Hebo Stewardship Group Meeting Notes

Hebo Stewardship Group Meeting Notes June 11th, 2015 Hebo Ranger District

Name Affiliation Name Affiliation Jane Barth Facilitator Lorena Wisehart USFS Hebo RD Sherry Vick Tillamook SWCD, NNWC Paul Katen SDCWC Kurt Olsen Cougar Mtn Riders Paul Lulay Hampton Lumber Guy Holzworth NNWC Alex Sifford SDCWC

The meeting began at 11:30am with introductions. Lorena (Lori) Wisehart will be the HSG liaison from the Hebo District at this time. April meeting notes were approved. They will be posted at http://www.cascadepacificstewardship.org/hebo

Debrief May 29th Schooner/Rock Creek Field Trip Lori Wisehart circulated a write-up from the field trip that Jane put together (see attachment at end of meeting notes). She told the group that the FS welcomes their comments on the EA. Kurt Olson already has submitted some. All agreed the field trip was very interesting, in particular hearing the varying ideas of the FS, Jerry Franklin and all participants. Thanks given to the FS for organizing the tour and having so many specialists along. Kurt commented on how comparing the 2 stands at the first stop really showed how the FS is now managing forests for different objectives than 30 years ago. People expressed some confusion about why pre- commercial thinning was no longer an option for the upper stand at the 1st stop. Lori reached out to Wayne Patterson, Silviculturist, who confirmed that although you could non- commercially thin anything, once the trees reach a certain size, pre-commercial thinning becomes cost-prohibitive. The logs become so large that you can’t leave them on site (which is what is normally done with PCT), so they have to be hauled somewhere.

Spring Roundtable Highlights Paul Katen and Sherry Vick, HSG representatives at the Spring meeting, shared a few points from the meeting. Jane and Kirk Shimeall are working on the meeting notes and will circulate them soon.  $367,000 estimated to be available for Wyden projects this year  Multi-party monitoring contract discussed  Long discussion on local economic area definition which is continuing at the individual stewardship group meetings.

Retained Receipts Projects for 2015 Forest Service Projects: Lori distributed a handout listing the projects that the FS staff have proposed to do on federal lands with retained receipts. The not-yet-prioritized list includes several within the Hebo Stewardship area:  Forest-wide Road Storm Mitigation

Draft 1  Native Meadow Habitat Restoration and Maintenance for OR Silverspot Butterfly and other Pollinators  North Creek Culvert replacement

Paul Lulay inquired whether the HSG gave input to the FS as it put together this list. The FS prepares its proposals independently, but many of the projects are ones that the FS has been working on collaboratively with HSG participants. Paul Katen explained that the North Creek Culvert project is a collaboration involving the SDCWC and other organizations so they have been in discussions about the proposal. A main reason for asking the FS to prepare its slate of proposals earlier than in the past (Spring vs Fall) is to give the SG participants a chance to look at projects on private land that could have synergy with the ones done on federal lands.

Wyden Projects Under the new process started last year, pre-proposals are due to CPRCD no later than August 3rd. Project applicants must have SG support prior to submitting the pre-proposal. That support is gotten at monthly SG meetings, typically May – July.  Paul Katen reminded the group that the SDCWC did not plan to submit a proposal this year. They might apply next year for funds to work on a North Creek culvert replacement. The culvert design is being paid for by an OWEB TA grant. Will know costs better at this time next year.  Sherry Vick said that the Tillamook SWCD plans to apply for Title 2 funds to work on 2 more miles knotweed. The current Wyden project grant is covering what they are doing. They have been able to do much more treatment than anticipated due to lower than budgeted costs. From this initial 2 year experience, they will be able to better nail down costs for future project proposals.  Alex Sifford shared that the NNWC would like to submit a proposal to replace a culvert on Boulder Creek, a tributary of the Nestucca near the town of Beaver. There are 3 culverts on this stretch. The middle one was replaced in 2010 and the upper one is failing. The FS is designing a 65’ bridge for the downstream culvert at a cost of $580,000. Wyden funds would help pay this cost. Once this culvert is fixed, they will be done with needed work on Boulder Creek. o The FS owns all the property upstream so the project meets Wyden connectivity criteria. o Good landowner discussions to date. o Project will benefit coho, steelhead and cutthroat trout. The upper culvert is impassable for some small fish. When water is high, velocity is a barrier. o Cost is high due to gradient. Design is being paid for my salmon superhighway funds, same as paid for Moon and Horn Creek culvert designs. o With other funds, the county plans to remove the upper culvert and vacate Old Boulder Creek Road. NNWC will work with the area landowners to put in a farm use bridge, approximately 20’. Tillamook Public Works may be a source of match. OWEB $10,000 small grant to put in the bridge.

