Forest restoration work west of Bend prompts area closure

Starting Thursday, the Deschutes National Forest said it will implement an area closure in a portion of the forest west of Bend, off of Cascade Lakes Highway, commonly known as “Good Dog. “

The closure is being done to protect public safety as contractors do thinning and mowing operations on 131 acres of the Yen Stewardship project.

Because operators will be using large equipment to do their work, which may limit their ability to see people in the area, the closure is being done to protect the public and the operators, officials said.

The closure, predicted to last two months, will be in effect weekly, from 4:00 a.m. Mondays through 5:00 p.m. Fridays until the project is completed. The area will be open to the public on weekends.

The closure includes roads 4600-111, 102, 103, 107, 109, 111, 112, 115, 118 and a portion of road 106. For up-to-date trail closure information in the West Bend Project area, visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/webmaps/deschutes/west-bend/

Background

This work is part of a 2, 972-acre stewardship project known as “Yen.” This project is one portion of the 26,000-acre “West Bend Vegetation Project” within the Deschutes National Forest slated for restoration work being completed in conjunction with the Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project.

The West Bend Project is designed to restore forest ecosystems, creating a diversity of plant and wildlife habitat, reduce the risk to our community from high severity wildfire, and provide economic and social benefit to our local community.

For more information about the closure, please contact Chelsea Muise, Acting Recreation Staff for the Bend-Ft. Rock Ranger District, at 541-383-4708 or e-mail to clmuise@fs.fed.us .