WILLOW CREEK MULTI- PRODUCT SALVAGE
FOREST HEALTH AND FUEL REDUCTION PROJECT

Beckwourth Ranger District, Plumas N.F.


STATUS

NOTE: A DECISION NOTICE AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT WAS ISSUED UNDER PL 104-19 ON NOVEMBER 18, 1996. THIS DECISION NOTICE WAS LATER WITHDRAWN AND ANOTHER DECISION NOTICE DECLARING NO SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACTS WAS ISSUED ON MARCH 27, 1997.

Date ESTIMATED
Projected Acres
ESTIMATED
Volume
Output (mbf)
Sawlogs/Biomass Ratio Receipts Cost Cost/acre Status
2/27/96              
12/18/96 2500 5500 60/40        
01/06/98              

 

SUMMARY TREATMENT OBJECTIVES

Table 2
Objective Amount
Community Defense Zone
   Mohawk Vista, Maybe, Delleker, Portola, Iron Horse

1,950 acres
Treatment type
   Ground based mechanical logging
   Hand felling, limbing, lopping and hand piling   

780 acres
1,170 acres
Defensible Fuel Profle Zone (2.5 miles along road 24N12) 675 acres
Fuel Reduction Zone 1,300
Transportation Road Operations (miles)
   System road reconstruction
   Non-system road reconstruction
   New system road construction
   Temporary road (obliterated after use)

2.00
21.75
0.00
Wildlife/Watershed Enhancements
   System Road Closures (miles)
   System Road Decommisioning (miles)
   Non-system Road Decomissioning (miles)

3.40
4.15
4.30

VICINITY MAP

BACKGROUND

The Robinson project was intended to accomplish the following:

  1. Improve forest stand health and vigor,

  2. Enhance seral stage diversity,

  3. Reduce the potential for stand-destroying fires and contribute to control along a portion of the Granite Basin Strategic Control Network,

  4. Contribute timber to the on-going need for wood products,

  5. Improve watersheds,

  6. Enhance wildlife and fish habitat,

  7. Enhance recreation opportunities, and

  8. Maintain viability of sensitive and native plant species.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

SILVICULTURE ACTIVITIES

Table 3 summarizes the silvicultural prescriptions, diameter harvest limites, acreage, tec.

Seven stands (110, 113, 115, 116N, 116S, 201, 202), totaling approximately 284 acres, would be treated as described under "Selected Strata" of the CASPO interim guidelines. A sufficient number of the largest trees would be left to achieve >40 percent of the existing basal area per acre or >40 percent crown closure retention, whichever would be more restrictive. Eight stands (111, 112, 114, 117, 120, 121, 122, 200) approximately 185 acres would be treated as described under the CASPO interim guidelines for "Other Strata." A sufficient number of the largest trees would be left to achieve at least 50 square feet of basal area per acre and >30 percent of the existing basal area per acre. In both Selected and Other Strata, removal of live trees 30 inches in diameter at breast height (dbh) or larger is prohibited.

Portions of stands 116N, 117, 122, 110, 115 and the entire area contained within 118 and 118A-E are within the Granite Basin Proposed Forest Carnivore Network and/or Goshawk Territories. The specific areas are shown on the Forest Carnivore Network and Goshawk Territories Map (PNF 1996). Within these areas, retention of at least 60 percent of the total canopy closure would be met upon completion of timber operations. Where this constraint can be met, trees between 4.0 and 29.9 inches dbh would be selected for harvest so as to thin the stands for fuel management concerns. Where 60 percent canopy closure cannot be achieved with trees of >30 inches dbh, then the largest trees less than 30 inches would be retained such that the canopy closure requirement is met.

Small pockets of regeneration were encountered within some of the stands during field investigation. Although these areas are too small to map, a precommercial thinning operation would be employed on these areas. Regeneration trees (0-4 inches) would be spaced to approximately 15 x 15 foot intervals, leaving evenly distributed trees. Priority would be given to retention of the largest, healthiest trees. Pines should be given priority for retention over fir.

Table 3
Stand Gross
Acres
O/S CASPO DBH
Limit (inches)
# Canopy
Layers
Ave.
Age
Silviculture Yarding Method
110 79.0 S 20 1 94 Thin T/C
111 9.0 O 30 1 93 Thin T
112 12.0 O 30 2 81 Thin T
113 14.5 S 18 2 91 SST-Thin T
114 36.5 N/A N/A 1 98 SST-PCT T
115 50.5 S 16 2 84 Thin T/C
116N 25.0 S 19 2 85 Thin T/C
116S 25.5 S 19 2 85 Thin T/C
117 38.0 O 16 1 69 Thin T
118-O 36.5 S 17 3 114 Thin T
118A-E 30.5 O 22 2 117 Thin T
120 31.0 O 20 1 90 Thin T
121 8.5 O 16 1 90 Thin T
122 19.0 O 20 1 90 SST-Thin T
200 31.0 O 23 1 100 Thin T
201 34.0 S 17 2 100 Thin T
202 55.5 S 17 2 100 Thin T/C
TOTAL 536            

Legend

O/S is CASPO Other or Select Strata
N/A is not applicable
Thin is Commercial Thin
PCT is Precommercial thinning
T is Tractor yarding
T/C is Tractor/Skyline Cable Yarding

 


January ,(, /),( 0(:,(:,( AM