ARRA Project (WBS)#: LXHAB1350000

Project Title: HRB Vale biomass utilizaton

Index Map Locator #: 57

State: Oregon

Unit: BLM - Vale District

Description:

The Rattlesnake Stewardship Project is located in the Burnt River watershed just a few miles north of the ranching community of Hereford, Oregon. In addition, the Woodtick Village Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Stewardship Project is located just north of Unity Reservoir and within the WUI zone of the Woodtick Village community. The mechanism for completing these projects will be a lump sum stewardship contract with optional provisions and bid line items for YUM (yarding unmerchantable material) and for subsidized hauling of biomass material to a utilization center.

Recovery Act Funding:

The Rattlesnake Stewardship Project will likely be offered and awarded within the next several months and work should begin during the summer of 2009. It's anticipated that the additional biomass work would result in creating 10 additional forestry related jobs for a period of 9 to 12 months. The Woodtick Village Stewardship Project contract would be completed during the summer/fall of 2009. It's anticipated that the additional biomass work would result in creating 8 additional forestry related jobs for a period of 6 to 9 months.

Benefits:

These project objectives are to reduce hazardous fuels and restore forest health on approximately 400 acres (Rattlesnake Stewardship Project) and 1,000 acres (Woodtick Village Stewardship Project) of mixed public ownership through thinning, juniper eradication, restoration of quaking aspen and mountain mahogany, fence construction and road stabilization. A subsidiary objective of the project is the utilization of woody biomass that will be generated during project implementation.