La Pine-area residents offered funds to curb wildfire risk

Last year’s devastating wildfire season underscores the need to take proactive steps now to reduce fire risk in the future—and build fire-adapted communities.

That’s why the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is teaming up with Central Oregon groups to provide much-needed restoration on public and private forests in the greater La Pine area.

This year, NRCS is offering $250,000 to help private woodland owners in the greater La Pine area reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and improve forest health on their property.

Interested landowners should submit applications by May 20 to the NRCS office in Redmond (625 SE Salmon Avenue, Suite 4) to be considered for this year’s funding.

The funding will help woodland owners perform conservation practices like pre-commercial thinning, slash treatment, and fuel breaks.

These practices reduce the amount of “fuels” (such as dense, overstocked trees, shrubs and invasive plants) that cause a wildfire to spread higher into the canopy where it causes the most damage. A properly thinned forest holds wildfire lower to the ground, allowing safer access for firefighters to quench the flames.

Thinning also helps reduce the spread of insects and disease that impact marketable timber growth and improves wildlife habitat by providing opened spaces for elk, deer and other species.

NRCS is offering the financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)—a voluntary Farm Bill program that reimburses landowners for a portion of the cost to implement conservation practices on private agricultural lands, including woodlands and forests.

This forest restoration effort—called the Greater La Pine Basin Cohesive Strategy Project—was just announced in February as a new project funded by the Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Initiative.

The Joint Chiefs initiative is a partnership between two USDA agencies—NRCS and the Forest Service—that reduces wildfire risk on both public and private forests. NRCS is offering assistance to help private landowners treat their woods and forests; and the Forest Service will be performing similar restoration on the federal side of the project boundary in the Deschutes National Forest.

The La Pine project will take place over the next three years, targeting restoration on nearly 345,000 acres of forestlands—which includes state, federal and private lands in southern Deschutes County and northern Klamath County.

“By doing this proactive forest restoration work across the public and private boundaries, we can create a more fire-adapted community while also significantly enhancing the health and productivity of our precious forests,” said Tom Bennett, NRCS district conservationist in Redmond.

In addition to the NRCS funding, other project partners are offering assistance to woodland owners to help them protect their forests.

The Oregon Department of Forestry and Walker Range Fire Protection District have funds available to help landowners within the Greater La Pine Area.

Smaller, more residential woodland owners in Deschutes County may get assistance through Project Wildfire; and Oregon State University Extension Service offers advice and tips on how to best manage forests and woodlands.

For more information, contact Tom Bennett, NRCS District Conservationist at 541-923-4358 x123, or tom.bennett@or.usda.gov.