South Fork Thinning
Bark was able to negotiate with the Forest Service to add 50-foot stream buffers where previously they had proposed only 25 feet. Elbow and Spoon are moving forward as Stewardship Contracts ' meaning that the money from the logging will go to restoration projects in the area. Bark is working to direct that money toward addressing one of the biggest ecological threats in the Clackamas River watershed...roads. '
General Info
- District: Clackamas
- Total Acres: 497
- Watershed: South Fork Clackamas
- Basic Location: Along road 45, some of the areas formerly in Oscar
- Driving Directions: There are two groupings of sales that constitute the South Fork Thins. Both these groups are 20-30 minutes outside of Estacada.South Fork Thin driving directions Units 3,4,5,6,7This grouping is right around (and at) the entrance to the Orchard sale. This is at the intersection of 45 and 4500-220. This lies between the Memaloose Creek and the East Fork of the South Fork of the Clackamas. There are two units (526 and 527) somewhat in the same area East of Memaloose at the intersections of 45 and 4500-43/44/45. It is also need the Helion quarry so it may be too near a target practice range.Units 14, 74, 521, 522, 524 and 525These are in the Clear Creek watershed, along the West side of Mt. HoodNational Forest where there is a mixture of public and private lands. This mixture means that road quality and road signs are extremely variable. Units 74 and 525 are easily located off of 4510-150 and -130. The 4510-130 gate was open on 5/31/03 giving easy access to unit 74. To access the other units you will need to traverse private land roads and those roads can be very difficult.
- Legal Description: T5S, R4E sect. 15 and 23 T5S, R5E sect. 8, 15 and 17
- Total MMBF: 7
Timber Sales
- Elbow Thin Stewardship (497 Acres, 7 MMBF)
Sold on Feb-01-2007
Status: Post Appeal/Ready to be Auctioned - Spoon Thin Stewardship
Sold on Feb-01-2007 - Thunder Thin #2
Sold on Nov-01-2006
Prescriptions
- Total Commercial Thin Acres: 423
- Total Riparian Acres: 74
- "Purpose & Need:" Manage for overstocked stands to increase health and vigor and enhance growth that results in larger wind firm trees, enhance and restore diversity, provide forest products and create employment and enhance riparian reserves.
- Bark's Comments: Apply 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre to fertilize approximately 178 acres of second-growth conifer plantations within the matrix units 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7. Fertilization is contingent upon funding availability.
Roads
- Road Comments: From the South Fork Thinning Preliminary Assessment Approximately 2000 feet of overgrown roads would be reopened to access several of the units. In addition, approximately 10,950 feet of bermed roads would be opened. There would be no increase in the permanent system ' of roads open to the public. The closure of currently open system roads in not part of the South Fork proposed action.There are potential haul routes that go through deer and elk winter range. The logging and re-opening activities could potentially disturb animals that happen to be in the area at the time of implementation. The project area is summer range and disturbance that occurs during the spring/summer/fall could potentially displace animals
- Reconstruction Miles: 0.76
- Temporary Miles: 2.45
- Seasonal Close Miles Evening Fieldslug
Habitat & Species
- S&M Species: 38755
- T&E Species: Northern Spotted Owl
- Other Species: Deer Elk30 species of migratory birds4 sensitive salamander and frog species
- Additional Species Info: Because of the recent ruling by Judge Pechman of the U.S. District Court (see the feature story at www.bark-out.org) that declared the 2004 Bush removal of protections for rare plants and animals illegal, South Fork Thinning may be illegally moving forward without providing protections for rare species required by the court ruling.
Updated 5/7/09
