United States

Department of

Agriculture

Forest 

Service

Pacific 

Northwest

Region

2003

Monitoring Report

for the Land and Resource

Management Plan

Wenatchee National Forest

Fiscal Year 2002

Western Hemlock

 October 2003

Dear Forest User, 

The Wenatchee Forest Plan establishes general direction of all resource management activities on the Forest. 

It provides for forest protection and coordinated multiple-use management of outdoor recreation, range, 

timber, watershed, wildlife and fish, minerals, and wilderness. The overall purpose is protection of ecosystem 

resources and providing for the sustained production of goods and services for the benefit of the American 

people.

Monitoring is a key part of Forest Plan implementation. This report summarizes and highlights Forest 

Service monitoring activities for Fiscal Year 2002 (October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2002). This is our 

eleventh Forest Plan Monitoring Report and it includes a summary of what has been learned from the last 

five years of monitoring in each resource area. 

As Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests Supervisor, I am responsible for ensuring that all Forest 

management activities comply with the Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines and Management Area 

Prescriptions. The monitoring and evaluation program tells us how we are doing in implementing the 

promises made in the Forest Plan. To keep you informed, I have prepared the annual Monitoring Report 

describing progress made in implementing the Forest Plan as reflected by monitoring and evaluation. 

The Wenatchee Forest Plan has been amended 23 times since its implementation in 1990 through the end 

of September 30, 2002. These amendments have kept the Forest Plan current and responsive to the changing 

needs of the American people. The Plan was substantially amended by the Northwest Forest Plan on April 13, 

1994. Whenever the term “Plan” or “Forest Plan” is used in the Report, it refers to the Wenatchee Forest Plan

and all amendments. 

This year, the Monitoring Report can be accessed through the Internet on the Wenatchee National Forest’s 

home page at www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee. If you do not have access to the Internet and would like to receive 

a hard copy of the Monitoring Report, please call or write to the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests 

Headquarters and request a copy of the Wenatchee National Forest FY 2002 Forest Plan Monitoring Report.

Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest

215 Melody Lane

Wenatchee, WA 98826

(509) 662-4335

If you have any questions, concerns or comments regarding the information in this report, please contact 

Susan Carter Craig, Ecosystem Coordinator, Wenatchee National Forest at (509) 662-4335.

I hope you will continue to be involved with the management of National Forests.

Sincerely,

Darrel Kenops

Forest Supervisor
Monitoring Report

for the Land and Resource 

Management Plan

Wenatchee National Forest

Fiscal Year 2002
Contents

I. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................... 1

PURPOSE OF THE MONITORING REPORT ..........................................................................................................1

GENERAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................................................................1

II. SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS ................................................................................ 2

SUMMARY TABLE .........................................................................................................................................4-11

III. INDIVIDUAL MONITORING ITEMS............................................................................................................8

A. RECREATION..............................................................................................................................................12

B. WILD, SCENIC, AND RECREATIONAL RIVERS..............................................................................................14

C. SCENERY MANAGEMENT .........................................................................................................................14

D. WILDERNESS ..............................................................................................................................................18

E. CULTURAL RESOURCES..............................................................................................................................18

F. COORDINATION OF FOREST PROGRAMS WITH INDIAN TRIBES.................................................................21

G. SENSITIVE PLANTS, BIODIVERSITY, AND OLD GROWTH ............................................................................21

H. WILDLIFE....................................................................................................................................................26

I. TIMBER OFFERED, HARVESTED, AND RELATED SILVICULTURAL ACTIVITIES...............................................46

J. SOIL, WATER, FISHERIES AND RELATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ......................................................54

K. RANGE MANAGEMENT AND RELATED ACTIVITIES (not evaluated this year) ..........................................64

L. ROAD MANAGEMENT ...............................................................................................................................64

M. INSECT AND DISEASE.................................................................................................................................67

N. FOREST FIRE PROTECTION .........................................................................................................................68

O. AIR QUALITY ..............................................................................................................................................70

P. MINERALS..................................................................................................................................................71

Q. COMMUNITY EFFECTS AND RESOURCE BUDGETS ....................................................................................73

R. GENERAL MONITORING OF STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES ......................................................................74

S. LANDS........................................................................................................................................................75

IV. FOREST PLAN UPDATE ................................................................................................................... 77

LIST OF PREPARERS.............................................................................................................................. 79
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 1

I. INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE OF THE MONITORING REPORT

The Wenatchee Forest Plan was implemented in 1990 after extensive analysis and public 

review and comment. The Forest Plan was amended in 1994 by the Record of Decision and 

Standards and Guidelines for Management of Habitat for Late-Successional and Old-Growth 

Forest Related Species Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl (Northwest Forest Plan). 

Preparation of the Forest Plan is required by the National Forest Management Act of 1976. It 

provides standards, guidelines, land allocations, and philosophies that serve as the basis for all 

Forest Service management on the 2.2 million acre Wenatchee National Forest.

The purpose of this annual report is to provide information to the Regional Forester, 

Forest Leadership Team, and the public on how well the Forest Plan Goals and Objectives are 

being met. The monitoring and evaluation process will provide information to determine if:

laws, regulations, and policies are being following, including those found in the Forest Plan

Management Area Prescriptions, and Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines, the Regional 

Guide, and Forest Service Handbooks.

the management prescriptions are producing the predicted Goals and Objectives or Desired 

Future Conditions of the Forest environment.

cost and annual budgets of implementing the Forest Plan are within projected limits.

the projected range of outputs is being produced; it will also evaluate effects.

A number of monitoring systems are already in place to comply with administrative 

and legal responsibilities. Forest Plan monitoring does not replace these systems, but rather 

complements them by addressing specific issues and concerns identified through the planning 

process.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Monitoring consists of gathering data, making observations, and collecting and disclosing 

information. Monitoring is also the means to determine how well objectives of the Forest 

Plan are being met, and how appropriate the management Standards and Guidelines are for 

meeting the projected Forest outputs and protecting the environment. Monitoring is used to 

determine how well the assumptions used in development of the Forest Plan reflect actual 

conditions.

Monitoring and evaluation may lead to changes in practices or provide a basis for 

adjustments, amendments, or Forest Plan revisions. Monitoring is intended to keep the Forest 

Plan dynamic and responsive to change and new information.
 

2 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Ponderosa Pine
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 3

II. SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

The following categories of actions are used to summarize those monitoring items 

needing attention from the Forest Supervisor and Forest Leadership Team. Group Leaders 

responsible for each monitoring item have recommended actions based on their evaluations.

Results are Acceptable/Continue to Monitor

The results for these monitoring questions are either acceptable (within the “Threshold 

of Variability” listed in Chapter V of the Forest Plan), or more than 1 or 2 years of data are 

needed to evaluate the results (continue to monitor). For some items, several years of data 

collection are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness or validity of the Forest Plan. Studies 

are being initiated to provide the baseline data and inventories necessary to answer these 

questions.

Change Management Practices

The results for these monitoring questions exceeded the “Threshold of Variability” for a 

particular monitoring item question in Chapter IV. An evaluation of the situation indicates the 

need to change practices to comply with the Forest Plan.

Further Evaluation/Determine Action

The results for these monitoring questions may or may not exceed the “Threshold of 

Variability”. Additional information is needed to better identify the cause of the concern and 

to determine future actions.

Propose Forest Plan Amendment

Areas where results are inconsistent with the Forest Plan Objectives or the Forest Plan

direction was not clear. The follow-up action requires either changing or clarifying the 

Forest Plan through the amendment process. The Forest Supervisor can make non-significant 

amendments; significant amendments require Regional Forester approval.
 

4 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS TABLE

Continue

Monitoring

Change

Management

Practices

Further 

Evaluation

Forest Plan

Amendment

or Revision

Recommendations

A. RECREATION

Forest Trails  Continue monitoring as scheduled

Management of Developed 

Recreation  Continue monitoring as scheduled

Management of Dispersed 

Recreation Areas  Continue monitoring as scheduled

B. WILD and SCENIC RIVERS

Wild , Scenic and 

Recreational Rivers  Continue monitoring as scheduled

C. SCENERY MANAGEMENT

Scenic Resource Objectives 

Continue monitoring as 

scheduled – see text for specific 

recommendations for watersheds.

Stand Character Goals  Continue monitoring as scheduled

D. WILDERNESS

Recreation Impacts on 

Wilderness Resources  Continue monitoring as scheduled

E. CULTURAL RESOURCES

Cultural and Historic Site 

Protection  Continue monitoring as scheduled

Cultural and Historic Site 

Rehabilitation  Continue monitoring as scheduled

F. COOPERATION OF FOREST PROGRAMS WITH INDIAN TRIBES

American Indians and their 

Culture  Continue monitoring as scheduled

Coordination and 

Communication of Forest 

Programs with Indian 

Tribes

 Continue monitoring as scheduled

G. SENSITIVE PLANTS, BIODIVERSITY AND OLD GROWTH

Maintenance of Sensitive 

Plant Populations  

Continue to address and evaluate 

the effects of proposed actions 

on sensitive plants. Establish 

quantitative formal monitoring 

as needed to protect sensitive 

plants and to ascertain the effects 

of natural and management 

activities on these species

Biodiversity and Old

Growth 

Continue to address biodiversity, 

either directly, or through its 

critical components in NEPA 

documents and watershed 

assessments. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 5

Continue

Monitoring

Change

Management

Practices

Further 

Evaluation

Forest Plan

Amendment

or Revision

Recommendations

Survey and Manage  

Integrate assessments of Survey 

and Manage species into 

activities as directed by the NWFP. 

Continue to increase use of 

native plants for restoration and 

rehabilitation and monitor fire 

effects as needed. 

Old Growth Ecosystems 

Continue to follow old growth 

acres harvested and address 

in NEPA documents, where 

applicable

H. WILDLIFE

Primary Cavity Excavators 

Re-sample within the fire and 

salvage logging study area during 

2004 and 2005 to monitor snag 

attrition and the response of 

primary cavity excavators. Survey 

snags before and after timber 

harvest to determine if snag 

standards are being met. 

Land Birds 

Complete post-prescribed fire 

monitoring of landbirds in the 

Pendleton Monitoring Study. 

Complete post-treatment 

monitoring of landbirds in the FFS 

Study. Publish results of shortterm response of landbirds to the 

Pendleton Dry Site treatments 

and integrate findings into future 

restoration project designs.

Riparian Dependent 

Wildlife Species  

Use data from the riparian 

amphibian monitoring as a pilot 

study to determine the statistical 

power of determining trends in 

amphibian populations under 

the current study design. Make 

adjustments to the monitoring 

effort according to the results of 

this analysis. Integrate the results 

of the riparian bird study into 

Forest Plan monitoring once they 

are available.
 

6 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Continue

Monitoring

Change

Management

Practices

Further 

Evaluation

Forest Plan

Amendment

or Revision

Recommendations

Deer, Elk and Mountain 

Goat Habitat  

Coordinate with the WDFW to 

obtain population monitoring 

data that can be integrated into 

this report for deer, elk, and 

mountain goats. Revise and 

refine the elk and deer habitat 

effectiveness models based on 

the results of the elk habitat 

assessment and mule deer 

study. Integrate these models 

through Forest Plan revision and 

use the models in project level 

evaluations.

Northern Spotted Owl 

Monitoring should include 

tracking the changes in the 

availability of suitable spotted 

owl habitat over time. Baseline 

habitat conditions were 

established in the Wenatchee 

National Forest Late-successional 

Reserve Assessment in 1997 

(USFS 1997). This information 

was updated in 2002 and should 

be revisited in 2007 to track 

habitat trends. 

Continue to monitor >50% of the 

known spotted owl sites on the 

Forest in order to track trends in 

the number of young/site over 

time. 

Validate monitoring suitable 

spotted owl habitat and spotted 

owl productivity (young/site) to 

determine trends in the spotted 

owl population on the Forest. 

Cooperate with the Wenatchee 

Forestry Sciences lab to monitor 

how dry site restoration projects 

are influencing resource selection 

by spotted and barred owls during 

2003-2006.

Bald Eagle 

Continue to monitor nests and 

document the number of young 

produced.

Peregrine Falcon 

Continue to monitor nests and 

document the number of young 

produced. Continue to monitor 

potential and active nest sites. 

Prepare site management plans 

for known nest sites.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 7

Continue

Monitoring

Change

Management

Practices

Further 

Evaluation

Forest Plan

Amendment

or Revision

Recommendations

Grizzly Bear 

Continue to update the core 

area GIS layer as projects 

are implemented and better 

information becomes available.

Continue to implement the 

Sanitation Policy by making 

human garbage inaccessible to 

bears in our campgrounds and 

recreation sites. 

Continue to report and follow 

up on grizzly bear observations 

in order to gather sufficient 

information to determine the 

validity of the report. 

Gray Wolf 

Track road densities in GIS to 

monitor habitat effectiveness for 

wolves. 

Cooperate on the development of 

a recovery plan or conservation 

strategy for the North Cascades. 

Continue to follow up and 

evaluate wolf reports and track 

these in a database. 

Marbled Murrelet 

Continue to monitor projects 

within the range of the species.

Canada Lynx 

Continue to monitor projects 

within the range of the species.

Survey and Manage 

Species 

Continue surveys of projects 

for survey and manage mollusk 

species. Monitoring the 

effectiveness of the mollusk 

management protocols where 

they occur in the dry forests.

I. TIMBER OFFERED, HARVESTED, and RELATED SILVICULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Timber Offered (ASQ) 

and Timber Sale Program 

Quantity (TSPQ)

 

Continue to sell timber as directed 

in the Forest Plan. 

Continue to monitor PSQ utilizing 

the STARS and PSS databases 

and compare volume to projected 

decade trend.

Timber Harvest Units (size, 

shape, location)  Continue monitoring as scheduled

Timber Harvest  Continue monitoring as scheduled

Silvicultural Practices  Continue monitoring as scheduled
 

8 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Continue

Monitoring

Change

Management

Practices

Further 

Evaluation

Forest Plan

Amendment

or Revision

Recommendations

Reforestation 

Utilize 1-1 bareroot or plug-1 

stock with large roots to help 

increase survivability. Do not use 

1-0 stock on dry lower elevation 

ecosystems. Continue monitoring 

as scheduled.

Lands not Suitable for 

Timber Management 

Continue to utilize the NEPA 

process to determine suitability 

of lands. Continue to update 

the Wenatchee National Forest 

GIS layer that keeps track of 

suitability. Continue to monitor 

the reforestation success on 

all lands that are harvested or 

deforested by wildfire, especially 

on the drier, low elevation sites 

that tend to have more difficulty 

regenerating. 

J. SOIL, WATER, FISHERIES and RELATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Maintenance of Long-Term 

Soil Productivity  

Continue existing monitoring and 

incorporate measures listed in this 

section into project analyses

Riparian Standards and 

Guidelines   Continue existing monitoring program

Long-term Trends in 

Watershed Condition  

Continue to operate instruments 

to create a long-term monitoring 

record.

Fish Management Indicator 

Species (MIS) Populations   Continue existing monitoring program 

Aquatic Habitat Objectives  

South Fork Tieton / Minnie 

Meadows data indicates a 

need for further monitoring to 

determine whether a problem 

exists, its nature and cause. In 

2003 the existing sediment 

sampling in South Fork Tieton, 

will continue and be augmented 

it with aerial photo and ground 

reconnaissance to explore 

possible causes.

The Forest will add sediment 

monitoring in Williams drainage 

to monitor effects of a 2003 

culvert replacement and to 

establish pre-mine sediment 

levels for proposed mine projects. 

Campsite stewards will water 

riparian plantings in summer 2003 

as well as making user contacts. 

These campsites stewards have 

already been enlisted.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 9

Continue

Monitoring

Change

Management

Practices

Further 

Evaluation

Forest Plan

Amendment

or Revision

Recommendations

Aquatic Ecosystems   Continue existing monitoring 

program

K. RANGE MANAGEMENT AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

Forage Utilization Not addressed this year

L. ROAD MANAGEMENT

Road Construction / 

Reconstruction 

Monitoring indicates management direction is not being 

achieved according to the original 

projections in the Forest Plan. Revise estimates during Forest Plan 

revision. Continue monitoring as 

scheduled.

