Operation Name: Larson Headwaters

Operation Type: Timber Sale

County: Coos

Land Management Classification: General Stewardship

Operation Type: Regeneration Harvest

Acres: 52 Basin: 9 Target Harvest Age: 80

Report Prepared by: Norma Kline (APK)

I. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION AREA: This operation is a two unit timber sale. It is located in the Tyee Core Area and has steep and dissected topography typical of this area. The soil types consist of the Forna and, Valino series. Slopes are mostly over 65%, thus most of the sale area is high risk site. The Forna series may have a higher than normal slide hazard on precipitous slopes and is moderately susceptible to windthrow. The Valino series has an average slide hazard and may be moderately susceptible to windthrow. Many streams within the Tyee formation have extended reaches of bare bedrock. See Section IX for additional details

II. CURRENT STAND CONDITION: This unit is a second growth Douglas-fir stand that originated after the Coos Bay fire of 1868. It is composed of 110 year old Douglas with scattered pockets of red alder and a few understory hemlock trees. Stand health is satisfactory which is typical for the Elliott Forest.

Inventory Data:

III. DESIRED STAND CONDITION. The desired condition is a young age class stand needed to maintain biodiversity in accordance with the Balanced Landscape strategy of the Elliott State Forest Management Plan. It will be composed of mainly Douglas-fir with a smaller component of other conifer species including hemlock and red cedar. Red alder will also naturally regenerate in the stand. Green trees retained from the previous rotation will provide for multi-story stand structures valuable for wildlife. This mix of planted, and natural regeneration will comprise the next planned rotation. By age 30, this stand will have closed canopy conditions and should provide for effective dispersal habitat for Northern Spotted Owls. (See Section XIII for amount and location)

IV. PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTION: The plan is to remove the majority of the overstory, leaving standing trees within buffer areas and scattered in selected locations in or along the edge of the sale unit. Site preparation will be achieved by treating residual brush with herbicide prior to planting. The site will be planted with 2-0 conifer bare root seedlings at approximately 400 trees per acre. The species mix will be about 50% Douglas fir and 50% other conifer. The NW corner of Area II will not be sprayed to provide for game forage.

Timber/Revenue Information –

Sale Type: Cash Recovery __X___

Fund: BOF _____ % CSF 100 %

Volume: Conifer 2.6 MMBF Hardwood .1 MMBF

Planned Quarter: 3

Estimated Gross Value: $1,200,000

Project Costs: $24,000

Estimated Net Value: $1,176,000

VI. ROADS AND OTHER PROJECTS: The main access to the sale area is the STATE maintained 3000 and 3400 road. These roads are commonly used roads and will be left open for year round traffic. After log hauling each year, the spurs into the sale area will be water barred and blocked to all traffic except for ATV access needed for management access. Roads to be built are short spurs that will be located on a ridge crest that is not a high risk site. There is not a need to decommission the roads associated with this sale except for the short spur roads to be constructed.

VII. AQUATIC RESOURCES AND WATER QUALITY. This sale is at the headwaters of Larson Creek, which becomes a medium type F perennial stream downstream from the sale area and then flows into the Haynes inlet portion of Coos Bay. The tributaries within and adjacent to the sale are classified as type N. A field survey was conducted during the summer of 2001 to determine perennial versus seasonal stream classification. Two perennial type N streams are within Area I, and one perennial type N stream is within Area II. Additionally, a perennial type N borders Area I to the west and a perennial type N lies in between Areas I and II. Vegetation along the streams are similar to the vegetation in the sale area, but somewhat sparser because of underlying bedrock and shallow soil. A minimum 50 foot slope distance buffer will be posted along the type N perennials. Shrubs and forbs will be retained along seasonal type N streams to protect channel integrity. Classification of streams have been made by on the ground examinations and stream class designations by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Cable layouts through or over the buffer strips are needed to provide for adequate suspension of logs. To protect water quality, full suspension cable logging will be required over the protected streams where possible and single end suspension will be required over the rest of the unit. In addition, all road construction will be done during the dry season and excavated material will be deposited on stable slope locations. Areas of bare soil associated with road and landing construction will be grass seeded when operations are completed.

