Junipers to come down at Tumalo State Park

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department plans to begin a habitat restoration and fuels reduction project on seven undeveloped acres of the Tumalo State Park along the Deschutes River.

Removal of juniper trees will be done by hand crews with chainsaws, said Greg Ciannella, natural resource specialist with the department in Bend.

Some of the trees will be bucked up for firewood, slash debris hand piled for future burning and lopped and scattered, Ciannella said.

The remainder of the trees will be cut and felled toward the Deschutes River and left in whole to provide floodplain roughness and near shore cover habitat for fish.

“This particular treatment is meant to mimic natural wind blow down,” Ciannella said.

Following the juniper cutting, falling, and removal, black cottonwood trees will be planted in the project area.

The work is set to begin April 7 th and last about three weeks.

“The expected habitat restoration outcome of this project will remove Western Juniper competition on riparian vegetation, provide habitat and cover for fish and wildlife, and restore riparian hardwood tree cover along the Deschutes River,” Ciannella said.