Roads Maintenance 

Continue Roads Analysis as 

outlined in the new Road 

Management Policy to determine 

the appropriate size and makeup 

of our existing road transportation 

system. 

Reduce maintenance levels 

and decommission those roads 

no longer necessary where 

appropriate. Continue monitoring 

as scheduled.

Roads Closed or 

Obliterated 

Further evaluation; additional 

yearly information is needed. 

Due to the uncertainty about the 

future, it would be premature to 

make new assumptions for the 

purposes of estimating outputs 

until the Forest Plan is revised.

M. INSECT and DISEASE

Insect and Disease Control 

Incorporate options for achieving 

management objectives as 

identified in the “Strategy for 

management of dry forest 

vegetation on the Wenatchee 

National Forest.”

N. FOREST FIRE PROTECTION

Forest Fire Protection 

Continue to monitor the 

effectiveness of the fire protection 

and prevention programs.

Use of Prescribed Fire 

Continue to support on-going 

research supporting fire as an 

important disturbance process in 

all dry site ecosystems. 

Manage wildland fires within 

designated wildernesses for 

resource benefit.
 

10 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Continue

Monitoring

Change

Management

Practices

Further 

Evaluation

Forest Plan

Amendment

or Revision

Recommendations

O. AIR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Long-Term Trends In Air 

Quality 

Operate instruments on a yearlong basis. Efforts are ongoing to 

evaluate data and make comparisons to air quality standards. 

Continue to use data from these 

monitoring sites as the Forest 

Service evaluates any new permits 

for emission sources that could 

potentially affect Class 1 wilderness areas.

P. MINERALS

Mine Site Reclamation 

The major problem with 

appropriate monitoring is not 

the process, but the available 

funding and staff. Continue to 

request funding that would allow 

100 percent monitoring of all 

bonded mineral related activities, 

as has been the case over the last 

several years. 

If additional funding is provided, 

conduct additional monitoring to 

ensure adequate reclamation is 

being completed on non-bonded 

operations. Where it is not 

being properly completed, take 

regulatory action to require the 

operator to do the required

Mine Operating Plans 

The objectives and Standards 

and Guidelines in the Forest Plan 

appear adequate, but the level of 

funding is inadequate to ensure 

total compliance. If determined 

to be desirable, request adequate 

funding that will allow monitoring 

of all mineral related activities. 

Based upon the administration 

and monitoring completed, a 

Forest Plan adjustment is not 

necessary at this time.

Actively conduct programmatic 

resource surveys that will 

accommodate anticipated mineral 

activities. This will allow the 

processing of Plans of Operation 

in a more timely and efficient 

manner.

Q. COMMUNITY EFFECTS 

Community Effects Dropped in 2001

Resource Budgets Dropped in 2001
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 11

Continue

Monitoring

Change

Management

Practices

Further 

Evaluation

Forest Plan

Amendment

or Revision

Recommendations

R. GENERAL 

MONITORING of 

STANDARDS and 

GUIDELINES



Support the regional interagency 

effort in developing effectiveness monitoring protocols that 

will lead to answering the question; are implemented Standards 

and Guidelines achieving the 

expected results? Consider 

restructuring the methodology 

of selecting project to monitor. 

S. LANDS Report for informational purposes 

only
 

12 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

A. RECREATION

Monitoring ItemRECREATION OPPORTUNITY SPECTRUM (ROS)

The goal is to provide a well-balanced array of recreation opportunities across the breadth 

of the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) to meet the public demand for outdoor 

recreation. The monitoring question is:

Are Forest management activities resulting in changes in ROS settings; 

and, do end results meet the experience levels expected in the Forest 

Plan?

The activities that have the potential to affect the ROS setting on the Forest are 

those activities that change the development level through roads or development of 

additional facilities. The Forest recreation program has been focused on reconstruction and 

rehabilitation of existing facilities. This maintains the current ROS class rather than changing 

it. 

The other possible change to ROS class is the roading of unroaded areas for powerline 

corridors, mineral development, and timber sales. During the past year there were no known 

changes for these reasons.

Recommendations

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

Monitoring ItemFOREST TRAILS

The goal is to manage trail use to provide recreation opportunities in a wide range 

of recreation settings, and in harmony with other resource management objectives. The 

monitoring questions are:

Are trails providing the variety of opportunities intended in the Forest 

Plan?

Are trails with mixed users (e.g. horse/hiker, hiker/ORV) meeting the 

expectations for all intended users?

The trails of the Wenatchee National Forest are providing the variety of opportunities as 

intended in the Forest Plan. 

Trail conflicts between users remain at fairly low levels. The visitor surveys conducted 

in 2001 did not receive any comments regarding trail conflicts between users. Very few 

comments have been received or noted by field rangers in 2002. 

Over the past five years, trail recreational trail use has become fairly controversial 

because of potential effects on wildlife species. Examples are hiker impacts to grizzly bears, 

snowmobile impacts on lynx habitat, and cross-country skier impacts on deer and elk winter 

range. As part of the Goose-Maverick lawsuit, the Forest has undertaken a study of trail 

recreation on wildlife habitats. The complete report, Assessing the Cumulative effects of 

Linear Recreation Routes on Wildlife Habitats on the Okanogan and Wenatchee National 

Forests, prepared by William Gaines, Peter Singleton and Roger Ross is available on the 

Wenatchee National Forest website: 

www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/recreate/rec-wildlife-effects-3-20-03.pdf
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 13

In addition, the Forest is initiating another study to look at the distribution and timing of 

recreation use across the entire forest. This study is using the National Visitor Use Monitoring 

data to model recreation use. Additional information on this study is available at:

www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/recreate/rec-use-model.pdf

Recommendations

Continue monitoring as scheduled. 

Monitoring ItemMANAGEMENT OF DEVELOPED RECREATION FACILITIES

The goal is to provide safe, well-maintained, developed recreation facilities for the public 

commensurate with recreation demand. The monitoring questions are:

Are available developed recreation facilities meeting public demand?

Are developed recreation sites, areas, and facilities being adequately 

maintained to serve the public and protect resource values?

Visitor use at developed recreation sites continues at high levels. Most sites were at, or 

close to, capacity on most summer weekends. There are campground sites available during 

midweek, and early and late season. The Forest is currently meeting public demand for 

developed recreation facilities. 

The Forest Service Capital Investment Program for new construction, or reconstruction 

of existing recreation facilities such as campgrounds and trails, continues to decline. The 

campground concessionaire program has reduced maintenance costs, since the concessionaire 

now performs routine maintenance. Campgrounds that did not generate sufficient 

revenue to interest concessionaires have now been placed under the Recreation Fee Demo 

program. This strategy has provided supplemental funds to the ranger districts that in turn, 

have allowed maintenance to increase at these campgrounds. However, most of these 

campgrounds are higher maintenance cost facilities than the concessionaire operated sites.

Recommendations

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

Monitoring ItemMANAGEMENT OF DISPERSED RECREATION AREAS

The goal is to provide opportunities for dispersed recreation activities where compatible 

with other resource management objectives. The monitoring questions are:

Are dispersed sites meeting public demand?

Is the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum providing the expected variety 

for Forest users?

Dispersed camping is defined as camping in sites outside of developed campgrounds 

and that are accessible by vehicle. The visitor use survey showed that 5.9 percent of visitors 

participated in dispersed camping, while for 3.0 percent of visitors it was the primary purpose 
 

14 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

for visiting the Wenatchee National Forest. These numbers are about one-third of the use in 

our developed campgrounds.

The highest demand is for camping spots adjacent to streams and lakes accessible by 

roads. The increase in both camping and trail use in riparian areas remains a concern. In 

several areas, the Wenatchee National Forest has controlled vehicle access, provided toilets, 

and provided parking to minimize the impacts of recreation use on the riparian resource. 

These areas have been very successful where the sites were designed using an interdisciplinary 

team composed of fisheries biologists, recreation planners, engineers, archeologists and 

landscape architects. These sites have met the needs of recreational users while protecting 

the riparian resources. The Forest has received recognition from the Regional Office for this 

innovative program which is called Respect the River. 

Recommendations

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

B. WILD, SCENIC, AND RECREATIONAL RIVERS

Monitoring ItemWILD, SCENIC, AND RECREATIONAL RIVERS

The goal is to retain the character and attributes of rivers recommended for Wild, Scenic, 

or Recreational designation. The monitoring question is:

Are resource management activities along recommended river corridors 

being conducted in a manner to provide protection at the appropriate 

level of classification?

There were no projects implemented on the Wenatchee National Forest that had the 

potential to affect the classification determined in the Forest Plan for recommended rivers.

Recommendations 

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

C. Scenery Management

Monitoring Item – 

SCENIC RESOURCE OBJECTIVES

The objective is to manage vegetation and facilities that provide views, which 

are consistent with the stated scenic quality objectives for each management area. The 

monitoring question is:

Do the cumulative effects of all resource activities within a viewshed 

meet the desired scenic condition?
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 15

Wenatchee National Forest (NF) landscape architects reviewed projects on Ranger Districts 

(RD’s) to assess the potential cumulative effects of resource activities on scenery. Field review 

of project areas was done along three major viewsheds: Blewett Pass Highway 97, White 

Pass Highway 12, and Shady Pass viewsheds were selected for summary analysis in past years. 

Scenic resource analyses on these viewsheds indicate that the viewsheds vary from natural 

appearing to an altered condition. There were no new projects implemented over the last 

year in Blewett Pass Highway 97 and Shady Pass viewsheds. Monitoring will continue on these 

viewsheds as future projects develop.

White Pass viewshed is in a natural to slightly altered condition throughout the travel 

route. Vegetation changes throughout the travel route blend well with the natural diversity 

of landscapes from the Wenatchee National Forest boundary to White Pass. The scenic 

qualities of this viewshed are maintained at a very high level. Numerous maintenance 

projects were done in the developed sites over the last year. Horseshoe Cove picnic area 

was improved with addition of a new interpretive information site. New restrooms were 

added at Horseshoe Cover, White Pass Horse Camp, and Clear Lake Campgrounds. Windy 

Point Campground added new bollards for traffic controls and a Cascadian Architectural 

Style restroom was installed at the airstrip on the peninsula at Rimrock Lake. Vegetation 

restoration projects are underway along the viewsheds. Review of the Kaboom Project in 

the peninsula area to reduce fuels and improve the sustainability of the forest does maintain 

and enhance scenic quality by providing views in a variety of textural compositions in the 

landscape.

Projects Monitored in Other Viewsheds

Crow restoration project in Mission Creek on the Leavenworth RD and the Fish Pole 

Restoration project along State Highway 207 on the Lake Wenatchee/Leavenworth RD 

were monitored. The goal is to integrate the design arts into the proposed thinning and 

restoration projects to provide a variety of stand densities, and to have a natural appearing 

landscape character of large and small tree characteristics that is more sustainable and have 

high to moderately high scenic integrity. In both projects, landscape character described for 

the area and implementation of the project successfully achieved moderately high to high 

scenic integrity.

The 25-mile heli base along the foreground of the lower Forest Road No. 5900 above 

the Twenty Five Mile Creek State Park was monitored. Scenic quality for the project was 

not integrated into the project. The goal of the project was to provide two helipads along 

a rolling hillside. The project removed and rearranged landforms to accommodate for the 

safety and welfare for the heli base. Some blending of the slopes was done, but the design 

and overall appearance is an altered landscape character as viewed from Forest Road No. 

5900. Color contrast of the disturbed light soil color is visible from the surrounding area along 

the Lake Chelan basin. To soften the alteration, rehabilitation measures to reduce the soil 

color with permeon and landscaping with natives are a possible solution to improve scenic 

quality.

Future goals for the scenic travel viewsheds are to promote a more natural appearing 

vegetative pattern by varying tree densities, species composition, irregular spatial 

arrangement of trees, and emphasizing the existing large tree characteristics of the area. 

Promoting high scenic quality of the forest environment, reducing sign clutter, integrating 

design arts into the built environment, and providing information and use opportunities in 

the natural and cultural landscapes are goals to the forest visitors.
 

16 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Scenic Areas of the 1994 Fire Restoration Projects

Two areas were monitored this year: Round Mountain and Icicle Ridge on the 

Leavenworth and Lake Wenatchee RD’s. A sample monitoring of these areas show slow 

recovery. These areas were burned during the 1994 fire. The landscape character was 

changed from a forested landscape pattern to a range of severely to mosaic burned landscape. 

The large scale burned landscapes, fallen down snags, and areas without green forested 

trees are the main cause of the catastrophic appearing landscape in the foreground and 

middleground views in the severely burned areas. Brown and gray colored snags have turned 

mostly gray and silver throughout the area. Snags left from the past restoration projects add 

to the diversity of the existing burned landscape character, but the snags have fallen faster in 

the past year.

The mosaic pattern of the burn in the Icicle River area provides a variety of small 

openings, patches of silver snags, and green up of the new emerging forest intertwined with 

the existing forest. The landscape scenic setting provides a diverse ix of form, line, color and 

texture inherent in the existing landscape character of the Cascade Mountain Range. The 

appearance of the Round Mountain area provides diverse variety of textures and colors. Color 

contrast of silver and gray snags area still standing to provide a scenic variety contrast of color 

within a green forested landscape as viewed from U.S. Highway 2, State Highway 209, and 

State Park swimming area at Lake Wenatchee. Silver gray snags add scenic variety and interest 

and appear natural within the forested landscape character. The design arts were integrated 

with the sciences to blend snag densities and the burned landscapes with the landforms to 

create a more sustainable landscape.

 

Recommendations

Blewett Pass Highway 97 Viewshed

Continue working with the Department of Transportation and permittees to minimize 

signs and structures, and for roadside improvements.

Continue to monitor and enhance high scenic quality along the travel route.

White Pass Viewshed

Continue working with White Pass Ski Company to improve signs, landscaping, and 

color scheme.

Continue monitoring Highway 12 to maintain the highest possible scenic quality by 

designing all activities to retain natural appearing scenery.

Continue working with Washing State Department of Transportation toward functional 

and aesthetically pleasing structures, safety, and danger tree removal.

Vegetation changes and structures along the Highway 12 viewshed should continue to 

be monitored and enhanced to protect and improve scenic qualities.

Shady Pass Viewshed

Maintain and enhance scenic quality while reducing fuels and improving forest health 

throughout the viewshed.

Incorporate design arts into thinning projects to improve scenic quality. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 17

Future vegetation management along the viewshed should be designed to meet moderate to high scenic objectives.

Varying stand densities, irregular spacing, clumping, and creating a variety of spaces 

(with contrasting variety and diversity of tree sizes) will enhance scenic quality.

Scenic Areas of the 1994 Fire Restoration Projects

Continue to monitor as scheduled.

Projects in Special Places and Areas of High Scenic Concern

Continue to monitor as scheduled.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was to continue monitoring as scheduled; monitoring continued.

Monitoring Item –

STAND CHARACTER GOALS

The objective is to manage vegetation so that the stand character (species and structural 

mix) is moving in the direction specified for each Scenic Quality Objective (SQO). The 

monitoring question is:

Are related Standards and Guidelines being implemented, and do they 

achieve stated goals and objectives, particularly scenic character goals?

The desired future condition for scenery is a multi-story stand composition, variety and 

diversity of large trees in groves, clumps, and/or scattered throughout the landscape. The 

high degree of naturalness is desirable. Fire restoration and thinning projects to reduce fuels 

and promote healthy ecosystems have been initiated. This helps achieve a long-term forested 

environment with a more natural appearing landscape with scattered groups, individual large 

trees, and varying densities of vegetation patterns and a more open stand. The trend of 

harvest practices in the last 5 years has been towards partial cutting and thinning, where trees 

are left to achieve scenic quality and other resource goals.

Another goal is to reduce the amount of contrast in the viewsheds. The trend is 

viewsheds recovering to more naturally appearing landscapes. In 2002, 4483 (Harvest and TSI) 

acres of vegetation were treated (see monitoring item – Silvicultural Practices). Most of the 

treated acres were partial cuttings and thinning to promote enhancement towards sustainable 

landscapes with large tree characteristics. An example of specific scenic goals to maintain and 

perpetuate large yellow bark ponderosa pines, Douglas-fir, and other species was monitored 

on the Frozen Fish project along State Highway 207 (Lake Wenatchee Ranger District), 

the Kaboom project in the Peninsula area of Rimrock Lake (Naches Ranger Distric)t and in 

Johnson Canyon along Reecer Creek (Cle Elum Ranger District). Thinning to reduce natural 

fuel loading enhanced the appearance and long-term health of the existing small black bark 

ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir towards large yellow bark ponderosa pine and large Douglasfirs.

