ARRA Project (WBS)#: LXHAB1320000

Project Title: HRB Medford biomass utilization

Index Map Locator #: 26

State: Oregon

Unit: BLM - Medford District

Description:

The projects will utilize biomass for local energy production, reduces fuel hazards and provides strategic, defensible space along roads and adjoining areas.

Recovery Act Funding:

The Medford District received funding to increase the amount of biomass utilization for energy production, which will be accomplished primarily through three stewardship contracts.

Benefits:

Two stewardship projects (South and Two Bit) in the Grants Pass Resource Area will treat approximately 3,800 acres. The projects utilize biomass for local energy production and create over 50 new jobs. Additionally, the projects will reduce fuel hazards and provide strategic, defensible space along roads and adjoining areas selected to offer maximum protection to private property that might be threatened by a wildfire. The third stewardship project (Ranch) is located in the Central Big Butte watershed east of Butte Falls, Oregon. This watershed supplies drinking water for the city of Medford. The project objectives are to protect the local communities from catastrophic fire, enhance the ecosystem to ensure high quality water, restore the landscape to enhance forest vigor and a more natural fire regime. The work will be conducted over five years and will include stand reduction thinning, pine plantation thinning on over one thousand acres, meadow restoration, road decommissioning, fence removal, and utilization of biomass. There are over five thousand acres of forty year old pine plantations in the Butte Falls area in need of thinning. These acres are all within the watershed and could potentially contribute to a higher degree of catastrophic fire if not thinned. The project is expected to produce 9,000 tons of biomass while supporting over 45 jobs.