Umatilla National Forest

Potamus Fuels Reduction Project

Project Area Map / Background / What have we done so far? / What's next? / Timelines / For More Information

The Heppner District of the Umatilla National Forest is conducting an assessment process to identify fuels reduction and forest stand density projects in the 50,000+ acre Potamus Watershed / Penland Lake area. (project area map)

The District will also host a Public Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on October 25, 2010 to present information proposed activities for this project. The meeting will be held at the Heppner Ranger District Office, 117 South Main Street, Heppner, OR. (see news release)

Background

Western dry forests have been shaped by millennia of frequently occurring, generally low to mixed severity wildfire. Many of these forests, including the Umatilla NF, have experienced a change in fuel loading, species composition, and stand structure due to fire suppression and past harvest activities. This has created an environment conducive to insect outbreaks, disease, and uncharacteristically severe wildfires.

In 2001, Morrow County's Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) identified the Penland Lake Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) area as a priority for fuels reduction treatment to lessen the impact of wildfire on lives, property, and the landscape.

We feel it’s important to discuss and coordinate wildfire risk reduction strategies across land ownerships, so prior to developing any project proposals, we want to visit with the public in a collaborative process to identify public interests and project ideas. Our goal is to complete a Proposed Action for fuels reduction and forest stand density actions in the Potamus Watershed Analysis Area.

We hope to utilize the authorities granted under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003. HFRA allows us (Forest Service) to streamline our planning process for hazardous fuels reduction projects located within a designated Wildland-Urban Interface.

The HFRA process places emphasis on public collaboration in the development of hazardous fuels reduction projects. We are engaging the public in this collaborative process in order to obtain community input about the actions needed. All are welcomed to participate in this effort!

What have we done so far?

March 31, 2009- Public Meeting

We held our first public meeting in Heppner on March 31, 2009, initiating a collaborative process with the public to identify future projects in the Potamus Watershed Analysis area. Close to 20 members of the public attended, not including a number of representatives from the Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and Morrow County. Presentations included:

• Role of fire in the ecosystem - fire regime and tree species adaptation
• History of fire and insect disturbance in the Potamus Watershed Area
• Current fuel conditions and expected fire behavior
• Wildfire risks
• Private land fire protection
• Morrow County Community Wildfire Protection Plan

In closing, we asked if anyone would be interested in continuing in a collaborative effort to develop an effective fuels reduction process. Future meetings would focus on utilizing local landowner knowledge and public interest, combined with agency expertise. Twelve participants volunteered to meet again. March 31, 2009 Meeting Notes and handouts (1 mb)

May 5, 2009 Public Meeting

Twelve people attended the first public collaborative discussion meeting at the Heppner Ranger District Office. Meeting objectives were to introduce participants to the collaborative process, define Forest Service and participant roles and responsibilities, describe HFRA authorities and discuss possible treatment scenarios.

A collaborator's resource handbook with documentation and maps was given to participants for future review and reference. The group preceded to set a date for an upcoming field trip and the next collaborative discussion group meeting.
May 5, 2009 Meeting Notes / Collaborator's Resource Handbook Materials

June 8, 2009 Field Trip:

A public field trip was held Monday, June 8, 2009. Close to 30 people traveled to the Penland Lake Wildland Urban Interface area to view past fuels reduction treatment areas as well as areas in need of treatment on both public and private lands. Field Trip Notes

Thursday, July 2, 2010 Public Meeting

The following questions were developed to help generate discussion for the public
meeting. These are only suggestions for you to think about while we are looking at this
area and are designed to stimulate and encourage information sharing and identify your
interests and concerns as we move forward with the planning of the Potamus Fuels
Reduction Project.

1. Is it important to treat around private land? If so, what are your thoughts on intensity of treatment and distance from the private boundary?
2. Is it important to treat hazardous fuels along evacuation and travel routes in the area? If so, what do you think they should look like (e.g. how many feet should be treated on each side? only one side?) Are there other travel routes other than those identified in the Morrow County Community Wildfire Protection Plan you would like to see treated?
3. Is it important to treat the landscape outside of the “Red Zone” to facilitate landscape integration of strategic fuels breaks? What type of treatments do you think would be appropriate? Should they be as comprehensive as those adjacent to private land? Does an integrated landscape fuel break strategy make sense?
4. We would also like to know any additional information you have concerning the planning of this project. What other resources are important to you? How do you think we should address those resources in our planning effort?

What's Next?

The District will also host a Public Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on October 25, 2010 to present information proposed activities for this project. The meeting will be held at the Heppner Ranger District Office, 117 South Main Street, Heppner, OR. (see news release)

Discussion topics will include:
• Meet the new Ranger
• Update on past collaborative efforts
• Review of proposed fuels reduction activities
• Needs for access and egress routes into the Penland Lake recreation area
• Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003
• Timelines to complete the planning process and proposed project implementation

Timelines

Several collaborative public meetings will be held over the next several months with the goal of developing a Proposed Action for public scoping by late spring 2010. Stay tuned!

For more information:

If you are interested in learning more about the Potamus Watershed Analysis Area and the collaborative process, or would like to obtain meeting handouts and maps, please contact Brian Spradlin (Fuels Specialist) at 541-676-2127 or visit the Heppner Ranger District Office at 117
South Main Street, Heppner, OR.

USDA Forest Service - Umatilla National Forest
Last Modified:  Monday, 25-Oct-2010 18:49:39 EDT