FIVE CREEKS RANGELAND RESTORATION PROJECT

FALL 2008Burns District, BLM

FIVE CREEKS

• Points to Cover– Where is 5 Creeks?– When did

implementation begin?– Who is involved in the

project?– How is the project being

implemented?– Why 5 Creeks?

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Rome

Izee

Hines

Denio

Crane

BurnsRiley

Fields

JunturaDrewsey

Diamond

Hampton

Lakeview

Wagontire

Riverside

McDermitt

Frenchglen

New Princeton

Burns Junction

£¤395

£¤395¿À205

¿À140

Lawen

Harper

Buchanan

Project Location

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! !BEND VALE

BURNS

SALEM

EUGENE ONTARIO

LAKEVIEW

JOHN DAY

PORTLAND PENDLETON

THE DALLES

Project Area: 73,386 Acres (53,738 public &

19,648 private)

Elevation: 4200 – 7000 ft

Implementation Period: 7-10 years

FIVE CREEKS

• North End of Steens Mountain

• Three Rives Resource Area

• Cooperative Management and Protection Area (NLCS)

Project Characteristics• Landscape Level Treatments• Restoration of rangelands encroached by western juniper• Multi-year commitment• Projects included adjacent private lands

– Helped to reduce cost– Assisted private land owners in meeting land management

objectives• Projects coordinated with interested other agencies and

groups– ODFW– Soil and Water Conservation District– Harney County Watershed Council– USFWS

Healthy Lands Initiative

Five Creeks Rangeland Restoration

Managing natural resources for multiple use with flexible, landscape-level approaches.

A landscape level project treating across boundaries on public and private land

Restore and maintain healthy landscapes

Restoring sagebrush and riparian habitat to healthy & productive conditions.

Characterized by broad scale and accelerated pace

Treat 73,386 acres over a 8-10 year time frame.

Partnerships are integral Partnerships are integral

Timeline6 Phases

Unit 1 (South)

6,151 acres

5, 650 acres BLM & 500 acres Private

Land

Public and Private Treated Simultaneously

2007/Summer– Project Layout, Clearances

2008 – Grazing Rest 2008/Fall – Broadcast

Burn 2008/Fall – Cut Creeks 2009 – Grazing Rest 2009/Winter/Spring –

Jackpot Burn Creeks 2010 – Grazing Rest

Unit 2

15,556 acres

9,000 acres BLM & 6,580 acres Private

Land

6 PhasesTimeline 2007 - 2011

Unit 3

12,270 acres

9,200 acres BLM & 3,060 acres Private

Land

TimelineSix Implementation Phases

2008 - 2012

TimelineSix Implementation Phases

Unit # spr summer fall spr summer fall spr summer fall spr summer fall spr summer fall spr summer fall spr summer fall

Unit 2

broadcast

pile burn mahogany

Unit 3

broadcast

Unit 4

Broadcast 4 South

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

rest (Roaring Springs alt forage)

rest 4 South

Jackpot 4 North

rest 4 North

rest 4 South

rest (alkali or roaring springs)

Layout North and South

Clearcut 4 North

cut cut remainder

cut

Cut creeks

rest (Roaring Sprs Alt Forage)

Layout

Clearances

layout leks treatment

Cut Leks

cut & pile mahogany

jackpot old cuts

jackpot leks

pile burn mahogany

cut mahogany

rest (Alkali)

jackpot creeks

rest (Roaring Springs alt forage)

cut creeks

rest (Alkali)

jackpot creeks

Variable Cut 4 South

Clearances

Jackpot Old Cuts

Rest 4 South

FIVE CREEKS• Who’s Involved?

– Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board – Harney County Watershed Council– Harney County Soil and Water Conservation District– Roaring Springs Ranch– Otley Bros, Inc– Mann Lake Ranch– Steens Mountain Ranch– Riddle Ranches, Inc– Riddle/Blitzen Working Group– Steens Mountain Advisory Council– Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Station –USDA/Agricultural Research Service– Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife – Harney County Court– Great Basin Restoration Initiative

FIVE CREEKS• What’s being Done• Reduce the cover and density of western juniper across the project area

– Mountain Big Sagebrush– Quaking Aspen– Riparian Areas– Bitterbrush– Mountain Mahogany

• Improve forage production– Livestock– Rocky Mountain Elk– Mule Deer– Wild Horses– Pronghorn

• Reduce Accumulation of hazardous fuels– Natural– Activity

FIVE CREEKS

• How Is the Project being Implemented?– Number of treatments are being utilized to achieve

the project objectives– Cutting

• Complete Cuts• Partial Cuts

– Burning• Broadcast• Jackpot

– Seeding

FIVE CREEKS• Juniper Cutting

– Units layout based on type of cutting

• Full Cuts• Partial Cuts

FIVE CREEKS• Prescribed Fire

– Jackpot Burning– Broadcast

Burning

FIVE CREEKS

• Complexity – High– Original Analysis Indicated Moderate

• Large Contingency Area• Several Opportunities For Control

– Changed to High• Adjacent Landowners Not Participating• Large Amounts of Black-lining• Aviation

FIVE CREEKSLOW DESIRED HIGH

Temperature 30 50-77 85

Relative Humidity 54 20-30 12

Midflame Wind Speed 2 4-12 12

Wind Direction Any Any Any

1-Hour FM 7-11 5-9 3

10-Hour FM 8-12 6-10 4

100-Hour FM NA NA NA

1000-Hour FM NA NA NA

Live FM NA NA NA

FIVE CREEKS

• Developing the Rx– Historic Weather for Time of Year– Blended Fuel Model to Predict Fire Behavior– Flame Length Below Ability to Control Based on

Cut Juniper

FIVE CREEKS• Resources Required

– RXB1– RXFB– CREW– 2 STL/TFL– 3 Type 4 ENG– 3 Type 6 ENG– 2 TATRA/Tenders (used 4)– 2 ATVs w/ Bean Sprayers– 4 UTVs w/ Tanks and Pumps– Resource Advisor on site

Need Neighbors Help

FIVE CREEKS

• Camped on Site– Reduced Travel Time– Increased Crew Safety– Feed Crews– Toilets– Shuttle Supplies

FIVE CREEKS

• Jackpot Burning• Blacklining• Unit Ignition

– Drip Torches– ATV Torches– Helitorch

• Holding

FIVE CREEKS

• Post Fire Management– Livestock Grazing – Two growing season in

burned area– Weeds Management –

• Inventories• Spot treatments

– Monitoring

FIVE CREEKS

• Success?– Implementation– Plant Community Response– Animal Response

FIVE CREEKS

• Previous Projects– Cutting and burning results in greatest reductions

in juniper– Post-fire vegetation response

• Plant cover increases 2-3x• Quaking Aspen Suckering Increases• Bitterbrush Seedling Establishment – Variable

– Weeds• Jackpot Burning too late in spring results in thistle

increase