Oregon Public Broadcasting

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a half-million dollar grant to the Deschutes National Forest for forest restoration.

The Deschutes Skyline Project covers 130,000 acres of forest -- from the Black Butte Ranch area to the city of Bend.

The money will be spent to enhance watersheds and thin forests.

Phil Chang is a program administrator with the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council.  He says this month’s Rooster Rock showed why the thinning was needed.  But the fire almost made the work unnecessary.

Phil Chang: "There was some risk that some of the work that was lined up for this fiscal year would get "treated" by an unplanned fire event. But fortunately, the fire suppression efforts were effective and they brought it under control."

The work will begin as early as next month, but the project is designed to continue though the next decade and could ultimately receive up to $10 million.

That, provided Congress reauthorizes the funds each year.