Memorandum
Date: June 6, 1995
To: John E. Lowe, Regional Forester
From: Donald R. Knowles, Executive Director
Subject: Regional Ecosystem Office Review of Winema National Forest's Nannie/Rock Projects within Late-Successional Reserves R0227, R0228, and R0229.
Summary
The Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) and the Interagency Late-Successional Reserves (LSRs) Work Group have reviewed the proposed Nannie/Rock Projects. Based on the REO and LSR Work Group recommendations, a meeting with Forest representatives, an environmental assessment for the project, a watershed analysis report, an initial LSR Assessment (LSRA), and additional information provided by the Forest, I find the proposal to be consistent with the Northwest Forest Plan Record of Decision (ROD) requirements for activities in LSRs.
Background
The Winema National Forest is proposing a number of activities within a group of three LSRs intended to reduce risks of large-scale loss of late-successional forest from fire, insects, and disease, and to enhance late-successional forest characteristics. The area provides habitat for a number of late-successional associated species, including both the northern spotted owl and the bald eagle. A particular concern in this area is protection of large conifers needed for bald eagle roosting. Commercial treatments within the LSRs subject to REO review include tree culturing (i.e., removing commercial trees from the immediate vicinity of large trees to reduce moisture stress), tree culturing combined with commercial thinning, tree culturing combined with precommercial thinning, small group shelterwood harvest, small group selection shelterwood harvest emphasizing reintroduction of ponderosa pine, and creation of a two-storied structure. All harvest is limited to trees smaller than 18 inches in diameter at breast height (dbh).
Harvesting systems for the commercial harvests include helicopter, cable yarding, tractor yarding, and horse logging. Fuel treatments include leaving tops attached (to the harvested trees) followed by hand piling, and burning or underburning.
Noncommercial treatments subject to REO review include: fire risk thinning, precommercial thinning, felling and piling of dead lodgepole pines, adding coarse woody debris to areas with a debris-deficit, and reforestation. Some of the thinning treatments may be exempt from REO review under criteria issued by REO on April 20, 1995, but were reviewed as a component of the silvicultural treatments proposed.
A significant portion of the LSRs is at risk to large-scale disturbance due to four primary risk factors: 1) high fire hazard, 2) mountain pine beetle infestations, 3) fir engraver beetle infestations, and 4) Armillaria root rot centers. While the existing conditions may currently be desirable habitat for spotted owl and other late-successional species, the Forest has determined that the unique combination of these four risk factors puts the area at substantial future risk. If the risks are not reduced, large-scale loss of late-successional habitat is inevitable. All of the proposed silvicultural treatments are intended to reduce one or more of the primary risk factors.
Activities which are a part of the proposal but which are not subject to REO review include: obliteration of several miles of road, repairing culverts in the Nannie Creek drainage, relocation of the Nannie Creek Trailhead, subsoiling of a compacted meadow and reintroduction of native plant species, and constructing a snowmobile bridge where the Diamond Lake Snowmobile Trail crosses Rock Creek.
Existing Conditions
Fire Hazard - Under natural conditions, fire return intervals are estimated to be 10-40 years for the white fir zone, characterized by low-intensity fires, and 40-60 years for the Shasta red fir zone and Lake of the Woods basin. These fires would be a mix of low-intensity and stand-replacing fires (LSRA, p. 20). Suppression of fires since the early part of the century has prevented this repeated burning, resulting in higher fuel levels. Fire suppression has often resulted in stand densities more than double those existing prior to fire suppression. Fire suppression has also resulted in stands dominated by fire-susceptible true fir species, rather than ponderosa pine and other species less vulnerable to loss by fire (LSRA, p. 27). Logging has contributed quantities of logging slash to fuel levels, and has reduced the component of large-diameter ponderosa pine, sugar pine, and Douglas-fir, contributing to the shift to true fir species (EA, p. 37). Approximately 14% of the LSR has a high fuel hazard rating and this percentage is increasing (LSRA, p. 27).
Insects and Disease - Western and mountain pine beetles are a natural part of these forest ecosystems, both providing stocking level control under naturally-occurring conditions. When healthy ponderosa pine trees are invaded by beetles, the trees produce sufficient pitch to force the beetle back out of the entry hole, preventing damage to the tree. Under moisture stress conditions, such as those caused by sites being overstocked with trees, this defense mechanism does not work, and multiple attacks on a tree may occur, often resulting in the death of the tree. Although insect levels in the Nannie/Rock area are not considered to be at epidemic levels, some stands currently have twice the tree density (measured in basal area per acre) associated with optimum conditions for repelling beetle attack (LSRA, p. 30).
The fir engraver beetle has similar biology to the pine beetles, but its host species are true firs. Although research has not defined stand density levels with low risk of infestation, at existing stand densities current beetle populations within the Nannie/Rock area are at high levels. The fir engraver beetle is often associated with Armillaria root rot pockets (LSRA, p. 32).
Proposed Treatments and Consistency with the ROD
The standards and guidelines on pages C-12 and C-13 of the ROD recognize the need for risk management in LSRs east of the Cascade Mountains, stating that where levels of risk are particularly high:
".... management activities designed to reduce risk levels are encouraged in those Late-Successional Reserves even if a portion of the activities must take place in currently late-successional habitat. While risk-reduction efforts should generally be focused on young stands, activities in older stands may be appropriate if: (1) the proposed management activities will clearly result in greater assurance of long-term maintenance of habitat, (2) the activities are clearly needed to reduce risks, and (3) the activities will not prevent the Late-Successional Reserves from playing an effective role in the objectives for which they were established."
