Our Work

Our Work

Restoring Our Forests

The DCFP is dedicated to restoring our forests, making them more resilient to fire, insects and disease, and even climate change. At the same time, we are creating better wildlife habitat, space for trees to grow and thrive, and safer and healthier communities.

A Forest that Needs Fire

Fire were historically a healthy and regular occurrence in Central Oregon forests. Our trees, plants and wildlife are all adapted to forests that received regular fire. A century of fire suppression has resulted in overly dense forests, and thus very hot and devastating fires.

The West Bend Project

Some of the most beloved places in the Deschutes National Forest are restoration priorities. Our goals for the West Bend Project: restore forest ecosystems, reduce the potential of high-severity wildfire, and provide socioeconomic benefits to local communities.

2015-CFLRP-Overview-MapRestoring Balance in our Forests

Since 2010, we’ve been working as partners alongside the Deschutes National Forest on a $10.1 million effort to restore 250,000+ acres of forest in Deschutes County, focusing on the unhealthiest places that are putting our forests and communities at risk, including the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas west of Bend, Sisters, Tumalo and Sunriver.

Before and after restoration efforts at the SAFR project outside Sisters.

Recent News

  • Pinedrops Trail Thinning, DCFP Steering Committee Response

    In response to the controversial thinning in the Euro 5 Unit along the Pinedrops trail in the West Bend project area, the DCFP has reaffirmed their commitment to the collaborative process, remained dedicated to caring for the health and resiliency…

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  • Prescribed Burning in Progress

    Prescribed Burning locations across Central Oregon With the arrival of favorable weather conditions, fire managers on the Deschutes National Forest will begin igniting prescribed burns and pile burns across our area over the next few weeks. This will include several…

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  • Trail Closure Updates for Phils Trail area

    Restoration Work near Phil's Trail area Popular mountain biking trails will be temporarily closed. You may have noticed some activity in the forests west of Bend. Restoration work (thinning, mowing, and prescribed burning) near the Phil's Trail area aims to…

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  • Mowing to occur near Deschutes River recreation areas

    Recreationists should keep their distance from mowing equipment for their safety Posted May 26, 2021:  Heavy equipment will be mowing national forest lands located west of Bend and south of Century Drive now and into much of the summer unless…

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  • Temporary Trail Closures Deschutes National Forest

    Temporary Trail Closures Deschutes National Forest Posted May 7, 2020: The Deschutes National Forest will be temporarily closing a section of the Dinah-Moe-Humm Trail from Forest Road 4180 west to the junction of Forest Road 500, north of Edison Butte…

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  • What is up with the Mulch Piles near Phil’s Trailhead?

    What's up with the Mulch Piles around Phil's Trailhead? Beginning Wednesday, April 15, 2020, the Deschutes National Forest will temporarily close the gate on Forest Road 4604 near the Phil's Trailhead in Bend, Oregon to accomplish restoration work in two…

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