Volunteers take care of Sisters forests

Volunteers who didn't mind getting a bit grubby and tired had a great day out on Saturday.

It was National Public Lands Day, and participants were put to work in the Metolius Basin, doing restoration projects alongside the river, in the forest and on Black Butte. The workday was organized by the National Forest Foundation, in conjunction with the USFS Sisters Ranger District and Trout Unlimited.

A good-sized group of volunteers met at the Sisters Art Works building. A morning power outage meant the orientation was moved outside and they weren't able to enjoy a sneak peek at the artwork generated by another NFF project, the annual plein-air Paint-Out, held this year in the Indian Ford Meadow Preserve. A public reception was held on Saturday evening, and the exhibit is ongoing.

There were five projects to choose from on Saturday, all involving restoration work on either trails or the riverbank. A group of hardy souls trekked up Black Butte to do reseeding and clean up debris. The project board included the enticement of "great views."

One the work areas was the Riverside planting site, downstream from the Riverside Campground and near the Tract C bridge at Camp Sherman. The area is a favorite for fishing and hiking, and its proximity to the Camp Sherman store ensures constant use.

Dick Kellogg, a Camp Sherman resident and fisherman, said the increase in use was noticeable as summer ends. "Most fly fishers have a good ethic," he added. "It's great seeing this many people out here working."

The areas slated for replanting had been flagged, and volunteers were tasked with placing a selection of plants into the areas. They worked with bitterbrush, wild rose, nine bark, spirea, sedge and three different kinds of native grass. Chipping away at the dry and compacted soil, sloshing river water into the holes and hoping the placement looked natural kept the workers busy until mid-afternoon.

Forest Service trail crews are working along the Metolius creating access points to popular fishing holes and safe places to enter the river. Stone steps and platforms channel footsteps in specific areas, allowing vegetation surrounding those spots to recover and increase.

Derek Staub, of Trout Unlimited, said, "We're focusing on balancing access to the river with stream and stream-bank health."

The work on Saturday gave these areas a boost in their recovery.