Deschutes National Forest thinning project resumes

Winter is over, so the Deschutes National Forest is resuming its forest restoration project, which will help create a sustainable forest for the long term.

The Forest Service just began the 22,000-acre “Rocket Project,” which is designed to restore forest ecosystems, reduce the risk of wildfires and provide economic benefits.

Crews were out Thursday morning marking trees orange near Sunriver so timber companies know those trees are to stand when thinning work takes place.

“The objective of the projects are to improve forest resiliency, provide local social and economic benefit to local communities, Deschutes National Forest forester Tamara Kerr said Thursday.

Kerr said crews are still working on the West Bend Project to help with thinning of small trees and cutting the risk of major wildfires.

“The wildland interface component of it, in protecting our city of Bend from wildfire,” Kerr said. ” And not only by creating a resilient forest, but we’re creating a landscape that is defensible.”

Forest officials said the West Bend Project will have some temporary impacts on hikers, but the end result will create a better forest for everyone to enjoy.

“We want to keep it there, for all purposes, and so that is what we’re going to do,” she said.

Forest officials have a live interactive map to show residents the progress of the restoration project.

Here is a link: Deschutes County Interactive Map