Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS Chapter 3 • 7

3.2 Issue 1 – Roadless Areas 

Inventoried Roadless Areas (roadless areas) were originally identified 

during the Roadless Area Review and Evaluation studies (RARE I and 

RARE II) conducted in the 1970s. Roadless areas refer to undeveloped 

areas typically exceeding 5,000 acres that meet the minimum criteria 

for Wilderness consideration under the Wilderness Act. 

Roadless areas and their values are issues of national importance. 

Many of the comment letters received for the DEIS expressed concern 

for harvest and road construction in roadless areas. Most of the letters 

were from out of state and were from people who have never visited 

the Tongass. 

On the Tongass National Forest, many of the biological and social 

values of roadless areas were taken into consideration when 

determining the LUDs for the Forest Plan. The Project Area includes 

all of the North Kuiu Roadless Area and a small portion of the 

Security Roadless Area. 

Areas meeting the roadless criteria were inventoried during the Forest 

Service’s RARE II process, subsequent assessments, or forest 

planning. The inventory conducted by the Tongass National Forest and 

published in the Tongass Forest Plan Supplemental Environmental 

Impact Statement 2003, (Forest Plan SEIS) represents the best and 

most recent inventory on the Tongass. 

In the evaluation of roadless areas, all Tongass National Forest lands 

were assessed to determine if they were suitable for Wilderness as 

based on the Wilderness Act and the procedures in the Forest Service 

planning directives. Appendix C (SEIS Volumes II and III) includes 

documentation of the analysis and evaluation for each Inventoried 

Roadless Area and describes the relative contribution each roadless 

area would make to the National Wilderness Preservation System. The 

Forest Plan SEIS identified and evaluated roadless areas that met 

minimum criteria for potential inclusion in the National Wilderness 

Preservation System using the Wilderness Attribute Rating System 

(WARS). This system was used to inventory the wilderness 

characteristics of Inventoried Roadless Areas. The purpose of WARS 

was to provide a measure of an area’s wilderness quality, based on the 

key attributes of wilderness as defined in the Wilderness Act. 

3.2.2.1 Roadless Analysis in the Forest Plan 

During the revision of the Forest Plan, all areas, including roaded and 

roadless, were analyzed. The Forest Plan allocates some portions of 

roadless areas to Timber Production, Modified Landscape, and Scenic 

Viewshed LUDs, all of which allow roads, road construction, and 

3.2.1 

Introduction

 

3.2.2 

Background 
3 Environment and Effects

 8 • Chapter 3 Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS 

timber harvest. Other portions of roadless areas are allocated to nondevelopment LUDs. These allocations include Old-growth Habitat, 

Remote Recreation, Semi-remote Recreation, Special Interest Areas, 

and Recreational River LUDs. About 74 percent of the roadless area in 

the Tongass National Forest are included in non-development LUDs. 

3.2.2.2 Roadless Area Conservation Rule 

The Roadless Area Conservation Rule (January 12, 2001) has been the 

subject of several lawsuits. In the most recent ruling (September 20, 

2006), the court re-instituted the rule as it appears in the July 1, 2004 

edition of 36 CFR Chapter II, Parts 200 to 299, and includes the text: 

"this subpart does not apply to road construction, road reconstruction, 

or the cutting, sale or removal of timber in inventoried roadless areas 

on the Tongass National Forest” (294.14(d)). 

3.2.3.1 Introduction 

Most of Southeast Alaska is currently unroaded. About 74 percent of 

the roadless areas are within LUDs that would retain their unroaded 

condition through the life of the Forest Plan (Forest Plan SEIS Record 

of Decision p. 12). There are eight roadless areas on Kuiu Island. 

Table 3-1 lists the size of each roadless area along with acres in 

Development and Non-development LUDs. 

The Forest Plan 2003 inventory identified two roadless areas that 

overlap the Project Area (North Kuiu #241 and Security #240). These 

two roadless areas are included in the area of analysis along with the 

entire sale area. All other roadless areas are outside the area of analysis 

because the integrity of those areas would not be affected by any of the 

proposed activities. Figure 3-1 shows the location of the roadless areas 

on the northern portion of Kuiu Island. The proposed action 

alternatives would not make any roadless areas ineligible for 

Wilderness designation. However, the size of North Kuiu Roadless 

Area may be reduced, as described later in this analysis. 

