DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FINAL

ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT

JACKSON AND KLAMATH SUSTAINED YIELD UNITS

TEN-YEAR TIMBER MANAGEMENT PLAN

Prepared by

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT. Oregon State Office

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Frank Bugg

Director, Bureau of Land Management

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Administrative (x)

Environmental Statement

Legislative ()

Description of the Action: The Bureau of Land Management proposes a 10year timber management plan for the 488,258 acres of public land in the Jackson and Klamath Sustained Yield Units of the Medford District (Oregon). Proposed annual timber harvest is 20.55 million cubic feet (120 MM bd. ft.), consisting of 115 MM bd. ft. as sustained yield allowable cut from high intensity forest management land and 5 MM bd. ft. as trial harvest from low intensity forest management land not included in the sustained yield computation base. Treatments specified by the proposal include harvest by two-stage shelterwood, clearcut and single tree selection methods; slash disposal; site preparation; planting of trees; herbicide application; precommercial thinning; fertilization; commercial thinning and road construction.

Summary of Environmental Impacts: This proposed action would reduce annual timber harvest from the Jackson and Klamath SYUs by 1.38 million cubic feet (8 MM bd. ft.). Air quality would be adversely affected by particulates from slash burning. Adverse impacts to soil and water resources would be of a lesser magnitude than under the present program, but significant adverse site-specific impacts would still occur within the proposed action. Potential for impacts from application of herbicides and fertilizer on air quality, water resources, aquatic animals and aquatic vegetation is possible, but not probable. Degree of impact on previously unidentified cultural resources is dependent upon success of pre-disturbance cultural resource surveys which are part of the proposal. Analysis shows an insignificant impact on total employment. Although there would be fewer jobs in logging and wood processing, this would be offset by jobs in forest development. Annual revenue distributed to the

O&C counties would decline about $0.7 million, based on recent stumpage values.

5. Comments Were Requested From: (see list in Chapter 9.)

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Date Statement Made Available to EPA and the Public: