Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests
Crooked River National Grassland

Local Area News Releases

The Central Oregon Office of Communications serves the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and the Prineville District of the BLM.

News Releases are organized by year and new ones are added as soon as possible after release.

2008

June

• Elk Lake Loop Road Temporarily Closed - BEND – The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest will temporarily close the back side of the Elk Lake Loop Road and Sunset View Day Use Area on Wednesday, June 25th due to the exceptional number of roadside danger trees in the area.

• Sisters Ranger District Administrative Site to be Auctioned for Sale - Bend -- The Sisters Ranger District administrative site in downtown Sisters will go up for auction on Monday June 23, 2008 . The sale will include 62.5 acres in two parcels sold as one piece. All of the property is National Forest System land inside the Urban Growth Boundary of Sisters, Oregon.

• PAULINA RANGER DISTRICT SOUTHSIDE ALLOTMENTS PROJECT OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT - PRINEVILLE—The Paulina Ranger District recently completed a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Southside Allotments Project. The project is located in the southeastern portion of the Ochoco National Forest in Grant, Crook and Wheeler counties.

• Wild land Firefighter Training “Guard School” June 16 – 20, Live Fire Training Exercises Scheduled June 19 and June 27th on Deschutes National Forest Near Sisters. SISTERS—Approximately 71 new firefighters with the Oregon Department of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Portland Water Bureau will engage in classroom and field training from June 16-20 at Sisters Middle School in Sisters, OR.

• Wild Mustangs - Polishing the Diamond. July 19-20th Adoption week-end. Clinics and shows on Saturday, Adoption on Sunday.

• Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland Host Public Meeting on Recreation Site Planning Proposal - PRINEVILLE—The public is invited to attend a presentation and question and answer session regarding a proposal for future recreation facility management on the Ochoco National Forest and the Crooked River National Grassland.

• Free Fishing in Sunriver this Saturday - SUNRIVER—The public is invited to a free fishing clinic in Sunriver on Saturday, June 7th, during an event that allows free fishing for one weekend throughout Oregon.

• Free Fishing Clinic Location Changed to Davis Lake - Davis Lake , OR —The Free Fishing Day this Friday June 6 th will now be held at the Lava Flow Campground at Davis Lake , just off the Cascade Lakes Highway.

• PARTNERS ASSIST FOREST SERVICE IN RESTORING AN ASPEN STAND - PRINEVILLE- Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) are perhaps best known for the beautiful hues of yellow and gold that the leaves become during the fall season.

May

• Small Controlled Burn NE of Wickiup Reservoir on Wednesday - La Pine —Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists, in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Forestry, will be finishing up the last 27 acres of a 77-acre controlled burn project that was initiated last week.

• Controlled Burn near Bend Cancelled - CENTRAL OREGON — Deschutes National Forest fuels specialists, after reviewing the latest weather forecasts, made the decision to cancel the prescribed burn located several miles southeast of Bend.

• Controlled Burn Planned Near Crescent - CENTRAL OREGON —Deschutes National Forest fuels specialists, in cooperation with the Walker Range Patrol Association, is planning another 200-acre controlled burn near Crescent on May 13.

• Large Controlled Burn Planned for Tuesday SE Of Bend on the Deschutes National Forest - BEND — A considerable smoke column will be visible from Bend starting around 11 am tomorrow due to a large controlled burn scheduled on the Deschutes National Forest.

• Cecilia Seesholtz Moving On As Forest Supervisor of the Boise National Forest - Bend—Deschutes National Forest Deputy Forest Supervisor Cecilia Romero Seesholtz is stepping up to be the Forest Supervisor of the Boise National Forest in Boise, Idaho. She reports for duty to her new station May 27 th.

• Forest Service to Host Next Series of Open Houses on Motorized Access - Central Oregon —If you care about motor vehicle access in the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River Grassland, you are invited to attend any of several upcoming open houses scheduled in Central Oregon communities.

