Walla Walla Ranger District

Transcription

1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Walla Walla Ranger District 1415 West Rose Walla Walla, WA File Code: 1950 Date: September 30, 2014 Dear Forest User: The Walla Walla Ranger District is in the process of developing a proposed action for the Tiger-Webb Fuels Reduction Project, and has completed a preliminary analysis. This proposed action will be further analyzed in an Environmental Analysis (EA). At this time, the district is seeking your comments on the proposed action as described below. Additionally, you are invited to attend a field tour of the project area on October 17, 2014 (see information below). The project area is approximately 9,550 acres in size and is within the Tiger Creek and Webb Creek drainages of the Middle Mill Creek and North Fork Walla Walla River subwatersheds, and is characterized by steep, highly dissected canyons. The project area is located in Umatilla County, Oregon within portions of Township 5 North, Range 38 East, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11; and Township 6 North, Range 38 East, Sections 20, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35. The communities of Walla Walla, Washington and Milton-Freewater, Oregon are located within approximately 15 miles to the northeast and southeast, respectively (see Attachment 2). Purpose and Need The purpose of the proposed Tiger-Webb Fuels Reduction Project is to increase the ability to effectively suppress wildfire and reduce risks to wildland firefighters within the project area, as well as reduce the risk of undesirable impacts to the Mill Creek Watershed (municipal water source) and private lands in the event of a large wildfire. Further emphasis for treatment need in this area can be found in the 2006 Mill Creek Community Wildfire Protection Plan which encourages hazard fuel reduction work on the National Forest lands to the south and southwest of the Mill Creek subwatershed. Preliminary analysis shows considerable differences between the existing and desired conditions for several aspects of forest resource management in the project area, as defined by the Umatilla National Forest Land and Resources Management Plan (Forest Plan). Forest density is outside of desired ranges, and the potential for active and passive crown fire is higher than desired. Because of the high potential for crown fires, road corridors in the project area are often not suitable for wildfire containment. Additionally, in Forest Plan Management Area C4- Wildlife Habitat, there is a need to increase forage quality and quantity, while maintaining habitat for other species. Proposed Action The District is proposing to reduce vertical and horizontal fuel loading and continuity, and forest density in strategic locations within the project area. Areas along Forest system roads and major fire travel paths (MFTP s) identified within the project area would be treated by commercial and pre-commercial forest thinning, and prescribed fire (see Attachment 1 for acres of each activity by Forest Plan Management Area, and Attachments 2, 3, and 4 for maps of the proposed action). Approximately 2,620 acres of treatments are proposed. Pre-commercial thinning Pre-commercial thinning would take place on approximately 373 acres along Forest Road 6511 and near the mouth of Webb Creek. This thinning would be designed to remove encroaching understories that are now acting as additional fuel for fires, reduce surface fuel accumulations, and break the continuity of dense patches of trees. Approximately 29% of the acres proposed for pre-commercial thinning have been harvested in the past, followed by tree planting and/or natural regeneration of forest vegetation. Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper

2 Thinning would be accomplished by hand, and would remove standing live trees. These trees would generally be less than 9-11 inches diameter at breast height (DBH). The activities would generally result in a 20 x 20 spacing of retained trees. The healthiest, most vigorous, most fire resistant trees would be retained. Variable density thinning would be used to the extent practicable. Spacing may vary between 16 x 16 to 24 x 24, as well as skipping small patches in order to increase spatial variability of forest density. Slash generated by this treatment would be lopped and scattered, hand piled and burned, underburned, or removed and used for biomass if commercially and technically viable (see Attachments). Free thinning Free thinning can include the removal of trees from the understory and/or overstory. Tree removal or retention would be based on factors such as tree vigor, spacing, species, etc. This type of thinning is proposed on approximately 1,600 acres (see Attachment 3) to reduce fuel loading and continuity. Approximately 27% of the acres proposed for free thinning have been harvested in the past, followed by tree planting and/or natural regeneration of forest vegetation. Depending on slope gradient and road access, free thinning would be accomplished mechanically using a ground-based logging system, skyline cable, or helicopter yarding systems (see Attachments 1 and 3). The yarding system would be designed and implemented in such a manner as to allow for fuels reduction at reasonable cost, and to minimize potential ground disturbance. Residual tree densities would remain within the recommended management zone described in Powell (1999) 1, or have post-activity average crown spacing of feet between individual tree crowns (whichever is the lower density). The spacing of residual trees may vary across some activity units. Slash generated as a result of free thinning would be utilized as a biomass product if commercially and technically viable. If unable to utilize generated biomass, harvest-generated slash would be grapple-piled and burned, or would be left in the units to decompose. The amount of slash retained on-site would reflect a balance between the need to maintain or enhance site productivity, meet the need to reduce potential fire behavior, and minimize costs. Landscape prescribed burning Landscape underburning is proposed for approximately 270 acres of this area (see Attachments 1 and 3). This treatment is specifically designed to improve the safety and effectiveness of using Forest Roads 65 and 6511 as potential wildfire control lines. This treatment is also designed to improve big game forage. Existing road systems or constructed handline would be used for holding lines of the prescribed burn area. The City of Walla Walla owns and manages a small parcel of land within the proposed burn area. Because the most logical holding point for the northern flank of the burn unit is located on City lands, an agreement is being pursued between both agencies to include these areas within the project. Transportation system Thinning activities would be accomplished by ground and skyline or helicopter based logging systems, as identified in Table 1. This will require the construction of up to two miles of temporary roads. All temporary roads constructed as part of this project would be obliterated after implementation. In addition, up to five miles of Forest system roads currently identified as closed (maintenance level 1) may be opened and/or reconstructed for use. These roads would be rehabilitated and returned to their closed state after project implementation. Forest Plan consistency One or more Forest Plan amendments may be proposed to allow for timber sale harvest activities (included in areas proposed for free thinning) in late and old structural (LOS) forest types, and/or the 1 Powell, David C. Suggested Stocking Levels for Forest Stands in Northeastern Oregon and Southeastern Washington: An Implementation Guide for the Umatilla National Forest US Department of Agriculture Forest Service. F14-SO-TP p.

