The
following summary is a brief overview of the Tower Fire Recovery Projects Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). For
complete information, please review the entire document.
This summary is not meant to present all the information contained in the
complete DEIS.
The Tower Fire burned from August 13 to September 9, 1996, about 8
air miles southeast of the town of Ukiah, Oregon, in Umatilla and Grant counties. Heavy fuel conditions, steep terrain, and strong
gusting winds resulted in unusually severe fire behavior.
About 50,800 acres were burned, 46,300 of which occur on the Umatilla
National Forest. The fire burned within the
headwaters of the North Fork John Day River across large portions of eleven subwatersheds. Major streams within the fire area include North
Fork Cable, South Fork Cable, Hidaway, Texas Bar, Oriental, Winom, and Big creeks. The fire’s perimeter included all of the
South Fork-Tower Roadless Area (16,280 acres), as well as portions of the North Fork John
Day Wilderness. Four predominant forest
cover type groups characterize the burned area: dry
forests (23% of the area burned), moist forests (44%), lodgepole pine forests (27%), and
cold forests (6%).
An ecosystem analysis at the watershed scale was completed for the
area in January 1997 entitled “Tower Fire Ecosystem Analysis“. The ecosystem analysis characterized the physical
and biological condition of the area, considered issues and key questions, compared
current resource conditions to reference conditions, and identified resource protection
and restoration measures. Based on the Tower
Fire Ecosystem Analysis and the existing condition of the analysis area, the North Fork
John Day District initiated four staged projects (Hairy Hazard Tree CE, Big Tower Salvage
and Revegetation Project EA, South Tower Fire Recovery Projects EA, and Cable Fire
Recovery Project EA) to improve public safety within the area, salvage value from
fire-killed timber, reduce existing and future fuel levels, and accelerate recovery of
forest vegetation.
In January 1998, the Big Tower Fire Recovery Projects Decision
Notice and Environmental Assessment was challenged in court. The Federal District Court upheld the project
decision and the three salvage sales associated with the Big Tower Salvage and
Revegetation Projects were sold and awarded (as was the Hairy Hazard Tree Sale) in the
spring of 1998. The court was petitioned for
a stay of implementation during appeal, but the stay was denied and activities associated
with the Big Tower Salvage and Revegetation Projects began.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the District Court’s
decision on November 5, 1998, ordering the Umatilla to “...halt all logging, road
building and other ground disturbing activities within the Tower Fire area...until further
order of the court.” At the time
of the halt order, 19 million board feet of the 26 million board feet of timber sold had
been cut and removed from three of the four timber sales.
The Court also instructed the Forest Service to conduct an Environmental
Impact Statement for any further projects within the entire Tower Fire. The Tower Fire Recovery Projects Environmental
Impact Statement responds to that direction.
Purpose &
Need For Action
This section lays the framework for why action is needed to
recover the area burned by the Tower Fire. It
is divided into subsections due to the complexity caused by the size of the fire and
inter-relatedness of resources affected. The
current condition of resources is briefly described, followed by the actions the District
is proposing to address undesired conditions. In
some cases, a proposed action is discussed in more than one subsection (e.g. reforestation
would accelerate reestablishment of trees and recovery of wildlife habitat).
Soil and Water
The fire exposed many acres of soil to erosion, which is causing
slope instability in some areas. In some areas, soil
compaction caused by past
tractor-based harvest has exacerbated overland flows and erosion. Roads are also contributing to erosion by
restricting drainage and concentrating overland flows.
In addition, ash and debris from the fire
clog culverts, causing drainage problems and deterioration of the roadbed. In particular, a storm in 1998 plugged
culverts on Forest roads 5506 and 5507 and stream crossings were washed out. As a result, Forest Road 5510 (which traverses the
headwaters of Oriental Basin across areas of unstable soil) now serves as the primary
route through the basin and is too narrow for the volume of traffic. Loss of vegetative cover has also increased
erosion adjacent to recreational trails. All
of these situations are contributing to reduced water quality through sedimentation.
