Lade zige itx ict Wallowa-Whitman National Forest , La Grande, OR (541)

Transcription

1 Lade zige itx ict Wallowa-Whitman National Forest , La Grande, OR (541) Highway July 16, 2014 Dear Forest User: The La Grande Ranger District has recently completed a preliminary analysis for the Limber Jim Muir Fuels Reduction Project The area being evaluated consists of approximately 15,554 acres on National forest system lands on the La Grande Ranger District The project area is approximately 15 miles southwest of the city of La Grande, Oregon The project area is located within the Dry Beaver Ladd Canyon Closure area and borders Vey Meadows along the western edge and forest road 5140 along the eastern edge A map of the proposed project area and treatments is attached to this letter As a project or activity implementing the land management plan not authorized under the HFRA, this project is subject to subparts A and B of the project level pre-decisional administrative review process as described in 36 CFR 218 Background Cohesive Wildfire Strategy n response to requirements of the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement (FLAME) Act of 2009, the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC) directed the development of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy) The Cohesive Strategy is a collaborative process with active involvement of all levels of government and non-governmental organizations, as well as the public, to seek national, all-lands solutions to wildiand fire management issues Three primary factors have been identified as presenting the greatest challenges and the greatest opportunities for making a positive difference in addressing complex wildfire issues They are: Restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes The strategy must recognize the current lack of ecosystem health and variability of this issue from geographic area to geographic area Because landscape conditions and needs vary depending on local climate and fuel conditions, among other elements, the strategy will address landscapes on a regional and sub-regional scale

2 Creating fire-adapted communities The strategy will offer options and opportunities to engage communities and work with them to become more resistant to wildfire threats Responding to Wildfires This element considers the full spectrum of fire management activities and recognizes the differences in missions among local, state, tribal and Federal agencies The strategy offers collaboratively developed methodologies to move forward Desired Future Condition The desired condition is for strategically located resilient forest stands characterized by low densities of small understory conifers, reduced densities of ladder and surface fuels, lower canopy densities (fewer dead standing trees and less live individual tree crown overlap), and increased (10 feet or greater) canopy base heights (distance from surface fuels to tree crowns) Desired tree densities are at stocking levels and species composition that are more resilient to wildfires, and insect and disease outbreaks (depending on the stands plant association) Firetolerant trees described in terms of species, sizes, and structures would be well represented and stands would exhibit low concentrations of hazardous fuels (fewer ladder and surface fuels would accumulate) t is desired to maintain areas of reduced surface, ladder, and crown fuel loadings along strategic locations, such as ridge tops or near ridge top roads to alter fire behavior and provide firefighter safety These Defensible Fuel Profile Zones (DFPZ s) would reduce potential fire behavior and provide safe locations for firefighters to engage in suppression actions along with safe access and egress routes DFPZ s along strategic locations break up fuel continuity across the landscape and provide areas of moderated fire behavior DFPZ s are not designed to stop an approaching wildfire but to reduce fire intensity and to allow suppression forces a higher probability of successfully attacking a fire Without management, the desired condition would not be achieved, fuels would continue to accumulate and be contiguous across the landscape limiting suppression opportunities Economic well-being is a condition that enables people to work, provide income for their families, and support the economies of local communities, American ndian tribes, the region, and the Nation The production of goods and services from national forests contribute to economic well being t is desired that a predictable level in the flow of goods and services from the national forests occur to maintain an economically viable workforce and support the industrial capacity to facilitate national forest management needs and contributions to community resiliency Timber outputs contributing to local forest products industries as well as small diameter biomass which provides a variety of forest products including firewood and pulp are desired from lands classified as suitable for timber production within the project area Existing Condition The Limber Jim Muir project area is adjacent to a large track of private land (Vey Meadows) on the western edge and the City of La Grande Municipal Watershed along the eastern edge Dense conifer stands with heavy accumulations of dead and down material have created hazardous fuels conditions n the event of a wildfire, current stand conditions could produce a high intensity wildfire making these areas unsafe for firefighters to engage in wildland fire suppression and place important private and public resource values at risk Northeast Oregon has a high wildfire occurrence rate, primarily due to lightning activity that occurs during the summer and fall months The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has one of the highest wildfire occurrence rates in Oregon and Washington The fire occurrence rate for the Limber Jim Muir project area is approxiamtely 25 percent higher than the entire Wallowa

