PRINEVILLE, Ore. — A partnership between the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and the Ochoco National Forest has completed a groundbreaking reforestation effort in the aftermath of the 2024 Crazy Creek Fire, planting and protecting more than 74,000 ponderosa pine seedlings across 424 acres of federal forestland.
The project marks the first time in Oregon that reforestation on federal land has been completed through a state-written and state-administered planting contract under the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA), a federal program designed to strengthen partnerships between state and federal agencies for land restoration work.
Authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, the Good Neighbor Authority allows the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to work with state agencies on forest, watershed, and rangeland restoration projects on federal lands. Officials say the Crazy Creek project demonstrates how the partnership can accelerate recovery efforts following major wildfires.
“This project is a strong example of what the Good Neighbor Authority was designed to accomplish,” said Kyle Sullivan-Astor, ODF’s Federal Forest Restoration Program lead. “By combining the expertise and resources of the Forest Service and ODF, we were able to complete additional reforestation work that would not otherwise have occurred on this timeline. Each seedling represents an investment in the long-term resilience of Central Oregon’s forests.”
The Ochoco National Forest was among the hardest-hit areas during Oregon’s 2024 wildfire season. The Crazy Creek, Rail Ridge, and Wiley Flat fires burned hundreds of thousands of acres, creating a significant need for reforestation and post-fire restoration.
In spring 2025, the Ochoco National Forest approached ODF’s Federal Forest Restoration Program team in Prineville about expanding the agency’s role in recovery efforts. The agencies later reached an agreement for ODF to oversee planting operations on 424 acres within the Crazy Creek burn area during the 2026 planting season.
Under the partnership, the Forest Service purchased and stored the seedlings and protective materials at the Ochoco Ranger Station. ODF crews conducted field reconnaissance and unit layout before managing all aspects of the planting contract, including writing, awarding, administering, and inspecting the work.
The contract covered eight planting units where crews planted ponderosa pine seedlings and installed rigid Vexar netting designed to protect young trees from browsing damage caused by elk and deer.
The project supplemented a much larger Forest Service reforestation effort across the Crazy Creek, Rail Ridge, and Wiley Flat burn areas. That initiative, the largest planting contract in the history of the Ochoco National Forest, restored approximately 3,000 acres with more than 500,000 seedlings.
ODF personnel also supported the larger federal effort by leading one of the planting crews and assisting with contract implementation and inspections. Following that work, the agency launched and completed its own planting contract, adding another 424 acres to the total area reforested during the season.
Established by the Oregon Legislature in 2013, ODF’s Federal Forest Restoration Program works with federal agencies, Tribal governments, counties, contractors, and collaborative groups to increase the pace and scale of restoration projects on Oregon’s federal forestlands. The program uses tools such as the Good Neighbor Authority to support work that supplements existing federal restoration efforts.
Officials say the Crazy Creek project highlights the growing importance of state-federal partnerships in addressing wildfire recovery and improving forest resilience across Oregon.
Project Highlights
- Location: Crazy Creek Fire burn area, Ochoco National Forest
- Acres reforested through ODF contract: 424
- Planting units: 8
- Seedlings planted and protected: More than 74,000
- Species planted: Ponderosa pine
- Protection method: Rigid Vexar netting to prevent browsing by elk and deer
- Additional Forest Service effort supported by ODF: Approximately 3,000 acres reforested with more than 500,000 seedlings across the Crazy Creek, Rail Ridge, and Wiley Flat fire areas
The Federal Forest Restoration Program prioritizes projects that reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health and watershed conditions, enhance wildlife habitat, support local economies, and increase the pace of restoration on federal lands throughout Oregon.
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