Helicopter activity will resume in the upper Catherine and Major Creek areas as part of a project to restore historic forest types in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.  Helicopter activity is expected to resume after July 4, and will continue in the area throughout the summer.  The U.S. Forest Service is conducting the project as part of a larger landscape restoration strategy to improve forest health by creating a more open forest type, comprised of fewer, larger, more widely spaced trees that will resemble historic landscapes once found through the Gorge.  The project’s benefits include an immediate reduction in the risk of wildfire, and an increase in native biodiversity over time.  Residents and visitors to the area should expect to hear helicopter noise during daylight hours and may see helicopters carrying logs and other cargo.  Access into the specific areas where operations are taking place may be limited.