Back in 2005, Oregon Wild Eastsider Tim Lillebo strapped on his thinking cap and started to figure out how to design a Forest Service project that would do some good. Tim thought that the best way to get the Forest Service to protect and restore old growth was to roll up his sleeves and get to work with them.

Early on Tim teamed up with Cal Mukumoto of the Warm Springs Tribe and together they proposed a project to the Sisters Ranger District on the Deschutes National Forest that would be a logging project (gasp!) that Oregon Wild could get behind.

To be clear, the Glaze Meadow project is not your grandfather's logging project. The express purpose of the proposed action was and is to restore a 1,200-acre expanse of dry eastside forest to a more natural condition. And if you are talking about "natural" on the eastside, you are definitely talking about fire.

With that in mind, here are the three main goals of the Glaze project:

• Reduce the risk of forest fire for homes.
  
• Protect old-growth trees and wildlife from hot, stand-replacing fire.
  
• Restore a more natural landscape where low-intensity fires can once again play a natural role in maintaining the health of the land.

Now that you know a little bit about the project, on to the good news. Earlier today, the folks at the Forest Service issued their record of decision, identifying the Glaze project as approved and ready for implementation. At Oregon Wild, we are excited that this process is moving forward. Working with all of the interested stakeholders and coming up with a project that will restore old growth has been rewarding.

Now, on to the bigger fish to fry. Federal legislation to protect and restore old growth! Coming soon to BLM and National Forests across the Northwest.