Published May 20, 2026
Lomakatsi Restoration Project and the U.S. Forest Service – Willamette National Forest are partnered on a post-fire recovery project through Lomakatsi’s Inter-Tribal Indian Youth Service Corps (IYSC) initiative serving tribal young adults (ages 18-30 and up to 35 for veterans) to build Tribal workforce capacity for fire recovery activities across the Willamette National Forest and restore access to wilderness trails and recreation sites. With more than 400,000 acres burned in several fires since 2020, this work is essential to recovering recreation infrastructure impacted by high-severity fire.
Now in its second year, this program will operate throughout the spring and summer, with our Inter-Tribal crew helping to improve recreation infrastructure of fire impacted landscapes on the Middle Fork, McKenzie River, and Detroit Ranger Districts, including areas affected by the Bedrock, Cedar Creek, Lookout, Holiday Farm, Beachie Creek, and Lionshead Fires. The work is funded as part of BAR (Burned Area Rehabilitation) and BAER (Burned Area Emergency Response) through the U.S. Forest Service.
Last spring and summer, our IYSC crew worked with Lomakatsi’s contracted archaeologist, Native-X, Inc., to complete cultural resource surveys and botanical surveys led by our Technical Team in partnership with Forest Service specialists. The crew also began clearing downed trees from trails using traditional crosscut saws in wilderness areas and gas-powered saws in non-wilderness areas.
This season, they are actively:
Reopening blocked trails in wilderness areas using crosscut and hand saws to remove trees downed by stand-replacing fire
Re-establishing safe access to trailheads, trails, and recreation facilities in non-wilderness areas using power saws
Stabilizing trail drainage and brushing trail corridors
Assisting with noxious weed abatement and meadow restoration
Crew members represent multiple Tribes and tribal communities from Oregon, California, and Nevada. They are receiving hands‑on training from Lomakatsi’s senior crew leaders from the Rogue Valley, Forest Service staff, foresters, technicians, and cultural specialists—building skills that support long‑term natural resource career success and Public Lands Corps certification. Shout-out to our crew leaders and trainers for mentoring the crew in this rugged backcountry work!
We’re so grateful for their dedication to supporting recreation and strengthening communities, and we’re excited to have expanded our training and workforce capacity-building initiatives through IYSC in partnership with the Willamette National Forest.
