HomeMy WebLinkAboutForester Update
MEMORANDUM
DATE: January 3, 2013
TO: Deschutes County BOCC
FROM: Ed Keith, Deschutes County Forester
RE: January 9 Work Session - Forester Update
The following is a summary of current accomplishments and upcoming projects:
1) Current grants: Work is recently complete on our biomass grant which has been in progress since mid-
2010. This grant provided $843,121 to remove over 161,000 cubic yards of biomass from over 12,000
acres. Work will continue on our most recent National Fire Plan grant next spring, which has funded
sweat equity work in the Upper Deschutes Coalition neighborhoods this past year. Our grant with the
CDC foundation has provided us some national exposure and we h ave had some new contacts as a
result of being a featured project on their website. In terms of metrics, 1055 acres were treated
21,600 cubic yards of fuels were removed in the second half of 2012 through fuel reduction projects.
2) The Upper Deschutes River Coalition CWPP revision is currently in progress. A draft of the plan will be
available for review later this month and should be ready for signature in February. Revision of the
Greater Sisters CWPP will begin in late winter or early spring.
3) The 2013 RFP for a qualified pool of fuels reduction contractors is currently out for bids. Bids are due
by January 25. I will be submitting a recommended list of contractors for the intent to award to the
BOCC in February.
4) A sub-committee of Project Wildfire just completed a year-end review of our program. One of the
recommendations that resulted from that effort was a suggestion to make some minor changes to the
Project Wildfire ordinance which we will be working on in the next month and will seek BOCC ap proval
on in the near future.
5) Two grants we apply for annually are currently open. I will be requesting permission at the work
session to apply for a National Fire Plan Community Assistance grant that will fund fuel reduction, as
well as a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety grant that will assist with funding of fire prevention efforts.