Five Rivers Landscape Management Project; Siuslaw National Forest, Lincoln and Lane Counties, Oregon

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Five Rivers Landscape Management Project; Siuslaw National

Forest, Lincoln and Lane Counties, Oregon

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare and consider an environmental

impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) for a proposed action in the Five Rivers Watershed,

designed to:

Increase late-successional habitat in late-successional

and riparian reserves;

Restore the health of watersheds and associated aquatic

ecosystems;

Maintain the function and diversity of matrix (non-

reserved) lands, while providing timber and other products and

amenities; and

Learn from various strategies for achieving late-

successional conditions and aquatic conservation because no single

strategy is known to work best.

The Five Rivers watershed is about 34 air miles southwest of

Corvallis and 40 air miles northwest of Eugene, Oregon. Proposed

activities include thinning plantations through commercial sales and

service contracts, planting hardwoods and shade-tolerant conifers in

suitable sites, decommissioning and closing roads, placing large woods

in streams, planting conifers in riparian areas, maintaining and

creating early-seral habitat, maintaining diverse dispersed

recreational opportunities, and maintaining opportunities to harvest

greenery and mushrooms. These proposed activities are linked by their

interacting effects--through the networks of streams, roads, and

forested stands--on this large project area. Efficiencies in planning

are also expected.

The Five Rivers planning area comprises about 37,000 acres; of this

total, 4,932 acres (13%) are private land. Of the 32,038 acres of

National Forest land, about 15,530 acres (48%) have been previously

harvested and regenerated. About 11,781 acres (37%) remain in mature

condition, and about 5,000 acres (15%) are in hardwood or mixed conifer

and hardwood. The project area has an average road density of 3.1 miles

per square mile, and an average stream density of 7.9 miles per square

mile. The project area does not include any inventoried roadless or

designated wilderness areas.

The Forest Service proposal complies with the 1990 Siuslaw National

Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended by the 1994

Northwest Forest Plan, which provides guidance for managing this area.

The Lobster/Five Rivers watershed analysis (1997) identified many

opportunities to restore terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the Five

Rivers watershed, which the proposed action is designed to address.

Some proposed project activities are expected to begin in fiscal year

(FY) 2000, but when activities actually begin in a function of many

factors--such as availability of funding, market conditions, contract

size, and award date. For example, a timber sale planned for 2004 could

take 4 or 5 years to complete, for a variety of reasons--for example,

because of poor market conditions. Planned post-sale activities to be

funded by timber receipts could thus be delayed as well. We expect the

work to begin in FY2000 and continue through FY2015.

The Siuslaw National Forest invites written comments on this

proposal. Site-specific comments are encouraged because they are the

most useful for improving project design. The proposed actions are

described in detail below to provide our current thinking in a way to

help people understand the proposal. Considerable flexibility exists

for developing strategies, depending on the issues raised.

DATES: Comments about the scope of the proposal should be received in

writing by March 19, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Doris Tai, District Ranger,

Waldport Ranger District, Siuslaw National Forest, P.O. Box 400,

Waldport, Oregon 97394.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paul Thomas, EIS Team Leader, Waldport Ranger District, Siuslaw

National Forest, Phone 541-563-3211. Maps, referenced below, showing

proposed actions for the Five River Watershed Restoration Project, can

be viewed at the Waldport District Office or on the Siuslaw National

Forest Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/projects.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The land managed by the Siuslaw National

Forest is public land. In the project area, the Record of Decision for

the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP 1994) designates three land allocations

that must be managed under specific guidelines intended to: move tree

plantations in the late-successional reserves toward old-growth

conditions; improve habitat for riparian-dependent species, including

anadromous fish, in late-successional and riparian reserves; and

harvest wood products from the remaining area (matrix) to benefit local

economies. The Plan also provides a

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process for evaluating management actions and identifying steps to

modify activities to improve results (adaptive management).

