Randell C Miller, Central Coast RD – ODNRA, Siuslaw NF, [email protected]
The encompassing goal of my work for the Forest Service (FS) is to Support the FS Mission by integrating its wildlife goals with its other goals
1) supporting recovery of threatened or endangered species and…
Marbled murreletOregon silverspot butterfly
Northern spotted owl
2) supporting at least viable populations of all native and desired non-native species (FSM 2602)
wrentit
Northern spotted owl
Ruffed grouse
Roosevelt elkNorthern flicker
Western pond turtle
Oregon Silverspot butterfly
Seral Stage
Historic Natural range of
variability in Oregon
Coast Range
Existing amount of FS land in a
typical 40-50,000 acre watershed
Difference between
existing and historic
abundance
Early – grass, forb, shrub, sapling, pole
(<30 years old)
12-29% 4% 8 – 25% less than historic
levels
Young (30-80 years old)
15-31% 56%25-41% more than historic
levels
Mature (80-200 years old)
12-28% 36%8-24% more than historic
levels
Old Growth (>200 years old)
29-52% 4%25-48% less than historic
levels
•We have four species threatened We have four species threatened with extinction because of these with extinction because of these conditionsconditions
The Siuslaw National Forest has three threatened wildlife species affected by low amounts of these habitats; two are associated with old growth forest and one is associated with native coastal meadows Oregon
silverspot butterflyMarbled murrelet
Northern spotted owl
Rufus hummingbird: forb and shrub nectar plants
Pacific slope flycatcher: deciduous hardwoods
Orange crowned warbler: deciduous shrubs & trees
Western bluebird: early seral with snags
I can propose projects, but I need more than general goals.
I need measurable stand-scale goals that can be used for treatment prescriptions.
97% of areas where forest management occurs on Central Coast RD – ODNRA is allocated to older forest management
97% of areas where forest management occurs on Central Coast RD – ODNRA is allocated to older forest management
Old growth has really big live and dead trees, but how many?
What else is important in old growth forest habitat?
Can I do anything about early seral habitats while restoring old growth forest habitat?
Pawn Trail old growth
Pawn Trail old growth
Old growth forest: Pawn Trail (trees greater than 300 years old)
Old growth forest; Camp Creek
Camp Creek old growth: ~8 tpa in overstory
Forty year old plantation thinned to 60-80 tpa
Mature: ~20 tpa
Old growth: 3-8 tpa
OVER STORY Trees per acre (tpa)
30tpa 199217 tpa
2009
40 tpa 2009
Planted 1963. Commercially thinned about 1995 to about 40 tpa, meadow created, and underburned.
Desired condition for old growth forest is about 10 overstory conifer trees per acre (tpa), large dead wood, about 4-19 large hardwood tpa, and diverse understory (grasses, forbs, shrubs, young trees)
Enough overstory conifers and hardwoods trees to make it to old growth condition
Large limb and cavity development Other considerations
Protect nesting northern spotted owls, marbled murrelets, and bald eagles.
Thin stands less than 80 years old, and retain at least 40% canopy cover.
trees greater than 50” dbh with large cavities or large limbs
Flying squirrel: big leaf maple, mycorrhizal fungi, and tree cavities
Woodrat: shrubs and hardwood trees Other species eaten by northern spotted owls
that are associated with early seral habitat: cottontail rabbit, chipmunk, certain voles
Canopies close when…• 60 Douglas-fir per acre are about 20-25” dbh• 40 Douglas-fir are 30-35” dbh • 13 Douglas-fir are about 90” dbh
Maintain viability of fish and plant species Provide diverse opportunities for esthetic,
consumptive, and scientific uses of fish, wildlife, and plants (FSM 2602).
Protect water quality…(FSM 2522.02). Protect cultural and heritage resources (FSM
2361). Develop safe, cost-effective fire
management activities …(FSM 5102). Provide economic, especially timber, as well
as recreation opportunities for people (FSM 2411.02, 2302, and 2602).
Treat stands less than 80 years old Keep at least 40% canopy cover in majority
of stands Promote development of
Large conifer and hardwood trees Large tree cavities, snags, and down wood Grasses, forbs, and shrubs
Create down wood and snags Produce economically viable timber sales Use some funds from sale of timber to
create dead wood, maintain meadows, improve water quality, and implement other restoration projects
Prescription 1 – heavy thinning
Prescription 2 – moderate thinning
Prescription 3 – light thinning
Prescription 4—Release individual conifer trees
Prescription 5—Release clumps of conifer trees
Prescription 6—Release Oregon big-leaf maple
Prescription 7—Create canopy gaps that are
¼ - 1 acre in size.
Prescription 8—Create meadows Late Successional
Reserve: 1/8- to 1-acre meadows
Matrix: not limited to less than 1 acre in size
Prescription 9—Underburn and or seed with native grasses or forbs
Prescription 10 – Create down wood, snags, and promote cavity development in live trees. Concentrate dead
wood in clumps