MERA Red Apple Forest Improvements Project set to resume in January
By Garrett Christensen on Thursday, December 21st, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
UNION COUNTY – Following a seasonal break, Union County will resume work on phase II of the Red Apple Forest Improvements Project (RAFIP) at the Mount Emily Recreation Area (MERA) in January. For those unfamiliar with the project, this is an effort by Union County to improve MERA’s forest health and reduce wildfire risk, specifically in the Red Apple area, via thinning and clearing. According to Union County MERA/Parks Coordinator Josh Ford:
“At its current condition, our forest is not healthy. The species compositions and spacing is not what we are looking for in a Ponderosa Pine/Doug Fir forest in our region. Using MERA’s Forestry Management Plan and other local resources, we have come up with a prescription that will restore this area to a more historic Ponderosa Pine forest.”
This forestry management plan will involve the harvesting and removal of dead, diseased or poorly space trees from the Red Apple area. This will provide space for remaining healthy trees to grow. In addition, if funding allows, contract crews will work to reduce ladder fuels by mulching the forest’s understory.
As mentioned, work will resume in January 2024, with the timber removal phase expected to be completed in February. Following this, the county will work to clear trails and remove slash from the work site throughout the summer and into the winter. The cleanup phase, along with seeding and weed spraying, is estimated to continue into 2025.
While work is ongoing, visitors should expect the project area to be closed through February (see map above). Specifically, this will impact trail access to the Red Apple, Apple Drop, Gateway, Goldfish Pond, and Rock Garden areas, among others. The closure may last longer depending on conditions. The Owsley Canyon trailhead, along with other trail heads outside the main project area, will largely remain open. However, certain trail heads will be temporarily closed for safety purposes on days when the contractor is moving logs or equipment. As a reminder from Ford:
“The project involves a lot of heavy equipment that could seriously injure someone. We understand it is tempting for people to want to go look at what is going on, but they could really be putting themselves at risk of injury.”
Ford also noted that, while the county hopes to keep the Owsley Canyon Trailhead open as much as possible, failure by visitors to respect the closures and the work zone could result in the trailhead being completely closed until the project is completed.
For further updates on the project, visit https://www.meetmera.org/
