Why: As a result of a century of fire suppression in the US, forests in many areas are now dangerously overgrown. Coupled with the effects of climate change, this creates ideal conditions for megafires. Megafires are fires greater than 40,500 hectares (100,000 acres) in size. In 2020, the Labor Day windstorms resulted in five simultaneous megafires in Oregon and 12 other smaller scale fires. The series of fires destroyed the bulk of Oregon’s timber harvest and future timber supply. Local communities were displaced and critical habitats for wildlife were lost.
What: Given the nature and extent of the Labor Day fires, restoration efforts will be a long, multi-year process. For this project, we will be partnering with American Forests and the Oregon Department of Forestry. With your support, we will be restoring the burned forest land in Oregon. A diverse range of species will be planted, including seeds that are adapted to withstand the changing climate. The trees being planted are carefully selected to represent the local ecosystem and assist with natural regeneration. They include Douglas-fir, Noble-fir and Western Red Cedar. The goal of this project is to restore the wildlife habitat for species such as Deer, Elk, Cougar, Bear, Trout and Spotted Owl.
Who: American Forests
Site Name: Santiam State Forest Reforestation
Country: United States
Province/State: Oregon
Forest Type: Oregon Wildfire
Latitude/Longitude: 44.91852798207709, -122.43899157818335