The Red Hill Restoration project is located on the Hood River Ranger District within the West Fork Hood River Watershed. The project area includes approximately 12,000 acres.
The stand composition, structure and densities in the project area have been altered by fire suppression efforts over the past 100 years; favorable climatic conditions for vegetation growth; and, increased presence and scale of native and non-native insects and diseases. This high density of the stands contributes to mortality of trees because of competition for nutrients, water and sunlight. Insects and diseases are more likely to kill trees that grow in dense, crowded conditions.
The Red Hill Restoration proposal is to improve overall forest conditions in the Upper West Fork Hood River Watershed through stand thinning and road treatments.
This project would decommission approximately 12 miles of unneeded roads over several years, as implementation funding becomes available. In addition, 3.3 miles of road would have a year-round closure and 5.6 miles of road would be storm proofed, where the roads are upgraded to minimize the aquatic risk associated with the road by improving the road conditions.
More project information can be found on the Forest Service site HERE.