3.2.3 

Current 

Condition 
Issue 1: Roadless Areas 3 

Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS Chapter 3 • 9 

Table 3-1. Kuiu Island Inventoried Roadless Areas 

Roadless Area 

Roadless 

Area 

number 

Nondevelopment 

acresa 

Acres in 

Development 

LUDs 

Total acres 

in Roadless 

Area 

Keku 239 3,062 8,108 11,170 

Security 240 26,104 9,393 35,497 

North Kuiu 241 734 8,810 9,544 

Camden 242 8,095 32,300 40,395 

Rocky Passb 243 73,961 5,142 79,103 

Bay of Pillars 244 27,782 946 28,728 

East Kuiuc 245 16,711 29,684 46,395 

South Kuiu 246 63,063 0 63,063 

Total Acres 219,512 94,383 313,895 

a Forest Plan allocation 

b Includes acres on both Kuiu Island and Kupreanof Island 

c Includes some small islands off the coast of Kuiu Island

3.2.3.2 Roadless Areas 

All of the North Kuiu Roadless Area, a portion of the Security 

Roadless Area, and three smaller unroaded areas lie within the Project 

Area (Table 3-2 and Figure 3-1). The Inventoried Roadless Areas are 

North Kuiu (#241) and Security (#240). They lie near the existing road 

system. Although infrequent, sights and sounds of vehicles traveling 

the road system may occur. These noises are temporary and of short 

duration. 

Table 3-2. Acres of Inventoried Roadless Area within the Project 

Area 

Roadless Area Total acres Roadless Area acres 

within Project Area 

North Kuiu (#241) 9,544 9,544 

Security (#240) 35,497 134 
3 Environment and Effects

 10 • Chapter 3 Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS 

3.2.3.3 Security Roadless Area #240 

The Security Roadless Area is located on the northwest side of Kuiu 

Island, approximately 15 air miles southwest of Kake and about 50 air 

miles west of Petersburg. Chatham Strait lies to the west, Security Bay 

to the northeast, and Frederick Sound to the north. 

Approximately 134 acres of the Security Roadless Area are within the 

Project Area boundary, but there are no proposed or reasonably 

foreseeable future activities within this roadless area. Therefore, this 

roadless area will not be discussed further. Additional information on 

the Security Roadless Area is available in the Roadless Area Analysis 

located in the planning record. 

3.2.3.4 North Kuiu Roadless Area #241 

The North Kuiu Roadless Area is located near the center of the 

northern portion of Kuiu Island. Roads surround the area and provide 

access to Rowan Bay (Figure 3-1). Petersburg is approximately 40 air 

miles from the roadless area. Kake, the nearest town, is located 

approximately 10 air miles away on Kupreanof Island. 

Management Direction and Current uses 

The majority of this roadless area, 92 percent, was allocated to the 

Timber Production LUD. Approximately eight percent of the roadless 

area was allocated to non-development LUDs (Table 3-3). 

There are no developed recreation sites in the roadless area. Deer 

hunting is the primary recreational use. There is some subsistence use 

in the area but most is concentrated along the road-accessible areas 

outside of the roadless area. 

Table 3-3. North Kuiu Roadless Area LUDs 

LUD Acres of LUD in 

roadless area Percent roadless area 

Timber Production 8,810 92% 

Old-growth Habitat 385 4% 

Recreational River 349 4% 

Total 9,544 100% 
Issue 1: Roadless Areas 3 

Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS Chapter 3 • 11 

3.2.3.5 Unroaded Areas 

In addition to analyzing roadless areas, the Forest Plan SEIS also 

identified unroaded areas with fewer than 5,000 acres, but of a size and 

configuration sufficient to protect the inherent characteristics 

associated with their roadless condition. Unroaded areas do not 

overlap with roadless areas and do not meet the minimum size 

requirement of 5,000 acres for potential Wilderness consideration. 

Unroaded areas are divided into two categories: areas greater than 

1,000 acres but less than 5,000 acres in size, and areas less than 1,000 

acres in size. 