Draft 2 DECISION: Meeting participants expressed support for NNWC proceeding with a pre-proposal for this project. Alex originally intended to ask for $50,000, but will increase that ask if other projects don’t come forward from the HSG.

 Jane said that she will check with Mark Miller of Trout Mountain Forestry as he had contacted her about a potential project with the City of Lincoln City.  Aaron Duzik, LSWCD, contacted Jane by phone to say he is thinking of invasive treatment projects to propose.

Local Economic Area Definition The group continued discussion of the SNF’s request that all 4 stewardship groups consider defining one large area rather than 4 separate ones. The following are comments and questions from the discussion.  Paul Lulay pointed out the importance of looking at what contractors are available in the current local economic areas to do the work called for in stewardship sales. Not many and sometimes none. If a bidder isn’t local then even if bids higher price, still will lose contract, which has a detrimental effect on retained receipts. May want to hire local, but is a balance because could limit prices as some may choose not to bid. Reality is that people have to travel farther now to be fully employed.  Paul Katen asked if purchasers would consider using different local contractors in order to increase chances of winning the sale. Paul Lulay responded that it was hard to use contractors that they don’t have a relationship with. That would be taking a big risk if things don’t go well.  Paul Lulay concurred with the comment that it takes much more time to complete the bid package for a stewardship sale. Purchasers won’t spend the time if not going to be competitive.  Paul L shared that other forests he is familiar with set their local economic areas by county, by a specific town they want to focus on, and by transportation networks. Jane will try to find out what the local economic area for the Willamette and Umqua NFs are.  Guy Holzworth commented that the HSG’s original goal was to have smaller contractors get involved in the stewardship sales. The group tried to constrain the process to use local contractors, but that apparently isn’t working. Sherry Vick added that the group hoped big mills would try someone new who they hadn’t worked with before to boost local paychecks. Both sensed these outcomes weren’t being achieved as the industry has shrunk. Paul L said that over time contractors moved their operations from within the federal forest to the edges, like Tillamook where they can access private, federal and state lands.  Alex Sifford pointed out that for a recent Watershed Council project no local haulers bid on the project due to the product. Paul L added that mills do specialize and that should be taken into consideration when evaluating local economic area.  Paul L asked if the local economic area definition was applied on retained receipts projects. Participants answered no. Jane commented that this is a new insight that has come out of the ongoing discussion and something to consider further.

Draft 3 As the discussion came to a close, Alex Sifford proposed that the group could stop deliberating the topic and allow the FS to try out the large single area. Meeting participants expressed general agreement with this proposal. Request that Jane share this with Jerry Ingersoll. Jane explained that the process will be for final input across all 4 groups to be given to the FS during the Fall Roundtable meeting.

Updates/Other Business/Announcements USFS:  Staff had a field trip with Kim Nelson about marbled murrelet. Learned that predation of nests is a bigger factor in population survival challenge than had thought. FS is evaluating thinning practices. Challenge is how to create late-successional habitat but without short-term negative effects on the marbled murrelet. The FS specialists are working on a field trip for SG participants later this summer. A doodle poll will be circulated.  Lori is working with Joe Acosta to plan a field trip in a late summer to see the beaver deceiver project.  Meeting was held with GIS staff. Highest priority seems to be creating maps of the SG areas with all retained receipts projects identified. Lori shared how she and Debbie Wilkins could have used such a map at a recent meeting in Lincoln City. Another suggestion is to make a map showing road decommissioning.

NNWC: June 6th scotch broom pulled was successful. HSG outreach funds paid for bbq for volunteers.

CPRCD: The group didn’t have time to discuss ideas for how to use the $1667 in outreach funds that it has. People are encouraged to contact Jane if you would like time on July meeting agenda to present an outreach proposal.

Future Meetings, Agenda Items  July 9th meeting in Lincoln City will be final opportunity to get HSG support for Wyden project ideas before the August 3rd pre-proposal deadline.  August 13th in Pacific City.

The meeting finished at 1:45 pm.