Recommendations

Continue monitoring as schedules.
 

18 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Last year’s recommendation was to continue monitoring as scheduled, this was completed

D. WILDERNESS

Monitoring ItemRECREATION IMPACTS ON WILDERNESS RESOURCES

The goal is to perpetuate wilderness character, natural ecological processes, and provide 

recreation opportunities appropriate in wilderness. The monitoring question is:

Is recreation visitor use or management resulting in changes in 

the physical, biological, or social settings that approach Limits of 

Acceptable Change (LAC) Standards specified in the Forest Plan?

The Rex Creek Fire of 2001 and the Deer Point Fire of 2002, both located along the north 

shore of Lake Chelan in and adjacent to the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, created the 

conditions for the potential spread of a Class A noxious weed, common crupina (crupina 

vulgaris), from its present range adjacent to the fire into the newly disturbed area of the 

fire. An environmental analysis is being prepared that will consider possible herbicide and 

mechanical treatment options for the 2004 field season. The fire area will continue to be 

monitored for expansion of that weed population. On-going handpulling of individual plants 

has been used for over a decade, and has been moderately successful to date in containing the 

spread along the most popular trails. However, the Rex Creek Fire has the potential to spread 

the plants over thousands of acres. 

The Chelan Ranger District is completing an environmental document to make a decision 

on controlling the spread of common crupina, inside and outside the Wilderness.

Recommendations

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

Continue to work on application of Limits of Acceptable Change Standards for wilderness management.

E. Cultural Resources

Monitoring Item - 

CULTURAL AND HISTORIC SITE PROTECTION

The goal is to protect heritage resources from vandalism, disturbance from project 

activities, and natural degradation. The monitoring questions are:

Are the National Register characteristics of un-evaluated and significant 

heritage resource properties being protected?

Are all reasonably locatable heritage resources being discovered during 

project area reconnaissance?
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 19

For FY 2002, a total of 99 separate consultations occurred in compliance with Section 

106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and in accordance with the1997 Programmatic 

Agreement regarding cultural resource management on National Forests in the State of 

Washington (PMOA). Of the 99 consultations, 43 projects required Section 106 consultation 

with the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). Forty-six (46) were handled 

internally per the 1997 PMOA. The number of large projects requiring concurrence by the 

State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) declined while the number of consultations for 

small projects with limited potential to affect historic properties increased. Project planning 

acreage ranged from a high of 140,000 acres for a grazing allotment management plan on the 

Naches and Cle Elum Ranger Districts to less than one acre. Acreage inventoried for cultural 

resources varied from a high of 6000 acres for timber and salvage sales on the Naches and Cle 

Elum Ranger Districts to less than one acre for summer home improvements. A total of 7080 

acres were systematically inventoried and 69 new cultural resource sites were documented. 

Most of the new sites were located during inventories for salvage-and timber sales, and for 

FERC relicensing. Of those sites, 60 were formally evaluated. This increase in the number of 

sites evaluated reflects increased emphasis in this area of the heritage support program. This 

brings the Forest’s total number of cultural resources to around 1500. More than half of the 

projects requiring heritage support had little or no potential to affect cultural resources and 

included weed eradication, permit renewals, wetland restoration within existing stream-river 

systems, road decommissioning and easements, and thinning. Projects requiring inventory 

include prescribed burns, timber and salvage sales, allotment permit renewals, summer 

home improvements, burn area emergency rehabiliation for district fires, and recreation and 

facilities-related projects. 

Site protection and heritage awareness was emphasized through 18 events that included 

site tours, talks, displays, newspaper articles, school and public presentations. A number of 

ranger district employees included heritage awareness in their own area-specific presentations 

and some focused exclusively on local history. Three sites were under site stewardship 

(Leavenworth Ski Hill, American Ski Bowl, and Red Top Lookout). Site stewards and site 

monitors contributed 100 hours to the program.

 The public had an opportunity to participate in two Passport in Time (PIT) projects which 

emphasized cultural resource site conservation and preservation. Projects included artifact 

identification, inventory and cataloging, and documentation of the Copper City mining area. 

PIT volunteers, those who assisted with our site restoration and rehabilitation projects, and 

site stewards contributed 404 hours of service. This is a marked decrease over 2001 and can 

be attributed to a reduction in the heritage budget, a reduced heritage workforce and an 

increase in fire activity requiring support locally and nationally. Through internal workforce 

actions and volunteer contributions, no site intrusions were reported for FY 2002 because of 

site-and project monitoring efforts. 

Monitoring Item -

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL SITE REHABILITATION

The goal is to rehabilitate damaged sites eligible for inclusion on the National Register of 

Historic Places. The monitoring question is:

For sites eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 

Places, is appropriate stabilization or rehabilitation of damage 

being completed?

The Wenatchee National Forest currently has seven individual memorandums of 

agreement and memorandums of understanding that provide strict guidelines for 

managing and rehabilitating National Register and National Register eligible sites on the 
 

20 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Forest. In addition, the Forest is a signatory on a Programmatic Agreement governing the 

management of Depression Era (CCC) Administrative Structures on National Forests in the 

States of Washington and Oregon. In FY 2002, these agreements provided guidance for the 

enhancement and/or rehabilitation of historic properties. 

In 2002, recreation, engineering and facilities staff routinely consulted with Forest 

archaeologists regarding the maintenance or rehabilitation of Forest Service administrative 

sites, campground and trail shelters, and lookouts eligible for or listed on the National 

Register of Historic Places. Nine historic properties were enhanced, restored, or stabilized or 

rehabilitated. Activities included three roofing projects, two of which were made possible 

through an anonymous donor (Swauk and Taneum C.C.C.-era picnic shelters); reroofing of the 

25 Mile Administrative Site; and rehabilitation of Oak Creek Cabin, the American Forks-, Soda 

Springs-, Pleasant Valley-, and Silver Falls- picnic shelters. The interior of the Salmon La Sac 

Guard Station (National Register Site) on the Cle Elum Ranger District was painted. A number 

of these projects were completed by supervised volunteers. 

Monitoring Item -

AMERICAN INDICANS AND THEIR CULTURE

The monitoring questions are:

For those trust resources identified in treaties with American Indians, 

what are their conditions and trends?

Are sites of religious and cultural heritage adequately protected? 

Do American Indians have access to, and use of Forest species, 

resources, and places important for cultural subsistence, or economic 

reasons, particularly those identified in treaties?

The Wenatchee National Forest is sensitive to American Indian concerns and issues 

regarding reserved rights on ceded lands. The Forest recognizes and honors the 1855 Treaty 

signed with the confederated tribes and bands of the Yakama Indian Nation. Article 3 of that 

treaty states: 

The exclusive right of taking fish in all the streams, where running through 

or bordering said reservations, is further secured to said confederated 

tribes and bands of Indians, as also the right of taking fish at all usual and 

accustomed places, in common with the citizens of the territory, and of 

erecting temporary buildings for curing them; together with the privilege of 

hunting, gathering roots and berries, and pasturing their horses and cattle 

upon open and unclaimed lands.

The heritage program shares project information equally with the Yakama Nation (Treaty 

tribe) and the Colville Confederated Tribes (Executive Order tribe) through distribution of the 

Forest’s Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA), Passport in Time newsletters, and on a caseby-case basis for all projects involving a decision notice or decision memo. Government-togovernment consultation was a major emphasis of the FY 2002 program. Every effort is made 

to identify and protect Traditional Cultural Properties (TCP). Detailed ethnographic studies, 

which often include discussions of TCPs, sometimes accompany heritage resource survey 

reports when a need is indicated. Through our participation in FERC relicensing for the Lake 

Chelan and Rocky Reach dams, our heritage staff worked closely with representatives for the 

Yakama Nation and Colville Confederated Tribes. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 21

F. COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATIONS OF FOREST PROGRAMS 

 WITH INDIAN TRIBES

The goal is to coordinate with appropriate Tribal representatives for all projects in which 

Indians may have a concern. The monitoring questions are:

Are American Indian rights being protected on National Forest lands?

Are projects with activities or areas of concern to Indians being 

coordinated with appropriate Tribal representatives?

The Wenatchee National Forest recognizes that recognition of, and the honoring of, 

existing treaties and executive orders is crucial in government-to-government relations with 

the Yakama Nation, Confederated Colville Tribes and other interested tribes. Protection of 

American Indian treaty and religious freedom-rights are incorporated into Forest decisionmaking. Consultation with tribes that may have an interest in management activities is 

initiated at the earliest stage of project planning and is carried through to completion of the 

project. Each year contact is made with tribal councils to identify appropriate contacts for 

various projects. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Yakama Indian Nation 

and the Forest Service continues to guide anadromous fish habitat management. The Yakama 

Indian Nation continues to participate in Provincial Advisory Committee activities for both the 

Eastern Washington Cascades Province and the Yakima Province. 

G. SENSITIVE PLANTS, BIODIVERSITY, AND OLD GROWTH

 Monitoring Item – 

 MAINTENANCE OF SENSITIVE PLANT POPULATIONS

The goal is to provide appropriate habitat to maintain viable populations or enhance 

populations of all threatened, endangered, and sensitive plant species. The monitoring 

question is:

Are sensitive plant species populations being maintained or increasing?

There are over 50 sensitive plants listed for the Wenatchee National Forest. Many are 

known to occur while others are suspected. All have limited distribution and some are in 

fairly inaccessible areas. Of the species known to occur, two are federally listed as Endangered 

(Wenatchee Mountains Checker-mallow and Showy Stickseed) and five are Species of 

Concern. One additional species (Ute Ladies’ tresses), may occur on the Forest, and is listed 

as threatened. The Regional Forester’s Sensitive Species List was revised in Fiscal Year 1999 to 

better identify those plants for which serious threats to viability exist.

In order to maintain sensitive plants, all ground disturbing activities require biological 

evaluations; this allows the effects of activities on sensitive species to be determined and 

essentially monitored on a project by project basis. The requirement to complete biological 

evaluations helps assure that management activities do not result in loss of viability of 

sensitive plant species. Project surveys for sensitive plants were done on over 6,576 acres, and 

resulted in new sightings of Clustered Lady’s slipper, and long-sepalled globemallow. 

Plot techniques can also be used to intensively monitor sensitive plants. The primary 

criteria to determine which species are monitored include: (1) rarity of the plant, (2) threats, 

(3) accessibility, and (4) funding.
 

22 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Sometimes a specific project will potentially result in some impact to sensitive species; this 

provides an opportunity for monitoring effects of that activity on the plant. 

Generally then, intensive monitoring has focused on rarer plants and those that have 

significant threats. Consequently, plants that occur in areas where management activities 

commonly take place often receive more attention. Plants that grow in inaccessible areas may 

not be monitored due to lack of threats and the physical difficulty of reaching them. Funding 

is also an important consideration, for monitoring is an expensive endeavor. It is difficult to 

initiate or continue monitoring when funds are limited and not consistent from year to year. 

The sensitive plants that have been monitored with 

plot techniques since 1990 include: 

Wenatchee larkspur Clustered lady’s slipper

Chelan rockmat Henderson’s ricegrass

Thompson’s clover Smoky Mtn sedge

Showy stickseed Botrychium species

Long-sepaled globemallow Sierran cliffbrake

Pine broomrape Seely’s silene

Wenatchee Mt. checker-mallow Blue showy stickseed

Three of these were monitored using plot techniques in FY 2002 including: Wenatchee 

Mountains checker-mallow (Sidalcea oregana var. calva), Seely’s silene (Silene seelyi), and 

blue showy stickseed (Hackelia taylori, species novum). Informal monitoring was conducted 

on: long-sepaled globemallow (Iliamna longisepala), showy stickseed (Chelan rockmat

(Petrophyton cinerascens), and Thompson’s clover (Trifolium thompsonii). In addition, photo 

monitoring sites were established for tall agoseris (Agoseris elata) this fiscal year.

 As noted above, some monitoring activities have used very formal plot techniques while 

others have been much more informal and anecdotal in nature. Most of the rarest plant 

species occur on the Leavenworth RD, and as a result, most formal monitoring has occurred 

on that Ranger District. However, all Ranger Districts completed either formal or informal 

monitoring of sensitive plants in FY 2002. None of the surveys or monitoring suggests that 

any T, E, S, or P species are declining.

A long-term investigation of Sidalcea oregana var. calva was continued. Six permanent 

plots across the entire range of the species were revisited and data were collected on a 

variety of ecological, biological, and morphological variables. These plots will be measured 

repeatedly over time to establish a baseline of information regarding this species. This 

information will be used to develop a species conservation strategy and recovery plan. 

Checker-mallow populatios appear stable while showy stickseed populations may be 

increasing.

Finally, all NEPA documents completed on the Forest addressed Sensitive plants where 

appropriate. Typically, the NEPA analyses used input from the required Biological Evaluations 

for plants. 

Recommendations 

Continue to address and evaluate the effects of proposed actions on sensitive plants. 

Establish quantitative formal monitoring as needed to protect sensitive plants and to 

ascertain the effects of natural and management activities on these species. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 23

Monitoring Item –

 BIODIVERSITY AND OLD GROWTH

The goal is to maintain native and desirable introduced or historic plant and animal 

species and communities. Provide all seral stages of all plant associations in a distribution and 

abundance to assure species diversity and viability. A desired future condition is to establish 

the local needs of management indicator species, rare species, and the proportion of seral 

stages that allows for natural diversity. The monitoring questions are: 

Is the Forest ecosystem functioning as a productive and sustainable 

ecological unit?

Is the use of prescribed fire or fire suppression maintaining the natural 

processes of the Forest ecosystem?

Are desired habitat conditions for the northern spotted owl and the 

marbled murrelet maintained where adequate, and restored where 

inadequate? (See Wildlife Section) 

Are habitat conditions for late-successional forest associated species 

maintained where adequate, and restored where inadequate?

Are desired habitat conditions for at-risk fish stocks maintained where 

adequate, and restored where inadequate? (See J. Soil. Water, Fisheries 

and Related Watershed Management)

Is a functional interacting, late-successional ecosystem maintained 

where adequate, and restored where inadequate?

Did silvicultural treatments benefit the creation and maintenance of 

late-successional conditions?

Will the overall conditions of the watersheds and provinces continue to 

be productive over the long-term?

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is essentially the variety of life and the processes that link them together and 

allow them to function; therefore, the amounts, kinds and distribution of listed, sensitive 

and survey and manage plants, old growth and noxious weeds all affect biological diversity. 

Monitoring of fire effects and recovery all relate to biological diversity as does the collection 

and use of native plant materials for restoration work. 

 A number of NEPA documents were completed in FY 2002. These documents often 

addressed biodiversity and/or the components including old growth (late-successional habitat), 

sensitive plants, and noxious weeds. Survey and Manage (S&M) species were also included 

in these analyses as directed by the Northwest Forest Plan. These attributes are critical 

components of biological diversity. Weeds affect biological diversity by excluding native 

plants. Old growth ecosystems, sensitive plants and survey and manage species are often 

limited in extent and as such can significantly impact biological diversity by changes in their 

extent. 
 

24 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Monitoring ItemNOXIOUS WEEDS

Each Ranger District completed some control efforts, and a variety of surveys were done 

for noxious weeds. A major effort continued to determine the status of dalmation toadflax 

on the Forest. In an effort to become proactive in the battle with noxious weeds and to bring 

state-of-the-art vegetation management practices to the Forest, an Invasive Species Prevention 

Strategy was adopted in FY 2002. Weed surveys were completed on a total of 4,550 acres. 

Over 1,157 acres of weed control using a variety of methods were completed on the Forest.

Recommendations 

Become more quantitative in evaluations of weed populations and implement the Forest Prevention Strategy. 

Evaluate weed potential for all ground disturbing projects. 

Monitoring ItemSURVEY AND MANAGE PLANTS

Surveys have begun for a variety of Survey and Manage (S&M) species deemed important 

late-successional habitat components. These include vascular plants, fungi, lichens and 

bryophytes (Northwest Forest Plan ROD, January 2001 Table 1-1). On the Wenatchee National 

Forest, S&M plants are primarily a concern in areas with climates strongly affected by maritime 

air from the western side of the State. Consequently, Naches, Cle Elum, Lake Wenatchee and 

Leavenworth RDs have the highest likelihood of supporting S&M plant species. 

