Memorandum
Date: September 26, 1996
To: Robert W. Williams, Regional Forester, Forest Service, Region 6
From: Donald R. Knowles, Executive Director
Subject: Regional Ecosystem Office Review of Roll Salvage Project on the Klamath Ranger District, Winema National Forest
Summary
The Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) and the interagency Late-Successional Reserve (LSR) Work Group have reviewed the Roll Salvage project, located in LSR #RO227, on the Klamath Ranger District, Winema National Forest. The REO finds that the salvage portion of this project, as modified in this memorandum under the heading "Project Modification," is consistent with the Northwest Forest Plan Record of Decision (ROD) requirements for salvage activities in LSRs.
Supporting documentation included a project description explaining its consistency with the salvage standards and guidelines on pages C14-15 in the ROD. An interim assessment for LSR #RO227 was submitted earlier and was still valid for this project.
Background
The project entails salvaging blowdown from 33 acres across two sites (the units are 10 and 23 acres) in the Rock Creek Drainage in LSR #RO227 following stand-replacing wind events that occurred during the 1995-1996 winter storms. The salvage units are greater than 10 acres in size and have less than 40 percent canopy closure. All coarse woody debris (CWD) present on the site prior to the blowdown event will be retained. Retained CWD will approximate the species composition of the stand. No standing trees will be felled unless they prove a hazard to salvage operations, and those that are felled will be retained on site. CWD will be retained to meet levels recommended in the interim LSR assessment (8.7-14 tons/acre). As originally proposed, a portion of the CWD (120 linear feet) would be retained in larger pieces with a minimum log diameter (16 inches) and length (16 feet). REO proposed a modification regarding the amounts of large (>16 inches) material to be retained (see below), which was agreed to by the forest.
Assumptions
The following are assumed in the REO finding that this salvage project is consistent with the ROD.
CWD present in the units before the 1995-1996 blowdown event that is not expected to persist to the time when the new stand begins producing CWD will not be credited towards the project-associated CWD retention amounts (ROD, page C-15).
When any standing material is felled during harvest activities (for safety or other reasons) that material will be left on site.
Reforestation activities (a silviculture activity in LSRs requiring REO review, unless exempted) associated with this project are consistent with the exemption criteria described in the REO memo "Criteria to Exempt Specific Silvicultural Activities in LSRs and MLSAs from REO Review" (April 20, 1995 memo) and are not subject to further review.
Project Modification
The original project proposal prescribed leaving 120 linear feet of CWD in larger pieces, with a minimum diameter (16 inches) and length (16 feet). Information from the initial LSR Assessment (page A-2, Figure A-6) indicated that northern spotted owl nesting areas contained a range of 0-12 tons per acre of large logs >20 inches, and that owls were less likely to be found in stands where large downed logs comprised < 2 tons per acre CWD. Supplemental information submitted by the district stated that the target 120 linear foot retention level would exceed the 2 tons per acre threshold, thereby meeting northern spotted owl and other late-successional species needs.
The data as presented do not clearly indicate that minimally meeting the 2 ton/acre threshold will preclude negative effects on LSR species. The data merely show an overall pattern for owl stands containing greater amounts of large wood--management thresholds could be set at different tonnage categories, depending on how the data was categorized and displayed. In addition, while these amounts may meet the needs for owls, there is no indication that these amounts will meet the needs for other late-successional species. Managing for a greater quantity of larger downed logs will help ensure that the needs for other species besides owls are met. It will also result in retaining more wood in the system, which is a primary concern in these stands where much of the overstory has been blown over and there is very little recruitment potential for future CWD until the new stand begins to create its own. Fuel loadings and the associated risk of losing a stand to a fire was not an issue for this project; however, leaving the larger fuels rather than the smaller fuels will help reduce the rate of fire spread, should one occur.
Based on the information presented in the initial LSR Assessment in Figure A-6, the following modification was proposed and agreed to: a minimum of 8 tons per acre of down logs >20 inches in diameter will be left to meet the 8.7-14 tons per acre of CWD. Where the minimum diameter cannot be met due to unavailability of these sizes, the largest diameter logs available will be retained.
Rationale for Consistency Finding
Salvage can occur in LSRs if activities prevent negative effects on late-successional habitat (ROD, page C-13). The project description, as supplemented by the previously submitted initial LSR assessment, as well as the above listed assumptions and modifications indicate that the project will not have negative effects on the LSR. CWD retention levels were based on published literature indicating the amount of wood necessary to maintain soil productivity and verified by data collected locally. All downed material that occurred prior to the blowdown event will be retained; 2 to 3 acres were blown down in one unit during a 1992 windstorm and all of these logs will be retained. No standing material will be removed, and any that must be felled for hazard reasons will remain on site.
Conclusions
Based on documentation submitted, discussions with Klamath Ranger District staff familiar with the project, and the above assumptions and modifications, the REO finds the salvage activities in the Roll Salvage project are consistent with standards and guidelines in the ROD. REO did not review associated reforestation activities for ROD consistency. Reforestation activities that meet Silviculture exemption criteria (April 20, 1995 REO memo) are not subject to subsequent REO review.
cc:
RIEC, REO Reps
T.Nygren, FS
Klamath RD, Forest Supervisor, Winema NF
795/ly