The Project Area has three unroaded areas between 1,000 acres and 

5,000 acres in size (Figure 3-1). 

There are no proposed timber harvest units or roads in any of the 

unroaded areas less than 1,000 acres in size within the Project Area; 

therefore, these areas will not be analyzed further for this project. 

3.2.4.1 Introduction 

The Forest Plan SEIS GIS layer reflects the best and most current 

information on the Tongass roadless areas and was used for 

summarizing the information required for the following analysis. 

The units of measure used are a comparison of acres lost by alternative 

for the direct effect of harvest or road construction and indirect effects 

of incorporating the “zones of influence” to the units and roads (Table 

3-4 and 3-5) and the changes in rating to the values as identified in the 

Tongass Forest Plan (SEIS 2003) (Table 3-6). 

The inventory criteria used for this project is the same used to 

delineate roadless areas in the Forest Plan and the Forest Plan SEIS. 

The zone of influence includes all areas within 1,200 feet of an 

existing road, and 600 feet of an existing harvest unit, and are 

considered developed for the purpose of this analysis. Small areas 

surrounded by development and long narrow strips of unroaded areas 

are also considered developed and are not included in the roadless area 

acres. Helicopter units do not receive the 600-foot zone of influence 

buffer according to the Forest Plan SEIS (p. 2-5). 

Some of the timber harvest units are proposed for partial harvest, 

which produces fewer effects than clearcutting. Helicopter logging 

further reduces effects because it does not require as much road 

building, thereby limiting access to the roadless area. 

There are no reasonably foreseeable future activities planned within 

the North Kuiu Roadless Area. 

3.2.4 

Effects on the 

North Kuiu 

Roadless Area 
3 Environment and Effects

 12 • Chapter 3 Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS 

3.2.4.2 Effects Common to all Alternatives 

In all alternatives, the North Kuiu Roadless Area would remain greater 

than 9,000 acres in size and would remain eligible for Wilderness 

consideration in subsequent forest planning (Tables 3-4 and 3-5). 

The values shown in Table 3-6 have been identified as key 

characteristics of roadless areas in the National Forest System (Forest 

Plan SEIS 2003). The North Kuiu Roadless Area is evaluated using 

these national criteria. 

Most of the North Kuiu Roadless Area is within one mile of a road. 

Logging activities and traffic may be heard from the existing logging 

roads surrounding the roadless area and from the eastern boundary of 

the Security Roadless Area. These logging roads were present when 

roadless areas were analyzed for the Forest Plan Final EIS. Additional 

miles of NFS and temporary roads proposed in the action alternatives 

would be extensions of the existing road system. 

Table 3-4. Effects on the North Kuiu Roadless Areaa by alternative 

Measure of Effect Alt. 1 Alt. 2 Alt. 3 Alt. 4 Alt. 5 

Harvest unit acres in Roadless Area 0 0 67 205 112 

Percent of Roadless Area affected 0 0 <1% 2% 1% 

Acresb of temporary roads in Roadless Area (all would be 

closed after harvest) 0 0 0.92 2.23 2.23 

North Kuiu Roadless Area acres after harvest 9,544 9,544 9,476 9,337 9,430

a This table uses the Forest Plan SEIS Roadless acres.

b One mile of road construction (NFS or temporary) equals 4.85 acres.

Timber management activities have occurred on all sides of the North 

Kuiu Roadless Area. Total acres of the area would be reduced by 

timber harvest and road building in Alternatives 3 through 5; however, 

the area is currently influenced by roads and managed stands, therefore 

the effect on the overall characteristics and values would be minimal. 