Draft 4 Attachment: Schooner/Rock Creek Restoration Project Fieldtrip Hebo Stewardship Group Friday, May 29, 2015

US Forest Service staff for the trip included: Lorena Wisehart, Hebo District NEPA Planner Michelle Dragoo, District Wildlife Biologist Nathan Pearson, Timber Sale Administrator Wayne Patterson, Silviculturist Rob Sanders, Forest Transportation Planner Adriana Morales, District Fish Biologist Debbie Hobbs, Recreation and Lands Staff Officer Eric Hayes, Harvest Inspector Frank Davis, Forest Planner

Participants: Chris Nelson, GP Toledo Kurt Olsen- City of Lincoln City Paul Katen– Salmon-Drift Creek Watershed Council Graham Klag - SDCWC Paul Robertson – Devil’s Lake Water Improvement District Chandra LeGue – Oregon Wild Jerry Franklin – University of Washington Mike Kennedy – Siletz Tribe Jane Barth, HSG facilitator

Welcome and Introductions in Rose Lodge The field trip was organized for HSG participants and interested parties to view the planning area for the Hebo Ranger District’s current landscape-scale planning effort. A wide range of FS specialists participated in the field trip to discuss different actions proposed under the project. They provided participants with project area maps. The FS is at the start of writing up the Environmental Assessment (EA). Data is being collected and alternatives are being considered. They are open to input both during the tour and after via email or phone call.

Sales within the EA area will be staggered from 2018-2021. Contractors have 3-8 years to complete work depending on the acreage and elements plus up to 5 years after for follow-up activities like planting and creating snags.

The first 2 stops were to visit young managed stands proposed to be thinned and discuss current management concerns related to marbled murrelet and northern spotted owl. The 3rd stop was to view a portion of the washed out 1772 road proposed for reconstruction and discuss proposed activities related to road construction, maintenance, closure, and decommissioning.

Draft 5 First stop – 90 acre stand to be treated The group stood on a native surface road that will be reopened. At the end of the project work, the road will either be closed or kept open to come back for more work in 15-20 years. This is not yet decided.

The stand was clearcut in 1955. There is no evidence of herbicide application, but it was burnt. It is a unique mix stand because Douglas-fir struggled to get established, perhaps because they delayed replanting for 2 years and large shrubs had gotten established. Planted to 350 trees/acre, but ended up with only 120-130 trees/acre. When sold, the contract will try to keep trees with special characteristics for critters and will say to keep x trees/acre. The resultant thinning will likely retain about 70-80 trees/acre. There is now the ability to use designation by prescription contracting tool in traditional timber sales, not only stewardship sales. Goals are regeneration of understory components such as shade tolerant trees and forbs and brush, maintain existing diversity, place gaps in appropriate locations. There are no fisheries concerns in this stand; as there is only an intermittent stream that runs dry in the summer.

At this stop, the group also looked up the hill at a stand that was clearcut in 1981 and planted to 350 trees/acre. The trees in this stand are too small for commercial harvest and possibly too large for pre-commercial thinning. Discussed challenges of moving that stand to a healthier, more desirable state in the future. Options offered were pre- commercial thinning to more quickly develop a commercially thinable stand or to commercial thin now.

Second stop – stand where doing flying squirrel research This stand is very different than the first stop as it is hemlock dominated. It also was clearcut in 1955. This stand was chosen for treatment and for flying squirrel research due to the diversity of species and structure. The research will be a paired study in treated and natural stands. This research may help determine treatment options to

Draft 6 maintain flying squirrels on the landscape as a source population for nearby stands. Flying squirrels main diet is truffles, but it was noted by Dr. Jerry Franklin that truffles has very little nutritional value and need other food sources to supplement their diets, such as the Ericaceous shrubs and berries. Therefore, there is a need for the understory to develop in order for the flying squirrel population to be successful. Mid- story canopy is also needed to help them avoid predators.

Treatment option ideas were shared by field trip participants, in particular Dr. Jerry Franklin. He advised taking only the hemlock, working in patches and not disturbing the existing woody debris. His goal would be to release the Douglas-fir to maintain and increase their crown ratios, accelerating the development of large branches and encouraging the development of epicormic branching. This prescription was very similar to a prescription Michelle Dragoo and Wayne Patterson described only smaller patches. The smaller patch size is intended to minimize the chance of blow down.

Stop 3, Hike to washed out 1772 Road This road blew out in 1996 due to debris torrents that blocked the culvert. The FS looked closely at options to access the 1300 acres of young managed stands beyond the wash out, including building a new road through a mature natural stand, building a new road through a young plantation that crossed some private land, and repairing the washed out portions of the existing 1772 road. The proposal is to install a 6-8’ pipe, fill the chasm with rock for increased drainage as opposed to just soil, leaving about a 2 foot grade dip. There are no anadramous fish at this point in the stream due to a waterfall blockage, but the stream does flow down to coho stream. In the future 20 mmbf will be going over this road so it needs to be built well. The decision whether to leave it open to administrative use only or open to all traffic after the sales are completed is still under analysis. Benefits to leave it open include ability to access area to monitor the road and check on erosion problems that may occur. Possible benefits to limiting traffic on the road to administrative use only include potential for reduced impacts to wildlife habitat from fragmentation.

Draft 7