Since some of the treatments in the Nannie/Rock proposal take place in areas currently providing late-successional habitat, it is necessary to make a determination that risk management activities are needed; and, if so, the proposed activities meet the three preceding criteria.
Tree Culturing - This activity consists of removing merchantable trees from the immediate vicinity of large-diameter ponderosa pine, sugar pines, and Douglas-firs. The activity would reduce the moisture stress on the large diameter trees. In some stands, the proposal includes combining this treatment with commercial or precommercial thinning. Fuel treatments will include either underburning or piling and burning. This treatment is consistent with standards and guidelines to provide long-term maintenance of habitat.
Commercial Thinning - The proposal includes removing small diameter commercial trees for fir engraver abatement in stands dominated by true firs. This treatment will reduce moisture stress on remaining trees in the stand. Fuel treatments will include either underburning or piling and burning. Similar to tree culturing, this treatment is consistent with the standards and guidelines to provide long-term maintenance of habitat.
Precommercial Thinning/Fire Risk Thinning - Removal of trees less than 7 inches in dbh will reduce fuels and improve the vigor of residual trees. Fuel treatments will include either underburning or piling and burning. This treatment is consistent with standards and guidelines by reducing the risk of stand-replacing fires and helps maintain late-successional habitat in the long term.
Small Group Shelterwood - These activities are designed to reduce the spread of Armillaria root rot. Treatment consists of removal of timber from small (2-9 acres each) shelterwood patches. Within each patch, 10-15 trees per acre are left, consisting of the largest individuals of root rot resistant species. Fuel treatments will include either underburning or piling and burning. This treatment reduces the risk of stand- replacing fires and helps maintain late-successional habitat in the long term.
Small Group Shelterwood (for the purpose of reintroducing ponderosa pine) - This is similar to shelterwood treatments described above, but done for the purpose of promoting ponderosa pine, along with reducing root rot. Patch sizes and remaining tree densities are as described above. Fuel treatments will include either underburning or piling and burning. This treatment reduces the risk of stand-replacing fires and helps maintain late-successional habitat in the long term.
Falling and Piling Dead Lodgepole Pine - This will remove excessive fuels on 25 acres where commercial operations are not feasible. Included is piling and burning of slash (tops) remaining from past firewood cutting. Unit 55, the only unit proposed for this treatment within the LSR, is within a riparian area. Part of the purpose for removing the dead lodgepole pines is to discourage firewood cutters from entering this wet area. Approximately five (5) dead trees will be felled per acre. Canopy closure of the remaining stand will be approximately 55% (communication with Phil Jahns, 5/30/95). This treatment meets the standards and guidelines to reduce the risk of stand-replacing fires.
Adding Coarse Woody Debris to Debris-Deficit Areas - This activity is intended to increase the component of coarse woody debris in plantations where current levels are low. Logs will be hauled from existing cull decks. If logs are not available in existing decks, they may be taken from a "borrow zone" surrounding the treatment unit, but only if they are deemed excess to snag and down woody debris needs within that "borrow zone." Snag levels in the "borrow zones" will exceed the 100% requirements for cavity nesting species following treatment (communication with Phil Jahns, 5/30/95). This treatment provides benefits to LSR objectives and is consistent with standards and guidelines.
Tree-Planting - Planting on 88 acres is proposed following group shelterwood harvest (48 acres) and in two previous harvest units (totaling 40 acres) which have not regenerated. The mix of species to be planted is native to each site, and is at a spacing that will provide adequate stocking without the need for future thinning. Similar to the coarse woody debris treatment above, this treatment provides benefits to LSR objectives, and is consistent with standards and guidelines.
Other specific factors supporting a finding of consistency include:
- Areas proposed for treatment were identified based on the risks discussed in the LSR assessment, with Mountain Pine Beetle being identified as a risk in 8 units; fir engraver beetle identified as a risk in 4 units; Armillaria root rot identified as a risk in 7 units; and, fire identified as an immediate risk in all of these units, as well as 2 others.
- Connectivity of late-successional forests within the LSR will not be affected. All trees over 18 inches dbh will be retained.
- Snag retention following harvest activity will exceed the 100% requirements for cavity nesting species.
- Landscape recommendations from the LSRA are met by the proposed activities (LSRA, p. 44).
- Protection of bald eagle habitat under the northern bald eagle recovery plan is consistent with the standards and guidelines (ROD, p. C-11).
Conclusion
The proposed activities are consistent with standards and guidelines for management of LSRs east of the Cascades. The documentation provided to REO demonstrates that the existing conditions in the project area present a particularly high risk to long-term maintenance of late-successional forest characteristics. In addition to enhancing the condition of important late-successional habitat characteristics, the treatments proposed in the Nannie/Rock proposal are designed to reduce the risk of stand-replacing fires within the LSRs. The risk reduction will provide a greater assurance that late-successional/old-growth habitat, including important components of bald eagle and northern spotted owl habitat, will be maintained/attained over time. The proposed treatments will enhance the ability of these LSRs to play an effective role in meeting the objectives for which they were established, and are thus consistent with the ROD.
cc: REO Reps, RIEC
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