The irregular shape of the roadless area, patterns of adjacent timber 

management, and roads affect its natural integrity, making it poorly 

suited for wilderness classification. There are no special attractions, 

features or unique values in this roadless area. It received a Wilderness 

Attribute Rating score of 15 out of 28 points (USDA 2003c). 
Issue 1: Roadless Areas 3 

Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS Chapter 3 • 13 

Table 3-5. Indirect Effects on the North Kuiu Roadless Areaa by alternative, including 

Zones of Influence of harvest and road construction 

Measure of Effect Alt. 1 Alt. 2 Alt. 3 Alt. 4 Alt. 5 

Acres of Roadless Area affectedb 0 11 257 551 397 

Percent of Roadless Area affected 0 0 3% 6% 4% 

North Kuiu Roadless Area acres after harvestb 9,544 9,533 9,287 8,993 9,147 

a This table uses the Forest Plan SEIS Roadless acres.

b Total includes 600-foot buffers around proposed timber harvest units and 1,200-foot buffers along proposed NFS and temporary 

roads within the roadless areas.

3.2.4.3 Comparison of Alternatives 

Alternatives 1 and 2 would not directly affect the North Kuiu Roadless 

Area. These alternatives do not propose any timber harvest units or 

roads within the roadless area. Alternative 1 would not affect the zone 

of influence; however, Alternative 2 would affect 11 acres due to roads 

or timber harvest extending the zone of influence into the roadless 

area. 

Alternatives 3, 4, and 5 include portions of timber harvest units within 

the boundary of the North Kuiu Roadless Area. The direct reduction of 

acres due to harvest and road building would vary between 67 acres in 

Alternative 3, to 205 acres in Alternative 4. These alternatives include 

units that would be located within 600 feet of the roadless area; 

therefore, their zones of influence would extend into the edge of the 

roadless area. This would indirectly reduce the overall size of the 

roadless area by a maximum of 551 acres (Alternative 4). 

Of the four action alternatives, Alternative 4 would have the greatest 

direct effect on the North Kuiu Roadless Area, with up to 205 acres 

harvested from eight units within the roadless area and two units 

whose zones of influence would extend into the roadless area. In 

addition, 0.33 mile of NFS road and 0.13 mile of temporary road are 

proposed within this roadless area. The affected acres represent about 

two percent of the North Kuiu Roadless Area. 
3 Environment and Effects

 14 • Chapter 3 Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS 

 Table 3-6. Roadless Area Values as identified in the Forest Plan SEIS (2003) 

Value Status Identified in Forest Plan SEIS (2003) Cumulative Effects after 

harvest 

Wilderness 

Potential 

The relative contribution of this area to the National 

Wilderness Preservation System would be very low 

because it is relatively small and is heavily 

influenced by development and activities on 

adjacent lands. 

Unchanged after harvest of 

action alternatives. 

Opportunity for 

Solitude and 

Serenity 

The opportunity for solitude is low and the 

opportunity for primitive recreation is moderate in 

this roadless area. 

Unchanged after harvest of 

action alternatives. 

Scenic Values The area is unmodified; however, its overall integrity 

in not pristine. The roadless area contains no 

landscapes considered distinctive for the character 

type from scenery perspective. 

Unchanged after harvest of 

action alternatives. 

Recreational 

Values 

A very small portion of Kadake Creek, a 

Recreational River, lies in the northeast portion of 

the North Kuiu Roadless Area. There is little 

potential for outfitter and guide permits given the 

difficulty in accessing the area and the habitat 

conditions. 

There are no designated recreation areas in the 

North Kuiu Roadless Area. 

Unchanged after harvest of 

action alternatives. 

Biological Values The vegetation within the North Kuiu Roadless Area 

is typical of Southeast Alaska. Most of the area is 

covered with a mosaic pattern of temperate 

rainforest and muskeg. 

There are 9,456 acres of mapped forest lands in the 

roadless area, approximately 90 percent of which is 

productive old-growth. Of the productive old-growth 

acres, approximately 5,932 acres, or 63 percent, are 

mapped as high-volume old-growth forest. 

Forested old-growth stands 

would change to forested 

young stands. Amount would 

vary by alternative. 

Reduced acres of productive 

old-growth. Varies by 

alternative. 

Cultural or 

Historical Values 

The North Kuiu Roadless Area lies within the 

traditional territory of the Kake Tlingit. There are no 

known cultural resource sites in the roadless area, 

although some subsistence use probably occurs in 

the area via access by existing roads that surround 

the Project Area. 

Unchanged after harvest of 

action alternatives. 

