ARRA Project (WBS)#: LXHAB0910000

Project Title: Five Creeks Rangeland Restoration

Index Map Locator #: 2

State: Oregon

Unit: BLM - Burns District

Description:

The primary goal of the Five Creeks Rangeland Restoration Project is to restore native sagebrush and bunchgrass, riparian and quaking aspen plant communities across 73,386 acres of public and private land over the next five years.

The Five Creeks Planning Area is located in Harney County, Oregon approximately 50 air miles southeast of Burns, Oregon and approximately 10 miles east of Diamond, Oregon.

Project work in 2009 will utilize various forms of prescribed fire and mechanical treatments to restore the project area to more historic plant community conditions. Contracts will be used to cut juniper from approximately 4,600 acres. Additional contracts will also be used to treat juniper along five miles of streams and associated riparian habitat, 20 acres of mahogany habitat, and 450 acres surrounding two active Sage-grouse leks.

Recovery Act Funding:

Work will begin immediately this late spring and will create approximately 12+ jobs for a six to nine month period. Multiple partners are involved as well.

Benefits:

These communities are important for the Greater Sage-grouse and other sagebrush obligate species. The prescribed fires will simulate natural fire regime of these plant communities and reduce fuel loading across 30,000 acres of the Project Area. All cut woody material will be offered for biomass utilization projects.