To address these conditions, the North Fork John Day District
proposes to implement the following actions:
M Seed approximately 30 acres
of highly erodible slope with native grass
M Transplant approximately 10
acres of highly erodible cutbank along Forest Road 5510 with native shrubs
M Plant approximately 10 acres
of conifers and hardwoods on a landslide along Hidaway Creek and 5 acres on a landslide
along Texas Bar Creek
M Subsoil up to 25 acres of
existing landings, major skid trails, and temporary roads associated with past timber
harvest
M Improve drainage on 11.2
miles of Forest roads 5500-080, 5500-070, 5506-100, 5507-270, 5445 (administrative use
only)
M Improve condition of 33.8
miles of Forest roads #5212, 5507-300, 5507-305, 5507, 5510, 5506-130, 5506, 5500-070,
5200-440, 5448 (open to the public) to reduce erosion
M Improve drainage 1 mile of
Forest Road 5448 (from 550 junction to Three Culverts Camp) and replace the three culverts
with an OHV bridge
M Replace culverts at Forest
Road 5506 crossing of Sheep Creek and milepost 10.2 on Forest Road 5507
M Construct a short-term
hardened ford at Forest Road 5506 crossing of Oriental Creek, then when the stream channel
has stabilized, install a rip rap structure and culvert that allows fish passage
M Repair washouts and culverts
on closed portion of Forest Road 5507 from milepost 10.2 to the 100 spur junction (River
Trail); install barricades with turn-arounds at the 100 spur and 130 spur junctions
M Improve drivability and
safety on Forest Road 5510 so that it may function as the primary access to Oriental Basin
M Obliterate
5 miles of closed roads (#5507-282, -283, -284, -266, -274, -276, -282, -285; 5200-400,
5500-136) that are no longer needed and which traverse highly erodible soils
M Seed slopes adjacent to
recreational trails that traverse steep, moderate to intensely burned areas with native
grasses and forbs
M Install educational signs at
Round Meadows Trailhead, Three Culverts Camp, and Winom Campground to gain users’
assistance in protecting fragile burned areas
Fish Habitat
The North Fork John Day River contains important spawning and
rearing habitat for the Threatened mid-Columbia summer steelhead (which use all fish
bearing streams in the burned area) and native, wild spring chinook salmon (which use
Winom Creek and lower Hidaway Creek for spawning and rearing habitat). Past management coupled with the Tower Fire has
degraded habitat for these species. Fish
access to upstream habitat has been restricted in some areas due to improperly designed
road crossings of streams. Prior to the fire,
trees along parts of Texas Bar and North Fork Cable creeks were harvested, reducing
shading and future large instream wood. Livestock
grazing in riparian areas also reduced shading and destabilized streambanks in some areas. The fire degraded stream conditions by killing
much of the riparian vegetation and removing some large woody debris where it burned at
moderate and high intensities (141 miles of stream habitat, see Map 2). Sediment loads have increased since the fire, fish
hiding cover and food sources have been reduced, and shade (which keeps water cool) is
almost non-existent in the most severely burned areas.
Cable and Hidaway creeks [UFS1]appeared on Oregon
State's List of Water Quality Limited Water Bodies (ODEQ 1996, 1998) even prior to the
fire. The Tower Fire Ecosystem Analysis
identified Texas Bar Creek, upper North Fork Cable Creek, and a couple tributaries of
Hidaway Creek as being at extremely high risk of further habitat degradation. Conditions were exacerbated in 1997 when a flood
scoured the upper headwaters of North Fork Cable and Hidaway creeks to bedrock and in 1998
when another flood scoured Oriental Creek and added fill from road crossings to the
sediment load. .
