U.S. Forest Service Opal Creek U.S. Department of Agriculture OVERVIEW The Opal Creek Wilderness embodies the low-elevation old-growth forests that dominated the western cascades prior to European settlement. Within this wilder- ness, many trees are up to 450 years old; however, there are some individual trees that are up to 1,000 years old grow up to 10 feet in diameter. Wildlife species that are representative of the Pacific Northwest, such as the endangered northern spot- ted owl, depend on this wilderness and its old-growth forests. Further, the forested cathedrals of old-growth and myriad historical features provide recreational op- portunities for visitors to commune with wild nature and human history. Opal Creek Wilderness Character Narrative September 2018 OVERVIEW A wilderness character narrative is a positive and affirming description of (continued) what is unique and special about this wilderness. The wilderness’ human story – one that complicates simplistic wilderness narratives that equate all historical human activity with despoliation – conveys how the intricate relationship be- tween human and natural history can profoundly contribute to a wilderness’ character. The Opal Creek Wilderness – with its mines scattered across the landscape – not only preserves the remnants of the regions’ mining history, it tells a larger story about American conservation at the end of the twentieth century, one in which the “timber wars” pitted neighbor against neighbor not only in and around the Santiam River canyon, but also in the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. It is the epitome of a storied wilderness. The Opal Creek Wilderness is adjacent to the Bull of the Woods Wilderness on its northeast- ern border and the Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area (SRA) on its western border. The headwaters of Battle Axe Creek and Opal Creek – the confluence of which becomes the Little North Santiam River – are both located in the eastern portion of the wilderness, while Whetstone and Henline Mountains dominate the western portion. The wilderness’ 20,774 acres were designated with the passage of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996. Although the establish- ing legislation required that the Forest Service develop a wilderness plan by 2000, the agency has not yet developed a plan. Without such a plan, land managers lack wilderness-specific guidance for decision making, which may lead to the degradation of wilderness character over time. The following narrative is a qualitative description of the five the qualities of wilderness character in the Opal Creek Wilderness: 1) natural, 2) untrammeled, 3) undeveloped, 4) solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation, and 5) educational and histori- cal features. Opal Creek Wilderness Character Narrative September 2018 NATURAL Wilderness maintains ecological systems that are substantially free from the effects of modern civilization Wildlife does not recognize the administrative “The 22,000 acres that constitute the boundaries that we, as humans, draw on our maps. Howev- Opal Creek Forest are, plain and sim- er, as wildlife cross into the Opal Creek Wilderness, they ple, among the crown jewels of North- likely see, hear, or instinctually feel a difference. For in- west old growth forest. Opal Creek is a stance, a northern spotted owl entering the wilderness’ southern boundary will encounter old-growth trees, abun- unique ecosystem serving as critical dant logs, standing snags, trees with broken tops, and habitat for hundreds of plants and ani- open space under the lowest branches: all characteristics of mals including several threatened and diverse forest stands with multi-layered canopies on which endangered species. Opal Creek also this species depends. They enter a landscape “protected provides unique and outstanding op- and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions” in portunities for educational study, sci- which its ecological systems are substantially free from the entific research and recreational activi- effects of modern civilization. ties. The enactment of this bill will Within the boundaries of this wilderness is one of contribute significantly to the quality the largest intact blocks of low-elevation old-growth forest of life for Oregonians and our many in the Cascade Range. This forest, characteristic of the State visitors.” western cascades, contains Douglas-fir, hemlocks, and - Representative Michael Kopetski western red and Alaska yellow cedar. Although small rela- tive to other wilderness areas in the National Wilderness Preservation System, the wilderness is adjacent to the 36,731-acre Bull of the Woods Wilderness on its northeastern border and the 13,538 acre Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area (SRA) on its western border. When combined, these 71,000 acres of undeveloped land provide refugia for wildlife spe- cies, such as the northern spotted owl, Townsends big eared bat, red tree vole, Oregon slender sala- mander, and the tailed frog and for sensitive plant species, such as Gorman’s aster. The wilderness’ rich aquatic resources are integral to its character. Despite the area’s mining history, the water quality in the wilderness is pristine, as there has not been any detection of pollu- tion in water quality monitoring. Native steelhead trout and salmon runs are found in the wilder- ness’ streams. Additionally, the aquatic resources in the wilderness, coupled with the relative humid- ity of the area, make the area highly productive for plants and fungi. Opal Creek Wilderness Character Narrative September 2018 NATURAL (continued) Although the wilderness is relatively natural, there are several factors that threaten this quality of wilderness character. Historically, Opal Lake was stocked by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) with rainbow and brook trout to provide angling opportunities. However, this prac- tice ended in 1956, well before wilderness designa- tion. Despite this change, non-native brook trout maintain a viable population in the lake. Thus, the ecological trajectory of Opal Lake was significantly altered by the ODFW’s historical introduction and subsequent stocking of fish. Visitors to the wilderness also impact its naturalness. In general, the wilderness has very concentrated visitor use along Henline Falls Trail and the Henline Mountain Trail, which could lead to stress and displacement of wildlife in those are- as. Additionally, a small minority of visitors do not practice proper Leave No Trace skills. Unfortunate- ly, this small minority litters or improperly disposes of feces, leading to local-level impacts. These is- sues may become exacerbated if the wilderness sees increased visitor use in the future. Invasive weeds, because they outcompete certain native plant species, may become a future problem for the wilderness. Invasives, such as false brome, Scotch broom, and cutleaf blackberry, have been found in the SRA and, due to the area’s close proximity to the wilderness, it is likely that these weeds will enter the wilderness in the near future. Opal Creek Wilderness Character Narrative September 2018 UNTRAMMELED Wilderness is essentially unhindered and free from modern human actions that control or manipulate the community of life The Opal Creek Wilderness tells a story about the power of untrammeled nature. The physical legacy of mining is seen on a wilderness landscape riddled with historical mines and adits. Wild na- ture does not differentiate these holes in the ground from others, nor does it recognize their historic and cultural value. Wild nature embeds itself in every crevice of these human-made features on the landscape. It vitalizes these dark and seemingly lifeless places with bats, insects, and microscopic life. The establishment of untrammeled wilderness – a legislative act – gives life to landscapes hitherto altered by humans. This legal decision allows life to flourish unimpeded by the controlling tenden- cies of modern humans. Those who listen to the wordless stories intrinsic to wilderness are humbled by the power and pervasiveness of untrammeled nature. The Opal Creek Wilderness tells such sto- ries. The wilderness is relatively wild and managers typically do not implement decisions that pur- posefully manipulate the biophysical environment. As previously discussed, Opal Lake was historical- ly stocked by ODFW with non-native fish. This practice stopped forty years prior to wilderness desig- nation. This change made this area more untrammeled before it was legally designated as a wilder- ness. Despite that stocking no longer occurs, non-native brook trout maintain a viable population in the lake. This healthy population shows both the power of wild nature and the long legacy of human intervention. The Opal Creek Wilderness is prone to late-summer lightning storms, which sometimes result in natural wildfire ignitions. Although these naturally ignited wildfires have recently been rare in the wilderness, they are always suppressed. Mitigating naturally-ignited wildfires is a conscious choice by managers to preclude a natural ecological process from occurring. Choices, such as these, cut at the heart of the intent of the Wilderness Act: that wild and uncontrolled nature should be allowed to flourish in wilderness. However, this is often a difficult – if not impossible – ideal to attain. In this wil- derness, fires are extinguished because they could threaten Jawbone Flats, an inholding that is eligi- ble for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Additionally, wildfires in the wilderness