan and has classified this orchard as a critical orchard to supply seed from high quality stock that has been developed over the past 35 years. The site will be managed jointly by the Siuslaw and Willamette National Forests. Since the use of the site is now limited to the growing of seed stock, there is no longer a need for the shade house, tree cooler, one of the equipment storage buildings and the main office/warehouse building. Work now involves intermittent pruning, grafting and seed cone collections by a small team of 2 or 3 people. There is a need for equipment storage for a tractor, loader and miscellaneous small equipment.

ACTION:

1. Consolidate all operations into the main office/warehouse building in FY 199& This building is in the best condition of the three storage buildings and is equipped with the only restrooms on site. The heated warehouse area has good overhead doors and is in much better condition than the other two storage buildings. The center area of the building could be used to store archived records for the forest since it is a heated space. With the closure of the Alsea District Office, there is a growing need to store historical records on the forest. Shelving would need to be added for this purpose.
   
   
2. In FY 1998, pursue turning over the operation of the site to a local tree orchard business under a special use agreement. Terms of the agreement would include maintenance of the buildings as well as management of the site. Forest Service operations could either be performed by Forest Service staff or contracted to the permit tee.
   
   
3. If no agreement is made for private management of the site by FY 2000, remove the excess buildings in FY 2000. This would include the tree cooler and both equipment storage buildings. The shade house roof will remain as long as it is in good condition. It does provide good covered protection for the forest rock quarry core collection and several other pieces of equipment When this roof begins to fail ? remove it.
   
4. Replace the office/Warehouse roof and paint the exterior in FY 1999.
   
   
5. Add chlorination to the water system and make repairs to provide potable water to the restrooms (approx $2,000) in FY 1999.
   
   
6. Establish an annual maintenance budget to ensure upkeep of the site in 1999.
   
   
7. Recommend the region reassess the need for this property periodically. This property would be a valuable regional asset for exchange for other administrative property such as a district or supervisor's office building.