Project areas must be evaluated for suitable S&M habitat. Those areas that support S&M 

habitat are being surveyed following Northwest Forest Plan direction. In FY 2002, over 5,350 

acres of project-level surveys were completed for a plethora of S&M species. 

Survey and Manage plants species found during FY 2002 surveys

Scientific Name Common Name or Taxa Group, and (Status)

Cypripedium fasciculatum clustered lady’s-slipper (R6 and SM)

Buxbamia viridis moss (SM)

Rhizomnium nudum moss (SM)

Hypogymnia duplicata lichen (SM)

Lobaria linita lichen (SM)

Bryoria tortuosa lichen (SM)

Gyromitra Montana fungus (SM)

* Status: R6 = Regional Forester’s Sensitive List; SM = Survey and Manage

Additionally, a variety of strategic and purposive surveys were completed (unrelated to 

project actions) in an attempt to ascertain the general abundance of S & M plant species. 

Most of the strategic surveys were regionally directed contracts with contract inspection 

provided by district personnel. Purposive surveys on over 350 acres were completed by district 

personnel. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 25

Other Vegetation and Fire Monitoring

The Chelan RD monitoring of Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) measures for 

the North 25 Mile Fire continued as part of normal field activities. This monitoring included 

long-term vegetation transects, evaluation of the rehabilitation seeding, evaluation of 

channel and hillslope structures and long term photo-point establishment. Noxious weed 

response to prescribed fire was a focus of study on the Entiat RD. Riparian vegetation 

monitoring that began in 1994 also continued. 

Recommendations

Continue to address biodiversity, either directly, or through its critical components in 

NEPA documents and Watershed Assessments. 

Integrate assessments of Survey and Manage Species into activities as directed by the 

Northwest Forest Plan. 

Continue to increase use of native plants for restoration and rehabilitation and monitor fire effects as needed.

Monitoring Item – 

OLD GROWTH ECOSYSTEMS

See also the wildlife section for the discussion on old growth habitat and refer to the 

Timber Section for volume and acres harvested by method in FY 2002. 

Is old growth acreage being retained at the expected rate?

In the 1990 Wenatchee Forest Plan, there was estimated to be about 319,000 acres of old 

growth on the Forest. Most of this was in wilderness. At the end of the first decade it was 

predicted that 307,300 acres would remain. This came off of a suitable base acres of about 

630,000. Under the Northwest Forest Plan, only about 209,000 acres are considered suitable. 

It is very unlikely that the 11,500 acres of old growth predicted for harvest in 1990 will actually 

be harvested in the near future. In fact, ingrowth will likely grow old growth faster than 

the harvest rate. This is particularly true when only about 35 percent of the original suitable 

acres is available for harvest. Probably the biggest threat to old growth forests at this time is 

catastrophic fire and, in fact, fire has led to the loss of old growth on most districts the past 

few years. At the low level of current harvest, it is certain that ingrowth contributed more 

acres to “old growth” than was removed through harvest. 

Recommendations 

Continue to follow old growth acres harvested and address in NEPA documents.
 

26 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

H. WILDLIFE

Monitoring ItemMANAGEMENT INDICATOR SPECIES (MIS) HABITAT

 Management Indicator Species are plant or animal species identified in the Wenatchee 

National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan whose population characteristics can be 

used to evaluate the effects of land and resource management practices on the habitats they 

use. 

For the Wenatchee National Forest, these species include old growth dependent species 

(such as the spotted owl and American marten), primary cavity excavators (such as pileated 

woodpecker, northern three toed woodpecker, and others), ungulates (elk, mule deer 

and mountain goats), and riparian dependent species (such as the beaver, ruffed grouse, 

amphibians). A summary of the monitoring that has occurred for each of these species groups 

is provided in the following discussion.

The areas being maintained as Old Growth and Mature Forest (OG) Associated Species 

were changed when the Forest Plan was amended in 1994 by the Northwest Forest Plan. OG1 

and OG2 areas were originally designations for pileated woodpeckers, marten and northern 

three-toed woodpeckers are no longer land allocations. 

Monitoring ItemPRIMARY CAVITY EXCAVATORS

The goal is to maintain viable populations of primary cavity excavators

Is primary cavity excavator habitat being managed in the proper 

amounts within land allocations?

Is habitat being used as expected?

Primary cavity excavators (PCEs) are considered to be keystone species within forested 

ecosystems because of the important ecosystem processes and functions they carry out. One 

of these functions includes the creation of cavities, which in turn provide habitat for a wide 

variety of other birds and mammals. To monitor primary cavity excavator populations and 

their habitat use, two large studies have been conducted. These include monitoring primary 

cavity excavators within stand replacement fires that occurred in 1994, and monitoring the 

effects of vegetation management on the retention levels of snag habitat. The study of 

primary cavity excavators within the burned areas was carried out in 1998 and 1999. Some 

of the results of this study are shown in the tables and figure below, and the conclusions are 

provided in the abstract that follows. More details of the study can be found in the paper 

that was published, which is available at the Forest Headquarters. This study was intended to 

monitor how primary cavity excavator populations responded to stand replacement fires and 

subsequent salvage logging. This study will be repeated (pending funding) during 2004 and 

2005 to monitor the long term effects of fire and salvage logging on primary cavity excavators 

and their habitats.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 27

Monitoring of Primary Cavity Excavator Populations

Number of active cavity nests of bird species in the treatments, 

WNF, 1998-1999 combined.

Tree Density

Species Low Medium High

Northern flicker

Hairy woodpecker

Black-backed woodpecker

Lewis’ woodpecker

Western bluebird

Mountain bluebird

House wren

American kestrel

4

3

0

10

5

7

0

1

12

6

1

4

7

12

12

2

6

6

1

0

2

5

7

1

TOTAL 30 56 28

The mean number of birds/point count station in each of the treatments, 

Wenatchee National Forest, (1998-1999 averaged). 

Numbers in bold show significant differences (P = 0.05). P = primary cavity nester, S = secondary cavity nester.

Species Low Density Medium Density High Density

LDS1 LDS2 MDS1 MDS2 HDS1 HDS2

White-headed woodpecker (Picoides 

albolarvatus) – P 0.09 0 0 0.17 0 0

Lewis’ woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) 

- P 1.84 1.59 0 1.42 0 0

Black-backed woodpecker (Picoides 

arcticus) - P 0 0 0.25 0.75 1.34 0.17

Hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus) - P 0.75 2.09 2.50 2.50 3.09 3.83

Northern flicker (Colaptes auratus) - P 1.75 2.84 4.25 3.92 3.00 2.00

Western bluebird (Sialia mexicana) - S 1.57 1.92 0.75 1.50 0.67 0

Mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) 

– S 2.33 1.59 3.25 3.67 2.25 0.67

Red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) – S 0.09 0.17 0.34 0.75 0.25 0

House wren (Troglodytes aedon) – S 0.92 1.50 2.00 1.92 1.25 0.42

European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) - S 0.09 0.92 0 4.17 0 0.17

American kestrel (Falco sparverius) - S 0.34 1.09 0.50 1.84 0 0.17

Brown preeper (Certhia americana) 0 0 0.09 0 0 1.25

Northern Pygmy owl (Glaucidium 

gnoma) 0 0 0 0 0 0.09
 

28 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Mean number of cavity nesting birds in the three treatments areas: 

low, medium, and high snag density.

Haggard, M.E., and W.L. Gaines. 2001. Effects of Stand-Replacement Fire and Salvage 

Logging on a Cavity-Nesting Bird Community in Eastern Cascades, Washington. 

Northwest Science 75(4):387-396.

Abstract:

The response of cavity-nesting bird species was monitored in three snag density 

treatments (high = 37-80 snags/ha, medium = 15-35 snags/ha, and low = 0-12 snags/ha) during 

two breeding seasons, 4-5 years post-fire and logging in Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine 

forests. Snag surveys were used to describe habitat, and both breeding bird surveys and nest 

surveys were used to characterize the bird community. Stands with the medium snag density 

treatment had the highest abundance, species richness, and nesting population of cavity 

nesters. The reasons for this may be: 1) snags were not evenly distributed within a stand such 

that both clumped and dispersed snag density habitat were interspersed in this treatment, 

and 2) a greater proportion of ponderosa pine snags in medium density treatments may 

have attracted species that prefer ponderosa pine for nesting and foraging. Ponderosa pine 

was preferred for nest sites and large snags (>48 cm dbh) provided nesting habitat for more 

species than smaller snags. However, smaller snags were used for nesting and foraging by 

some species.

Monitoring of Primary Cavity Excavator Habitats

The second primary cavity excavator monitoring study was initiated in 2001 and was 

designed to determine the direct, short-term effects of timber harvest and harvest systems on 

snag numbers. In addition, a secondary objective was to monitor the effectiveness of meeting 

Forest Plan snag standards. To date, the fates of 639 snags over 266 acres of dry forest 

restoration projects have been monitored. Additional monitoring is underway to determine 

how different harvest systems and prescribed fires influence snag numbers, and to develop 

statistically accurate measures of snag attrition rates.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 29

Before Harvest After Harvest

Monitoring 

Unit

Unit Size 6-<10 in. 

DBH

10-20 

in. DBH

>20 in. 

DBH

6-<10 in. 

DBH

10-20 in. 

DBH

>20 in. 

DBH

1 20 59 64 18 15 35 12

2 30 55 61 8 20 44 6

3 26 41 25 3 26 12 3

4 18 29 11 3 23 11 3

5 87 98 142 23 NA NA NA

6 15 13 15 5 NA NA NA

7 70 56 35 10 NA NA NA

NA= harvest has not occurred so that post-harvest monitoring is not yet complete.

Recommendations

Re-sample within the fire and salvage logging study area during 2004 and 2005 to 

monitor snag attrition and the response of primary cavity excavators.

Survey snags before and after timber harvest to determine if snag 

standards are being met.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was the same as this year’s recommendation; monitoring 

continued.

Monitoring Item

LANDBIRDS

The goal is to maintain viable populations of landbirds.

How do landbird populations respond to changes in their habitats that 

result from the implementation of the Dry Site Strategy ?

 The conservation of landbirds has become an important management issue on 

national forest lands in recent years. In 2000 the Forest Service developed the Landbird 

Strategic Plan that outlined our landbird conservation program. An important element of 

this program is the development of scientifically credible monitoring programs to understand 

how forest management activities may influence landbird habitats and populations. On 

the Wenatchee National Forest, dry forest restoration has been the primary focus of the 

vegetation management program. Therefore, landbird monitoring efforts have been focused 

on understanding how dry site treatments may affect landbird habitats, abundance, foraging 

behavior, and nesting success. These monitoring efforts have been accomplished through two 

large monitoring stiudies; the Pendleton Study and the Fire and Fire Surrogate (FFS) Study.

 The Pendleton Monitoring Study was designed and implemented in cooperation with 

the Wenatchee Forestry Sciences Lab. The pre-treatment bird monitoring occurred in 1996 

and 1997. The thinning portions of the dry site restoration treatments were completed in 
 

30 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

2000 and post-thinning monitoring was carried out in 2001. In 2002 and 2003 prescribed fire 

treatments are being carried out and post-fire monitoring is expected to occur in 2004. The 

FFS Monitoring Study is a cooperative effort with the Wenatchee National Forest, Wenatchee 

Forestry Sciences Lab, and the University of Washington. This is an interdisciplinary study with 

wildlife being one of the disciplines that is included. In the FFS, pre-treatment monitoring 

was carried out in 2000 and 2001. Post-treatment monitoring is expected to occur in 2004 

and 2005. Presented below are some preliminary data from the Pendleton Study showing 

the relative abundances of different bird species before and after the dry site restoration 

thinning treatments. A research publication is being prepared titled: The Short-term Response 

of Landbirds Birds to Dry Forest Restoration, that will provide additional details about this 

monitoring study. The publication should be available in 2003 and is titled, Monitoring the 

short-term (1-3 years) response of landbirds birds to thinning treatments implemented in the 

Pendleton Dry Forest Restoration project.

Species Richness and Diversity

A total of 55 species were detected during the pre-treatment surveys conducted in 1996 

and 1997. During the post-treatment surveys conducted in 200, 38 species were detected. 

There were no significant differences in the total number of detections recorded among years 

(P = 0.274) or treatments (P = 0.436). Pre-treatment bird diversity was H’ = 2.551 and posttreatment bird diversity was H’ = 2.684. Values for the Shannon Index usually fall between 1.5 

and 3.5, and only rarely surpass 4.5.

Species and Guild Abundance

Eight bird species showed differences in their abundances among years (Figure below). 

Two of these species, the brown creeper (P = 0.016) and mountain chickadee (P = 0.044) 

showed significant decreases in abundance across years. For the mountain chickadee this 

occurred between 1996 and 1997, and was followed by a significant increase in 2001 (P = 

0.001). Cassins finch abundance increased between 1997 to 2001 (P = 0.003), while darkeyed junco’s abundance was signficantly higher in 2001 compared to 1996 (P = 0.033). Four 

additional species or groups of species were significantly higher in abundance during 2001 

compared to both 1996 and 1997. These included the flycatchers (Hammonds and Dusky), 

redbreasted nuthatches, Townsends solitaires, and yellow-rumped warblers.

The abundance of three bird species were different among the treatments and control 

stands. Cassins finches were found in greater abundance in the control stands compared to 

the standard thin treatment (P = 0.03). Conversely, Macgivlery’s warbler (P = 0.037) and redbreasted nuthatch (p = 0.015) abundance decreased in the standard thin treatment compared 

to the control.

The bark-insectivore foraging guild was the only one that showed a signficant trend. 

They significantly increased (P = 0.026) in abundance following the standard thinning 

treatments.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 31

Monitoring the Response of Landbirds to Fire and Fire Surrogate Treatments

The following figures provide a brief summary of the kinds of information that is being 

collected for landbirds in the Fire and Fire Surrogate study. This information was collected 

during 2000 and 2001 in areas that had not been treated with a dry forest restoration 

prescription. In 2004 and 2005 these same areas will be re-surveyed to monitor landbirds after 

treatments have been completed. The information presented below is on bird abundance, 

foraging ecology of bark gleaning birds, and nesting success of landbirds.

This figure shows the number of detection made for the 10 most 

common bird species at point count stations. 

Approximately 4-6 point count stations were sampled within 

each of 12 dry forest study stands.

0 100 200 300 400 500

Dark-eyed Junco

Hammonds/Dusky Flycatcher

Redbreasted Nuthatch

Western Tanager

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Nashville Warbler

Towsends Warber

Mountain Chickadee

Chipping Sparrow

Finch

No. Detections

Foraging Ecology

These figures show the foraging behaviors and habitats used by barkgleaner birds. 

Barkgleaning birds include browncreepers, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees, who 

glean insects out of the bark of trees.
 

32 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Chisel

Flake

Glean

Peck

Pry

Pull

Hammer

Grand Fir

Ponderosa Pine

Douglas Fir

Hardwoods

Nesting Success

Nesting success provides an important measure of the productivity of bird species and is 

important to monitor to understand how dry forest treatments may affect bird populations. 

As this graph shows, about 50% of the ground and foliage nest fail, while birds that use 

cavities for nest have a much higher success rate.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Ground Nesters Foliage Nesters Cavity Nesters

Success

Failed

Recommendations

Complete post-prescribed fire monitoring of landbirds in the Pendleton Monitoring 

Study.

Complete post-treatment monitoring of landbirds in the FFS Study.

Publish results of short-term response of landbirds to the Pendleton Dry Site treatments 

and integrate findings into future restoration project designs.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 33

Monitoring ItemRIPARIAN DEPENDENT WILDLIFE SPECIES

The goal is to maintain viability of riparian dependent species.

Is habitat being maintained for riparian dependent wildlife species?

