Final Elliott State Forest 2011 Management Plan
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Elliott State Forest Management Plan Oregon Department of State Lands Oregon Department of Forestry FINAL PLAN November 2011 Acronyms and Abbreviations AOP Annual Operations Plan APHIS USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service BLM Bureau of Land Management BMP best management practices BOF Board of Forestry BOFL Board of Forestry Land CEQ Council on Environmental Quality cfs cubic feet per second CI confidence interval CSF Common School Fund CSFL Common School Forest Lands CWA Clean Water Act DBH diameter breast height DEQ Oregon Department of Environmental Quality DOGAMI Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries DSL Oregon Department of State Lands EPA Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act ESU evolutionarily significant unit FC federal candidate species FE federal endangered species FMP Forest Management Plan FPA Forest Practices Act FT federal threatened species GIS geographic information system GTR General Technical Report HCP Habitat Conservation Plan HUC hydrologic unit code IP Implementation Plan IPM integrated pest management ITP Incidental Take Permit LCDC Land Conservation and Development Commission November 2011 Elliott State Forest Management Plan iii LMCS Land Management Classification System LW large wood MBF thousand board feet mg/L milligrams per liter MMBF million board feet MMMA Marbled Murrelet Management Area NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NOAA Fisheries National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries (formerly National Marine Fisheries Service) NTMB Neotropical migratory bird OAR Oregon Administrative Rule OBIC Oregon Biodiveristy Information Center ODA Oregon Department of Agriculture ODF Oregon Department of Forestry ODFW Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife ONHP Oregon Natural Heritage Program ORS Oregon Revised Statute OSU Oregon State University PNW Pacific Northwest Research Station (part of USDA Forest Service) RMA Riparian Management Area SCORP Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan SDI stand density index SE state endangered species SG state game species SHPO State Historic Preservation Office SOC federal species of concern SSC state sensitive species, critical status SSP state sensitive species, peripheral or naturally rare SSU state sensitive species, undetermined status SSV state sensitive species, vulnerable status ST state threatened species SUV steep, unique and visual USC United States Code USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture USDI U.S. Department of the Interior iv FINAL PLAN Acronyms and Abbreviations USFS U.S. Forest Service USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USGS U.S. Geological Survey WRC Oregon Water Resources Commission November 2011 Elliott State Forest Management Plan v vi FINAL PLAN Acronyms and Abbreviations Preface A Visionary Past The year 2010 marked the 80th anniversary of the establishment of Oregon’s first state forest—the Elliott State Forest. For over 50 years, the Oregon Department of Forestry has been managing the forest for the State Land Board and the Department of State Lands. In 1912, Governor Oswald West and the first State Forester, Francis Elliott, envisioned a state forest that would provide a boon of social and economic values to the state. It took 18 years for their vision to come to fruition. Since that time, the Elliott State Forest has produced a wide range of economic, environmental, and social values for Oregonians. Revenues generated from timber harvests flow into the Common School Fund, where it is carefully invested. A portion of the income from those investments is distributed twice yearly to every public school in the state. The Common School Fund was quite small during the early years of management; however, timber harvesting revenues over the years have made significant contributions to a fund that now totals over $900 million. Through active management, the forest continues to provide important habitats for fish and wildlife, recreational opportunities for people, good water quality, and numerous other social and environmental benefits. Over the years, management plans for and operations in the Elliott State Forest have evolved in response to new science regarding the relationships among the forest, fish and wildlife, watershed health, and people. The earliest plans focused on managing the forest for timber and building a road system that would provide access for management, fire control, and the removal of forest products. Water quality and fish and wildlife habitat became important areas of focus in later plans. In 1995, endangered species concerns led to the development of a new Elliott State Forest Management Plan and approval of a Habitat