Research Values The area contains no known features of special 

interest other than two bands of karst. The mapped 

karst resources encompass approximately 2,270 

acres or 24 percent of the roadless area. The area 

does not include any Potential Research Natural 

Areas and has not been identified for any other 

scientific purpose. 

Unchanged after harvest of 

action alternatives. 
46251

6403

46252

6425

46090

6441

6448

46092

6442

64026409

6409

46098

6415 6427

6412

6414

46420

46101

6425

641

641

0

0

6402

6411

6413

46127

6418 6402

46096

6417

6419

6401

6421

6422

6417

6435

46152

46154

6415

6444

644

64

5

16

46360

46355

6436 6429

6402

6408

6426

6407

6405

6415

6437

642

6

8

447

46360

6446

6404

6428

46094

6443

46021

46091

503

109b

209

207

211

418

402

404

405

103d

103c

101

504

112

302

303

305

308

307

205

204

208b

208a 208

210 212

111

401

417

412

410

409

403

414

416

415

Saginaw Bay

Security Bay

Legend

Roadless Areas

Unroaded Areas > 1000 Acres and < 5000 Acres

Unroaded Areas < 1000 Acres

Unit Pool

Non-National Forest

Managed Stands

Lakes/Saltwater

Project Area Boundary

Existing Open Roads

Stream Value Class I & II

Proposed Temporary Roads

±

u:/workspace/kuiu_roaded/feis/plots/feis_plots/f3_1rdls.mxd 07-09-07 EP

Kuiu Timber Sale

Figure 3-1

Roadless Areas and

Unroaded Areas

North Kuiu

Roadless Area

Camden Roadless Area

Security Roadless Area

Keku Roadless Area

Kadake

Bay

Keku Strait

1

2

3

0 0.5 1 2 3 4

Miles
3 Environment and Effects

 16 • Chapter 3 Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS 

Backside of map 
Issue 1: Roadless Areas 3 

Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS Chapter 3 • 17 

3.2.4.4 Alternative 1 

This alternative does not propose road construction or timber harvest 

nor does it propose to reduce the miles of open drivable roads. In all of 

the action alternatives a minimum of 8.2 miles of open road are 

proposed for closure. However, in Alternative 1 those roads would 

remain open and would continue to influence the quality of the 

roadless area through the sights and sounds of vehicle traffic at current 

levels. 

3.2.4.5 Alternative 2 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

There would be no direct effects on the North Kuiu Roadless Area in 

Alternative 2. This alternative does not propose any timber harvest or 

road construction in the North Kuiu Roadless Area. 

A total of 11 acres in the roadless area would be affected from the 600-

foot zone of influence around harvest units and the 1,200-foot zone of 

influence around proposed roads. 

Indirect beneficial effects could occur through the closure of 

approximately 7.8 miles of roads that are currently open. Closure of 

these roads may reduce the influence of sights and sounds from 

vehicle use within the roadless area. These remote roads, however, are 

not used much beyond logging and hunting therefore the overall 

integrity of the roadless area would not change. 

3.2.4.6 Alternative 3 

A total loss of 67 acres due to timber harvest and 1 acre from 

construction of 0.06 mile of NFS road and 0.13 mile of temporary road 

is proposed within the North Kuiu Roadless Area in Alternative 3. 

Portions of Units 109, 210, and 308 would be within the roadless area. 

The proposed harvest is clearcut for all three units and would be highly 

visible from areas within the roadless area. Due to the spacing of the 

units only one harvest unit would be visible at a time from within the 

roadless area. All effects would occur along the edge of the roadless 

area. 

With the harvest of Unit 308, the roadless area would be narrowed to 

an approximately 1,518-foot strip between harvest units at its 

narrowest point; a corridor of this width would not be expected to 

restrict wildlife movement. Approximately 9,476 acres would be 

maintained in a roadless condition. 

Unit 307 would be within 600 feet of the roadless area, and its zone of 

influence would extend into the edge of the area. 
3 Environment and Effects

 18 • Chapter 3 Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

By building roads and harvesting in the roadless area this portion 

would no longer be roadless. 

