Coast Range Association

Using Google Earth and the Coast Range Association’s special files you now can virtually fly to any place in Western Oregon and see exactly where BLM old growth and native forest is located. We identify old growth and native forest using three different colors.

Red tint: Old growth forest (over 150 years of age)
Brown tint: Mature forest (100 to 150 years of age)
Green tint: Native forest (60 to 100 years of age)

The above sample is a toward-the-horizon view at about 400 meters elevation.

Here’s how the WOPR-Google Earth web site works:

1. Make sure you have the Google Earth program installed on your computer or the CRA’s special files will not work. Google Earth doesn’t come with computer systems so, if you haven’t used it you don’t have it. The program is a simple download from Google Earth. Here’s the link.

Possible issues with Google Earth and your computer:
To use Google Earth you must have a graphics card that handles 3-D graphics. Some computers will see the tinted areas as a solid color. If the tint color appears as a solid then in the Google Earth program open Tools (top left of screen) and select Options. Select 3D View and change the Graphics Mode from OpenGL to DirectX. See what happens.  When purchasing a new computer ask about its graphics card. If you are purchasing an inexpensive laptop consider an upgrade to a higher-end graphics card such as a NVIDIA with built in memory of at least 125meg or 250meg.

2. Down load the special CRA old growth-Google Earth fileat an area page. The twenty-eaight areas we have build Google Earth views for are listed in the right column. Save the file to your computer or open it directly. Once openned, the file will be saved in your Google Earth viewer. Each page has a photo like the one below which opens the Google Earth file. You must visit an area page to access the Google Earth file. The image below is not linked to a file.

3. If you download the file you will notice a square icon with the Google Earth logo and the letters KML below. With your mouse, double click on the icon and Google Earth will open and zoom into the BLM area. Once there, use the Google Earth controls to zoom in close, pan to a horizon view or rotate in any direction. As mentioned above, a horizon view at about 500 meters elevation seems to work best.

4. For most areas we have provided special locator maps. These will help you identify specific stands to visit. By clicking on the map a larger down loadable version comes into view.

5. It gets even better:

Special CRA built Google Earth views are now available for two important parts of the Northwest Forest Plan: The 1993late-successional forest reserves (LSRs) and the 2002 Key Watersheds. Downloading the two files will allow you to see ecologically important values, that combined with our three forest age classes, provide the most informative picture of what the Bush Administration seeks to end.

Down load the Late-Successional Reserve file.

Sample LSR view

Down load the Key Watersheds file

Sample Key Watersheds view.

5. We have build 28 special web pages like this page for the entire western Oregon BLM WOPR area. The effort took a large amount of work and resources. Please make a generous donation to help us continue our work conserving Oregon’s native forests.