Theory to practice:

Can we manage riparian areas for more than big trees?

Aquatic Conservation Strategy Northwest Forest Plan

• Riparian Reserves, Key Watersheds, Watershed Analysis

• Watershed restorationThe most important components are control and restoration of road-related runoff and sediment production, restoration of riparian vegetation, and restoration of in-stream habitat complexity.

Active silvicultural programs will be necessary to restore large conifers in Riparian Reserves. Appropriate practices may include planting unstable areas such as landslides along streams and flood terraces, thinning densely-stocked young stands to encourage development of large conifers, releasing young conifers from overtopping hardwoods, and restoring shrub and hardwood-dominated stands with conifers.

We have been but now we can’t

At this time the NMFS in Terms and Conditions stated we can not manage

vegetation within 100 feet of coho bearing streams and must retain all existing shade on perennial streams

to minimize risk of short-term impacts.

Coho Salmon Habitat

Terms and ConditionsTo implement reasonable and prudent measure #2 (future inputs of woody material), the Forest Service shall ensure that no thinning of trees occurs within 100 feet of coho-bearing streams.

Existing shade is maintained around all perennial streams, except at skyline yarding corridors and culvert replacement work sites

Conservation RecommendationTo maintain a mix of short- and long-term sources of wood to coho habitat, the Forest Service should thin to no less than 200 trees per acre from 100 feet away from streams with OC coho salmon to a distance from the stream equal to the height of one site-potential tree (250’). Alternatively, the Forest Service should place woody material in coho-bearing stream channels at loadings similar to what the area defined above would contribute over a 75-year long period.

Biological Opinion West Alsea/Little Nestucca Landscape Mgt Projects

1/3 Siuslaw NF (200,000 acres) is in plantations of 90% Douglas fir

Commercial thinning is the way the vegetation is managed to accelerate old growth timber stand conditions

ESA listed species… Northern spotted owl, marbled murrelets, Oregon coast coho salmon, and Pacific eulachon

Current annual timber sale volume averages 30+mmbf down from 350mmbf

East Alsea Landscape Management Project example

ARBO allows non-commercial riparian vegetation treatment

62,297 ac. in 3 subwatersheds

25% of area w/100’ of stream

3,565 ac. to thin

900 ac. of thinning w/100’ of stream (6% of the stream miles)

1,903 ac. in 3 sbws w/100’ of coho stream

6.3 ac. thinning w/100’ of coho

Upper Indian Creek Subwatershed

• 6th Field HUC

• 21,775 acres Total

• 18,400 acres Federal ownership (85%)

• 3,375 acres Private ownership (15%)

Extent of Commercial Thinning within Upper Indian Creek

Reasons to Thin Plantations

• Previously harvested units are densely stocked and many do not appear to be self thinning

• Plantation trees are not adding much diameter growth (growing like toothpicks)

• Believe that w/o thinning many plantations may never reach late-successional state

• Thinning should accelerate development of large trees for owls, murrelets, and salmon

Harvest Prescriptions

• Harvest limited to densely stocked plantations

• First two “rows” of conifers (minimum 30 feet) remain un-thinned if they occur within 100 feet of the floodplain or top of the inner gorge of a perennial stream

• First row of conifers remains un-thinned if it occurs within 100 feet of intermittent stream

• 40-100 trees per acres remain in thinned stand

Observations

oPast timber harvest has left us a tree farm

oNMFS direction will keep the tree farm through passive management

oFS proposes active management to meet ACS objectives

o4 years of attempting to get an independent science review has failed

oThe disagreement has been floundering in the Court of Process

oExecutives do not embarrass executives

oSome disagreements may not get resolved