With the ongoing influence from roads and managed stands, the 

effects to the overall roadless area characteristics and values would be 

minimal. Opportunities for solitude would remain low, and the 

opportunity for primitive recreation would remain moderate. 

A total of 257 acres in the roadless area would be affected, including 

the 600-foot zone of influence around harvest units and the 1,200-foot 

zone of influence around proposed roads. 

Indirect beneficial effects could occur through the closure of 

approximately 8.0 miles of roads that are currently open. Closure of 

these roads may reduce the influence of sights and sounds from 

vehicle use within the roadless area. These remote roads, however, are 

not used much beyond logging and hunting therefore the overall 

integrity of the roadless area would not change. 

3.2.4.7 Alternative 4 

Approximately 207 acres of roadless area would be removed due to 

timber harvest and 0.46 mile of road construction with this alternative. 

Approximately 0.33 mile of NFS road and 0.13 mile of temporary road 

would be built. 

Portions of Units 101, 109, 210, 211, and 308 would be located within 

the edges of the roadless area; these acres would be clearcut harvested 

which would be highly visible from within the roadless area for 

several years. Units 305, 302, and 303 are helicopter units located 

almost entirely within the roadless boundary; however, they are 

scheduled for partial harvest and would not be as noticeable as the 

clearcut units. This alternative has 4 units (302, 303, 305, and 308) 

along the same drainage and it may be possible to see more than one 

harvest unit from a single position within the roadless area. 

With the harvest of Unit 308, the roadless area between harvest units 

would be narrowed to a strip approximately 1,518 feet wide at its 

narrowest point; a corridor of this width would not be expected to 

restrict wildlife movement. Approximately 9,337 acres would be 

maintained in a roadless condition. 

A total of 551 acres in the roadless area would be affected when the 

600-foot zone of influence around harvest units and the 1,200-foot 

zone of influence around roads are applied around the proposed 

activities. Helicopter units do not receive the 600-foot zone of 

influence buffer according to the Forest Plan SEIS (p. 2-5). 
Issue 1: Roadless Areas 3 

Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS Chapter 3 • 19 

Units 212 and 307 would be within 600 feet of the roadless area, 

extending their zones of influence into the edge of the roadless area. 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

The reduction of two percent of the roadless area is not expected to 

change the integrity of the North Kuiu Roadless Area. 

The units are spread along more of the roadless area than in 

Alternatives 3 or 5, and this alternative has the greatest reduction in 

the total acres from the roadless area; therefore, this alternative would 

have the most effect on the roadless area. However, all the effects 

would occur along the edge and with the ongoing influence from 

existing roads and managed stands, the effects to the overall 

characteristics and values would be minimal. The opportunity for 

solitude would remain low, and the opportunity for primitive 

recreation would remain moderate. 

Beneficial effects may result from the closure of approximately 10.5 

miles of roads currently open around the roadless area. Closure of 

these roads may reduce the influence of sights and sounds from 

vehicle use within the roadless area. These remote roads, however, are 

not used much beyond logging and hunting therefore the overall 

integrity of the roadless area would not change. 

3.2.4.8 Alternative 5 

Approximately 114 acres of roadless area would be removed due to 

timber harvest and 0.46 mile of road construction (approximately 0.33 

mile of NFS road and 0.13 mile of temporary road) in the North Kuiu 

Roadless Area with this alternative. 

Units 101, 109, 210, 211, and 308 would be located within the roadless 

area and would be clearcut. The harvested units would be highly 

visible from within the roadless area; however, because of the distance 

between the proposed units, only one harvest unit would be visible at a 

time. 

About 9,430 acres would be maintained in a roadless condition. 

A total of 397 acres of roadless area would be affected when the 600-

foot zone of influence around harvest units and the 1,200-foot zone of 

influence around roads are applied around the proposed activities. 

With the harvest of Unit 308, the roadless area would be narrowed to 

an approximately 1,518-foot strip between harvest units at its 

narrowest point; a corridor of this width would not be expected to 

restrict wildlife movement. 

Units 212 and 307 would be within 600 feet of the roadless area, 

extending their zones of influence into the edge of the roadless area. 
3 Environment and Effects

 20 • Chapter 3 Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

The reduction of one percent of the roadless area is not expected to 

change the integrity of the North Kuiu Roadless Area. 

