# Presentation: 555988

## Managing Dry Forest Northern Spotted Owl Habitat: The Beginnings of a Landscape Approach

- Jerry Franklin
- Norm Johnson

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## Lack of action to reduce likelihood of uncharacteristic fire

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| Habitat Types | Acres (thous) |
| --- | --- |
| PP/SAGE | 16 |
| PP/BTBR | 360 |
| MC/SNBR | 89 |
| Moist MC | 40 |
| LP | 118 |
| Total | 622 |

## Major goal: Move as much of the forest as possible toward a structurally complex ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forest as rapidly as possible, while recognizing tribal interests in increased habitat for deer and elk and other wildlife and fish and other values.  

- Components include: 1) large trees, 2) a spatially complex pattern of stand structural units (large tree groves and patches of dense regeneration, 3) coarse wood (snags and down logs), and 4) a well developed understory community of herbs and shrubs.
- From:  Interforest Report

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## Harold Weaver scaling logs on Ya Whee Plateau, 1929.

## “This stand near Badger Creek, Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Oregon, is typical of vast areas of the ponderosa-pine region, where, as a result of total fire exclusion, dense even-aged stands of Douglas-fir reproduction are monopolizing the ground under the mature ponderosa pine.”

- “This stand near Badger Creek, Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Oregon, is typical of vast areas of the ponderosa-pine region, where, as a result of total fire exclusion, dense even-aged stands of Douglas-fir reproduction are monopolizing the ground under the mature ponderosa pine.”
- Weaver, Harold.  1943.  Fire as an ecological and silvicultural factor in the ponderosa pine region of the Pacific Slope.  Jour. Forestry 41:7-15.

## “It is obvious that the present policy of attempting complete protection of ponderosa-pine stands from fire raises several very important problems.

- If ponderosa-pine is desired on vast areas how, unless fire is employed, can other species such as white fir be prevented from monopolizing the ground?
- Even with unlimited funds, personnel, and equipment, can they give reasonable assurance that they can continue to keep such extremely hazardous stands from burning up?”
- Weaver, Harold.  1943.  Fire as an ecological and silvicultural factor in the ponderosa pine region of the Pacific Slope.  Jour. Forestry 41:7-15.

## “The present deplorable and increasingly critical conditions in vast areas of the region are proof that foresters have not solved the silvicultural problems of ponderosa pine, and to continue present policies will further aggravate an already serious situation.

- This article represents the author’s views only and is not to be regarded in any way as an expression of the attitude of the Indian Service on the subject discussed.”
- Weaver, Harold.  1943.  Fire as an ecological and silvicultural factor in the ponderosa pine region of the Pacific Slope.  Jour. Forestry 41:7-15.

## Harold Weaver in prescribed burn area,  1958

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## Historical comparison of PP/MC

| Year | Acres | Tot | PP | SP | WF | OS |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1910 | 647 | 14.4 | 13.7 | .14 | .45 | .07 |
|  | % |  | 95 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2006 | 522 | .9 | 8.3 | .44 | 2.0 | .84 |
|  | % |  | 69 | 4 | 17 | 7 |

**Total volume 2006: 6.26 billion**
**Annual growth: 95 million (55 pp, 5 sp, 23 wf, 10 lp)**
**	****             ****Growth % 1.4       3.0      2.7     3.3**
**1910 est from Wilcox and Mezger 1954.**

## Reference Conditions

| Source | Habitat Type | BA<21”
-----Per | BA >21”
Acre----- | # Trees
------ |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Lake (Mung 1917) | PP | 30 | 71 | 15 |
| Bluejay Springs | PP/BT | 37 | 63 | 15 |
| Wildhorse | PP/BT | 38 | 54 | 13 |
| Metolius (YB) | PP/BT |  | 62 | 14 |
| Pringle (YB) | PP/BT |  | 63 | 15 |
| Mt Scott (1916) | PP+MC | 9 | 68 | 11PP
2 OT |

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| Source | Habitat Type | BA <21”
----------Per | BA >21”
Acre------- | 
------ |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Lamath (Mung 1917) | MC | 29 | 94 | 15 PP
4 OT |

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| Habitat Type | Tot
BA | Tot
BA <21 | 
# >21 | 
# >32 | Acres
(M) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PP/BT
DFC
Ave
Complex
Remnant
Simplif | 
70-95
88
104
97
71 | 
20-30
66
55
70
69 | 
>12
5.4
12
7.1
.5 | 
>2
1.1
3
1
0 | 

376
58
230
70 |
| MC
DFC
Ave
Complex
Remnant | 
100-120
121
150
116 | 
30-40
81
86
82 | 
>15
9
15
10 | 
>3
2
4
2 | 

91
21
63 |

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## Progression of thought on complex (old growth) forest:

- Leave complex largely along in first 10 years (no commercial entries); focus on simplified stands
- Allow commercial entry into mixed conifer
- Allow commercial entry into all complex
- Make treatments in complex a top priority
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##    1) NSOs and prey need areas of denser forest with shade-tolerant component for NRF habitat.  A working hypothesis for these denser areas:

- 	    a) Large patches (perhaps 300 acres in size) occupying in aggregate perhaps 30% of landscape
- 	    b)  Retain on moister, steeper parts of landscape where envir conditions most likely to have encouraged them under natural regime
- 	    c) Include limited fuel reduction to improve survival of old growth trees within them
- 	    d) These habitat islands can exist and function within a landscape treated to reduce stand density to reduce the potential for large scale  stand replacement fire and compet pressure on old trees.
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##    2) Key elements of matrix treatment

- 		a) Silvicultural treatments focus on returning stands to something approaching HRV in basal area and stand structure
- 		b) Start by treating areas around old growth trees
- 		c) Small patches (1-20 acres) of dense forest structure would be retained within the matrix for NSO and to help ensure that shade-tolerant seed source/component is not lost.
-     3) This restoration strategy (owl islands in a restored matrix) should be planned at the level of large natural landscape units (e.g. 10-20 M acres)
- 	4) Developing a credible adaptive mgt. strategy will be critical both scientifically and politically given the scale of what would be proposed.
- Spatially coor treatment blocks to break up fire spread
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##    4) South Chiloquin block of Winema NF a good place to start (approx 50,000 acres)

- 		a) Mostly mixed conifer habitat types
- 		b) Little harvest or wildfire in the last decade
- 		c) Retains significant old tree legacy
- 		d) Has significant fuel loadings
- 		e) Has had a few owl activity centers
- 		f) Designated as matrix in NWFP, except for 	designated old growth areas in Forest Plan
- 		g) Largely roaded
- 		h) Contains significant revenues to offset 	treatment costs
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##    1) NSOs and prey need areas of denser forest with shade-tolerant component for NRF habitat.  A working hypothesis for these denser areas:

- 	    a) Large patches (perhaps 300 acres in size) occupying in aggregate perhaps 30% of landscape
- 	    b)  Retain on moister, steeper parts of landscape where envir conditions most likely to have encouraged them under natural regime
- 	    c) Include limited fuel reduction to improve survival of old growth trees within them
- 	Strategically placed landscape units to break up fire-spread)
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