Hebo Ranger District, Project Planning Summary December 2015

The Hebo Ranger District of the Siuslaw National Forest is planning several projects proposed for implementation in 2016 and 2017. We welcome your comments and questions and encourage you to become involved in the planning process. Your comments will help us to make an informed decision about the projects and will be used to help us identify and resolve issues with the proposals and develop alternative ways of achieving the goals of the projects. Site‐specific comments are the most helpful. Please submit your questions or comments regarding the proposed projects by January 22, 2016.

Written comments should be submitted to: District Ranger Deb Wilkins c/o Lorena Wisehart Hebo Ranger District P.O. Box 235 Hebo, OR 97122‐0235

Comments may also be e‐mailed to: comments‐pacificnorthwest‐siuslaw‐[email protected]

Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record for this proposed action and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however we will not be able to provide anonymous commenters with subsequent planning documents related to the project.

The following proposed projects are expected to fall under a category of action excluded from documentation in an Environmental Analysis or Environmental Impact Statement (CE):

North Creek Fish Passage  Location: 7 miles west of Lincoln City, on Forest Road 1790. Drift Creek (Siletz) watershed, sec. 4, T. 8 S., R. 10 W., Lincoln Co.  Purpose: Replace existing undersized 11ft culvert that is currently a passage barrier to upstream migration of fish and other aquatic organisms with a fish passage structure. Objective is to replace existing undersized pipe with an all aquatic organism passage structure to provide spawning and rearing habitat, and a cold water refuge in summer for salmonids, including ESA Threatened Coast Coho Salmon.  CE Category: “Restoring wetlands, streams, riparian areas or other water bodies by removing, replacing, or modifying water control structures such as, but not limited to, dams, levees, dikes, ditches, culverts, pipes, drainage tiles, valves, gates, and fencing, to allow waters to flow into natural channels and floodplains and restore natural flow regimes to the extent practicable where valid existing rights or special use authorizations are not unilaterally altered or canceled.” 36 CFR 220.6(e)(18). A decision to proceed under this category would be documented in a decision memo.  Timeline: Project planning and design in 2016, proposed implementation in 2017.

USDA Forest Service is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Grand Ronde Road Easement  Location: Forest Roads 2282 and 2210; sec. 12, T. 5 S., R. 9 W., Yamhill County.  Purpose: The project would convey a road easement totaling approximately 1.52 miles to the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde to access tribal land adjacent to National Forest System lands (including 800‐900 feet of new road construction).  CE Category: “Sale or exchange of land or interest in land and resources where resulting land uses remain essentially the same.” 36 CFR 220.6(d)(7). A decision to proceed under this category would be documented in a decision memo.  Timeline: Project planning and design in 2016, proposed implementation in 2017.

Special Use Authorization  Location: Siletz Highway Right of Way; sec. 16, T. 8 S., R. 10 W., Lincoln County.  Purpose: Issuance of new special use authorizations to Consumers Power for construction and maintenance of underground power line (20 foot right of way across 510 linear feet of National Forest System land).  CE Category: “Approval, modification, or continuation of minor special uses of NFS lands that require less than five contiguous acres of land.” 36 CFR 220.6(d)(3).  Timeline: Project planning December 2015 through January 2016, decision in February 2016.

Hebo Lake Community Kitchen Restoration  Location: Hebo Lake Campground; sec. 16, T. 4 S., R. 9 W., Tillamook County.  Purpose: Project would repair the Hebo Lake Community Kitchen, a log structure build in 1936 by the CCC. The building is in need of considerable maintenance as noted in the February, 2013 Historic Preservation Northwest assessment.  CE Category: “Repair and maintenance of administrative sites.” 36 CFR 220.6(d)(3).  Timeline: Project planning December 2015 through January 2016, decision in February 2016.

Outfitter Guide Permit  Location and purpose: Guided horseback rides on open forest service roads throughout the Hebo Ranger District. The rides would occur during the day, no overnight use of the Forest is proposed. Groups would be no more than 8‐10 horses and riders at a time. Proposed routes: o Day 1 – Starting at the intersection of FSR 8505 and 8300, continuing to Clarence Creek Fall (intersection of FSR 8300 and 8376). o Day 2 – Unload and mount up at turnout/gravel parking area off Hwy 22, near start of FSR 15. Ride FSR 15 to Oregon 130/Little Rd. Riders and horses would be loaded here and transported off‐site. o Day 3 – Starting at intersection of FSR 1650 and Oregon 130, ride on FSR 1650 to FSR 1633. Continue north on FSR 1633 to FSR 1280. Continue south on FSR 1280 to junction with FSR 1200 where riders and horses would be loaded and transported off‐site.  CE Category: “Approval, modification, or continuation of minor, short‐term (1 year or less) special uses of National Forest System lands. 36 CFR 220.6(d)(8).  Timeline: Proposed implementation in summer 2016.

