The Sisters Ranger District has proposed a precommercial forest-thinning project in the Green Ridge area.

The precommercial thin, proposed for nine locations geographically from Green Ridge to Bluegrass Butte, will improve forest health, Forest Service officials say.

The 1,316-acre project area is located within numerous "plantations," where trees were replanted at older timber sale sites in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Since then, tree densities in the new ponderosa pine stands have become too great to provide good growing conditions. By thinning out the smaller trees, Forest Service officials hope to remove competition that impedes the growth of the ponderosa pines. Strengthening the stands will also help the trees withstand insect infestation and disease.

The Green Ridge thinning project is a low-impact initiative, according to Ben Benhower of the Sisters Ranger District. Heavy machinery will not be used and cutting will be done on foot with chainsaws.

Environmental impact will be minimal since only small trees will be removed. Benhower said they plan to leave irregularly shaped untreated areas for wildlife cover and visual diversity.

"Basically, I don't think this project will have any effect on wildlife," Benhower said.

This type of thinning also has little impact on watershed because "the trees are so small and it's not a large area," Benhower said.

The project costs from 20 to 40 dollars per acre and will be implemented over the next several years.