HomeMy WebLinkAboutForester UpdateMEMORANDUM
DATE: June 7, 2010
TO: Deschutes County BOCC
FROM: Joe Stutter, Deschutes County Forester
RE: Forester Update
For the last two months the following projects and issues have either been
accomplished or addressed:
1. We have finalized the ODF Biomass Grant for $675,000 and will receive
an additional $200,000 Sweat Equity Grant from the National Fire Plan.
The Biomass Grant will enable us to utilize existing grants in conjunction
with the new grant to produce biomass targets which are 1,000 acres,
22,000 green tons which equates to 773 chip trucks. We will be working
with a FEMA contractor to complete the environmental compliance for the
new $3 million grant which we'll being implementing in 2011.
2. Utilizing existing grants this spring (last two months) we have created over
40,000 cubic yards county owned and private lands. Heart of Oregon
continue working on fuels treatment in south county and we have
agreements with Sunriver, Awbrey Glen and Aspen Lakes where they
treat fuels, create biomass and administer the contracts thus significantly
reducing administrative over sight for me. This spring alone we have
completed or will shortly work in the following neighborhoods.
a. Newberry Estates
b. Woodside Ranch
c. Deschutes River Woods
d. Awbrey Glen
e. Tollgate
f. Camp Sherman
g. Aspen Lakes
h. Sunriver
i. Black Butte Ranch
j. Alfalfa
k. East County
I. Eagle Crest
We are also exploring fuels treatment opportunities in other areas which
are classified as Extreme or High Density Extreme by SB 360 ratings.
3. The Sunriver and LaPine CWPP's have been completed and updated. We
begin the process of updating the CWPP's for Bend and Redmond with
completion schedule at year's end.
4. Project Wildfire/FireFree Programs—the FireFree effort this year was
outstanding again with great participation in all areas. With biomass
disposal sites open year around we continue to contribute to FireFree
accomplishments and expect to accumulate approximately 150,000 cubic
yards this year. Additionally, we plan the fourth Project Wildfire Awards
ceremony this year with six new awards, the date for the awards
ceremony is July 7, 2010. Project Wildfire will be participating in the
Deschutes County Fair with two golf carts to ferry people around the
fairgrounds and we will have the opportunity to provide fire prevention and
education information regarding defensible space along with the "free
ride." Volunteers from Project Wildfire will staff the golf carts during the
fair.
5. A group of "collaboratives" throughout Central Oregon has completed a
10 -year proposal which will essentially create a healthy forest and treat
fuels on approximately 140,000 acres in the Bend watershed and areas in
the Three Creeks and lands south and west of Sisters. We expect to hear
the results of our proposal soon. This proposal would provide
approximately $10 million to the Deschutes National Forest to complete
the work which was created from the Collaborative Forest Landscape
Restoration (CFLR) program which was established by Congress in 2009.
Congress has allocated $40 million annually for this program and if
selected could make a significant difference in landscape restoration on
public lands.
6. The COCC Capstone Class completed the land management plan for the
county owned lands (120 acres) near Hurtley Ranch Road, culminating
with a presentation to the BOCC on June 2, 2010. The class proposed
four alternatives of which we can implement after some additional
communication with property owners in the proximity of county property.
Joe Stutter
Deschutes County Forester