At a Glance
Efficient and careful forest thinning helps reduce wildfire risk and protect a local watershed.
Project Description
Wildfires are a natural occurrence in Oregon’s forests, but a century of fire suppression has resulted in overly dense forests, and this buildup of fuels has increased the likelihood of larger, more destructive wildfires. The warmer, drier conditions associated with a changing climate exacerbate the threat.
After receiving a grant from Oregon Department of Forestry to conduct fuels reduction treatments in the Eagle Creek watershed to help reduce this risk, the Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District turned to Biohabitats for help.
Biohabitats conducted mastication, pruning, and chipping on approximately 23 acres of forest land on private property. The mastication was done using a specialized forestry mastication equipment. Additional thinning and pruning were completed by Biohabitats sawyers. Approximately 1200 cubic yards of slash was ground into chips and used on site for trail surfacing. Biohabitats produced five cords of firewood from the thinned trees, and they were donated to a local food bank. The project was completed on time and within budget.
When the project began in the summer of 2022, the area was under Oregon Department of Forestry Level 3 Fire Restrictions. Biohabitats provided firefighting equipment and a daily fire watch and shortened work hours to reduce the risk and ensure compliance with State regulations.