Riparian habitats typically support the most productive and diverse wildlife populations 

in temperate forest landscapes. For these reasons, it is important to monitor the populations 

of wildlife species that are dependent upon riparian habitats. Two efforts have been 

implemented to monitor riparian wildlife species. The first is an effort to monitor amphibians 

associated with stream riparian habitats. This effort was initiated in 1992 and is planned 

to be continued as a long-term monitoring effort (although it may need to be expanded or 

modified). This monitoring effort samples riparian habitats along small mountain streams 

within Douglas-fir and mixed conifer forests. The sample sites include areas of three different 

riparian management strategies (unharvested, riparian buffer, no buffer). The second study 

was conducted by the Wenatchee Forestry Sciences Lab (J. Lehmkuhl, Principal Investigator) to 

monitor bird populations in streamside riparian habitats. Results from the riparian bird study 

are not yet available but will be presented in future monitoring reports.

Results of amphibian monitoring in streamside riparian habitats 

within Douglas-fir mixed conifer forests. 

These results include sample sites from three riparian management strategies (unharvested, riparian buffer, no 

buffer). These results are based on using pitfall traps to obtain estimates of amphibian abundance.

 Year Tailed Frog Chorus Frog L-T Salamander Cascades 

Frog Totals

Year Tailed Frog Chorus 

Frog LT Salamander Cascade Frog Totals

1992 31 0 0 3 34

1993 31 0 0 7 38

1995 35 0 1 8 44

1996 29 0 1 1 31

1997 15 0 0 1 16

1999 15 1 0 1 17

2001 29 0 0 6 35

2002 22 0 0 2 24

Totals 185 1 2 27 215

The data presented in the above table shows no upward or downward trends in the 

captures of amphibians within the study sites. This relationship is not statistically significant 

for either the total number of captures (r2 = 0.412, F = 1.020, p = 0.359), for the tailed frog 

captures (r2 = 0.477, F = 1.471, p = 0.279), or for Cascades frog captures (r2 = 0.185, F = 0.176, 

p = 0.692). Continued monitoring is needed and consideration of expanding the monitoring 

to include additional sites to increase statistical power.
 

34 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Recommendations

Use data from the riparian amphibian monitoring as a pilot study to determine the 

statistical power of determining trends in amphibian populations under the current 

study design. Make adjustments to the monitoring effort according to the results of 

this analysis.

Integrate the results of the riparian bird study into Forest Plan monitoring once they 

are available.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was the same as this year’s recommendation; monitoring 

continued.

Monitoring ItemDEER, ELK (Forest) AND MOUNTAIN GOAT (High Elevation and Talus) HABITAT

Elk, mule deer and mountain goats use portions of the Wenatchee National Forest as 

summer, winter and transitional range.

Are populations of ungulates increasing, decreasing or being 

maintained?

Is habitat capability increasing, decreasing or being maintained?

Managing ungulate populations requires a high level of coordination with the 

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). They are responsible for the 

monitoring of ungulate populations and the results of these efforts need to be incorporated 

into future Forest Plan monitoring reports. An interagency assessment of the habitat 

capability for the elk herds on the southern end of the Forest was initiated in 2000 and 

completed in 2002. This assessment established baseline information on habitat capability and 

resulted in a more accurate habitat effectiveness model than is currently available. Habitat 

effectiveness is evaluated on a project level basis and is important to meeting the habitat 

goals for these species. Most importantly, the elk habitat assessment identified information 

gaps that are important for the management of the elk herds and the ecosystems that they 

play key roles in. One result of the elk habitat assessment was the initiation of a 5-year 

cooperative study with the WDFW, Wenatchee National Forest and Wenatchee Forestry 

Sciences lab to test the habitat model and gather better information about the elk herd and 

their habitat use. A summary and citation of the elk habitat assessment is provided below. In 

addition, citation for the elk study proposals are provided and are available. 

Gaines, W.L, P.H. Singleton, J. Leingang, E. Bracken, C. Davis, J.F. Lehmkuhl, S. 

McCorquodale, and L. Stream. In press. Habitat assessment for the Colockum and Yakima 

elk herds. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR. -Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 35

Abstract:

Elk play important roles in ecosystem processes in forest and range habitats in the eastern 

Cascade mountains of Washington. Complex relationships exist between habitat quality, elk 

numbers, elk condition, and the integrity of habitats sensitive to grazing. We compiled spatial 

data and constructed two spatially explicit Bayesian Belief Network models to evaluate the 

influences of land management alternatives on elk habitat capability and the risk of grazing 

impacts to sensitive habitats for the Colockum and Yakima elk herds in central Washington 

State. The BBN models used a decision tree structure and relied on available data and expert 

opinion to estimate the influence of dry site vegetation treatments, road management, 

and domestic ungulate and elk grazing on indices of habitat capability and risks to sensitive 

habitats. Dry forest restoration treatments and domestic ungulate grazing had little influence 

on these indices except within a few subwatersheds. Road management had the greatest 

potential to increase elk habitat capability, while elk grazing had the greatest influence on 

sensitive habitats.

Citations for the elk study proposals are as follows:

 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). 2002. Yakima elk herd study: A 

proposal – draft. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington.

Lyons, A., B. Gaines, and J. Lehmkuhl. 2002. Linking Yakima elk herd habitat effectiveness and productivity – draft. U.S. Forest Service, Okanogan and Wenatchee National 

Forest, Wenatchee, Washington.

During the winter of 2000 and throughout the year of 2001, the Wenatchee National 

Forest cooperated with the WDFW and Chelan County PUD on a study of mule deer in Chelan 

County. Currently, mule deer winter range habitat effectiveness is evaluated using a modified 

version of an elk habitat effectiveness model. This model was found to do a poor job of 

predicting the occurrence of mule deer during the winter. Therefore, the Chelan Mule Deer 

Study presented an opportunity to develop a winter range habitat effectiveness model using 

local data collected during this telemetry study. The study is expected to be completed in 

2003 and the results will be integrated into revision of the Forest Plan revision. This model 

will help evaluate trends in habitat effectiveness over time.

Concern has been expressed about the populations of mountains goats on the Forest, and 

in response, a cooperative effort between the Forest Service and the WDFW was developed to 

gather baseline information about their populations. Results of initial mountain goat surveys 

are shown in the following table.
 

36 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Results of helicopter surveys for mountain goats in watersheds 

located on the Wenatchee National Forest. 

There were no surveys for 2002.

Date No. Animals Kids Watershed/Location

9/13/00 2 1 Icicle

9/27/00 3 0 Icicle

9/13/00 1 0 Wenatchee

9/27/00 9 2 Peshastin

7/26/01 22 6 Kachess

7/26/01 40 13 Blaze Ridge

8/14/01 46 14 Bumping

8/14/01 18 3 Naches Pass

9/29/01 13 0 Lake Wenatchee

9/30/01 2 0 Enchantments

Recommendations

Coordinate with the WDFW to obtain population monitoring data that can be integrated into this report for deer, elk, and mountain goats.

Revise and refine the elk and deer habitat effectiveness models based on the results of 

the elk habitat assessment and mule deer study. Integrate these models through Forest 

Plan revision and use the models in project level evaluations.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was the same as this year’s recommendation; monitoring 

continued.

THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES

Monitoring ItemNORTHERN SPOTTED OWL (Strix occidentalis caurina)

The goal is to recover to a viable spotted owl population

What is the level of spotted owl productivity?

Is spotted owl habitat being maintained or restored?

Most spotted owl sites were monitored by the National Council for Air and Stream 

Improvement (NACSI), the Pacific Northwest Research Lab (PNW) for research purposes, or 

by the Wenatchee National Forest in 2001. Due to this partnership, 11 years of monitoring 

information on owls is available. Funding for this long-term monitoring study will run out at 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 37

the end of FY 2002. Monitoring of spotted owls will continue through the Northwest Forest 

Plan monitoring program which includes the Cle Elum study area (Forsman et al. 2002). A 

new study with additional partners will be initiated in 2003 to explore the effects of dry site 

treatments on spotted owl and barred owl resource selection.

A summary of northern spotted owl monitoring information.

Fiscal 

Year

Total Activity Centers 

Monitored

Number of Young 

Fledged

Number of Young/

Activity Center 

1991 170 98 0.6

1992 184 207 1.1

1993 200 38 0.2

1994 187 128 0.7

1995 150 74 0.5

1996 150 83 0.6

1997 NA NA

1998 141 NA

1999 108 26 0.2

2000* 139 57 0.4

2001 198 59 0.3

2002 263 45 0.2

*Does not include data from the Cle Elum Ranger District.

An assessment of the monitoring data available for the Wenatchee National Forest, shown 

in the above table, was completed to determine if trends (upward or downward) occurred in 

the productivity at monitored owl sites. Using a simple linear model, no significant statistical 

trend was detected at this time. However, Forsman et al. (2002) showed a decline in the 

number of occupied spotted owl territories on their general study of approximately 60% 

since 1992. Whether this decline is due to harvest of non-federal lands within the study area, 

the invasion of the area by barred owls, short-term weather patterns, or all of the above, is 

unknown (Forsman et al. 2002). Very little harvest of forests has occurred on federal lands 

within the study area since 1989, so there is no reason to believe that harvest of federal 

forests is exacerbating the problem (Forsman et al. 2002).

An update to the environmental baseline for spotted owls on the Wenatchee National 

Forest was completed in 2002 (Halupka 2002). This assessment showed that about 4,812 acres 

of suitable spotted owl habitat have been consulted on for removal or downgrading between 

1994 and 2002. In addition, wildfires removed about 10,000 acres of suitable spotted owl 

habitat during the same time period (Halupka 2002).

All projects with potential effects to any federally protected wildlife species requires 

agencies to review actions authorized, funded, or carried out by them to insure such actions 

do not jeopardize the continued existence of listed species. All projects that affected spotted 

owl habitat have been through this screen. In 2002, a total of 19 projects were consulted on 

for spotted owls, and 9 of these project had effects to designated critical habitat.

Recommendations 

Monitoring should include tracking the changes in the availability of suitable spotted 

owl habitat over time. Baseline habitat conditions were established in the Wenatchee 

National Forest Late-successional Reserve Assessment in 1997 (USFS 1997). This information was updated in 2002 and should be revisited in 2007 to track habitat trends.
 

38 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Continue to monitor >50% of the known spotted owl sites on the Forest in order to 

track trends in the number of young/site over time.

Validate monitoring suitable spotted owl habitat and spotted owl productivity (young/

site) to determine trends in the spotted owl population on the Forest.

Cooperate with the Wenatchee Forestry Sciences lab to monitor how dry site restoration projects are influencing resource selection by spotted and barred owls during 

2003-2006.

 Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendations were the same as this year’s recommendations; monitoring continued.

Monitoring ItemBALD EAGLE (Halieetus leucocephalus) THREATENED 

The goal is species recovery.

Are existing nest sites producing young as anticipated?

Are nest, roost and perch sites being maintained?

Table showing a summary of the bald eagle monitoring information.

Fiscal Year Known Nest Sites Known Young Produced

1989 1 1

1990 2 2

1991 2 2

1992 3 2

1993 4 4

1994 4 6

1995 4 7

1996 5 3

1997 5 4

1998 5 5

1999 4 1

2000* 4 1

2001 4 unknown

2002 5 unknown

*Does not include data from the Cle Elum Ranger District.

These data indicate an increasing number of bald eagle nest sites and the number of 

young produced over the past ten years. In 1999 and 2000, the number of known young 

that were produced was lower than the past several years. The reasons for this are unknown 

but may be a function of inability to monitor the nest fate closely or weather conditions. 

Subsequent monitoring of productivity will be important to better understand this.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 39

All projects with potential effects to any federally protected wildlife species requires 

agencies to review actions authorized, funded, or carried out by them to insure such actions 

do not jeopardize the continued existence of listed species. All projects that affected bald 

eagle habitat have been through this screen. In 2002, a total of 15 projects were consulted on 

for bald eagles.

Recommendations 

Continue to monitor nests and document the number of young produced.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendations were the same as this year’s recommendations; monitoring continued.

Monitoring ItemPEREGRINE FALCONS (Falco pergrinus) 

The goal is species recovery.

How many sites are occupied? 

How many young are being produced?

The Wenatchee National Forest has achieved and exceeded the recovery goal of one 

active nest site. Two new nest sites were discovered in 1999 near Leavenworth. All “good 

or better’’ rated cliffs for peregrine nests have been entered into a Geographic Information 

System (GIS) and are being used to make project assessments.

On August 25, 1999, a notice was published in the Federal Register (64 Federal Register 

46542) removing the peregrine falcon from the federal endangered species list. This is due 

to the continued successful recovery of this species, including several efforts made on the 

Wenatchee National Forest. This means that it will no longer be necessary to complete 

consultation with the USFWS on projects that could affect peregrine falcons. However, 

peregrine falcon nest sites will continue to be protected and monitored.
 

40 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

A summary of the peregrine falcon monitoring information. 

The table shows the increasing number of known nest sites and young produced on the Wenatchee National Forest. 

The continued increase in productivity of the peregrines on the Forest has contributed to their successful recovery

Fiscal Year Known Nest Sites Young Produced

1988 0 0

1989 0 0

1990 0 0

1991 0 0

1992 1 3

1993 1 2

1994 2 5

1995 2 5

1996 2-10 4

1997 2-10 7

1998 2-10 3

1999 5 9

2000 5 8

2001 6 10

2002 6 11

Recommendations

Continue to monitor potential and active nest sites.

Prepare site management plans for known nest sites.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendations were the same as this year’s recommendations; monitoring continued.

Monitoring ItemGRIZZLY BEAR (Ursus arctos)

The goal is species recovery.

Are Guidelines for the North Cascade Grizzly Bear Recovery Area being 

implemented as they become established?

How many class 1 and 2 grizzly bear reports are made annually?

The Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan was completed in 1997 (USFWS 1997) for the North 

Cascades Ecosystem. Interim Access Management Guidelines and a Sanitation Policy were 

developed and approved for “No Net Loss” of core areas in 1998. An initial Forest-wide 

assessment of the availability of core areas was competed in 1998 and the results are shown in 

the table below. An assessment of the quality of the core areas to meet the seasonal needs of 

grizzly bears and to develop desired future conditions for the Bear Management Units (BMUs) 

is being completed in 2002. In 2002, 19 projects were consulted on for grizzly bears.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 41

A summary of the grizzly bear core area monitoring information.

Bear Management 

Unit

Total Acres in 

BMU

Early Season 

% Core Area

Late Season 

% Core Area

Chiwawa 152,726 60 55

Cle Elum 196,319 Na 35

Icicle 134,878 81 73

Lower Lake Chelan 205,822 63 54

Lower Entiat 169,801 21 21

Lower Wenatchee 225,784 40 41

Peshastin 131,124 40 41

Stehekin 107,289 Na Na

Upper Lake Chelan 239,430 80 25

Upper Wenatchee 146,333 73 47

Swauk 161,619 Na 62

This information provides an overview of the availability of core areas within the 

Grizzly Bear Management Units across the Wenatchee National Forest. This information is 

appropriate to the broad scale assessment that was conducted, but needs to be validated and 

updated at the project scale. The core areas available within BMUs have been updated for 

some areas and may not be reflected in this table.

A summary of the grizzly bear sighting information.

Year Class 1 Observations Class 2 Observations Total Observations

1989 1 3 4

1990 0 9 9

1991 3 3 6

1992 0 0 0

1993 0 0 0

1994 0 0 0

1995 0 0 0

1996 0 1 1

1997 0 1 1

1998 0 0 0

1999 0 0 0

2000 0 0 0

2001 0 0 0

2002 0 0 0

Recommendations 

Continue to update the core area GIS layer as projects are implemented and better 

information becomes available.

Continue to implement the Sanitation Policy by making human garbage inaccessible to 

bears in our campgrounds and recreation sites.
 

42 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Continue to report and follow up on grizzly bear observations in order to gather sufficient information to determine the validity of the report.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was the same as this year’s recommendation.

Monitoring ItemGRAY WOLF (Canis lupus) ENDANGERED

The goal is species recovery.

How are forest roads affecting habitat? 

How many reports of gray wolves occurred per year?

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) historically occurred throughout the North Cascades. However, 

extensive predator control efforts and human expansion during the early to mid 1900’s greatly 

reduced their numbers. Recently, gray wolves have been observed at a few locations within 

the North Cascades, including areas on the Wenatchee National Forest. These reports indicate 

that gray wolves may be recolonizing the Cascades from source populations in southern British 

Columbia. Presently no recovery plan or conservation strategy has been implemented for gray 

wolves in Washington. In 2002 a total of 19 projects were consulted on to determine their 

potential effects on gray wolves.

