The Deschutes National Forest has opened a public comment period for the draft Environmental Assessment of the Sisters Canyons Active Restoration Project. The project covers approximately 17,500 acres north of Sisters, Oregon, and aims to enhance forest resiliency while mitigating the risk of large-scale high severity wildfires.
Project Details
The Sisters Canyons Active Restoration Project proposes activities across roughly 14,400 acres, including thinning, mowing, and prescribed burning. These efforts are designed to address concerns regarding insects and disease within the forest.
The project also includes two proposed site-specific Forest Plan Amendments to change scenery requirements on about 220 acres. These amendments would allow for efficient prescribed burning. Additionally, a well-established user trail located within an isolated Forest Service parcel near Deer Ridge Road is slated for inclusion in the Forest Service trail system.
Comments must be submitted or post-marked by August 14, 2026. The public can submit comments electronically using the Comment Analysis and Response Application, CARA, which is the preferred method for submission.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