All effects would occur along the edge of the roadless area. With the 

ongoing influence from roads and managed stands, the effects to the 

overall characteristics and values would be minimal. Opportunities for 

solitude would remain low, and the opportunity for primitive 

recreation moderate. 

Beneficial effects could result from the closure of about 10.5 miles of 

roads that are currently open around the roadless area. Closure of these 

roads may reduce the influence of sights and sounds from vehicle use 

within the roadless area. These remote roads, however, are not used 

much beyond logging and hunting therefore the overall integrity of the 

roadless area would not change. 

Tables 3-7 to 3-10 list the direct and indirect effects of the proposed 

harvest by alternative on the two unroaded areas in which timber 

harvest or temporary road building is proposed. No table is shown for 

the third unroaded area with no proposed timber harvest or road 

construction in any action alternative. Locations of these unroaded 

areas are shown in Figure 3-1. 

Table 3-7. Direct Effects on Area 1 (Southern Unroaded Area 2,412 acres) by 

alternative 

Measure of Effects Alt. 1 Alt. 2 Alt. 3 Alt. 4 Alt. 5 

Acres harvested within units 0 0 68 149 149 

Percent of unroaded area affected by units 0 0 3% 6% 6% 

Acresa of temporary roads in unroaded areas 0 0 3.1 3.8 3.8 

Unroaded Area 1 acres after harvest 2,412 2,412 2,341 2,259 2,259

a

 One mile of road construction (NFS or temporary) equals 4.85 acres. 

3.2.5 

Effects on 

Unroaded 

Areas 
Issue 1: Roadless Areas 3 

Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS Chapter 3 • 21 

Table 3-8. Direct Effects on Area 2 (Middle Unroaded Area 3,302 acres) by 

alternative

Measure of Effect Alt. 1 Alt. 2 Alt. 3 Alt. 4 Alt. 5 

Acres harvested within units 0 0 0 18 18 

Percent of unroaded area affected by units 0 0 0 <1% <1% 

Acres of NFS and temporary roads in unroaded 

areasa 0 0 0 0.3 0.3 

Unroaded Area 2 - acres after harvest 3,302 3,302 3,302 3,284 3,284 

a One mile of road construction equals 4.85 acres. 

Direct and Indirect Effects 

Alternatives 1 would not affect unroaded areas less than 5,000 acres. 

Alternative 2 does not propose any timber harvest units or roads within 

unroaded areas and would not have any direct effects. 

Alternative 3 proposes harvest of 68 acres (portions of Units 403, 409, 

and 410), and construction of 0.55 mile of NFS and 0.09 mile of 

temporary road within Unroaded Area 1. This area would be reduced 

by approximately three percent to 2,341 acres. No timber harvest is 

proposed within Unroaded Area 2 in Alternative 3. 

Alternatives 4 and 5 propose harvest of 167 acres from Unroaded 

Areas 1 and 2 (Units 402, 403, 409, 410, 412, and 503) and 

construction of 0.55 mile of NFS road and 0.3 mile of temporary road 

within the unroaded areas. 

Logging activities and traffic may be heard from Unroaded Area 1. 

These logging roads existed before this project was planned. The 

proposed activities would not change the integrity of the unroaded 

areas. 

When the zones of influence from roads and timber harvest are 

considered, 6 acres of unroaded area in Alternative 2 and 292 acres of 

unroaded area in Alternative 3 would be affected. In Alternative 4, a 

total of 497 acres and in Alternative 5 a total of 498 acres of unroaded 

area would be affected. 

Unroaded Area 1 would be reduced by approximately nineteen percent 

to 1,960 acres and Unroaded Area 2 would be reduced approximately 

one percent to 3,256 acres. 
3 Environment and Effects

 22 • Chapter 3 Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS 

Table 3-9. Indirect Effects on Area 1 (Southern Unroaded Area 2,412 acres) by 

alternative

Measure of Effects Alt. 1 Alt. 2 Alt. 3 Alt. 4 Alt. 5 

Acres of unroaded area affecteda 0 0 292 451 452 

Percent of unroaded area affected by units 0 <1% 12% 19% 19% 

Acres in Unroaded Area 1 after harvestb 2,412 2,406 2,120 1,961 1,960 

a Total includes 600-foot buffers around proposed timber harvest units and 1,200-foot buffers along proposed NFS and 

temporary roads within the roadless areas. 

b All new NFS and temporary roads in roadless areas would be closed after harvest. 

