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 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, for hunting, wildlife viewing, and photography. Dispersed recreational use, collecting, and berrypicking would also be enhanced. 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

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 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

1/

+

+

+

0

+

100

+

+

+

0

x

++++

+

0

0

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.

3-47

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 of fishing are responsive to changes in success (Stevens 1966).

Table 2-10 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. 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 timber management activities would result in additional areas for the pursuit of certain recreational activities (i.e., (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.

IMPACTS ON CULTURAL RESOURCES

3.8 IMPACTS ON CULTURAL RESOURCES

Complete field surveys of the JKS YUS to identify paleontologic and archeologic sites have not been undertaken. Each proposed ground-disturbing activity, however, would be preceded by a complete field survey of cultural resources as part of the environmental assessment reports which precede each site specific timber sale (BLM Manual 8100, Cultural Resource Management). Protection would be provided in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and Executive Order 11593, as stated in the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR Part 800). There is still some chance of unidentified cultural resources being inadvertently impacted, however.

It is not possible to professionally estimate the number of unidentified sites that could be impacted. Unidentified cultural resources could be impacted due to compaction of soil, disturbance of the ground surface, and alteration of the soil's chemical properties by fire, chemical treatment, or addition of organic matter. Most of the SYUS is largely unsurveyed for archeological sites. Oregon Department of Transportation (1978) indicates that a medium archeological site density occurs in northern Jackson County and western Klamath County. is expected that the potential for archeological site disturbance would be greater in areas of medium site density than where site density is low.

Soil compaction and surface disturbance during any ground manipulation activity would disrupt vertical disrupt vertical and horizontal and horizontal relationships of relationships of cultural deposits. The context of archeological resources would be altered and preservation of data would be affected. Paleoecological data would be disturbed or lost. Furthermore, ground disturbance could be expected to cause extensive artifact loss, breakage, and churning. The negative effects of surface disturbance upon cultural resources have been documented by many sources, such as DeBloois, Green, and Wylie (1974). Both surface lithic sites and sites with structures or subsurface components would be damaged, though the extent of damage to subsurface components would be less.

Quantification of the magnitude of impacts to unidentified archeological sites is not possible. For example, on some sites, a 0.7 percent severe surface disturbance would be intolerable; on others, perhaps 100 percent severe surface disturbance would not constitute an adverse effect because archeological values are confined to subsurface deposits (Wildesen 1977).

of impacts would be permanent, because neither broken lithic materials nor their original surface distribution can be restored once altered.

Chemical alteration of sites, materials, and soil usually occurs after harvest activities are complete, during slash disposal and site preparation. Fire would destroy combustible items, adversely alter stone ceramic artifacts by introducing color, textural, and thermal radiation changes. Charcoal would contaminate Carbon 14 dating samples and pollen. These data sources would become unreliable for scientific information. The addition of organic matter would also alter the soil's chemical properties.

The proposed construction of 375 miles of road would provide access to cultural sites, resulting in increased visitation. Vandalism, looting, site damage, and site erosion could result. Esthetic, recreational, interpretive, and educational qualities of the sites could be degraded.

The alteration of the landscape and vegetation in proximity to some cultural sites would create impacts. The disturbance of a site's visual setting would reduce its esthetic, recreational, interpretive, and educational potential. Table 3-11 identifies four known sites which may have visual setting impacts as a result of timber sales proposed in the 3-year sale plan. VRM program constraints would be complied with to greatly mitigate adverse impacts to site settings.

1/ Conflicting sales listed are within 5 miles of the lookout.

Insofar as old-growth trees could be considered a type of "living history", the harvest of this old growth could be construed as destruction of historical values.

There are no impacts anticipated to the Jacksonville Historic District which is currently listed on the National Register.

Those portions of the Rancheria Trail, Topsy Road, and Applegate Trail on public land which have been nominated or will be nominated to the National Register would not be impacted. These sites will be managed for protection and enhancement of cultural values. There is some possibility of impacts to the visual settings in proximity to the trails. Interpretive, educational, esthetic, and recreational potential would only slightly decrease.

3.9 IMPACTS ON VISUAL RESOURCES

Most timber management practices disrupt land surface, change surface vegetation, and create contrasts to the existing environment. Alterations of the