A summary of the gray wolf sightings information.

Year Number of Confirmed and 

Unconfirmed Gray Wolf Reports

Number Confirmed 

to be Gray Wolf

1990 2 1

1991 24 1

1992 3 1

1993 0 0

1994 0 0

1995 0 0

1996 0 0

1997 2 0

1998 3 0

1999 1 0

2000 1 0

2001 5 0

2002 1 0

In the early 1990s considerable interagency efforts were made to investigate wolf reports 

to determine their validity. In 1993 these efforts were greatly reduced as a result of limited 

funding. Because of this, fewer reports have been made and no reports have been verified for 

several years. This has made it very difficult to track the number and distribution of gray wolf 

reports over time.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 43

Recommendations 

Track road densities in GIS to monitor habitat effectiveness for wolves. 

Cooperate on the development of a recovery plan or conservation strategy for the 

North Cascades.

Continue to follow up and evaluate wolf reports and track these in a database.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendations were the same as this year’s recommendations; monitoring continued.

Monitoring ItemMARBLED MURRELET (Brachyramphus marmoratus) Threatened

The goal is species recovery.

Are populations and habitat being maintained?

Only a small portion of the Wenatchee National Forest lies within the range of the 

marbled murrelet and surveys conducted prior to habitat manipulation or disturbances have 

not revealed any confirmed locations or nest sites. A total of 4 projects were consulted on in 

2002.

A summary of marbled murrelet sighting information.

Year General 

Observations

# Marbled Murrelet 

Reported

# Survey 

Station

# Marbled Murrelet 

Located

Pre-1989 0 0 0 0

1990 0 0 0 0

1991 0 0 0 0

1992 0 0 0 0

1993 0 0 0 0

1994 1 1 13 0

1995 0 0 14 0 

1996 0 0 5 0

1997 0 0 5 0

1998 0 0 * 0

1999 0 0 0 0

2000 0 0 0 0

2001 0 0 10 0

2002 0 0 0 0

Recommendations

Continue to monitor projects within the range of the species.
 

44 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Fiscal Year 2000 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was the same as this year’s recommendation; monitoring 

continued.

Monitoring ItemCANADA LYNX (Lynx canadensis) – THREATENED

In 2000, the Canada lynx was listed as a Threatened species under the federal Endangered 

Species Act. Conservation of lynx is guided by the Canada Lynx Conservation Assessment and 

Strategy until a recovery plan is completed. Prior to the listing of lynx, surveys were initiated 

to determine the extent of lynx range in Washington and Oregon, as part of the National 

Lynx Survey. Several of the survey stations were located on the Wenatchee National Forest. 

The results of these surveys are shown in the following table. No lynx detections of lynx were 

made during these surveys. In FY 2002 a total of 15 projects were consulted on for lynx

Results of the 1999 -2001 lynx surveys conducted on the Wenatchee National Forest 

using hair snagging and DNA analysis.

Year Total Hits Bobcat Cougar Lynx Other *Poor DNA

1999 22 7 1 0 6 8

2000 0

2001 31 8 0 0 8 12

*Poor DNA means that analysis could not be completed.

Recommendations

Continue to monitor projects within the range of the species.

Monitoring ItemSURVEY AND MANAGE SPECIES

Survey and Manage species were identified in the Northwest Forest Plan as species 

whose ranges are limited in extent and/or which we have little information about. On the 

Wenatchee National Forest these species include 7 mollusks, 2 amphibians, and the lynx. The 

management strategy for the mollusk and amphibian species is to conduct surveys prior to 

ground disturbance activities.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 45

Known Survey and Manage Sites for Amphibians and Mollusks

Year Number of Survey and Manage 

Amphibian Sites

Number of Survey and Manage 

Mollusk Sites

1997 2

1998 3 20

1999 1 74

2000 0 3

2001 1 3

2002 0 5

Total Known 

Sites

4 107*

*This number has been revised from last year to reflect clarifications in the taxonomy of the Chelan 

Mountain snail. Site previously considered Chelan Mountain snail on the Leavenworth Ranger 

District were determined to be another snail species that is not a survey and manage species.

Recommendations

Continue surveys of projects for survey and manage mollusk species.

Monitoring the effectiveness of the mollusk management protocols where they occur 

in the dry forests.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was the same as this year’s recommendation; monitoring 

continued.

Summary of Accomplishments in FY 2002 

Through the development of an extensive network of partnerships with other resource 

areas, government agencies, and private organizations, a sizeable amount of work was 

accomplished in FY 2002 to inventory and restore wildlife habitats. Inventories and surveys 

were conducted over approximately 190,000 acres for species that are federally protected 

as Threatened or Endangered. About 45,000 acres were surveyed for other wildlife species. 

These surveys provide important information about wildlife numbers and their distribution, 

and enhance the ability to coordinate activities with other resource specialists to reduce or 

mitigate potential negative effects. A summary of the habitat restoration accomplishments in 

FY 2002 is provided in the following table.

A summary of wildlife habitat restoration accomplishments during 1998-2002.

Year Wildlife Structures Wildlife Acres TES Structures TES Acres

1999 144 1449 53 1534

2000 1300 200

2001 1665 100

2002 2000 100
 

46 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

I. TIMBER OFFERED (ALLOWABLE SALE QUANTITY (ASQ) 

AND TIMBER SALE PROGRAM QUANTITY (TSPQ)

The goal is to achieve planned and assumed volumes of timber sold annually and for the 

planning period in ASQ and TSPQ for the period from FY 1990 to 1993. 

Is the Forest offering the cubic foot volume (board feet in the first 

decade of chargeable timber established by the plan ASQ?

Is the Forest offering the cubic foot volume (board feet in first decade) 

of non-chargeable timber necessary to achieve the estimated TSPQ?

From 1994, the goal has been amended by the Northwest Forest Plan.

The new term to describe timber offered under the amended Forest Plan is called 

``probable sale quantity’’ (PSQ). The objective is to estimate sale levels likely to be achieved 

(PSQ) as opposed to estimating ceiling or upper-limit harvest levels (ASQ). The PSQ in the 

Forest Plan is to sell 24.2 million board feet per year. 

Timber harvested during FY 2002, as reported in the Timber Cut and Sold Summary, is 22.8 

MMBF. See Timber Offered/Harvested Table for details of current and past harvest. The trend 

for timber harvested for the last five years has averaged 24.9 MMBF. 

Timber Offered/Harvested

Fiscal Year Timber Offered (MMBF) Timber Harvested (MMBF)

1993 16.8 58.4

1994 12.0 32.5

1995 98.8 19.9

1996 92.5 91.7

1997 50.4 56.4

1998 43.2 27.0

1999 27.7 34.3

2000 38.4 20.4

2001 20.0 20.2

2002 19.2 22.8

Another indicator utilized is the Program Sale Statement (PSS). The PSS is used as a source 

of annual program accomplishment in terms of area and volume by timberland suitability 

class, harvest activity, forest-type group, and product. Cumulatively, this information reflects 

total Forest Plan accomplishment relative to the long-term sustained yield capacity or the 

allowable sale quantity (FSM 2492.12). The Program Sale Statement for the Wenatchee 

National Forest is on PSS Table. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 47

Program Sale Statement

Fiscal Year Chargeable (MBF) Non-Chargeable (MBF)

Dead Live Dead Live

1993 11,334.45 1,422.17 3,889.25 35.6

1994 6,044.34 7,820.47 2,389.53 181.2

1995 52,317.96 444.80 2,008.49 3.0

1996 62,512.39 12,783.70 6,152.15 13.8

1997 5,242.31 5,049.11 22,482.81 146.2

1998 7,920 4,247.9 20,453.9 4,910.4

1999 4,906.85 12809.86 2793.35 1200.61

2000 321.95 15504.22 3380.75 1484.07

2001 811.53 23525.72 3930.28 1446.19

2002 656.96 9288.66 4049.34 1470.62

Note: Chargeable volume is volume removed from land allocations that are part of the suitable timber base, and nonchargeable volume is volume removed from land allocations outside the suitable base.

The PSS volume for FY 2002 went down 48 percent from the previous year. The direction 

in the Forest Plan states that the PSQ levels are estimates. They represent neither minimum 

levels that must be met, nor maximum levels that cannot be exceeded. They are rough 

approximations because of: 1) the difficulty associated with predicting actual timber sale 

levels over the next decade, 2) the when and where to offer timber sales, and 3) the complex 

nature of many of the land management agencies to develop new timber sales that conform 

to the planning amendments. 

The trend from the Program Sale Statement for the last five years has averaged 25.0 

MMBF. The average is slightly above the PSQ (24.2). The volumes from the Program Sale 

Statement have come down and are reflective of what would be expected, based on the 

Northwest Forest Plan.

The PSQ on the Wenatchee National Forest is conforming to the direction addressed in 

the Northwest Forest Plan. Approval of PSQ estimates for Northwest Forest Plan Forests was 

amended for Region 6 (Letter from Regional Forester, dated December 1, 1998, 1920/2410) 

and the Wenatchee National Forest’s direction remained the same. 

 

Recommendations 

Continue to sell timber as directed in the Forest Plan.

Continue to monitor PSQ utilizing the STARS and PSS databases and compare volume 

to projected decade trend.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was the same as this year’s recommendation; monitoring 

continued.
 

48 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Monitoring ItemTIMBER HARVEST UNITS (Size, Shape and Location)

The goal is to manage vegetation cover to meet direction on size of openings created by 

National Forest timber harvest. The monitoring question is:

Are the Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines regarding the size and 

dispersal of openings and condition of adjacent vegetation (e.g. height 

of trees in adjacent areas) being appropriately implemented?

Based on the PSQ of 24.2 MMBF, the amount of clearcutting that would be expected is 

484 acres per year (based on the original Forest Plan assumptions). During Fiscal Year 2002, 

22.8 MMBF was harvested from 2,971 acres. There were no clearcuts this year. The forest had 

116 acres of preparation cuts, 132 acres of seed cuts, 107 acres of removal cut, and 34 acres of 

selection cut. The remaining 2,582 acres were thining cuts. The timber program focus for the 

immediate future is thinning in dry forested areas to reduce the potential for large crown fires 

as experienced in 1984, 1994, 1998, 2001, and 2002. Consequently, the program involves 

very little clearcutting.

The five-year trend for acres regenerated and intermediate harvest are indicated in the 

following table.

Acres Regenerated FY 1996 to 2001

Fiscal

Year

Clear

Cut

Prep

Cut

Seed

Cut

Removal

Cut

Select

Cut

Improve

Cut

Thin 

Cut

Sani.

Cut

Special

Cut

Total

Cut

1996 9 0 0 138 348 0 0 13074 0 13569

1997 0 279 32 12 172 0 270 4731 0 5496

1998 12 25 129 26 213 0 307 727 0 1439

1999 19 0 12 359 909 0 706 412 0 2417

2000 0 0 46 0 123 0 1748 144 0 2061

2001 0 0 0 0 1086 0 1672 0 0 2758

2002 0 116 132 107 34 0 2582 0 0 2971

Avg. 6 60 50 92 412 0 1041 2727 0 4387

 From Fiscal Years 1996 to 2002, very little acrage has been harvested using silviculutural 

systems that create openings in the forest landscape. Stand replacing wildfires have created 

very large openings in the forested landscape, especially on the dry sites. The priority has 

been to treat landscapes that are overstocked with thinnings from below, reduce fuels and 

crown density, and to salvage trees that have been damaged by wildfires, insects and disease. 

As as result of this Dry Forest Strategy and the National Fire Plan, the size and dispersal 

of openings and condition of adjacent vegetation meet the Forest Plan Standards and 

Guidelines, as amended by the Northwest Forest Plan. 

Volume sold during FY 2002 indicates the same trend as above. No clear cuts are 

scheduled or planned for any timber sales sold during FY 2002. Only selection cuts, thin cuts, 

and sanitation cuts are planned for the volume sold in FY 2002. Large stand replacing fires are 

creating large openings on the forest, but this is not due to planned or accomplished harvest 

activities.

The Wenatchee National Forest is meeting its Plan Goals and Objectives. The decrease in 

harvested acres from the 1990 Forest Plan, along with the shape, size, and location has been 

accomplished to coincide with the new goals and objectives in the Forest Plan.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 49

Recommendations 

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was to continue monitoring as scheduled; monitoring continued.

Monitoring ItemTIMBER HARVEST 

The goal is to ensure that regeneration harvests are not prescribed for areas where 

average annual growth has not generally reached culmination of mean annual increment. The 

monitoring questions are:

Are stands being harvested at an age and condition that produces the 

expected growth measured on an average annual cubic foot basis?

Is the amount of volume removed consistent with amounts sold?

In 2002, 0 acres were clearcut. Since 1993, the two issues that have been directing the 

timber harvest have been the Northwest Forest Plan and the salvage related to the wildfires. 

This has reduced the planned regeneration harvest acreage to near zero. The focus has 

been to harvest fire salvage (sanitation/selective tree removal) and thinning from below on 

overstocked stands, especially on the drier ecosystems within the Forest Matrix and associated 

Late-Successional Reserves (accelerate/protect/enhanuce late successional characterisics).

Acres treated will remain high as harvest shifts towards thinning of small trees from large 

portions of the landscape with low volumes per acre being removed. In the next few years, 

the majority of the PSQ volume will come from Dry Site Strategy sales.

Timber sales sold during FY 2002 reflect the strategy for the management of dry forest 

vegetation. The purpose of these timber sales are to reduce fuels and to help reduce large 

wildfires, improve long-term ecosystem sustainability and be economical. These goals are 

being attained. 

Stands being scheduled for regeneration are within 5 percent of the culmination of mean 

annual increment. The Timber Sold/Harvested Table shows the current and past levels of 

timber sold/harvested.

The last five-year trend indicates the Forest has harvested 28.9 MMBF/year. The amount 

has been consistent with the Forest Plan as amended by the Northwest Forest Plan. The 

higher amounts harvested reflects volumes removed from wildfires. Since then, the amount 

harvested, especially from regeneration acres has been lower and continues to reflect the 

Northwest Forest Plan direction. 

The volumes harvested in the last five years have been harvested at an age and condition 

that produces the expected growth measured on an average annual cubic foot basis. The 

trees that are being thinned from below or salvaged are trees that have very slow growth 

rates and are suppressed and need to be thinned to help maintain or improve the vigor of the 

remaining trees. 
 

50 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Timber/Sold Harvested

Fiscal Year Timber Sold

(MMBF)

Timber Harvested

(MMBF)

1993 20.2 58.4

1994 16.1 32.5

1995 54.5 19.9

1996 80.5 91.7

1997 30.7 56.4

1998 29.1 27.0

1999 15.5 34.3

2000 20.7 20.4

2001 29.7 40.1

2002 14.1 22.8

Recommendations 

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was to continue monitoring as scheduled; monitoring continued.

Monitoring ItemSILVICULTURAL PRACTICES

The goal is to ensure that silvicultural prescriptions are appropriate, effective and 

consistent with resource objectives for each management area. The monitoring questions are:

How many acres of each planned silvicultural practices have been 

accomplished?

Have silvicultural prescriptions met objectives set for each management 

area?

Are managed stands growing at the rates estimated by Forest Plan yield 

models?

The following Table shows the summary of silvicultural activities for 1996 to 2002.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 51

Silvicultural Activities

Activity 2002

Acres

2001

Acres

2000

Acres

1999

Acres

1998

Acres

1997

Acres

1996

Acres

Release and Weeding 112 576 160 134 271 598 410

PCT 1167 2776 1,853 1251 1672 1467 756

Pruning 223 726 614 291 258 0 5

Fertilization 0 0 18 0 28 46 103

Acres planting 706 5107 6,966 3462 9247 10256 5858

Site Prep. For Planting 

or Seeding 119 309 312 499 280 863

Animal Damage 

Control 118 203 25 737 775 679 117

Harvest- Clearcut 0 0 0 19 12 0 9

Harvest- Removal Cut 

(prep/seed/removal) 355 0 46 371 180 323 138

Harvest- Selective Cut 

(select/thin) 2616 2758 1871 1615 520 442 348

Harvest- Sanitation 0 0 144 412 727 4731 13074

Natural regeneration 

without site prep. 1143 1084 6154 9371 6987 6361 8514

The silvicultural prescriptions have been implemented to foster and promote the different 

types of land attributes in the Forest Plan. The different types of silvicultural prescriptions are 

meeting the objectives for each type of management area.

