IMPACTS ON RECREATION

available habitat decreasing. While fish may continue to use these streams, a decline in productivity and population vigor would result from increased sediment levels. Potential for adverse impacts would be greater in headwaters and small streams than in the mainstem of the Rogue or Klamath Rivers.

The proposed action would have no significant impacts on any species listed by the Federal Government as Threatened or Endangered. Nor would there be any significant adverse impacts on any animal species or its habitat covered by International Treaty.

The northern spotted owl is the only species listed as threatened by the State of Oregon that would be adversely impacted. A decline in their numbers is probable. However, the species as a whole would only be moderately affected.

3.7 IMPACTS ON RECREATION

Most timber management activities alter those specific satisfying experiences that are desired from the chosen recreation activities. Timber harvest and accompanying road construction, traffic and noise can severely impact some recreational values. Some recreation activities, however, can be enhanced by timber management activities.

When timber harvest activities take place near recreation sites, the recreation experience could be degraded by noise, odors, and even the sight of timber management activities. High intensity lands are within view from most of the inventoried recreation sites. Some sales proposed in the 3-year timber sale plan are near recreation sites within the ES area (see Table 3-9).

In general, any activity adversely affecting the the recreational experience could cause a reduction in the number of visitor days. Reductions could be temporary, occurring during actual harvest, or of many years duration if the desired recreation experience has been heavily degraded.

Recreation management opportunities (Table 2-13) for sightseeing, hiking and backcountry experiences would be impacted when timber harvest activities are apparent. The 3-year timber sale plan indicates that evidence of timber harvest would be apparent from the Pacific Crest, Sterling Mine Ditch, Butte Creek and other trails as well as from highways and areas of higher elevation (Table 3-9).

Inventoried potential recreation sites with high intensity timber management lands (see Figure 2-9) would be protected from timber harvest pending a review of their suitability for development (see Table 1-6, Issue VIII).

An analysis of the 3-year sale plan indicates that five potential recreation sites are within areas of proposed timber sales (see Table 3-9). These five sites contain about 530 acres of high intensity lands and about 80 acres of limited management lands. Should these sites be found not suitable for

IMPACTS ON RECREATION

recreation development at the time of proposed timber sale, their future potential as recreation sites, if any, would be lost as a result of timber harvest.

Other unidentified potential recreation sites or small tracts with primitive or roadless characteristics may be destroyed as a result of some timber management activities. A discussion of the impacts of the proposed action to potential wilderness areas can be found in Section 3.10.

3.7.1 Management Practices

Each management practice listed in Table 1-1 would impact, to varying degrees, the experiences desired by recreationists. A management practice could enhance the experiences desired in certain outdoor activities, but the practice could be adverse to other experiences. These differences will be pointed out in the following discussion. Table 3-10 summarizes these impacts. The quantification of changes in visitor days is not possible with existing data. Table 3-9 identifies conflicts between the 3-year sale plan and specific recreation activities.

The proposal includes three harvest methods. Single tree selection would have the least impact on those recreation activities related to appreciation of environmental qualities. Clearcutting would have the greatest impact on these activities. Clearcut areas would provide wildlife habitat, potentially increasing opportunities for hunting, wildlife viewing and photography. Dispersed recreational use, collecting and berrypicking would also be hanced. Following the regeneration cut in a shelterwood system, areas would exhibit some aspects of a natural environment until the final harvest cut takes place. During the interim, opportunities for hiking, birding, nature study and photography would be enhanced in the open residual stands. Following the final harvest cut, such an area would be similar in character to a clearcut but with conifer reproduction in place.

Yarding alters the recreational experience by creating noise and odors. Tractor yarding would create more impacts than cable yarding. Tractor yarding could produce areas for hiking as a result of the movement of felled timber over the ground's surface.

Construction of 375 miles of new road would provide more access for dispersed recreation. New roads would serve to disperse recreationists and reduce the present level of impacts upon facilities and recreational experience. Hikers and backpackers might also benefit by gaining quicker and greater ease access to undeveloped area trailheads. Extending the network of logging roads could possibly decrease recreational enjoyment by creating additional traffic, noise, dust, fumes and decreased visibility.

Fishing success and water sports could be adversely affected as a result of siltation, eutrophication and changes in water quality which would result from some timber management practices and road construction. Section 3.4.2

1/ Impacts are classified as beneficial (+), adverse (-), or none (0). 2/ The analysis of impacts to recreational activities and the desired experiences of participants is based upon the following research: Bassett et al. 1972; Ditton and Goodale 1972; Driver 1975; Hendee et al. 1971; Journal of Forestry 1968; Knopf 1972; Phillips 1971; Stevens 1966.

0

Road

Construction

++++

+++

L

IMPACTS ON RECREATION

concludes that significant adverse impacts to water quality may occur in localized areas, particularly small streams. Reservoirs and other recreational water bodies may be subject to localized adverse impacts to recreation quality. All reservoirs in the area receive recreation use (Appendix G, Table G-1). Ditton and Goodale (1972) indicate that a 1 percent change in water quality would adversely affect recreationists participating in water contact sports and swimming more than those fishing or boating.

As turbidity increases above 25 parts per million, fishing success declines
(Phillips 1971). Based upon estimates of sediment yield increases, localized
increases in turbidity are expected. This would result in a loss of sport
fishing since some types
types of fishing are responsive to changes in
in success
(Stevens 1966).

Table 2-9 illustrated that about 74,800 angler visits were attributed to
public lands in 1975. Bassett et al. (1972) identified the percentage of
anglers that value certain desired experiences as extremely or very important.
In a worst case analysis,
case analysis, as many as 60,000 or 80 percent of annual angler
visits to public lands could be lost as timber management activities impact
the desired experiences to enjoy the out-of-doors, encounter a restful
environment, breathe fresh air and escape city noise. Many anglers may go
elsewhere and problems associated with visitor use and congestion could occur.
It is very unlikely, however, that this great a sum of angler visits would

be lost.

3.7.2 Conclusions

The impacts of timber management operations would be both beneficial and adverse, depending on the recreational experience desired. In many cases, timber management activities would result in additional areas for the pursuit of certain recreational activities (i.e., dispersed activities, hunting, berrypicking, photography). Some areas may be more accessible as a result of timber management operations and may benefit certain categories of recreationists (i.e., dispersed area or back-country users).

The adverse impact of timber management activities upon the recreation resource would be most significant to recreationists that desire and expect to experience a pristine environment. This category of recreationist participates in activities or enjoys knowing opportunities exist for activities directed toward appreciation and preservation of environmental features (i.e., seeing natural scenery, climbing, birding, nature study, photography). While impacts to specific recreational groups would be significant, total recreational use is not expected to be significantly impacted. Visitor day reductions due to adverse impacts upon recreational experiences would tend to balance increases in visitor days in activities which would be beneficially impacted.

The projected recreation demand increase of 130 percent (see Section 2.9.2) would still occur. Based on this increase, long-term impacts would increase in significance.