• Contract Awarded to Steele Associates for Plan and Design of Deschutes NF Supervisor’s Office and Bend Fort-Rock RD - Bend—The contract for planning and design of the new Deschutes National Forest Supervisor’s Office and Bend Fort-Rock Ranger District headquarters was awarded this week to Steele Associates, a Bend architectural firm.

• Paulina Bridge Closed for Replacement - Bend—The Paulina Dam Bridge on Forest Service Road 2100-520 just off County Road 21 in the Deschutes National Forest has been closed to traffic of all kinds. There is a gate across Road 21 closing access to the bridge. This is the bridge near the lower west end of Paulina Lake, the access road to Pauline Lake Resort.

• Parking Lot Reconstruction Begins Monday At North Wickiup Boat Launch - Bend--Major parking area reconstruction will began at North Wickiup Boat Launch on the Deschutes National Forest on Monday, May 12 th, 2008.

• Controlled Burn Scheduled Adjacent to Newberry Estates Subdivision in La Pine - LA PINE—Prineville Bureau of Land Management (BLM) fuels specialists, in cooperation with Deschutes National Forest fuels specialists and local fire protection agencies, is planning a 40-acre controlled burn on public lands in La Pine adjacent to Newberry Estates on Friday, May 9.

  LavaLandsVisitor Center Open for Season Today - BEND – Lava Lands Visitor Center opens to the public today, May 7, 2008 for five days a week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. It will be open for seven days a week starting July 2nd through September 14th.

• Controlled Burns Planned Near Crescent and Sisters - Central Oregon—Deschutes National Forest fuels specialists, in cooperation with the Walker Range Patrol Association, is planning 200 acres of controlled burns near Crescent for the week of May 5. The burn project is located approximately ten miles south of Crescent and one mile east of Highway 97.

• Controlled Burn Planned Near Wickiup Reservoir - La Pine —Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists, in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Forestry, are planning two controlled burns located approximately three miles NE of Wickiup Reservoir and five miles NW of La Pine. The two controlled burns are 77 and 114 acres in size and are tentatively scheduled for Sunday, May 4 and Monday, May 5, dependent upon weather.

April

• Controlled Burns Planned for Deschutes National Forest - Central Oregon— Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists are planning to conduct several prescribed burns on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District south of Bend during the month of May.

  Controlled Burn Planned Near Highway 20, Sisters - SISTERS — Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists, in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Forestry, are planning a 42-acre controlled burn near Sisters to occur today. The burn project is located approximately three miles northwest of Sisters near the Cascade Meadow Ranch community. Read more...

• Bill Queen Selected as District Ranger for Lookout Mountain - PRINEVILLE-Forest Service officials recently announced Bill Queen (see photo) as the incoming District Ranger for the Lookout Mountain Ranger District of the Ochoco National Forest , vice Art Currier, who retired in January of 2008. Queen will be responsible for managing approximately 378,200 acres of Forest Service-administered lands that include a diversity of natural resource programs and projects. Read more...

• New Reality Show on Your National Forest - DESCHUTES NATIONAL FOREST - There is a life and death struggle going on right now in the snowy Cascades of your Deschutes National Forest . Eagles are battling the cold to protect their precious eggs. Will they succeed? Will they survive? Live streaming video of bald eagles in the wild is now available via a website from the Forest Service at http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/eaglecam.html. 

• Upper Beaver Watershed Project Proposal - PRINEVILLE - A proposed project to manage vegetation within the Upper Beaver watershed is open for public comment through May 16, 2008 . The project area, referred to as the “Upper Beaver Vegetation Management Analysis”, covers a 37,000-acre portion of the Paulina Ranger District on the Ochoco National Forest, approximately 70 air miles east of Prineville and within Crook County. Read more...

• Campground Concession Prospectus Issued for the Deschutes National Forest - BEND –The Deschutes National Forest has issued a Prospectus (solicitation for offers) for
  proposals to provide visitor services at various recreation sites within the Deschutes
  National Forest. The sites will include approximately eighty campgrounds. Read more...