3 Whitman National Forest The area has experienced 52 documented fire starts since 1970 The majority of the fires occurred in August, typically the hottest and driest time of year 96 percent of wildfires were under control within 24 hours andor kept to less than 10 acres in size Lightning caused 83 percent of these fires with the other 17 percent caused primarily from warming fires during big hunting seasons Within the last 55 years, several large fires either within or adjacent to the project area have occurred The Anthony Creek (1960) and Tanner Gulch (1989) fires were large high intensity wildfires burning thousands of acres adjacent to the Limber Jim project area The Hoodoo fire (2003) burnt 147 acres within the project area This project area is also located within the Dry BeaverLadd Canyon Cooperative Closure Area (a year round closure area) with a green dot open road system Fuels build-ups within this area have reached hazardous levels and vegetative conditions are changing due to aggressive wildfire suppression, insect and disease outbreaks, and limited past vegetation management Fuels build-up is accumulating in the form of dense crown conditions, small diameter trees growing into the overstory, and an increase in dead and down trees These conditions have increased the potential for a surface fire to transition into a crown fire Surface fuel loadings, canopy base heights, and canopy bulk densities contribute to fire behavior Heavy accumulations of surface fuels andor crown fuels increase the potential for spotting to occur Spotting occurs when firebrands or embers are carried by the convection column andor wind starting new fires beyond the main fire Currently many stands exhibit overstocked conditions with low vigor Suppressed, overstocked trees are more susceptible to insect and disease attacks and overstocked stands could result in higher levels of mortality increasing the hazardous fuels conditions The Limber Jim Muir project area is displaying signs of increasing mountain pine beetle and western pine beetle activity as evidenced by pockets of recent beetle kill and additional signs of recent beetle attacks Endemic populations of beetles are evident and the potential exists for increased insect populations and tree mortality Purpose of and Need for Action The purpose and need for action is usually generated by unacceptable conditions within the analysis area which need to be addressed The purpose and need is represented by the difference or gap between the existing condition and its desired condition based on Forest Plan management direction The purpose of this project is to modify fire behavior potential, improve firefighting opportunities by creating defensible fuel profile zones, improve firefighter and public safety, and protect resource and property values at risk and provide social and economic opportunities to local communities through increased firewood gathering and forestry related employment The need for this project is driven by adjacent private land and high value areas such as a municipal watershed (protection of life and property), hazardous fuels build-up (active management to reduce fuels and improve forest health), public and firefighter safety, and local demands for firewood and forest related employment Proposed Action Treatments proposed under this project will be designed to reduce surface fuel loadings, ladder fuels, and canopy bulk densities in strategic locations throughout the project area Strategic locations include stands along key roads within the project area, ridgetops, private land interface areas, and along the La Grande Municipal watershed boundary (refer to attached maps)

