Amazon Headwaters Park closes trails during fuels mitigation work

from Eugene Parks and Open Space

Wildfire risk reduction work at Amazon Headwaters Park will result in temporary trail closures through the week of Nov. 4.

The fuels mitigation project, funded by the Bureau of Land Management, will focus on removing overgrown vegetation that increases wildfire risk and will improve both fire resilience and habitat quality in this natural area.

Signs will be posted at the park entrances and work area boundaries. Work will occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., weekdays only. Active work periods may be noisy. For the safety of the crews and the public, trails will be closed while mastication is occurring.

This project will focus on removing ladder fuels, the vegetation that can create continuity between the ground layer and the tree canopy at the site, increasing the risk of catastrophic wildfire. It will also improve the ability of firefighters to respond to a wildfire should one occur.

Work will occur in two phases:

1. Mastication:  A lightweight skid steer will shred blackberries, Scotch broom, small-statured invasive trees, and some of the smaller standing dead trees. Snags in interior areas will be kept for wildlife habitat. The masticator will also work along both sides of the trail to improve access for emergency response vehicles. Native seed will be sown into the disturbed areas to begin revegetation. This work is scheduled for the week of Nov. 4.
2. Fuel-break thinning: A skilled forestry crew with chainsaws and brush cutters will remove invasive shrubs, small trees, and dead and downed material that the masticator did not treat. This work is scheduled for Dec 2024 – Jan 2025.

For more information, see the city website’s Newsroom page.