The Assessment Report: Federal Lands in and Adjacent to Oregon

Coast Province (1995, chapters C-F), the Late-Successional Reserve

Assessment: Oregon Coast Province, Southern Portion (1997, chapter 3),

and the Lobster/Five Rivers Watershed Analysis (1997, chapter 5)

describe the current terrestrial, aquatic, and social conditions in the

Five Rivers watershed. The Lobster/Five Rivers Watershed Analysis

(chapter 6) identifies many opportunities for restoring terrestrial and

aquatic ecosystems in the planning area. In reviewing these documents,

I identified the following needs and proposed actions to meet the

current objectives:

A need for increased late-successional habitat in late-successional

and riparian reserves. Late-successional reserves were designed to

protect and enhance conditions of late-successional and old-growth

forest ecosystems, which are required habitat for many species (NWFP

1994). Riparian reserve objectives include protecting and enhancing

habitat for terrestrial plants and animals, as well as providing

connectivity corridors between late-successional reserves. The

watershed analysis showed that the amount of mature and late-

successional forest, including large patches, has decreased over the

last 100 years, and edge habitat, fragmentation, numbers of hardwoods,

and early-seral habitat have increased. Natural stands have more

diversity in tree species and structure, as well more coarse woody

debris and snags, than do these plantations. To accelerate developing

mature and late-successional habitat characteristics, I propose to thin

about 3,250 acres of predominately Douglas-fir-from both late-

successional and riparian reserves--through commercial timber sales

(map 1); to support these sales, about 16 miles of existing road would

be temporarily reopened, and about 1.5 miles of new temporary road

would be built. After stand development and coarse wood debris

restoration objectives are met, about 32.1 million board feet would be

available to harvest for manufacturing wood products. About 2,000 acres

would be thinned through service contracts. A mixture of shade-tolerant

conifers and hardwoods would be planted on 800 acres in existing

plantations to add diversity to their future composition and structure.

A need to restore the health of watersheds and associated aquatic

ecosystems. The Aquatic Conservation Strategy in the Northwest Forest

Plan is intended to restore and maintain the health of watersheds and

the aquatic ecosystems they contain. The watershed analysis showed

several streams with one or more aquatic habitat components--such as

stream temperatures, channel complexity, and stream substrate

characteristics--as at risk of or not functioning properly. To

facilitate restoring hydrologic processes and conditions, I propose to

decommission about 37 miles of road and close about 86 miles of road in

the watershed (map 2). To mitigate for the loss of access to a private

parcel, I will issue a special-use permit to build, use, and maintain a

road across National Forest land (map 2). I am also proposing to

evaluate alternative routes for Roads 32 and 3505 in the Upper Five

Rivers subwatershed. To facilitate restoring hydrologic processes, I

propose to place large conifers and root wads along 36 miles of stream

(map 1). To provide for a future supply of conifers and facilitate

shade development, 200 acres of alder- or meadow-dominated riparian

areas will be planted with conifers and various hardwoods (map 1).

A need to maintain the function and diversity in matrix lands while

providing timber and other products and amenities. Producing timber and

other products is an important objective for the matrix lands, but the

standards and guides of the Northwest Forest Plan are also designed to

provide important ecological functions, such as the carryover of some

species from one stand to the next and maintaining structural

components such as logs, snags, and large green trees. The matrix is

also managed to add ecological diversity by providing early-

successional habitat. The watershed analysis showed that the habitat

components in the matrix lands were similar in composition and

structure to lands in late-successional reserves. To ensure that future

management activities are able to meet management objectives, I propose

to thin about 650 acres in plantations on matrix lands through

commercial timber sales (map 1). To support these sales, about 3 miles

of existing road would be temporarily reopened, and about 0.5 miles of

new temporary road would be built. About 6.5 million board feet would

be sold and harvested for manufacturing wood products. To maintain a

diversity or seral classes, about 40 acres of existing meadows and

plantations in matrix land will be maintained in early-seral condition

(map 1).

