ANNUAL HARVEST VOLUME IN MM CU. FT.

ALTERNATIVE NO. 1

8.1 NO CONTROL OF COMPETING VEGETATION

ALTERNATIVE NO. 1

This alternative is identical to the proposed action except that no attempt would be made to control grass, brush, or hardwood species growing in competition with commercial coniferous tree species. This would eliminate treatments the control of competing vegetation both prior to reforestation (site preparation) and after young stands become established (stand release). On high intensity lands the sustainable allowable cut expected to from this option is 14.78 MM cu. ft. (86 MM bd. ft.), as shown in Figure 8-1,

Figure

8-1

10

Alternative No. I

20

DECADES

30

Comparison of Proposed Annual Allowable Cut with
Annual Allowable Cut Using Alternative

Source: BLM Forest Inventory, 1976

No. I

40

ALTERNATIVE NO. 1

cu.

With

compared to 19.69 MM cu. ft. (115 MM bd. ft.) for the proposed action. the additional 0.86 MM ft. (5 MM bd. ft.) harvested on low intensity lands, the total planned harvest for Alternative No. 1 would be 15.64 MM cu. ft. (91 MM bd. ft.).

8.1.1 Air Quality

Burning is proposed on 18,035 acres. Maximum levels of particulate and carbon monoxide pollutants would be 42 to 43 percent above present levels, and particulates would have significant adverse impact upon air quality locally for short periods throughout the year.

About 63,540 tons of soil would erode as a result of yarding, slash disposal, and road construction activities. This is 64 percent below the amount of soil eroded from treated lands in the JKSYUS presently. Site-specific impacts would still be expected on some areas such as low-fertility sites.

8.1.2.2 Soil Productivity

Compaction would result in a 14.8 percent loss of productivity on 8,200 acres. This would be a significant adverse impact.

8.1.3 Water Resources

8.1.3.1 Water Yield

Increased water yield from the disturbed lands would be 3,600 acre-feet per year. This is 66 percent less than increases from present levels, and 20 percent lower than would occur with the proposed action. Streambank erosion would be reduced and channel stability improved when compared to compared to present conditions, with subsequent improvement in water quality. Overall yield from major watersheds, however, would not be significantly reduced.

8.1.3.2 Water Quality

Sediment Yield

Yarding, transportation and gross yarding activities would impact streams by adding 11,750 tons of sediment to them. This is 60 percent below the sediment presently added as a result of treatments and 22 percent lower than the

ALTERNATIVE NO. 1

proposed action.

This alternative would have significant adverse impacts on water quality in localized areas.

Chemical Quality

An additional 16,965 pounds of nitrogen would be added to streams as a result of clearcutting, shelterwood harvest, and slash burning. This represents an increase of less than 1 percent of that added from the areas prior to disturbance, an insignificant amount overall, but which may have localized, significant impacts.

8.1.4 Vegetation

Timber management without control of competing vegetation would produce the following significant impacts to vegetation vegetation during the first decade:

(a) Early successional stages would be initiated on approximately 24,000 acres based on clearcut and regeneration cut acres.

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

Removal of timber in the 70-200 year age classes would occur on approximately 4,890 acres on high intensity land. This constitutes about 4 percent of the existing timber in these age classes.

Old growth timber (200+ years) would be removed on about 22,500 acres on high intensity lands. This accounts for approximately 23 percent of existing old-growth timber on high intensity lands.

Short-term destruction of surface vegetation due to yarding methods (including gross yarding) would occur on about 8,100 acres. This could lead to an increase in soil erosion on these acres.

Complete long-term elimination
elimination of vegetation would occur on about
1,770 acres based on new road construction with continued maintenance
of these roads.

8.1.5 Animals

During the first decade about 74,500 acres would be subjected to habitat modification through harvest, road building, and thinning practices. In most cases modifications would be great enough to change the animal composition and density on those acres.