Conservation Plan through the federal Endangered Species Act. Important provisions in the Habitat Conservation Plan have expired, and revised information about landscape management and the resources in the forest make updates necessary. A Promising Future This Forest Management Plan is the next step in the continuing legacy started by Governor West and State Forester Elliott, and reflects their confidence in the capability of the Oregon coastal forests to provide a multitude of benefits to Oregonians. Ten years have been devoted to the development of this Forest Management Plan. The process has included consideration of alternatives, public comments, and scientific review. The Forest Management Plan acknowledges the interdependence of economic, environmental, and social values. It is designed to deliver benefits that include November 2011 Elliott State Forest Management Plan vii sustainable timber harvests and revenue, diverse habitat for native species, properly functioning stream systems, and recreational opportunities. The Forest Management Plan is structured to ensure that management will respond to new information through monitoring, application of the strategies, and responses of the forest to management activities. The responses of the forest will be evaluated relative to the goals and assumptions in the Forest Management Plan, and appropriate adjustments will be made. Addressing Today’s Concerns For the past several years, Oregon has been facing significant economic challenges. The economic needs of our schools are a major concern. In addition, Oregonians’ dedication to a healthy environment remains strong. To sustain long-term revenues, management must ensure that the forest and aquatic systems continue to function properly. Managers, planners, and resource specialists have worked diligently and creatively to develop a Forest Management Plan that will ensure increased harvest levels and the development and maintenance of high-quality fish and wildlife habitats and healthy watersheds. The Elliott State Forest continues the tradition of demonstrating that state forests can achieve the vision of Governor West and State Forester Elliott, as well as the current vision: a forest that helps to support Oregon schools and provides for a wide range of social and environmental values that are important to Oregonians. The planning team hopes that readers find this Forest Management Plan informative, and that it entices members of the public to visit and see for themselves the rugged beauty, richness, and productivity of the forest called “The Elliott.” viii FINAL PLAN Preface Acknowledgements This Forestry Management Plan (FMP) was developed through a team effort of many talented individuals from government agencies, organizations, and the general public. The hard work and expertise of this team has led to a FMP that will guide management of the Elliott State Forest into the future. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to all who participated in the planning process. The core team, steering committee, and other resource specialists are all current or former Oregon Department of Forestry employees, except where otherwise noted. Specifically, I wish to thank: Core Planning Team Members Jim Young, Project Leader Greg Kreimeyer, Coos District Representative Barbara Lee, Mike Schnee, Keith Baldwin, John Barnes, Policy and Planning Managers Robert Fields, Larry Sprouse, and Jennifer Wright, Project Coordinators Jane Hope and Roger Welty, Planning Specialists Marcia Humes and Jennifer Weikel, Wildlife Biologists Jeff Brandt, Research and Monitoring Coordinator Doug Robin, Silviculturalist Jasen King, Project Technical Writer Jeff Foreman, Public Information Officer Marnie Allbritten, Wildlife Biologist (ODFW) Howard Crombie, Tom Loynes, and Alan Ritchey, Fisheries Biologists (ODFW) Steering Committee Members Dan Shults (Chair) and Dave Lorenz, Southern Oregon Area Directors Ray Craig, Steve Thomas, Nancy Hirsch, and Mike Bordelon, State Forests Division Chiefs John Lilly, Steve Purchase and Jim Paul, Department of State Lands, Assistant Directors Mike Bordelon, Ross Holloway, Lisa Debruyckere, and Mike Cafferata, State Forests Division Deputy Chiefs Jim Young, Coos District Forester and Project Leader Barbara Lee, Mike Schnee, Keith Baldwin, John Barnes Policy and Planning Managers Cary Greenwood and Dan Postrel, Agency Affairs Directors Steve Denney and Larry Cooper, ODFW, Southwest Region Directors and Rod Krahmer, ODFW Forest Practices Program Coordinator Ian Whitlock and Michele Logan, Department of Justice John Griffith, Coos County Commissioner Rick Howell and George Woodruff, South Coast Education Service District Superintendents Gary Groth, Douglas County Lands Director November 2011 Elliott State Forest Management Plan ix Other Resource Specialists Pam Overhulser, Forest Analyst/Harvest