Table 3-10. Indirect Effects on Area 2 (Middle Unroaded Area 3,302 acres) by 

alternative 

Measure of Effect Alt. 1 Alt. 2 Alt. 3 Alt. 4 Alt. 5 

 Acres of unroaded area affecteda 0 0 0 46 46 

 Percent of unroaded area affected by units 0 0 0 1% 1% 

 Acres in Unroaded Area 2 after harvestb 3,302 3,302 3,302 3,256 3,256 

 a Total includes 600-foot buffers around proposed timber harvest units and 1,200-foot buffers along proposed NFS and

 temporary roads within the roadless areas. 

 b All new NFS and temporary roads in roadless areas would be closed after harvest. 

In Alternatives 1 the roadless areas and unroaded areas would be 

unchanged. Alternative 2 would only affect the zone of influence, 

extending it slightly into the North Kuiu Roadless Area and one 

unroaded area. In Alternatives 3-5, the North Kuiu Roadless Area and 

two of the three unroaded areas would be reduced in size as shown in 

Tables 3-4 to 3-10. The North Kuiu Roadless Area would remain 

eligible for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System, 

the unroaded area would still be over 1,000 acres, and values identified 

for the roadless areas within the Project Area would be retained. 

3.2.6.1 Cumulative Effects 

Cumulative effects on roadless areas were analyzed at the Forest Plan 

level. The decision was made to allocate roadless areas to either 

development or non-development LUDs. During the analysis for the 

Forest Plan the values of the roadless areas, their location, and their 

proximity to other roadless areas, especially Congressionallydesignated Wilderness Areas, were used to determine which roadless 

areas would be allocated for development. 

3.2.6 

Conclusion 
Issue 1: Roadless Areas 3 

Kuiu Timber Sale FEIS Chapter 3 • 23 

There are currently 9.6 million acres of land that are unroaded on the 

Tongass National Forest. Even with full implementation of activities 

allowed by the Forest Plan and no further Wilderness designation, 90 

percent would remain roadless after 10 years, and 87 percent would 

remain roadless after 50 years (2003 Forest Plan SEIS ROD p. 12). 

The North Kuiu Roadless Area has been designated as a Timber LUD. 

None of the alternatives for the Kuiu Timber Sale project would affect 

the Wilderness eligibility of any roadless area. 

It is reasonable to assume that timber harvest and associated road 

management will continue on Kuiu Island. Although in all action 

alternatives for the Kuiu project all new NFS roads would be closed 

after the completion of timber harvest activities, it is intended these 

roads would be used again in the future to access additional timber 

lands within the North Kuiu Roadless Area and in Unroaded Area #1. 

Cumulative effects for roadless areas include reasonable foreseeable 

future activities that overlap in the Project Area. Harvest of the 

remaining units from the Crane and Rowan Mountain Timber Sales 

EIS may affect approximately 284 acres of the Security Roadless 

Area. If harvest occurs this roadless area would still be eligible for 

Wilderness designation. 

In addition, there are four units from the Crane Rowan Mountain 

Timber Sales EIS and 0.32 mile of proposed road construction in 

Unroaded Area 1. If harvested, it would remove 209 acres from the 

unroaded area . There is also 0.53 mile of proposed road construction 

in Unroaded Area 2. If this area were harvested, it would remove 100 

acres from the unroaded area. 

The current five-year plan and the events listed in the Catalog of 

Events for Kuiu Island are not expected to reduce the size of any of the 

roadless areas on Kuiu Island to less than 5,000 acres or make them 

ineligibile for Wilderness consideration. 

Since timber harvest and associated road building and major facilities 

are not allowed within non-development LUDs, at least 219,512 acres 

of these roadless areas on Kuiu Island would remain in a natural state 

for the life of the Forest Plan.