The current program is aimed at the salvage from the wildfires and reducing the 

overstocked stands in the dry forest ecosystem. The original intent of the Forest Plan was to 

establish plantations on lands that were allocated as General Forest. The use of improved 

growing stock and an aggressive tree improvement program were aimed at making sure the 

Forest Plan was implemented. To a lesser degree, the Wenatchee National Forest is continuing 

to utilize the TSI approach, but with a focus at treating landscapes instead of individual 

trees or stands. As a result of the Dry Site Strategy the Wenatchee National Forest is aiming 

prescriptions at reducing stocking levels so growth will be maintained on sites that already 

have maximum stand density index. The current silvicultural prescriptions are meeting the 

intent of the Forest Plan to insure that stands are growing at rates that are being estimated by 

yield models.

The last five-year trend is consistent with the Wenatchee Forest Plan. The Forest continues 

to stress treating landscapes instead of stands or trees. The silviculural treatments reflect 

an upward trend in TSI, especially in precommercial thinnings, prunings, and commerical 

thinnings. The major obstacle to achieving silvicultural goals is funding in timber stand 

improvements, especially precommerical thinnings. This trend has not changed, due mainly to 

funding reforestation as a higher priority and not funding the overall needs, both locally and 

regionally. 

Recommendations 

Continue monitoring as scheduled. 

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was to continue monitoring as scheduled; monitoring continued.
 

52 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Monitoring ItemREFORESTATION 

The goal is to minimize the amount of time between the removal of existing trees and 

reforestation with desired species. The monitoring questions are:

Is adequate tree stocking for each management area achieved within 

the time frame established with the desired silvicultural method?

Have adequate numbers of trees of desired species been established to 

realize optimum growth for management area?

The Wenatchee National Forest monitors reforestation by tracking the acres that are 

reforested every year. The tracking is accomplished by, and reported in, the Silva Database in 

TRACS and in the Survival and Growth Report. 

Many of the acres reforested were not harvested. There is no direct relationship between 

acres reforested and acres harvested within the burn area. Some areas did not need to 

be reforested because of natural regeneration, unsuitability to reforestation or had good 

stocking.

During FY 2002, 1,847 acres were planted with tree seedlings, or were reforested 

naturally. Most of the acres were planted in stands that were burned in wildfires. 

The Survival and Growth Report is based on field surveys conducted by ranger district 

personnel and field visits by the Resources Staff. The field visits indicated that the appropriate 

species and planting stock are being utilized on sites that required reforestation. First year 

survival for FY 2002 was 37 percent and third year survival was 56 percent. The lower first and 

third year survival results reflect on acres planted in the fires that occurred on Chelan Ranger 

District. These sites are drier and have less fertile soils and are more difficult to reforest. 

Some sites were also planted in the fall during 2001. The bareroot stock was hot planted from 

nursery stock that took too long to be deliver and resulted in below average survival. The 

use of bareroot 1-1 stock versus 1-0 plug stock on these drier sites will be utilized to improve 

survivability. The report shows that 97 percent of the acres reforested were determined 

satisfactorily stocked at the time of the third year exam; and, 97 percent of all acres certified 

in FY 2001 met prescribed stocking objectives, with one treatment.

Five year growth and survival report -- FY 1996-2002

Fiscal Year 1st Year

Survival

3rd Year

Survival

Sat. stocked

By 3rd exam

First time

Success

2002 37% 56% 97% 97%

2001 86% 71% 93% 89%

2000 82% 73% 96% 100%

1999 82% 78% 97% 95%

1998 74% 64% 89% 94%

1997 87% 72% 94% 92%

1996 76% 82% 85% 88%

Average 75% 71% 93% 94%
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 53

The seven-year trend, as indicated in the table above for growth and survival is fairly 

consistent. First year survival averages 75% while 3rd year survival averages 71%. Past 

(before the Northwest Forest Plan amendment) survival rates used to be higher because the 

Forest was harvesting higher quality sites (more mesic) that were easier to reforest and more 

effort was utilized via Knutson-Vandenberg (KV) funding to do site preparation. The Forest 

continues to plant a variety of species and continues to monitor growth and survival of tree 

seedlings planted over a three-year period to insure adequate numbers of trees are being 

stocked. 

Recommendations 

Utilize 1-1 bareroot or plug-1 stock with large roots to help increase survivability. Do 

not use 1-0 stock on dry lower elevation ecosystems. 

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was to continue monitoring as scheduled; monitoring continued.

Monitoring ItemLANDS NOT SUITABLE FOR TIMBER MANAGEMENT 

The goal is to verify that technology and/or other information has not been developed to 

justify reclassifying lands from a “not suitable’’ status to “suited for timber management’’, or 

vice versa. The monitoring questions are:

Have the lands that were identified in the Forest Plan as not suitable 

for timber management now become suitable for timber management?

Is the suitable/not suitable land classification accurate as identified in 

the Forest Plan database?

Suitability is being monitored at the ranger districts by the silviculturist. There appear to 

be no problems with identifying acres that do not meet Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines. 

Any new changes are being updated in the GIS database. 

Recommendations 

Continue to utilize the NEPA process to determine suitability of lands.

Continue to update the Wenatchee National Forest GIS layer that keeps track of suitability. 

Continue to monitor the reforestation success on all lands that are harvested or deforested by wildfire, especially on the drier, low elevation sites that tend to have more 

difficulty regenerating.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendations were the same as this year’s recommendations; monitoring continued.
 

54 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

J. SOIL, WATER, FISHERIES AND RELATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 

Monitoring ItemMAINTENANCE OF LONG-TERM SOIL PRODUCTIVITY

The goal is to manage the soil resources by implementing management practices that 

maintain or enhance productive soil nutrient and water cycles. The monitoring question is: 

Is soil productivity being protected?

Soil productivity may be reduced by the mechanisms of compaction, erosion, mass failure, 

severe burning, and negative alteration of nutrient cycling. To maintain soil productivity, all 

natural soil processes should be maintained.

The Forest Plan Standard states that no more than 20 percent of an activity area shall 

be in a detrimentally disturbed soil condition, including roads and landings. Detrimental 

soil conditions include compaction, displacement, erosion, puddling, and severe burning. A 

second Forest Plan Standard stipulates the minimum amount of intact ground cover one and 

two years after an activity, dependant on the erosion hazard of the soil.

Past monitoring has shown that past timber sales have not always met the soil standard 

(Wenatchee National Forest Monitoring Report 2000). Multiple entries, fragile soils, and 

ground-based (for example tractor) harvest were factors increasing the risk that soil standards 

might not be met.

The Wenatchee National Forest is incorporating mitigation measures of soil compaction 

effects for vegetation treatment in compliance with regional soil quality standards and project 

NEPA documents. The Forest is updating policy on ground based vegetative treatments.

Examples of measures that will be incorporated into NEPA documents are listed below.

Continue to monitor soil rehabilitation techniques.

Emphasize early documentation of existing soil resource conditions.

Update and revise the Ground Based Harvest Policy to incorporate new monitoring results 

and to incorporate the Okanogan National Forest into the policy. 

Reevaluate and refine winter harvest methods.

Utilize yarding equipment that maximizes trail spacing and minimizes trail widening and 

off-trail displacement.

Emphasize skid trail spacing and width and encourage operator practices that achieve 

better results.

Emphasize leaving skid trails and landings in a condition that facilitates effectiveness of 

selected restoration treatment. For example, in a skid trail that will be treated with a selfdrafting winged subsoiler, reduce wood and stumps in the skid trail.

Recommendations

Continue existing monitoring program and incorporate the measures listed upon into 

project analysis.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 55

Monitoring Item – 

FISH/RIPARIAN STANDARD AND GUIDELINE IMPLEMENTATION 

Are Standards, Guidelines and Related Best Management Practices 

(BMPs) for fish habitat and riparian areas as defined in the Forest Plan 

being applied in the design and execution of timber sales, watershed 

restoration, and other projects where fish/riparian standards are a 

concern?

Upper Yakima (Cle Elum Ranger District) Implementation Monitoring of 

Controlled Burning

In spring 2002, 60 acres in the Johnson Thin area on Cle Elum Ranger District were spring 

burned. One unit was burned that had been listed in EA as a unit not to burn. This unit 

burned hotter than desired, with resulting resource damage. Disciplinary actions were taken, 

and in 2003, maintaining burn plan consistency as outlined in planning documents was 

emphasized at the highest district staff levels. For more information contact Cle Elum District 

Ranger.

Yakama Nation Fisheries Fine Sediment Monitoring Report 2002 (Jim 

Matthews).

Upslope restoration in Little Naches watershed 1986-2001 involved reduction of fine 

sediment delivery from roads to streams: measures included road abandonment, improving 

cross-drains, and ensuring ditches did not deliver to the stream system (Mark Muir Masters 

Thesis, University of Washington 2003: Evaluation of restoration projects and channel changes 

in the Little Naches basin, with a comparison to the American River basin, WA). Two extreme 

high flow events occurred during this time period (1990 and 1996). Monitoring indicates 

that fine sediments appear to be decreasing in Little Naches River. For greater discussion of 

Little Naches restoration see monitoring item “Aquatic Habitat Objectives” below, or consult 

Yakama Nation Fisheries Fine Sediment Monitoring Report 2002, Jim Matthews.

Recommendations

Continue existing monitoring program.

Monitoring Item – 

EFFECTIVENESS OF RIPARIAN STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES 

Are Standards and Guidelines that describe Desired Future Conditions 

for specific riparian areas/fish habitat being met?

Standards and Guidelines that describe desired future conditions are not being met 

in all riparian/aquatic areas. There are two reasons for this: 1) some of the Standards and 

Guidelines need refinement; and 2) some of our riparian/aquatic areas are not in a “healthy” 

(all natural processes functioning appropriately) condition.

Aquatic zones protected by the Forest Plan include streams, lakes, and wetlands and their 

riparian zones, as well as unstable slopes (because they may be significant source/delivery 

zones for channel materials). Monitoring to date has focused on streams and lakes. 
 

56 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Monitoring programs to assess the condition of riparian areas and fish habitat include: 

habitat surveys, hydrologic surveys, stream temperature monitoring, spawning gravel fine 

sediment monitoring, high lakes monitoring, and macroinvertebrate monitoring. In 2002, 

momitoring focused on fine sediment, stream temperature, and habitat surveys.

Fine Sediment Monitoring:

Fine sediments appear to be decreasing in Little Naches watershed. See monitoring 

item “Aquatic Habitat Objectives” below, or consult Yakama Nation Fisheries Fine Sediment 

Monitoring Report 2002, Jim Matthews.

In the Entiat basin, fine sediment has been monitored in five reaches since 1993. Forest 

Plan Standards have been exceeded only a few times during that time period: in 1993-95, 

in reach one (Entiat River between Stormy and Preston) and in 2000 in reach 4 (Entiat River 

between RM 0.5 and Keystone). Fine sediment levels are lower in upper reaches of Entiat 

River than in lower reaches, and correlate with flow conditions. For more details see Entiat 

Ranger District 2002 Sediment Monitoring Report.

Entiat and Mad Rivers Fine Sediment Sampling Comparisons, 1993-2002.

 

Stream Temperature: The Wenatchee National Forest Land Management Plan Standard 

and Guidelines for temperature in Class I, II and III streams are: a) the maximum temperature 

will be less than or equal to 61 degrees Fahrenheit on any day and/or the average 7-

day maximum temperature will be less than or equal to 58 degrees Fahrenheit; b) where 

streams naturally exceed the above standards, management activities will not cause further 

measurable temperature increase. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 57

Naches Ranger District, 2002 Stream Temperature Monitoring

During the summer of 2002, a total of 51 stream temperature sites were monitored on the 

Naches Ranger District. At 16 of these sites air temperatures were also monitored. Many of 

these sites were a continuation of the monitoring started in 1998 as part of the cooperative 

project with the Environmental Protection Agency and include longitudinal profiles on the 

Little Naches, American and Bumping Rivers. The summer of 2002 can be characterized as 

one with nearly average streamflows. Monthly average air temperatures were approximately 

1 to 2 degrees above normal for June and July and 1 to 2 degrees below normal for August. 

Maximum summer water temperatures were approximately 1.0 degrees F. below long-term 

averages for most sites.

In the Entiat basin, a total of 5,913 stream-days of water temperature monitoring 

were accomplished in 2002 compared with 8,904 stream-days in 2001. Data from the USFWS 

Entiat Hatchery location contributed an additional 273 stream-days to the temperature 

monitoring database, for a total of 6,186 stream-days of monitoring completed in 2002. The 

Forest Plan Standard specified maximum of 61°F. on any day was exceeded on 374 streamdays in monitored Entiat and Chelan streams, including the Entiat River, Mud, Potato, Preston, 

Roaring, Stormy, Mad, Prince, and Twenty-Five Mile Creeks. The Forest Plan Standard average 

7-day maximum temperature of 58°F was exceeded on 665 stream-days in these same streams. 

See Entiat and Chelan Water Temperature Monitoring Report 2002 for specifics.

The highest recorded stream temperatures on the Entiat Ranger District occurred 

during the week of August 11-16, mostly on August 14, and consisted of the following: 66.0°F 

in Potato Creek; 66.4°F in lower Roaring Creek; 67.4°F in the lower Mad River near Tillicum 

Creek; and 72.1°F in the Entiat River (RM 1.4). The highest recorded temperatures on the 

Chelan Ranger District were: 65.1°F in Prince Creek and 61.8°F in lower Twentyfive-mile Creek.

Climate data from the Entiat National Fish Hatchery indicated that the lower Entiat 

basin experienced slightly warmer than average air temperatures and below average levels of 

snowfall (2001-2002 winter) in comparison to the twelve-year average (1989-2001). Climate 

data from a weather station near Entiat RM 18 indicated that 16.6 inches of precipitation 

accumulated during the 2001-2002 water year, which was 86% of the 7-yr average at this site 

and 66% to 83% of the Entiat Cooperative River Basin Study (1979) estimate of 20 to 25 inches 

per year within this area. 

Temperature monitoring continued in the Wenatchee, Upper Yakima, Tonasket, and 

Methow basins as well in 2002; however analysis of the data is not complete. For more 

information in these basins, see the 2001 Temperature Monitoring reports for Leavenworth, 

Cle Elum, Tonasket, and Methow Valley Ranger Districts. Raw data for 2002 is also available.

Lake surveys: Lakes have been monitored 1989-2002 for riparian condition, water 

chemistry, phytoplankton and zooplankton, fish species, age, and condition. Water chemistry 

data have been supplied to the Forest Service’s Regional Air Quality Specialist for analysis 

and comparison to EPA lake monitoring in the mid-1980’s (contact Janice Peterson, Mount 

Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest, for more information). Otoliths have been supplied to 

Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for age analysis (contact Ken Williams, WDFW, 

for more information). Riparian information has been useful for coordinating with Forest 

Service recreation personnel regarding concerns raised by recreational uses. Recreation 

personnel sometimes suggest a lake for monitoring when they suspect concerns exist.

A long-term goal of the lake monitoring effort is to use the data to assist formulation of 

stocking recommendations to help the Forest coordinate with state stocking programs while 

protecting resources, especially fish-less lakes and downstream native fish populations. Other 

goals include monitoring long-term changes in regional air quality through changes in lake 

chemistry and determining impacts of recreation use.

Stream surveys: Periodic stream surveys of all major streams on the Wenatchee National 

Forest allow characterization of channel condition and function. Qualitative and quantitative 

data and photo-documentation are collected. This data is combined with hydrologic surveys, 
 

58 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

geomorphic analysis, and data from related systems to a complete as possible understanding 

of the stream, riparian and watershed functioning. This data forms the backbone of much of 

our project analysis, watershed analysis, and Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation.

 Stream surveys have been conducted following a standard Region 6 protocol since 1989. 

Over 1600 miles of stream have been surveyed on the Wenatchee National Forest. Streams 

surveyed in 2002 include Box Canyon, Lion Gulch, Indian, White, Barton, Little Rattlesnake, 

Rock, and Roaring. Please refer to individual survey reports for more information.

Recommendations

 Continue existing monitoring program.