4 Strategies for creating fuel reduction areas include the treatments described below in the Limber Jim Muir project area Refer to the attached map Fuels Reduction Hand Work Only (WFH) Approximately 1,643 acres of treatments designed to remove ladder fuels and manage understory tree density at appropriate levels using manual methods Ladder fuels are defined as trees (less than 9 DBH) growing under the drip line of the dominant and dominant trees within the project area These trees provide a ladder for flames into the crowns of the larger trees increasing the probability for high crown fire Dead and down fuels would also be also be piled and burned Affected units are: 16, 18-19, 22-34, 36-37, and Fuels Reduction Mechanical (WFM) Approximately 610 acres of pre-commercial sized tree density management followed by a surface fuels reduction using a combination of hand work, mastication (slash busting) or grapple piling where surface fuel loadings exceed 15 tonsacre Mechanical activities would not be allowed within PACFSH buffers in these units Affected units are: 7, 35, 38-39, 91-93, 96 Fuels Blocks - Prescribed Burning Approximately 4,251 acres of prescribed burning is proposed within the area implemented over the next 10 years Low to moderate intensity prescribed burning would reduce litter, duff, and 0-3 inch surface fuels Burning would also reduce understory stocking levels and promote development of seral species while enhancing forage and browse for domestic and wildlife species Affected units are: Burning Total Acres Total 4,251 Mechanical fire lines Mechanical fire lines(less that 2ff wide) would be constructed between road segments to provide containment lines prior to unit ignition Burning along private land boundaries would be coordinated with adjacent landowners Pre-commercial Thin (PCT) Manual pre-commercial thinning of past harvest units would occur on 3,890 acres resulting in variable spacing (14-20 feet between trees) including retention of approximately 10% of untreated area to provide for wildlife habitat needs Species preference will be western larch, ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir Riparian areas may be treated as described below Affected units are: 14, 42-90, 94-95, co

5 The Commercial ThinningFirewood (HTHF) Approximately 564 acres of commercial thinning would occur using tractor and skyline yarding systems to reduce crown bulk densities, achieve the desired stocking levels, and increase the resilience and vigor of the stand These units may also be available for commercial firewood operations with mechanical equipment to cut and remove the green trees and dead and down materials for firewood Green trees removed would require curing before use as firewood No temporary or specified road construction would be required Affected units: 1-6, 8-13, 15, 17, Riparian habitat conservation area (RHCA) vegetation is also in need of management to reduce overstocking and fuel loadings Handwork only would occur in RHCAs Precommercial thinning units (PCT) and hand treatment only fuel reduction units (WFH) would have no activity buffers of 10 feet along class V streams (intermittent non-fishbearing), 30 feet on class ll streams (perennial non-fishbearing), and 50 feet along class streams (fishbearing) No mechanical treatment or commercial removal would occur within RHCA5 Depending on the amount of slash generated, hand piling and hand burning of slash piles would occur outside of no activity stream buffers Affected units: 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42,, 43, 44, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53,57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 70, 72, 73, 77, 78,80, 82, 84, 86, 87, 88, 90, 97,102,105,107,109,110,115,116 Direct ignition for prescribed fire would occur within RHCA5 Minimum stream buffers for direct ignition are; Class > 100 feet, Class ll > 75 feet, and Class V> 50 feet Direct gnition Burn Blocks: 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, and 608 Roadside Firewood Removal As described under the existing conditions above, many of the roads within this project area are closed year round as a part of the Dry Beaver Ladd Canyon Cooperative Closure Area n order to provide for a source of firewood 36 closed roads totaling 4004 miles would be reopened to create a special firewood removal area This area would be available for firewood cutting at least 2 seasons or until no more firewood material is available Standing dead less than 16 dbh and down wood may be removed within 300 feet of the road No vehicles would be permitted beyond 300 feet from the roads These areas would generally be open from June to August 15 each year for firewood removal This time period would help ensure dry roads and retain the integrity of the closure area during hunting seasons No snag removal would be permitted for snags greater than 16 inches dbh No firewood cutting would be permitted within the Beaver Creek nventoried Roadless Area along the 5140 road and the road Snags in Harvest and Fuel Reduction Units With the exception of an occasional snag removed for safety or construction clearing, no snags 12 inches dbh would be removed within these units Protect existing standing large snags (>12 inches, DBH) during firing operations through avoidance or fuels distribution requirements (FDA) as practical f large trees are killed through project implementation they will be left for wildlife snags, unless they pose a safety hazard to roads, the public, or project personnel Connective Corridor Units goal within these units would be to maintain and enhance their canopy closure and structural complexity Snags, large down wood, and multiple canopy layers (if appropriate for the site) would be maintained in these stands Basal area would be maintained within the upper half of the management zone, which would approximate canopy closures in the upper 13 of site potential Stocking levels would be managed near the upper management zones for basal area except where tree quality and crown conditions are such that this level of stocking is unattainable, in these areas, 20% of the stand would be retained in untreated clumps Trees with as little as 20% live crown would be retained if needed to maintain basal area levels

