Twisp River Forest Restoration Project Moving Forward

A project to restore about 24,000 acres of forest in the Twisp area is finally out of the planning stage and on to implementation.

More specifically, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest signed what's called a FONSI, or a Decision Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact, for the project.

The work will be in the Twisp River area of the Methow Valley Ranger District.

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Spokesperson Victoria Wilkens said the first timber sale will likely go out to bid next month.

"It's a project to improve forest health and decrease wildfire risk through thinning and doing prescribed fire." Wilkens said, "It will also reduce address watershed and aquatic health issues."

Boots will hit the ground in 2023 but the work could end up being a multi-year process.

"There are also a lot of different components to the project." Wilkins said, "There's commercial timber components. There are aquatic restoration components, some of which will be implemented in partnership with the Yakima Nation and other partners."

A solicitation of bids for the Lookout Stewardship, the first timber sale from the Twisp Restoration Project, is expected to go out in August of 2022.

Wilkens added that there has been a lot of public engagement on the project, and the National Forest plans to hold a public meeting sometime in the spring of next year.