To address these conditions, the North Fork John Day District
proposes to implement the following actions:
ô
Plant riparian vegetation and conifers along intensely burned portions of
the South and North forks of Cable Creek, Winom Creek, and Hidaway Creek[2]
ô
Remove fish barriers at four culverts where Forest roads 55 and 5506 cross
Texas Bar Creek and one culvert on Forest Road 5448 near the 550 junction on a tributary
to North Fork Cable Creek
ô
Construct step weirs down slope of the two culverts where Forest Road 52
crosses Winom Creek and South Fork Cable Creek
ô
Construct a permanent fence around the eroding portion of streambank
(approximately one mile) within Round Meadow
ô
Increase large instream wood in 0.4 miles of Big Creek, 3 miles of North
Fork Cable Creek, and 3 miles of Hidaway Creek by felling dead trees into them
Forests
The Tower Fire burned approximately 42% of the area at high and
moderate intensities, resulting in near total mortality of trees. In many areas there are no
longer any seed sources to reforest the dead stands (Tower Fire Ecosystem Analysis 1997)
and natural reforestation could take several hundred years in areas which are beyond the
reach of existing seed sources. The fire
extirpated 60-70% of the native white pine populations on the District, which served as a
major source of seed for this species. In the
northeast portion of the fire, mortality in Armillaria root rot pockets has increased due
to the added stress from the fire and there is a risk that those stands could now be lost
due to this disease (Scott and Schmidt 1996). Also,
tree survival and growth surveys conducted in 1999
[UFS2]indicated that grasses,
ferns, and shrubs have become well established in a number of areas. While this is desirable in some ways (e.g. soil
cover, wildlife habitat for some species), vigorous competition from established
plants coupled with low precipitation has killed many of the trees planted after 1997.
Where tree mortality was high, uncharacteristically high fuel loads
will occur in the future (20+ years). Large-sized
fuels would not
contribute to the rate of fire spread, but would increase fire intensity (and associated
plant mortality) and make use of controlled fire or suppression of wildfires more
difficult[3]. In
the North Fork John Day Wilderness, the District would like to return fire to its historic
role in the ecosystem by allowing lightning-ignited fires to burn, however, future fuel
loads coupled with a predicted continuous cover of young trees would make containment of
such fires nearly impossible.
In areas where the fire resulted in little tree mortality, many
stands are densely stocked with an uncharacteristic abundance of species that require lots
of moisture. This is resulting in competition
between trees for nutrients, water, and space, which severely stresses trees making them
susceptible to insects and disease and slowing down growth.
The reduced rate of growth will delay achievement of thermal cover for big
game (which is now greatly lacking due to widespread fire mortality) and slow production
of future timber. The desired future
conditions for forest species composition, structure, stocking, and big game thermal cover
described in the Forest Plan will not be achieved in the near future.
To address these conditions, the North Fork John Day District
proposes to implement the following actions:
g Plant
11,600 acres with conifer seedlings, and another 200 acres with white pine
g Spot
apply herbicide in tree planting areas (including areas planted in 1998 and 1999[4]) to improve seedling
survival and growth through reduced competition from established vegetation
g Harvest
Armillaria root rot-infected green or dead trees from 203 acres and replant with resistant
species
g Salvage
harvest approximately 2,465 acres to reduce future fuel loads to desired levels (8-12
tons/acre) using all logging system options, including construction then decommissioning
of an estimated 6.4 miles of temporary roads
g Construct
a 6.25 mile long, 300-foot wide shaded fuel break using manual and mechanical
methods along the ridge bounding but outside the northern edge of the North Fork John Day
Wilderness
g Commercially
thin 718 acres of trees ranging from 7-21 inches in diameter to restore healthy stand
densities using all logging system options, including construction then decommissioning of
2.9 miles of temporary road
g Pre-commercially
thin 195 acres of trees ranging from 1-7 inches in diameter to restore healthy stand
densities
Wildlife Habitat
The fire has reduced the diversity of wildlife habitats to a
predominantly homogenous landscape of early successional stage forest with isolated
microhabitats of green tree patches and scattered individual live trees (Tower Fire
Ecosystem Analysis 1997). Five stands
designated in the Forest Plan as C1-Dedicated Old Growth were burned, four of which
experienced moderate to heavy mortality, and a large amount of inventoried old growth was
killed as well. Riparian areas appear to be
recovering from the fire, however, there is potential in the future for livestock use to
affect the rate of recovery of riparian wildlife habitat. Snag densities will be high for the next few
years, but most snags will fall within the next 10 years (especially in areas exposed to
prevailing winds)
so there will be a deficiency of snag habitat throughout much of the area in the long-term
(20+ years). Deer and elk migrate through the
burned area from the north and west in the spring. These
animals should benefit from the large increase in forage, but the extensive loss in tree
cover will make deer and elk more susceptible to human disturbance and associated stress. Dead trees provide some level of protection as
hiding cover, but they are not as effective as live vegetation. Big game browsing in the spring (when forage is
still scarce) could damage proposed riparian plantings and slow vegetative recovery in
areas that burned at high intensities.