A need to learn from a variety of strategies for achieving late-

successional conditions and aquatic conservation because no single

strategy is known to work best. The Northwest Forest Plan identified

the standards and guides for management activities. Adaptive management

is a process of action-based planning, monitoring, researching,

evaluating, and adjusting to improve future actions and to determine if

the standards and guides are effective in achieving the goals of the

Northwest Forest Plan. The high density of roads in the Siuslaw

continues to fuel the debate over their long-term management, primarily

related to the values associated with using and maintaining them versus

their adverse effects on the terrestrial and aquatic environment.

Debate also surrounds the question of whether the plantations will ever

achieve old-growth conditions, with or without thinning and under-

planting. I propose a management study to compare effects of different

road-management strategies and their effects on resources. Four

strategies have been proposed so far: no road access, no intervention;

continued road access, continuous management; 10-year road closures,

intermittent management; and 20-year road closures, intermittent

management. Strategies with long road closures will require thinning to

wider spacing and different stream-restoration strategies than

strategies that keep roads open. The strategies would be distributed

across the landscape in a way that makes comparing the results most

valid. Details of the management study, reflecting public input, will

be described in the draft EIS.

This analysis will consider a range of alternatives that will

address the purpose and needs for the proposed project. The no-action

alternative will be part of this range so that effects associated with

not implementing any of the proposed activities can be evaluated.

Preliminary issues considered significant include the effects on

habitat of species associated with late-successional and old-growth

forests, effects on aquatic habitats and hydro-logic processes, and

changes in vehicle access to the watershed.

The Forest Service will be seeking additional information,

comments, and assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies;

tribes; and other individuals or organizations who may be interested or

affected by the proposed project. Field trips and public scoping

meetings are not scheduled at this time, pending comments form the

public. Comments from other agencies are being sought and will be used

in preparing the draft EIS. The scoping process will:

Identify potential issues;

Identify key issues to analyzed in depth;

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Eliminate non-key issues or those that have been covered

by relevant previous environmental analyses;

Identify alternatives to the proposed action;

Identify opportunities for cooperative restoration

projects on private land; and

Identify potential environmental effects (that is, direct,

indirect, and cumulative effects) of the proposed action and

alternatives.

The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) and to available for public review by June

1999. The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days after the EPA

publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. The final

EIS is scheduled to be available in September 1999.

To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues

on the proposed project, comments on the draft EIS should be as

specific as possible. Referring to specific pages or chapters of the

draft statement is also helpful. Comments may address both the adequacy

of the draft EIS and the merits of the alternative formulated and

discussed in the statement. (Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council

on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural

provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in

addressing these points.)

At this early stage, I believe that giving reviewers notice of

several court rulings related to public participation in reviewing

environmental processes is important. First, reviewers of draft

environmental impact statements must structure their participation in

the environmental review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and

alerts the agency to the reviewer's position and contentions (Vermont

Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 533; 1978). Also,

environmental objections that could be raised at the draft

environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised until the

final environmental impact statement is completed may be waived or

dismissed by the courts (City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F. 2d 1016, 1022

(9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp.

1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of those court rulings,

participation by those interested in this proposed project by the close

of the 45-day comment period is essential, so that substantive comments

and objections are made available to the Forest Service when it can

consider and respond to them in developing issues and alternatives in

the final EIS.

After the 45-day public comment period, the comments received will

be reviewed and considered in preparing the final EIS. The forest

supervisor of the Siuslaw National Forest is the responsible official

for this EIS. After considering public comments and responses,

environmental consequences discussed in the final EIS, and applicable

laws, regulations and policies; as the responsible official, I will

reach a decision on this proposal. This decision and the evidence

supporting it will be documented in a record of decision, which is

subject to Forest Service appeal regulations (36 CFR Part 215).

Dated: February 9, 1999.

James R. Furnish,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 99-4646 Filed 2-24-99; 8:45 am]

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