Environmental Indicators for the Oregon Plan for

2001. The Institute works to improve the sustainability of natural resources and secure their ongoing contri-butions to our environments, economies, and communities. The purpose of the Institute is to provide reliable, objective, relevant, and science-based interdisciplinary natural resource expertise, information, research, and assistance to facilitate long-term stewardship of Oregon’s environments and natural resources. Three virtual offi ces make up the Institute for Natural Resources: • The Institute’s Policy Offi ce offers independent analyses of environmental and natural resource issues to describe plausible policy options and their likely strengths and weaknesses. • The Institute’s Research Offi ce facilitates interdisciplinary research on the environment and natural re-sources of Oregon and their interactions with Oregon’s economies and communities. • The Institute’s Information Offi ce houses, makes available, and links a host of data, analytical and model-ing tools, and decision support for identifying alternative courses of action and analyzing their outcomes