To address these conditions, the North Fork John Day District
proposes to implement the following actions:
ò Plant 11,800 acres
with conifers to acceleration of development of forest cover
ò Designate new areas as
C1-Dedicated Old Growth
ò Construct permanent
fence around 45 acres of Round Meadow, 2 acres of Donut Meadow, 9 acres of Long Meadow,
and 4 additional acres of Pearson Meadow.
ò Fence 1 acre around a
spring at T.6S., R.33E., Section 35, 3 acres around a spring at T.6S., R.33E., Section 34,
and fence and repair three ponds within T.6S., R.33E., sections 27 and 35
ò Delay future shortages
of snags by removing one-third to three-quarters of the crown from scattered, large, dead
trees to reduce wind resistance using the most economical and safe method (chainsaw,
explosives, or mechanical)
ò Reduce grazing
pressure by seeding 1,100 severely burned acres along Pearson Ridge, 500 acres on the
ridge south of Cable Creek, 700 acres on the ridge north of Hidaway Creek, and scattered
small areas totaling 500 acres; aerially fertilize 1,500 acres along the north and west
edges of the fire perimeter which burned at low intensities to improve forage quality; and
prescribe burn 900 acres near the North Fork John Day River to stimulate herbaceous
vegetation
Recreation
The fire not only affected
the natural resources in the area, it also impacted various recreational resources. At least 26 dispersed campsites could contribute
to increased erosion and sediment due to the fire’s reduction in vegetation and
ground cover. At Pearson Guard
Station, the fire burned the outhouse, damaged the water system, and removed vegetation
surrounding a high use dispersed campsite. Visual quality was reduced along a portion of the
Blue Mountain Scenic Byway where the fire burned at high intensity. Trees along many roads and within the Pearson
Recreational Residence tract, the Winom-Frazier OHV Complex, and Winom Campground have
died since the fire and now pose hazards to recreationists and travelers. In addition, the 1998 flood in Oriental
Creek destroyed some of the campsites and facilities at Oriental Campground.
Some repairs were made to
trails immediately after the fire, however, longer-term effects are now appearing: lost definition and visibility of road crossings
on the Round Meadows and Cut Across OHV trails, increased drainage problems on the River
Trail, and increased safety concerns on the Roundaway OHV Trail. The safety concerns on the Roundaway Trail are
particularly difficult to resolve. The
existing trail crosses above a landslide along Hidaway Creek. Motorcycle use (which requires a 12-16 inch
trailbed) does not appear to pose a problem with the instability. However, because this trail is the sole connection
between the Frazier Campground and both the Winom and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
trail systems, some 4-wheelers (which require a 50-inch width to maneuver safely) are
using this trail even though it is posted as not recommended for 4-wheeler use. Use of this trail by 4-wheelers is unsafe and is
resulting in trail degradation. An alternative route that accesses the Frazier
portion of the complex is available to 4-wheelers (Forest Road 5226), but the road is
narrow and very busy.
To address these conditions, the North Fork John Day District
proposes to implement the following actions:
Q On
26 dispersed campsites, remove hazard trees and large charred logs, define site boundaries
using boulders, and level and surface site with gravel
Q Reconstruct
the Pearson Guard Station outhouse and water system and harden the existing dispersed
campsite to reduce erosion
Q Install
sign along the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway (Forest Road 52) to provide educational
information regarding the importance of fire in the ecosystem
Q Harvest
dead trees from 421 acres in the foreground of the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway
Q Remove
hazardous trees from 21 acres in the Winom Creek OHV area (South Winom and North Winom
trailheads, trail crossings, dispersed campsites, and the Winom Campground), 25 acres
surrounding the Pearson Recreational Residence tract (Forest roads 5200-528, 5200-529,
5200-530, and 5200-340), and 487 acres along Forest roads 5507, 5510, 5226, and 5226-090. Hazard trees that occur within PACFISH Riparian
Habitat Conservation Areas would be felled and left on site.
