Stimulus funds go to Sisters forest work

As the first phase of Forest Service economic stimulus funds arrive in Central Oregon, two Deschutes National Forest contracts were awarded Tuesday under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

A contract was awarded to Melcher Logging, Incorporated in the amount of $1,472,000 for work in Jefferson County on the Sisters Ranger District. This work on approximately 3,200 acres will occur on the Head Thinning project, an existing stewardship project in the woods.

Another contract for $402,582 was awarded to Quicksilver Contracting Company for lower elevation thinning work to be done at several locations on the Bend Fort Rock Ranger District in Deschutes County.

The Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests are on schedule to award the remaining funds of approximately $3 million to contractors in Jefferson, Deschutes and Crook Counties by the end of the week.