United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT MEDFORD DISTRICT OFFICE ASHLAND RESOURCE AREA 3040 Biddle Road Medford, Oregon 97504 DECISION RECORD for the OREGON GULCH FIRE SALVAGE RECOVERY PROJECT (DOI-BLM-OR-M060-2015-0004-EA) INTRODUCTION This document describes my decision, and reasons for my decision, regarding the selection of a course of action to be implemented for the Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project. The Medford District Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Ashland Resource Area, has completed the environmental analysis which is documented in the Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Final Environmental Assessment (DOI-BLM-OR-M060-2015-0004-EA) (EA) for the proposed 683 acres of post-fire forest management recovery of BLM-administered land in the Oregon Gulch Fire area. Project activities will salvage standing dead trees, fire-injured trees, and hazard trees, rehabilitate sites through tree planting, and repair, maintain, and decommission road facilities on BLM-administered land. There will be a limited amount of temporary road construction (0.6 miles), to access salvage areas, which will be decommissioned after completion of harvest activities. The Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project is located on lands administered by the Medford District BLM lands in the Upper Fall Creek drainage of the Iron Gate Reservoir-Klamath River fifth field watershed and the Beaver Creek drainage of the Copco Reservoir-Klamath River fifth-field watershed. The Public Land Survey System description for the project area is: T. 40 S., R. 04 E., Sec. 25 and 35; T. 41 S., R. 04 E. in Sec. 1; and T. 41 S., R. 5 E., Sec. 6, Willamette Meridian; Jackson County, Oregon. BACKGROUND The Oregon Gulch Fire started on July 30, 2014 as a result of a lightning storm. The fire consumed about 35,302 acres with approximately 2,425 acres on public land managed by the Medford District BLM. Of the 2,425 acres consumed by the fire, 465 acres was in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and the remaining 1,960 acres was on land allocated as Matrix. The Matrix land use allocation (LUA) is identified in the Medford District Resource Management Plan (RMP) as the area in which timber harvest and other silvicultural activities will be conducted with the objective to produce a sustainable supply of timber and other forest commodities (USDI 1995, p. 73). The fire burned with high intensity consuming most of the vegetation in its path and leaving a charred landscape with few trees with any green needles. The existing condition of the burned landscape has resulted in trees that are dead and dying and are no longer on a trajectory for sustained yield. There is a need to remove the dead and dying trees and provide for a site that can support sustainable forest management in addition to conserving habitat elements as defined by the RMP. Timely salvage is critical to capture remaining merchantable timber values before further deterioration occurs. Salvaging dead or dying trees would allow the BLM to retrieve some Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Decision Record Page 1 economic value from these trees while retaining levels of coarse wood and standing snags needed to meet RMP standards and guidelines. THE DECISION It is my decision to authorize the implementation of Alternative 2 as described in the Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Final EA. This Decision authorizes the salvage harvest of approximately 683 acres on Matrix Land Use Allocation using ground-based and cable yarding systems (Maps 2-1 through 2-3). The Decision incorporates all Project Design Features (PDFs) and Best Management Practices (BMPs) as described in the Final EA, p. 2-16 through 2-25. To facilitate harvest activities, the construction of 0.6 miles of temporary road and use and maintenance of about 20 miles of existing roads will occur. The temporary routes will be decommissioned after use. In addition, 2.3 miles of existing roads will be decommissioned and 0.7 mile will be placed in long-term closure status. Tables 1-4 provide further details on salvage units and road information for the Selected Alternative. Table 1. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project – Units by Harvest Method, Silvicultural Prescription, and Northern Spotted Owl (NSO) Habitat Harvest Silvicultural Prescription Unit No. Acres Associated Treatments Method Harvest Prescription NSO Habitat Type 1-1 49 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 1-2 41 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 25-1 61 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 25-2 66 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 25-3 116 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 25-4 17 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 25-5A 10 Cable Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 25-5B 12 Cable Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 35-1 132 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 35-2 54 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 35-3 54 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 35-4A 18 Cable Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 35-4B 17 Cable Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 35-4C 4 Cable Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers 35-5 32 Tractor Salvage Capable Plant w/ mixed conifers TOTAL 683 Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Decision Record Page 2 Table 2. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project –Temporary Road Construction and Road Renovation Approximate Length Surface Road Description Control (miles) Temp Road (41-5E-6.1) 0.50 Natural BLM Temp Spur 0.04 Natural BLM Temp Spur 0.04 Natural BLM Temp Spur 0.01 Natural BLM Road Renovation (40-4E-25.0) 0.38 Natural BLM Table 3. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project – Road Decommissioning Approximate Length Road Number Surface Control Decommission/Closure Type (miles) 40-4E-35.2 0.7 Natural BLM Fully Decommission, Mechanical 40-4E-35.1 0.2 Natural Fully Decommission, combination of BLM Mechanical and Natural Decommissioning 40-4E-26.0 0.1 Natural BLM Fully Decommission, Mechanical 40-4E-26.1 0.2 Aggregate BLM Fully Decommission, Mechanical 40-4E-25.4 0.3 Aggregate BLM Fully Decommission, Mechanical 40-4E-25.5 0.2 Natural BLM Fully Decommission, Natural 40-4E-25.2 0.1 Natural Fully Decommission, combination of BLM Mechanical and Natural Decommissioning Jeep Road 0.5 Natural BLM Fully Decommission, Natural Total Mileage 2.3 miles Table 4. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project – Long-Term Road Closures Approximate Length Road Number Surface Control Decommission/Closure Type (miles) 40-4E-35.3 0.3 Natural BLM Long Term Closure 40-4E-25.00 0.4 Natural BLM Long Term Closure Total Mileage 0.7 Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Decision Record Page 3 N Map 2-1. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Area w E T. 41 S. , R. 4 E., Section 1 s I I I 4_nit: 35-5 32 acres Legend Stream Buffers BLM D Private Land 11 --------r-- 07 0 0.05 0.1 0.2 Miles No warra nty is made by the BLM for the accuracy, reliability, and I I I I I I I I completeness of the data. This information may not meet National Map Accuracy Standards. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Decision Record Page 4 Map 2-2. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Area T. 40 S., R. 4 E., Section 25 Unite- nit: 25-2 66 acres ( "\" ~ 't> 132 acres 35 0 0.05 0.1 0.2 Miles No warranty is made by the BLM for the accuracy, re~abtlity, and I I I I I completeness of the data. This infonnatJon may not meet Nauonal Map Accuracy Standards. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Decision Record Page 5 N Map 2-3. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Area w E T. 40 S., R. 4 E., Section 35 s Unit: 25~ .... 27 8 acres Legend = Roads - Road Decommissioning - Temporary Roads c::J Proposed Salvage Units Stream Buffers - Green Tree Retention Buffer BLM D Private Land E2Z] Cascade-Siskiyou Nail. Monument 0 0.05 0.1 0.2 Miles No warranty is made by the BLM for the accuracy, reNability, and I I I I completeness of the data. This information may not meet NaHonal Map Accuracy Standards. Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Decision Record Page 6 DECISION RATIONALE My decision to authorize the implementation of Alternative 2 as described in the Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Final EA, and above, is based on consideration and evaluation of how well the purpose and need (Final EA, p. 1-7 to 1-9) are met, evaluation of decision factors, consideration of the environmental consequences of implementing or not implementing the Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Project (as analyzed in the Final EA and documented in the FONSI), and review and consideration of public comments received in response to the Environmental Assessment. RESPONSE TO PURPOSE AND NEED AND DECISION FACTORS Matrix lands within the Oregon Gulch Fire Salvage Recovery Project Area are to provide for sustainable timber production in compliance with Oregon and California Railroad and Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant Lands Act of 1937 (O&C Act)(RMP p. 17) (Final EA p. 1-8). My Decision to authorize Alternative 2 will contribute to the sustainable supply of timber from O&C/Matrix lands through the timely salvage of fire-killed and damaged trees and replanting conifers to regenerate the forest. Both short- and long-term regeneration targets and timeframes are more likely to be met because Alternative 2 will expedite safe and effective tree planting operations and future monitoring and plantation maintenance to ensure conifer establishment and growth.