Q Remove
debris, recontour, and place gravel on two campsites and the trailhead parking at Oriental
Campground, and replace the damaged toilet with a seamless vault toilet
Q Fence,
sign, and harden trailbeds where the Round Meadows and Cut Across OHV trails cross roads
Q Install
drainage structures and harden or raise the tread of up to ½ mile of the River Trail to
alleviate excess wetness of the trailbed
Q Construct
a 6.5 mile long trail on gentler terrain west of the Roundaway Trail to provide a safe
connection for 4-wheeler traffic and maintain slope stability on the Roundaway Trail
(motorcycles, which are not causing problems, would continue to use the current trail)
The North Fork John Day
Ranger District sought information, comments, and assistance from federal, state, and
local agencies, local Tribes, and other groups and individuals interested in or affected
by the proposed actions. The Notice of Intent
to prepare an environmental impact statement was published in the Federal Register on
January 12, 1999. On February 19, 1999, a
letter and maps (explaining the need for an EIS and delineating proposed projects) were
mailed to 159 groups and individuals who had previously shown interest in District
projects. This project was also included in
the 1999 Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall quarterly issues of the Umatilla National Forest
Schedule of Proposed Activities (SOPA) and was displayed on the Forest’s website. Ten letters were received from the public and
other agencies in response to the District letter.
On February 12, 1999,
several interdisciplinary team members met with a wildlife biologist from the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife. The group
reviewed the proposed actions, specifically with regard to big game (potential forage
enhancement options, alternatives to proposed road treatments, the density of open roads
within Oriental Basin, and additional disturbance of big game that could result from the
proposed construction of the 4-wheeler trail). That
same week, District fish biologists also reviewed the 48 proposed projects with a fish
biologist from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
On April 8, 1999, the District Ranger and interdisciplinary team co-leaders
met with the Department of Natural Resources Director for the Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation. The group
specifically discussed salvage of fire-killed timber and protection of the water and
fisheries resources. The Tribes are
particularly concerned with construction of temporary roads because soils in the area are
light and erodible. However, they agreed that
short-term increases in sediment due to implementation of restoration projects would be
acceptable as long as fish were benefited in the long-term.
The Tribes supported the shaded fuel break and requested that
harvester/forwarder logging systems be used to minimize damage to soils.
The interdisciplinary team
reviewed comments received in response to the EIS proposed action as well as comments
regarding previous projects within the fire area (Big Tower EA, South Tower EA, Cable EA
Tower Salvage EA, and Hairy Hazard Tree Removal CE).
Using these comments and the concerns identified in the Tower Fire Ecosystem
Analysis, the interdisciplinary team identified issues related to the proposed
actions. Key issues drive the development of
the alternatives to the proposed action and must at least partially satisfy the purpose
and need.
Key Issue 1: Removal of Trees & Reforestation
Some members of the public
believe the best way to restore the burned area is to salvage dead and badly injured
trees, treat overstocked or unhealthy stands of green trees, plant appropriate species
where natural regeneration is not expected to be successful in the near future, and use
herbicides to control vegetative competition so that planted seedlings survive. They are concerned about excessive fuel loads and
an increased risk of an insect epidemic. Some
don’t like to see so many dead trees rot in the woods when local communities and
mills need the income these trees would generate.
Other members of the public
are concerned that the burned area has already been stressed from the effects of the fire. They believe that the optimum outcome for the
fire area would be achieved by allowing natural disturbance processes to restore ecosystem
integrity. Of particular concern are the
effects that salvage harvesting would have on soils exposed by the fire. They disagree with the proposed harvest and
thinning of green trees because it could change soil characteristics and reduce wildlife
cover. Some are anxious that tree planting
could rely on trees that are not genetically adapted to the specific locale and are
adamantly opposed to the use of herbicides to control competing vegetation.