VIII. T&E SPECIES CONSIDERATIONS: This sale is planned under the standards of the Elliott State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan which protects the major threatened or endangered species in the Elliott State Forest. The specific measures are as follows:

Northern Spotted Owls. - Spotted Owls are protected through a Habitat Conservation Plan requiring maintenance of minimum levels of habitat types. There is no minimum acreage for nesting, roosting and foraging in this basin. However, reserve areas include 1127 acres that will be continually retained or created in riparian management areas, habitat conservation areas and other conservancy areas. A minimum of 3106 acres of dispersal habitat is required within this basin. The acreage of dispersal habitat remaining after this sale plan is 306 acres above the minimum. (see Dispersal Acreage Table)

Marbled Murrelet - This sale has been surveyed in 2000 and 2001. No murrelet occupancy was found so it was cleared for sale. The sale is not within a quarter mile of a Marbled Murrelet Management Area so no seasonal restrictions will be necessary.

Fragmentation - This unit is located on the edge of contiguous timber and does not increase fragmentation of interior habitat.

Salmon and Steelhead. - This sale is at the headwaters of Larson Creek which is classed as Type N at this location. Perennial streams adjacent or within the sale area will be protected with 50 foot no timber removal buffers on both sides of the streams. For a description of protection measures for listed fish see sections VI, VII, IX, and XVII of this report.

Bald Eagle, Other: - There are no bald eagles or other listed animal species in the vicinity of this sale.

Plants. - These units have been run through the 2001 Oregon Natural Heritage Program (ONHP) database for rare plant locations. There are no known threatened or endangered plants in this unit. The prospect for finding threatened or endangered plants is minimal in the Elliott except for certain small niche habitats. This area will be checked for niche habitats. Follow up examination of niche habitat will be done in the spring when flowers are available to provide the best opportunity for identification

IX. SLOPE STABILITY AND GEOTECHNICAL ISSUES: Preliminary Geo Technical Review of sale documents indicates the following: The sale is within the Tyee Core Area. Most slopes are in excess of 65% to 75% and are thus classed as high risk sites.

1. Slopes within the sale area are mostly in excess of 65% to 70% The hazard is provisionally judged to be high.
2. Probability of hypothetical slope failure to enter channel: High.
3. Probability of hypothetical slope failure to become a channelized debris flow: Moderate.

1. Map measured slopes in the south portion of the unit are greater than 60%. High hazard.
2. Probability of hypothetical slope failure to enter channel: High.
3. Probability of hypothetical slope failure to become a channelized debris flow: High.

To protect the site, full suspension cable yarding will be required when adequate deflection is available. New spur roads will be located on ridge crests which are not high risk sites. In addition, operations will be limited to the drier weather months of the year (April through October). A closer examination will be made during the sale layout process. Sale areas will be reviewed on the ground by an ODF geotech to identify other measures that may be needed to minimize potential effects of harvest operations on slope stability.

X. RECREATION RESOURCES: The most common recreation type for this area is hunting and dispersed, undeveloped recreation. Harvesting this unit will help maintain forage area, as older forage areas grow into tree types. Forage acreage maintenance promotes healthy deer and elk populations for suitable hunting opportunities. In addition, areas of bare soil around road edges and landings will be grass seeded after logging to provide forage. Surrounding forest types provide escape cover. No conflict is seen with respect to the undeveloped, dispersed recreation usage of the forest.

XI. CULTURAL RESOURCES: There are no cultural sites associate with this sale.

XII. SCENIC RESOURCES: This unit is not typed within any scenic management area. There are no scenic management constraints for this sale.

13. OTHER RESOURCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Green Tree Retention - About 156 trees (about 3 per acre) will be left in the sale area. Some of these trees will be topped for snag creation. Single green trees will not be left unless localized soil conditions provide for wind firmness and logging conditions are suitable. The location of retained trees will be determined during the sale prep process. Emphasis may be given to widening riparian management areas.

Snag Retention and Creation - Existing snags within the sale area will be left, with the exception of those that endanger work crews. Tops will be blown or sawn off green trees to leave approximately 26 topped trees in the sale area

Down Log Retention - At least 156 logs (3 logs per acre) will be left in the sale areas for habitat purposes as provided for in the Elliott State Forest Management Plan.

Burning - Portions of the sale may be burned depending on slash situation and timing of sale completion. The main purpose of this type of burn is to provide for biological diversity and improved big game forage rather than site preparation.

XIV ACCESS: All legal access to the sale area is secured.

XV. PROPERTY LINES. No property lines are involved with this sale.

XVI. INSECT AND DISEASE PROBLEMS: Moderate levels of Swiss Needle Cast have been found in this area. Consequently, re-planting will include 50% of species other than Douglas-fir.

XVII. LOGGING METHODS: The sale area will be cable yarded uphill. Because of the high risk sites, full suspension will be required within the sale area wherever adequate cable deflection is available and single end suspension required on the rest of the sale area as possible. Trees will be felled parallel to or away from the residual trees and riparian management areas. Operations will be confined to the drier weather months of April through October.