Clearcuttings and shelterwood regeneration harvest would cause about a 116 percent increase in early successional stage vegetation that would benefit those species that use those habitats (see Table 2-6), and potentially could lead to a 116 percent increase in animals that use this habitat.

ALTERNATIVE NO. 1

As no methods to control competing vegetation are proposed, are proposed, the resulting early stage habitat would be diversified in composition and structure which would benefit a larger variety of animal species than would an early successional stage that had been manipulated to achieve single plant species dominance.

About 23 percent of the old growth currently existing on the high intensity lands of the JKSYUS would be harvested during the first decade. This could mean a 23 percent reduction in old-growth dependent species such as northern spotted owl, northern flying squirrel and Vaux's swift on these lands. Old growth would be eliminated on the high intensity lands of the JKSYUs by the year 2048 if this alternative were implemented.

The use of poison bait for gopher control would have an adverse impact to gophers on 6,850 acres.

Worst case analysis discloses a total of 11,750 tons of sediment (see Section 8.1.3.2) could be deposited in the streams of the JKSYUs. This could be detrimental to an individual stream and its fishery resources, but it would be insignificant to the JKSYUs as a whole.

No adverse impacts are expected to occur to any Federally listed threatened or endangered species. The Siskiyou Mountain salamander and the river otter (which are currently undergoing status review) and the northern spotted owl (a species the State of Oregon considers threatened) could have their habitat reduced and/or degraded. While individuals may be affected, the species would not be adversely impacted (See 3.6.4).

8.1.6 Recreation

Impacts would be of similar type to those of the proposed action. Health or safety hazards to recreationists would be less than under the existing situation. Hiking and sightseeing would be difficult, due to decreased visibility along roads and in the forest without control. The quality of hiking and sightseeing experiences would decrease. No significant change in visitor-days associated with general sightseeing and miscellaneous use would result.

The alteration of small, undeveloped pristine areas would total about 24,698

acres.

8.1.7 Cultural Resources

Impacts would be the same type as those resulting from the proposed action.

8.1.8 Visual Resources

Impacts would be of similar type as those of the proposed action. The use of vegetative control to create opportunities to view attractive or interesting

ALTERNATIVE NO. 1

features would be nonexistent. Some esthetically desirable shrub species would be preserved. The adoption of this alternative would result in 29,690 acres being maintained in a more nearly natural ecological state. These areas would have more visual variety. For example, a mixed stand of hardwood and Douglas-fir would be more attractive, with more fall color. In some cases, visual variety would decrease when desired vegetative configurations cannot be developed.

Impacts would be the same as those of the proposed action.

8.1.10 Noise

Impacts of timber management operations would be similar to those of the proposed action. There would be no noise of helicopters or motorized pressure systems used in the application of herbicides.

8.1.11 Ecologically Significant Areas

Impacts to ecologically significant areas would be the same as those of the proposed action.

8.1.12 Socioeconomic Conditions

The economic analysis of each alternative is based on estimates of timber sales, harvest, and associated employment, personal income, and public revenues. Population impacts would follow patterns of timber harvest and employment. Both short-term and long-term impacts are analyzed and summarized in Tables 8-2 and 8-3, respectively. These tables also display average annual economic conditions based on 1974 to 1976 data as well as expected impacts of continued current management and the proposed action.

Short-term impacts are projected for 1980 since much of the data are projected in 10-year intervals. The nearest year to full implementation of the proposed or alternative harvest levels is 1980.

Long-term impacts are based on projected harvest levels during the second decade and expected values of economic indicators in 1990. At this point each alternative's harvest level has either reached a long-term equilibrium (sustainable yield) or is approaching it. Economic estimates were derived using methodologies similar to those used in Chapter 3.

During the first decade, average annual timber harvest would be 6 percent less than levels that would be expected from continued current management (Table 8-2). By the second decade, the annual difference would average nearly 7 percent (Table 8-3). By comparison, the proposal would vary from this alternative in terms of expected harvest by 1 percent and 2 percent respectively.