Key Issue 2: Soil Erosion and Water Quality
Comments from some members of the public indicate a great concern
that harvest would further disturb soils already exposed by the effects of the Tower Fire
and cause additional instability, which would degrade watershed values. Several respondents proposed that the District
should consider riparian buffers larger than the recommended PACFISH Riparian Habitat
Conservation Areas since so much vegetation was lost.
Many respondents commented that temporary roads, even if later obliterated,
do not belong in an area already taxed by such a large fire. They point out the already high road densities in
the Oriental Basin and contend that some of the roads proposed for repair from the 1998
flood should actually be closed due to unstable slopes.
Even restoration activities such as placement of large instream wood raised
concerns due to the possible use of heavy equipment, which could increase soil disturbance
and compaction. Furthermore, a number of
people are concerned that the use of herbicides (particularly glyphosate) could
contaminate local waters.
Proponents of salvage and restoration activities argue that any
sedimentation caused by logging activities would be negligible when compared with sediment
increases resulting from the fire, and that the use of sensitive logging systems and
mitigation would negate any harvest-related increases.
They feel the benefits from reestablishing forest cover, improving roads,
and other restoration projects outweigh the risks. They
also argue that a very small portion of the fire would actually be harvested and this,
coupled with implementation of measures such as Best Management Practices, would largely
limit site disturbance.
Key Issue 3: Changes in Fish & Aquatic Habitat
The analysis area lies within the traditional lands of the
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs in
Oregon. In their respective treaties, both
Confederated Tribes retained certain rights to fish, hunt, gather roots and berries, and
pasture stock on unclaimed federal lands. The
courts have determined that the right to have associated resources (habitat) protected
from degradation is implied in these treaties. Both
Tribes have clearly stated that the fisheries resource of the John Day River system is
invaluable and critical to the pursuit of traditional life ways and that recovery projects
must not result in any decreases in habitat quality.
Publics that oppose the proposed actions are particularly concerned
that salvage harvest could potentially increase sediment and water temperatures. They feel only projects that would reduce erosion
and sedimentation resulting from existing human-caused disturbances should be implemented. Other commenters fear that when added to sediment
resulting from the fire and other existing sources, restoration activities could cause
irreparable damage to the salmon, steelhead, and bull trout populations in the North Fork
John Day River system.
Many supporters of salvage harvest argue that the risks involved
with harvest are minimal and that restoration projects and road improvements associated
with harvest would make up for any undesired effects.
They also point out that tree planting, which would occur as a result of
harvest, would speed recovery of soil and forest cover which would reduce sediment and
improve slope stability. They point
out that many factors are responsible for the decline of anadromous fish runs and that
unless downstream factors are corrected, runs will continue to decline regardless of what
occurs upstream. Consequently, they believe
that deferring salvage harvest activities would have no effect on the overall health of
the fish populations.
Key Issue 4: 4-wheeler Access to Winom-Frazier Complex
The Winom-Frazier OHV Complex is very popular for motorcycle riders
and 4-wheelers alike. While the North Fork
John Day District received only six letters commenting on the proposed construction of the
Roundaway 4-wheeler trail, the interdisciplinary team believe that current trail’s
popularity and instability warrant consideration as a key issue. Objectives for the selected
alternative in the 1995 Camas OHV Complex EA emphasized a connection between Frazier
Campground and the existing Winom and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest trail systems, and
riding opportunities for all experience levels and OHV types. Since this trail is one of the most challenging in
the complex for motorcyclists, the District believes it should be maintained to provide
the desired variety of riding experiences. The
trail cannot be widened to allow safe 4-wheeler use because the loss of vegetation coupled
with the amount of excavation required for a safe 4-wheeler trailbed would likely increase
slope instability, as well as remove some of the challenge this trail provides for
motorcyclists.
Opponents of the proposed 4-wheeler trail construction are
concerned that the new location extends into an area not currently affected by motorized
trails. They argue that this will increase
disturbance of big game animals and other wildlife, which were already stressed by the
adjacent fire (the new trail would mostly occur outside the burned area). They also believe that OHVs cause a great deal of
disturbance to soils and vegetation. Others
point out that OHV use is disruptive and in conflict with other recreational uses of the
area.
