Irene Jerome, American Forest Resource Council Consultant
Irene Jerome is a forestry professional with deep roots in Oregon, whose family has lived on Juniper Flat near Maupin since 1879. Growing up as the oldest of three girls on a family ranch in southern Wasco County, she gained early experience in agricultural work, from riding horses and helping with calves to driving tractors.
Irene's forestry career began unexpectedly when she took a job driving a garbage truck for the U.S. Forest Service after high school, drawing on her truck-driving experience from the ranch. During a time when the Forest Service was actively recruiting women, they offered to hire her full-time if she pursued a forestry degree. She attended Oregon State University and went on to work for the Forest Service for approximately 14 years, primarily at the Hood River District.
Despite opportunities for advancement within the Forest Service, Irene's strong connection to her home region led her to transition to the private sector rather than relocate. She began working with Hanel Lumber Company in the Parkdale area and has since held various industry positions including with Malheur Lumber. Since 2012, she has served as a consultant for the American Forest Resource Council, an industry trade association operating across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Montana, and Nevada. In this role, she works with national forests on the east side of Oregon and in Region 4 in Idaho.
Irene has developed particular expertise in community wildfire protection planning. She has authored Community Wildfire Protection Plans for multiple counties including Harney, Grant, Wheeler, and Lake Counties. She is passionate about helping rural communities become more self-sufficient in wildfire preparedness and has been instrumental in establishing Firewise communities, including a successful program in Pine Creek near John Day that proved its worth during the 2015 Canyon Creek Complex fire. "I'm really, really passionate about Community Wildfire Protection Plans and helping people understand that in our rural areas we need to be somewhat self-sufficient when it comes to wildfire protection. We know our county's best, we know our landscape, we know our weather patterns, we know where the roads are. For example, we had a meeting with the French Glen Rangeland Fire Protection Association and received tremendous input from those folks. They have good ideas on how to strategically set up the county to protect itself and to be more resilient."
An experienced collaborator and listener, Irene also chairs the Grant-Harney Fire Prevention Cooperative, which brings together various agencies and stakeholders to discuss and promote fire prevention strategies. She emphasizes the importance of community input and local knowledge in both wildfire preparedness and forest management decisions. Her approach involves meeting people where they gather, creating comfortable social environments for discussion, and really listening to different perspectives. Irene also brings her experience and knowledge to Harney County Forest Restoration Collaborative meetings and field tours whenever possible.
When not working with communities on the wildfire protection planning, Irene is a self-described introvert who values solitude, Irene enjoys reading and traveling with her husband in their trailer, accompanied by their dog and cat.
