BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A deal to thin down a dense forested area in Bellingham has received final approval.

City Councilmembers voted unanimously on Monday to formally enter into a contract with Janicki Logging and Construction to begin the work.

As part of the contract, the city will receive 20% of any timber sales to be used for logging road upgrades.

My Bellingham Now previously reported that Public Works identified an 80-acre section of the North Beaver Creek Preserve that had become overcrowded last summer.

Thinning the trees on the former logging site would allow for more ecological biodiversity to thrive.

Bellingham Public Works estimates that the number of trees per acre will be reduced from about 250 to 150.

A timeline for the tree thinning has not yet been announced.