USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced a new report that outlines a strategy and series of actions for management on 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands managed by the U.S. Forest Service. As part of the accelerated restoration strategy, $40 million for 20 forest and watershed restoration projects have been announced for the upcoming year. The funding includes ten new projects under the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) program, continued funding for the original ten projects selected under the CFLR program in 2010, and an additional $4.6 million to support other high priority restoration projects. The following new projects in Oregon are approved for funding in 2012: Southern Blues Restoration Coalition, Oregon - $2,500,000; Lakeview Stewardship Project, Oregon - $3,500,000. The Deschutes Skyline, Collaborative Forest Landscape project in Oregon was approved for funding in 2010 and will continue to receive funding in 2012.

The Daily Yonder recently published an article regarding rural poverty rates. The percentage of people living in poverty was higher in rural America than in either exurban or urban counties in 2010, according to the U.S. Census. And these rates have increased since the recession began in 2007. In 2007, before the recession began, 15.8 percent of those living in rural counties fell under the poverty line. Three years later, that rate in rural counties had increased to 17.8 percent. Click here to read the article in its entirety.

Representative Gene Whisnant will hold “Meet & Greet” Town Halls to discuss Oregon’s first “even year” Annual Session with citizens in Redmond, Bend, and Three Rivers/Sunriver area. The town halls will give constituents an opportunity to ask questions and share their concerns ahead of the session.

The Town Hall Schedule

• Three Rivers/Sunriver area on Thursday, January 26, from 9:00 am to 10:30 am at the Sunriver Library in the Sunriver Business Park at 56855 Venture Lane, Sunriver (come in side door)
• Bend on Thursday, January 26, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm at Awbrey Glen Golf Club, 2500 NW Awbrey Glen Drive