Issues that did not drive
the formulation of alternatives, but were determined to be important or required to
disclose, were considered as issues to be tracked throughout the document. These tracking issues are generally of high
interest to the public or are necessary to understand the full extent of the alternatives.
v Reductions
or increases in recreational access
v Changes
to the character of the South Fork-Tower Roadless Area
v Changes
to the character of the North Fork John Day Wild & Scenic River corridor
v Reductions
in big game hiding cover and snag habitat in the short-term
v Harvest
of dead old growth
v Changes
in management indicator species populations and habitat
v Changes
in Threatened, Endangered, or Sensitive wildlife, fish, and plant species populations
and habitat
v Recovery
of the economic value of dead timber and associated economic support to local communities
v Spread
of noxious weeds
v Methods
used to change the scale of future stand replacement fires
v Particulate
emissions, timing, and duration of prescribed burning
v Accessibility
and Maintenance of the Transportation System
v Changes
in the integrity of existing cultural properties
It is believed by some that
a scientific controversy exists regarding harvest and other management activities
in response to wildfires. In 1995, the Pacific Rivers Council
released an unpublished report entitled "Recommendations for Ecologically Sound
Post-Fire Salvage Logging and Other Post-Fire Treatments On Federal Lands In the
West". The group of scientists who wrote
the report (Dr. Robert Beschta et. al.) had been invited by the Pacific Rivers Council to
discuss and consider the ramifications of fire in western landscapes (personal
communication with Beschta 1999). In general,
the report recommends that “human intervention should not be permitted unless and
until it is determined that natural processes are not occurring," and strongly
advises against salvage logging in most instances. The
Forest Service asked
its Research Branch to review the report and comment on the issues it raised. Richard Everett, Science Team Leader at the
Wenatchee Forest Sciences Laboratory, reviewed the report and, while commending the
report’s comprehensive consideration of potential hazards to natural resources
following fire, he cautioned that the report’s bias towards a hands-off approach is
not appropriate in all situations and supported his concerns with citations from
scientific research. Eight other agency
scientists who specialize in fire ecology and fuels, ecosystem processes, root diseases
and soil microbiology, aquatic/land interactions, vegetation management, and watershed and
fisheries also reviewed the report. Their
review, although supporting a number of the principles expressed in the report, expressed
reservations about the tone, specificity and general application of many of the
report’s recommendations. They were
concerned that while the report emphasizes the complexity and diversity of ecosystems, its
recommendations tend to present a one-size-fits-all approach to management. The Tower EIS interdisciplinary team feels the
conditions within the Tower Fire area require management intervention in some places (i.e.
reforestation, future large fuel reduction) to return ecosystem processes to their
historical ranges of variability and to meet Forest Plan goals.
Alternatives Considered in Detail
No Action (Alternative 1) Theme:
Allow the fire area to recover naturally; no restoration activities would
occur to address conditions caused by the fire, however, other management activities such
as recreational use, road and trail maintenance, and grazing would continue as addressed
in the post-fire BAER report and existing direction documents (District Motorized Access
and Travel Management Plan, Camas OHV Trail Complex EA, etc.)
Proposed Action (Alternative 2) Theme:
Salvage wood fiber and intensively accelerate recovery of the fire
area using all available management techniques, including chemicals and heavy equipment
Alternative 3 Theme:
Salvage wood fiber and intensively accelerate recovery of the fire
area using management techniques that do not require chemicals
Alternative 4 Theme:
Accelerate recovery of the fire area using only those management
options that have the least risk of erosion, stream sedimentation, or chemical
contamination to the fire area.
Alternative 5 Theme:
Salvage dead wood fiber and accelerate recovery of the fire area
using management options that would address all conditions within the fire boundary while
limiting sediment production
Alternative 6 Theme:
Salvage dead wood fiber and accelerate recovery of the fire area
using management options that address the Roundaway Trail concerns and limit sediment
risk, but are more cost-effective than options proposed in Alternative 5
Table S1: List of projects by alternative
