PORTLAND, Ore. — The USDA Forest Service and the Oregon Department of Forestry are investing $750,000 to restore oak habitat and reduce wildfire risk in the southern Willamette Valley.
The project will reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire and restore fire-adapted oak ecosystems that are important to wildlife, water quality, and rural communities. Work includes treating 150 acres of hazardous fuels while supporting partner efforts to treat an additional 1,200 acres — for a total of 1,350 acres restored. Landowners will receive assistance to implement oak management activities, including hazardous fuels mitigation, that promote resilient and fire-adapted forests.
This investment is part of the Forest Service’s Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) program, a nationally competitive grant program that supports collaborative, science-based projects across state, tribal, and private forestlands. The Forest Service invested $7 million to fund 19 projects nationwide, including $300,000 to this project in Oregon…