6 Fire-adapted All snags greater than or equal to 12 inches dbh would be retained Down logs would be retained at the following levels: 200 lineal feet per acre Minimum lengths of logs 20 feet or largest available Minimum of 12 small end diameter logs or largest available Affected units: 6,7,15,20,21,44 Roadside Hazard Trees - Danger trees (standing trees that present a hazard to people due to conditions such as, but not limited to, deterioration or physical damage to the root system, trunk, stem, or limbs and the direction of the lean of the tree would allow that tree to reach the roadway if it fell) would be cut along all haul roads (approximately 15 treesmi) f the trees are within noactivity RHCA buffers as described previously or needed to meet down wood requirements they would be cut and left on site f they are outside of those areas or not required to be retained for other resource needs and are of commercial value, they may be removed with this timber sale Restoration Trees Unit (WFMRTU) One 46 acre unit was identified where fuels reduction work could support a fisheries enhancement project in the area Approximately 150 trees with diameters between inches dbh would be pushed over with an excavator and removed for instream enhancement work in Limber Jim Creek Areas disturbed within the unit would be smoothed over and seeded with native seed following removal activities Removal Systems Summary: Where treatments result in commercial products, they would be removed by tractor (424 acres) and tractor with winchline (140 acres) yarding systems The tractor with winchline units are steep and winchlines would only be able to reach 100 to 150 feet into these units Approximately 1 million board feet of material is expected to be recovered from the proposed action No construction of new specified roads or temporary roads is anticipated for this project Approximately 719 miles of road currently closed by gate or barricade would be re-opened and used to facilitate harvest activities These roads would be re-closed in the same manner at the conclusion of harvest activities within the units they access The project is scheduled for implementation beginning in 2015 Resource and Management Concerns Forest Plan direction, Endangered Species Act (ESA), public input and National Policy have led the Forest Service Planning Team to consider the following preliminary issues associated with activities in the Limber Jim Muir project area Fire RiskBehavior plant communities have developed fuels and vegetation characteristics beyond historic conditions Management to reduce tree densities would begin work returning landscape conditions closer to historic levels Surface and ladder fuels have increased, and continue to increase as a result of suppression activities Management designed to reduce hazardous fuels would modify fire behavior thus reducing risk to propertyresources while increasing fire suppression opportunities Potential Wilderness Areas There is a potential for the treatments described in this proposed action to affect potential wilderness areas immediately adjacent to the Beaver Creek inventoried roadless area An analysis will need to be completed to analyze the potential impacts from this project on areas which exhibit a potential as wilderness

7 Administration of Firewood Removal Area n order to be successful and to monitor progress and resource areas of concern it will be important to commit to regular on-theground administration of this firewood area Air Quality The project area is located within 15 air miles of the smoke sensitive community of La Grancie Comments The Limber Jim Muir Fuels Reduction project is currently a proposal and not a decision Your comments will be considered and used to identify issues associated with the proposal and develop alternatives that are responsive to the identified issues Although comments are welcome at any time, they are most helpful if received early encourage you to return your comments by August 15, 2014 Comments that provided on this project will become a matter of public record Written comment, should be addressed to Bill Gamble, District Ranger, La Grande Ranger District, 3502 Highway 30, La Grande, OR, f you have any questions additional information can be provided by contacting Mike Johnson, Fuels Analyst at (541) , or Bill Gamble, District Ranger, at (541) Sincerely, Bill Gamble District Ranger La Grande Ranger District The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any USDA related activity should immediately contact the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, DC USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

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