3 harvest of trees >21 DBH. The need for Forest Plan amendments may arise if further vegetation analysis shows that that the extent of any type of LOS is less than historic range of variation, as directed by the Eastside Screens Interim Wildlife Standard. How to Comment: As the District begins the planning process, I would like to be aware of and responsive to any issues, comments or concerns you may have specific to this proposal. This project is subject to the project-level pre-decisional Administrative Review Process 36 CFR 218 (A) and (B). Under this process, scoping is an opportunity for you to comment on this project and to gain standing to object. Comments concerning this proposed action will be most useful in the project planning process if received by October 31, Specific, written comments are most helpful when they identify issues, highlight cause and effect relationships of the proposed action, or refine the action to protect resources or interests while allowing us to be responsive to project goals. Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, and electronic comments concerning this action should be sent to: Mike Rassbach, District Ranger, 1415 West Rose Street, Walla Walla, WA The office business hours for those submitting hand-delivered comments are: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Comments can be faxed to Electronic comments should be submitted as part of the actual message or as an attachment in Microsoft Word, rich text format, or portable document format only, and sent to comments-pacificnorthwest-umatilla-wallawalla@fs.fed.us. For electronically mailed comments the sender should receive an automated electronic acknowledgement from the agency as confirmation of receipt. If the sender does not receive this confirmation of receipt it is the sender s responsibility to ensure timely receipt by other means. In cases where no identifiable name is attached to a comment, a verification of identity will be required for objection standing. If using an electronic message, a scanned signature is one way to provide verification. s submitted to addresses other than the one listed above, in other formats than those listed, or containing viruses will not be accepted. Participants who submit comments on the Tiger-Webb Fuels Reduction Project will receive future correspondence on this project. In order to reduce paperwork and costs, those who do not comment will not receive future updates on this project unless they contact the Walla Walla Ranger District and request to be on the mailing list (see contact information below). Project updates can always be viewed on the project website located at Public Field Trip The District will be hosting a field tour of the project area on Friday, October 17, Please RSVP by October 10, 2014 if you would like to participate in this field tour by calling the Walla Walla Ranger District at Please plan to arrive at the Walla Walla Ranger District, 1415 West Rose Street in Walla Walla, at 9:00 am on Friday, October 17. Transportation to the project area will be provided. If you prefer to meet the group in the field, please indicate that you will provide your own transportation in your RSVP. Please check the weather forecast and dress appropriately for a day in the mountains, including proper footwear for walking short distances on uneven terrain. You will need to bring lunch, and consider sunscreen and/or rain gear. We will plan to return to Walla Walla no later than 4:00 pm. Contact Information If you have questions concerning the project, how to submit comments, or the public field trip, please contact Holly Hutchinson, Walla Walla District Environmental Coordinator at

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5 Attachment 1. Proposed activities and acres by Forest Plan Management Area. All acres and totals are approximate. Table 1. Total acres proposed for treatment. Activity/Management Area Total Acres Free Thin/Ground-Based Equipment 370 C4- Wildlife Habitat 286 F4A- Walla Walla River Watershed- Scheduled Timber Management A3-Viewshed 1 1 Free Thin/Skyline or C4-Wildlife Habitat 648 A3-Viewshed C5- Riparian (Fish and Wildlife) 4 Free Thin/ 810 C4-Wildlife Habitat 802 C5- Riparian (Fish and Wildlife) 8 Pre-Commercial Thin 373 A3-Viewshed C4-Wildlife Habitat 61 F4A- Walla Walla River Watershed with Scheduled Timber Management Prescribed Broadcast Burn 270 A3-Viewshed C4-Wildlife Habitat 72 Lands managed by City of Walla Walla 73 Grand Total = 2,620 acres of treatment 3

6 Table 2. Acres of proposed activities and Forest Plan Management areas by activity unit. Activity Unit # Acres by Forest Plan Management Area A3 41 C4 0.2 Total 41 A3 1 C4 26 F4A 8 Total 36 C4 16 F4A 4 Total 20 C4 57 Total 57 C4 4 F4A 3 Total 7 C4 118 C5 1 Total 119 C4 30 F4A 38 Total 69 Proposed Activities/ Logging Systems Pre-commercial Thinning/ Hand Pre-commercial Thinning/ Hand Pre-commercial Thinning/ Hand Pre-commercial Thinning/ Hand C4 62 Total 62 C4 47 Total 47 C4 71 Total 71 C4 34 F4A 32 Total 67 C4 135 C5 2 Total 137 C4 112 Total 112 C4 29 Total 29 C4 139 Total 139 C4 51 Total 51 C4 98 C5 2 Total 100

7 Activity Unit # Acres by Forest Plan Management Area A C4 77 C5 4 Total 81 Proposed Activities/ Logging Systems C4 37 Total 37 C4 32 F4A 0 Total 32 A3 20 C4 1 Total 21 C4 41 C5 1 Total 41 A3 148 Pre-commercial Thinning/ Total 148 Hand A3 92 Total 92 A3 30 Total 30 A3 3 C4 68 Total 70 C4 188 C5 4 Total 192 C4 149 Total 149 C4 71 Total 71 C4 40 Total 40 C4 24 Total 24 C4 92 Total 92 C4 65 Total 65

8 Attachment 2. Vicinity map

9 Attachment 3: Unit map

10 Attachment 4: Forest Plan Management Area map