Butte Creek
The BLM 's Environmental Assessment concluded a Finding of No Significant Impact despite the fact that the entire project comprises dispersal habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl and alters habitat for two threatened fish species. The BLM issued a Decision Notice finalizing the project on 11/2/2005. Bark 's appeal of the decision was rejected on 1/19/2006. This project encompasses late seral stands and fragmented old growth and is not suitable for thinning. Additionally, the Butte Creek Timber Sale may be illegally moving forward without providing protections for rare animal and plant species required by the ruling of Judge Pechman of the U.S. District Court (see the feature story at www.bark-out.org). Stay tuned as Bark is trying to determine how Butte Creek will be impacted.
General Info
- District: BLM
- Total Acres: 700
- Watershed: Butte Creek, Pudding and Molalla watersheds
- Basic Location: The project is located approximately 8 to 15 miles south of Molalla, Oregon, in Clackamas County.
- Driving Directions: As a tool, use 3 part Middle Cascades RA map (for $9). This project is in the middle part (there is a north and south part too). Or use a Salem BLM Recreation map. It is really easy to get to Maple Grove Road and Butte Creek Road and then you are on the timber sale maps. Go through Scots Mills and take Maple Grove Road after you cross Butte Creek. The Butte Creek forks to your right in a short while. Note that the Butte Creek Road and the road system to hop up into the C, E, F and Q units is very difficult to find.
- Legal Description: Township 6 South, Range 2 East, Sections 19, 25, 27, 29 and 35 and in Township 7 South, Range 2 East, Sections 1 and 25, Willamette Meridian with Clackamas County. The project lies within the Butte Creek/Pudding River and Molalla Watersheds.
- Old Growth Units: B, K, L, M
Prescriptions
- Total Riparian Acres: 20
- "Purpose & Need:" The BLM states that the purpose of the project is to provide a marketable timber sale to maintain and develop a road system that provides access for timber harvest...maintain a healthy forest ecosystem with habitat to support plant and animal populations and protect riparian areas and water resources. ' However the BLM also states that the streams are currently in 'proper functioning condition, well shaded stable beds, and banks adequate quantities of woodsediment and a diversity of riparian species. ' Apparently logging will somehow improve these riparian areas. '
- Bark's Comments: In the southern portion of Unit B there are 5 feet DBH Doug Firs that are marked to be logged despite their claim that they are not logging old growth! As these units are amongst a sea of clearcuts it is vital that these trees be retained for the birds and wildlife who come down from the mountain to winter here.
Roads
- Road Comments: An additional 6.8 miles of existing road would be renovated and improved. We encourage visiting the site to see exactly what this entails.
- New Road miles: 1.2
- Reconstruction Miles: 1.4
- Temporary Miles: 0.35
Habitat & Species
- S&M Species: Red tree vole
- T&E Species: Spotted OwlgoshawkUpper Willamette River chinook salmonUpper Willamette River steelhead trout
- Other Species: common nighthawkred-legged frogbald eagleOregon slender salamander
- Additional Species Info: The entire project area is dispersal habitat for the Northern spotted owl
Restrictions
- Spring growing season (May 01-June 30) : No falling or yarding operations that could damage residual trees allowed
- High soil moisture (Nov-May) : No ground based operations
Updated 5/7/09