• OchocoNational Forest Hazardous Road Conditions/McKay Creek Closure Remains in Effect Through May 31 - Prineville— Forest Service officials have confirmed that many of the roads on the Ochoco National Forest are impassable at this time due to substantial winter snow accumulation. Some of the roads remain gated while other roads are open, but remain snowpacked, soft or muddy. Read more...

• Boat Launch and Parking Area Construction at Wickiup Reservoir - BEND – Reconstruction of the parking area at North Wickiup Boat Launch is now underway, to be followed by reconstruction of the parking area at Gull Point Campground Boat Launch. The public will have access to both launches, but parking will be limited until the new parking areas are completed. Please expect delays to access the launches. Read more...

• Decision Made to Expand Facilities at Meissner Sno-Park - BEND—Bend Fort-Rock District Ranger Phil Cruz, after careful consideration of many public comments, has issued the decision to expand the parking lot and make some other adjustments at Meissner Sno-Park. Read more...

• Controlled Burns Planned Near Sisters - SISTERS —Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists, in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Forestry, are planning to take advantage of spring weather conditions to conduct a series of controlled burns near Sisters tomorrow. Both burns are designed to reintroduce fire to improve ecological conditions in the ponderosa pine stands around the Sisters area. Read more...

• Invasive Plant Decision Withdrawn - Bend—After review in the Pacific Northwest Regional Office of the Forest Service in Portland, Deschutes National Forest Supervisor John Allen and Ochoco National Forest Supervisor Jeff Walter have withdrawn the Record of Decision (ROD) Part One for Invasive Plant Treatment on the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and the Crooked River National Grassland. The ROD was signed by both Forest Supervisors on December 5, 2007 and the legal notice of the decision was published in the newspaper of record, the Bulletin, on January 4, 2008. Read more...

• Snow Delays Opening of Firewood Areas - Bend—Heavy snow levels will delay the opening of firewood cutting areas on the Deschutes National Forest this year until May 12, 2008. The snowpack in the Cascades is 150% of normal this year, and lingering cold temperatures are holding back the annual melt-off. Read more...

• Unwelcome Hitchhikers on Boats - What You Can Do About It - BEND –If you treasure Central Oregon’s lakes and rivers for boating and fishing outings, come learn how to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. The Oregon State Marine Board is partnering with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Portland State University, and the U.S. Forest Service for a boat cleaning and invasive prevention training for interested community members. Read more...

    

March

• Glaze Forest Restoration Project Environmental Analysis Open for Public Comment 3/21 - SISTERS— The 30-day public comment period opens today for the Environmental Analysis (EA) for the Glaze Forest Restoration Project on the Sisters Ranger District.

• Snow Project Draft Environmental Analysis Open for Public Comment 3/19 -BEND—The 30-day public comment period opens today for the Draft Environmental Analysis (EA) of the Snow Fuels Reduction and Vegetation Management Project of the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District. Read more...

• Youth Conservation Corps Accepting Summer Applications 3/14 - BEND—Youth ranging in age from 16 to 18-years-old can now apply for eight weeks of summer employment with the Central Oregon Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). Read more...

• Salmon and Trout Habitat to be Enhanced in the Metolius River 3/13 - SISTERS – Sisters District Ranger Bill Anthony signed a decision notice to place large wood in the Metolius River to restore salmon and trout habitat. Read more...

• Deschutes National Forest Begins Controlled Burns West of Bend 3/4 - Bend - Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists are planning to conduct a series of controlled burns covering 100-140 acres through the month of March. Read more....

February

• BLM Prepares for Upcoming Oil and Gas Lease Sale
• Cold Springs Rental Cabin-How To Make Reservations 2/6- PRINEVILLE-Cold Springs Cabin, a popular summer cabin rental located on the Ochoco National Forest , may be reserved up to six months ahead of time using an online reservation system located at www.rec.gov or at www.reserveamerica.com . Forest visitors who have rented Cold Springs Cabin (also known as Cold Springs Guard Station) in the past will notice that the reservation policy has changed.
• Environmental Analysis Begins for Travel Management Rule

January