~ 2 ~

Trail Maintenance Projects  Location: Drift Creek Trail (sec. 25, T. 7 S., R. 10 W., Lincoln County) and Harts Cove Trail (secs. 3, 10, 11, T. 6 S., R. 11 W., Tillamook County).  Purpose: Projects will address resource damage, safety issues, and deferred maintenance along the trails. Work would include replacement of a failed trail bridge and reconstruction of one mile of the Harts Cove Trail and repair of a 50 foot section of the Drift Creek Trail.  CE Category: “Repair and maintenance of roads, trails, and landline boundaries.” 36 CFR 220.6(d)(4).  Timeline: Project planning and design in winter 2015/16, proposed implementation in summer 2016.

LTEP Thinning  Location: site of the Long Term Ecosystem Productivity (LTEP) study; secs. 15, 22, 27, T. 4 S., R. 9 W., Tillamook and Yamhill Counties. Treatments will be conducted in experimental plots on Mt. Hebo.  Purpose: Initial treatment was completed in 1998.To better understand the effects of thinning and other management activities on the long‐term ecosystem productivity of Oregon Coast Range forests, the District proposes to complete additional snag and down wood creation in the LTEP plots. Density of live trees in plots will be reduced from 20 ‐30 trees per acre to 10 trees per acre.  CE Category: “Timber stand and/or wildlife habitat improvement activities which do not include the use of herbicides or do not require more than one mile of low standard road construction.” 36 CFR 220.6(e)(6). A decision to proceed under this category would be documented in a decision memo.  Timeline: Project planning December 2015 through January 2016, decision in February 2016. Implementation from 2016 to 2022.

2016 East Beaver LWD Project  Location: Trees would be removed from roadside stands near Forest Roads 8170‐119 and 8171. Secs. 3, 4, 9, 10, T. 3 S., R. 9 W., Tillamook County.  Purpose: Removal of up to 40 conifer trees for placement into East Beaver Creek for aquatic habitat restoration. Trees from 24‐32 inches DBH and at least 90 feet tall would be removed with rootwads intact and placed in stream segments on private land.  CE Category: “Modification or maintenance of stream or lake aquatic habitat improvement structures using native materials or normal practices.” 36 CFR 220.6(e)(7). “Harvest of live trees not to exceed 70 acres, requiring no more than 1/2 mile of temporary road construction.” 36 CFR 220.6(e)(12). A decision to proceed under this category would be documented in a decision memo.  Timeline: Project planning December 2015 through January 2016, decision in February 2016. Implementation in summer 2016.

~ 3 ~

R. 11 W. R. 10 W. R. 9 W. R. 8 W. . S

2

Hebo Ranger District . !! T ! !! ! 2016 Projects 81!7 ! 0! Hemllock 117 Sandllake . 8 6 5 0 8 S 7 377 1 3 1

1 3

1 1 . 3 4 1 4 T 1 0 10 Beaverr Blaine 1034 Blaine Tiierrrra dell Marr 83 85 8 9 5 8 9 5

Hebo 1 12 !? Woods !3 14 Woods . S Clloverrdalle Pacific 4 Pacific 1 1 9 .

4

Ciitty 4 T 1 2

8 1 533 0 1 2 2

15 Orrettown k

l 2 o l 8 Wiinema i 22 o

h

m Beach m

a

l a

l

i

Y

T . S

4

3

2 5

13 0 2 «¬ «¬2 . 2 Neskowiin T

3 0 3 8 2 6 2 1 22 81 Miidway Yamhill 1861 12 Boyerr k Polk Legend o

o k

l

m o

! a P E. Bl eaver LWD Sources

l 1 Tilla i mook . 1 T 8 Linco 1 Consumers Power Project S ln ¬« ! 6

Ottiis ! North Creek Culvert Project . Rose T Lodge Hebo Community Kitchen Roads !3 End Neottsu Grand Ronde Easement LTEP Treatments Liincolln 26 Ciitty 17 Drift Creek Falls Trail Hart's Cove Trail Cascade Head SRA .

n

l

USFSk

o S l

c

o

n

i P 7

Admin. Forest Boundary

L .

17 !? Ranger District Office T ! Cities

17 County 90 Kerrnviilllle ! Trail Highway 229 . Liincolln County Road S «¬

Beach 8 RoadNonKey . 0 0.751.5 3 4.5 6 ! RoadKey ± T Miles