Monitoring ItemLONG-TERM TRENDS IN WATERSHED CONDITION

The goal is to evaluate the potential direct, indirect and cumulative effects of proposed 

activities on water resources. The monitoring question is: 

Is watershed condition being maintained or improved?

Stream level recorders have been operated in the following ten watersheds since FY 

2000. The recorders provide a long-term record of stream level sampled every 30 minutes. 

Streamflow measurements are made periodically during the year at each site and a 

relationship established between streamflow volume and water level. Instruments also record 

water and air temperatures. The instrumented watersheds are:

Watershed Name Ranger District

Chikamin Creek Lake Wenatchee

East Branch Mission Creek Leavenworth

Lion Gulch Cle Elum

Mission Creek Leavenworth

Nile Creek Naches

Oak Creek Naches

Phelps Creek Lake Wenatchee

Potato Creek Entiat

Swauk Creek Cle Elum

Tillicum Creek Entiat

The monitoring objective is to measure long-term streamflow and water temperature 

regimes on representative watersheds. Chikamin and Phelps Creeks are higher elevation, 

high precipitation zone watersheds and both watersheds are fairly undisturbed. Phelps Creek 

has a water diversion for power generation purposes for the Trinity Mine site. East Branch 

Mission Creek, Lion Gulch, Mission Creek, Nile Creek, Oak Creek and Swauk Creek are dry site 

watersheds where management emphasis is to reduce fuel loadings and improve forest health 

so as to reduce the risk of large-scale fire. Both Potato Creek and Tillicum Creek were burned 

in the 1994 wildfires. The Tillicum site was previously an instrumented site operated by the 

USGS. Documenting the streamflow and water temperature regime for these watersheds will 

be used as an indicator of long-term watershed health and condition. Data collected to date 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 59

show watershed hydrographs for relatively average water yield years 2000 and 2002 compared 

to the very dry drought year of 2001. 

 

Results: Data are plotted on graphs for each water year and are used to characterize 

water yield and timing of runoff for various areas of the forests. Detailed runoff and water 

temperature data records are available at the Supervisor’s Office. 

Recommendations

Continue to operate instruments to create a long-term monitoring record.

Monitoring Item – 

FISH MANAGEMENT INDICATOR SPECIES (MIS) POPULATIONS 

Are viable populations of Management Indicator Species (MIS) being 

maintained?

Management indicator species on the Wenatchee National Forest are spring chinook, 

summer chinook, sockeye, steelhead and cutthroat trout. Bull trout will be discussed here 

because they are federally listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Spring chinook in the Yakima basin are not federally listed; all other spring chinook on the 

Forest are federally listed as endangered. Steelhead in the Yakima basin are federally listed 

as threatened; steelhead elsewhere on the Forest are federally listed as endangered. Bull 

trout are federally listed as threatened throughout Wenatchee National Forest. Westslope 

cutthroat were petitioned for listing and are under state review.

As their ESA status suggests, all of these species are thought to have declined in the lower 

48 states relative to their abundance 200 years ago. On the Wenatchee National Forest, the 

greatest threats to native resident species (e.g. westslope cutthroat) are genetic impacts, 

habitat fragmentation, and in some cases loss of a fluvial life history. Population dynamics of 

anadromous fish (including chinook, sockeye, and steelhead), which migrate to the ocean and 

then return to streams to spawn, are strongly influenced by ocean conditions and off-forest 

migration corridor factors (e.g. agricultural, dam, and mainstem Columbia impacts). 

On the Wenatchee National Forest, the amount, quality, and connectivity of habitat 

for these species appears to has been largely stable or improving over the last decade (see 

monitoring items above). Abundance of anadromous fish is monitored by counts at dams, 

and by redd surveys. A number of agencies cooperate in this monitoring including Yakama 

Nation, Chelan County PUD, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and US Fish and 

Wildlife Service, and Wenatchee National Forest.

Populations of anadromous fish have fluctuated hugely over the last two decades 

(for dam counts see www.fpc.org; for redd counts contact Chelan Co PUD). Given these 

fluctuations, it is difficult to make definitive statements about population trends. However it 

appears that viability of anadromous MIS is being maintained on the Forest.

The Forest continues to expand its knowledge of fish distribution and abundance through 

snorkeling, minnow trapping, and during the course of other surveys (e.g. stream surveys, 

lake surveys). The Forest actively coordinates and assits other agencies with bull trout and 

steelhead redd surveys and the collection of genetic samples. 
 

60 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Cutthroat

Distribution and abundance data indicate that cutthroat are widely distributed on 

Wenatchee National Forest and locally abundant at many sites (WNF snorkel, stream survey, 

and other records). Less is known about genetics, habitat fragmentation, and potential loss 

of a fluvial life history. Ongoing cutthroat genetics monitoring continued in 2002 and will 

continue in 2003. Preliminary results indicate that strong, genetically unique populations 

persist at a number of sites on the Wenatchee National Forest, despite widespread historic and 

current stocking of cutthroat trout (of potentially different genetics) and non-native rainbow 

trout that also have the potential to disrupt cutthroat populations genetically. Final results of 

the cutthroat genetics study are expected in 2004 from the University of Montana.

Bull Trout

Bull trout are found in all subbasins on the Wenatchee National Forest except Chelan. 

Bull trout inhabited these subbasins historically but are currently believed to be extinct in 

these areas. 

The Wenatchee National Forest, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the 

US Fish and Wildlife Service are cooperatively monitoring bull trout redds using a standardized 

protocol. Surveys are conducted annually on “index” streams. Counts for a few streams began 

in the early 1980’s; most long-term index reaches date back to 1989. The monitoring focuses 

on migratory populations. 

Chelan basins: Bull trout are believed to be extripated from this system. 

Entiat basin: There is a small and apparently increasing population in Mad River, with 

some connectivity to a very small number of bull trout in Entiat River. The population appears 

to have doubled in the past decade, but is of concern due to its isolation and low numbers.

Wenatchee basin: There appears to be connectivity among all monitored populations 

in the Wenatchee basin. Isolated bull trout populations exist in the Wenatchee basin (Icicle 

watershed and Ingalls Creek). There is little information about the isolated populations in the 

Wenatchee basin but it is assumed they are at risk.

Upper Yakima basin: Four small populations, spatially isolated from each other by 

dams, are known from the upper Yakima basin. All are at extreme risk due to isolation and 

low population size. For Kachess and Keechelus populations, there are redd counts dating 

back to 1984; for Cle Elum and Teanaway populations, there are only recently located redds. 

Wenatchee National Forest is a partner in a genetics study of Yakima bull trout. 

Naches basin: Three or four populations occur in the Naches, two of which are isolated 

by dams; the remaining fish may be either a single population or two separate populations. 

The two isolated populations (Bumping and Tieton Reservoirs) are moderately large, but the 

Bumping population is not spatially diversified (Entiat and Mad Rivers Fine Sediment Sampling 

Comparisons, 1993-2002), and is stable in South Fork Tieton. Redd counts appear to be 

increasing in Indian and Deep Creeks. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 61

Steelhead

Summer steelhead populations on the Wenatchee National Forest are a mix of naturally 

spawning and hatchery fish. All stocks on the Wenatchee National Forest are depressed. 

In the Wenatchee and Yakima basins, the majority of the steelhead run is wild (naturally 

reproducing). Steelhead in the Yakima basin are federally listed as threatened, and steelhead 

in all other basins on the Wenatchee National Forest are federally listed as endangered 

Spring Chinook

Spring chinook in the Yakima basin are not federally listed due to the presence of other 

strong populations in their Ecologically Significant Unit (ESU). All other spring chinook on 

the Wenatchee National Forest are federally listed as endangered. All spring chinook stocks 

on the Wenatchee National Forest are depressed and of critical concern. These populations 

oscillate naturally. Recent high returns are likely attributable to an oscillation peak; the runs 

will return to an oscillation valley in the near future, and these valleys are becoming extremely 

low and have continued to decline over the past decades. Care needs to be taken to make 

sure that no management action has a negative impact on the the elements of fine sediment, 

temperature and habitat complexity on chinook habitat. In 1998, 407 wild adult spring 

chinook were collected at Rosa dam for Cle Elum hatchery brood stock. This likely contributes 

to the sharp drop in upper Yakima spring chinook redds in 1998.

Recommendation

 Continue existing monitoring program.

Monitoring Item – 

AQUATIC HABITAT OBJECTIVES 

Are stream and habitat improvement projects meeting Aquatic habitat 

objectives as stated in the Forest Plan, Policy Implementation Guide 

(PIG), and Salmon Summit?

2002 monitoring revealed encouraging trends overall. Within each project, comparison of 

treatments allowed identification of more and less effective treatments that will assist future 

project planning.

2002 implementation and effectiveness monitoring of aquatic improvement projects 

included monitoring of dispersed recreation sites on Cle Elum Ranger District (Upper Yakima) 

and instream and upslope restoration in Little Naches watershed.

Cle Elum effectiveness monitoring of dispersed recreation sites - 2002

Restoration of dispersed recreation sites in Teanaway, Box Canyon, and Swauk watersheds 

on Cle Elum Ranger District revealed that controlling usage was an art. The most effective 

barriers provided a clear visual demarcation but not a technical challenge. Almost any 

structure could be removed by a determined user. However rail fences and other aesthetic 

structures that would not have been difficult to remove often had the longest residence times. 

The best strategy seemed to be to avoid technological escalation.
 

62 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Except in sites with high soil moisture, plantings required lots of follow-up watering. In 

difficult sites, such as Teanaway site 21, survival of plantings was approximately 20%. Result: 

we have already enlisted campsite stewards for summer 2003 to water plantings and make 

user contacts.

Little Naches aquatic/riparian restoration effectiveness monitoring

The Little Naches watershed 1986-2001 was taken as a case study. Several in-stream 

restoration projects occurred during this time, involving placement of log and boulder 

structures in the channel Mark Muir Masters Thesis, University of Washington 2003: 

Evaluation of restoration projects and channel changes in the Little Naches basin, with a 

comparison to the American River basin, WA). Upslope restoration during this time period 

involved reduction of fine sediment delivery from roads to streams: measures included road 

abandonment, improving cross-drains, and ensuring ditches did not deliver to the stream 

system (Mark Muir Masters Thesis, University of Washington 2003: Evaluation of restoration 

projects and channel changes in the Little Naches basin, with a comparison to the American 

River basin, WA). Two extreme high flow events occurred during this time period (1990 and 

1996).

Three reaches of the Little Naches River and one reach of the American River were 

compared. Reach 4 of Little Naches is extremely confined by the highway and by ditching/

diking to protect the highway. Reach 7 of Little Naches is confined by the highway for 

approximately 1/3 of its length, and reach 8 of Little Naches is largely unconfined. Although 

no perfect “reference/unmanaged” comparison reach exists, the American River may provide 

a useful comparison of a similar system with fewer management impacts (Mark Muir Masters 

Thesis, University of Washington 2003: Evaluation of restoration projects and channel changes 

in the Little Naches basin, with a comparison to the American River basin, WA).

Muir found that several habitat parameters important to fisheries and aquatic health, 

including pool area, woody debris abundance, and spawning gravel abundance and 

embeddedness, improved in all three reaches of Little Naches 1986-2001. These parameters 

trended towards, but remained significantly different from, conditions in the American River, 

where channel complexity and activity were greater (more and deeper pools, more woody 

debris, and more side channels, greater bar re-working). 

Channel morphology indicators suggested that Reaches 7 and 8 of Little Naches may be in 

equilibrium, while in Reach 4 channel migration occurred following high flows but the high 

degree of artificial confinement prevented the channel from attaining the sinuosity and other 

morphologic characteristics that in American River appear to be important to key processes 

such as pool formation, side channel formation, and to habitat complexity (Mark Muir Masters 

Thesis, University of Washington 2003: Evaluation of restoration projects and channel changes 

in the Little Naches basin, with a comparison to the American River basin, WA). 

Ongoing fine sediment monitoring throughout Wenatchee National Forest in cooperation 

with the Yakama Nation (Yakama Nation Fisheries Fine Sediment Monitoring Report 2002, Jim 

Matthews) also indicates that fine sediment has declined over the last decade throughout the 

Little Naches River.

 The findings suggests that:

Habitat conditions are improving in the Little Naches River.

Artificial channel confinement may prevent re-establishment of key processes and limit full 

recovery of habitat parameters.

Upslope improvements and natural flood events appeared to make a greater contribution 

to habitat improvement than did instream projects.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 63

Among instream projects: boulders had greater longevity than wood; wood installed on the 

margins had greater longevity than channel-spanning wood structures; and instream wood 

was vastly more effective if it retained its root wad.

Fine sediment levels appear to be decreasing in Little Naches River.

In Rattlesnake Creek, little change occurred between two sample years (1997 and 2002).

In South Fork Tieton (Minnie Meadows area) there are only four years of data. Percent fines 

have increased from 10% in 1999 to 19% in 2002. This could be due to natural variability, to 

a pulse of sediment moving through the system from a historic event, etc. It is also possible 

that this indicates a fine sediment problem due to current management; however none of 

the Forest Service, USFWS, WDFW or Yakama Nation biologists consulted in the inter-agency 

monitoring meeting (June 2003) could suggest a possible management source.

Conclusions:

Due to high natural variability and long response times, this monitoring may not reveal 

small or recent changes in fine sediment levels.

Within the constraints of data quality, there are no indications of fine sediment increases in 

Wenatchee National Forest streams, except in South Fork Tieton.

High fine sediment levels occur in some systems in Swauk Sandstone geology such as Mission 

watershed and may be the natural condition (based on comparison to unroaded streams 

in Mission watershed). See Leavenworth and Lake Wenatchee Ranger District Sediment 

Monitoring 2002.

South Fork Tieton / Minnie Meadows data indicates a need for further monitoring to 

determine whether a problem exists, its nature and cause. In 2003, the Forest will continue 

the existing sediment sampling in South Fork Tieton, and augment it with aerial photo and 

ground reconnaissance to explore possible causes.

Recommendations 

South Fork Tieton / Minnie Meadows data indicates a need for further monitoring to 

determine whether a problem exists, its nature and cause. In 2003 the existing sediment sampling in South Fork Tieton, will continue and be augmented it with aerial 

photo and ground reconnaissance to explore possible causes.

The Forest will add sediment monitoring in the Williams drainage to monitor effects 

of a 2003 culvert replacement and to establish pre-mine sediment levels for proposed 

mine projects.

Campsite stewards will water riparian plantings in summer 2003 as well as making user 

contacts. These campsites stewards have already been enlisted.
 

64 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Monitoring Item – 

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS 

Is the ecological health of the aquatic ecosystems recovering or 

sufficiently maintained to support stable and well-distributed 

populations of fish species and stocks?

In some of the watersheds, aquatic and riparian health is strong. These watersheds are 

population anchors, or strongholds, for Management Indicator Species. The Wenatchee 

National Forest contains some of the best habitat remaining in the Columbia Basin for bull 

trout, sockeye, and upper Columbia spring chinook.

The ecological health of many of our aquatic/riparian areas is severely impaired, and not 

all impaired systems can be clearly shown to be recovering in all aspects of health. The large 

stream systems on Wenatchee National Forest may be recovering from degradation that 

occurred early in this century. Most of our serious habitat concerns have been inherited from 

20-100 years ago. We have discontinued damaging practices in timber, grazing, mining, and 

roading that were once standard, and have worked to develop policies, such as the Ground 

Based Harvest Policy, to protect resources

On land with in the Wenatchee National Forest, aquatic ecosystems are generally 

recovering relative to the early 1900s (McIntosh, B.A., Sedell, J.R., Smith, J.E., Wissmar, R.C., 

Clarke, S.E., Reeves, G.H., and Brown, L.A. 1994b. Historical changes in fish habitat for select 

river basins of eastern Oregon and Washington. Northwest Science Vol. 68, Special Issue:36-

53). In some cases recovery can also be documented over the last few decades (Mark Muir 

Masters Thesis, University of Washington 2003: Evaluation of restoration projects and channel 

changes in the Little Naches basin, with a comparison to the American River basin, WA, 

Yakama Nation Fisheries Fine Sediment Monitoring Report 2002, Jim Matthews). 

Aquatic ecosystems should be considered on a whole watershed basis. The Wenatchee 

National Forest is coordinating with multi-agency watershed teams to manage, protect and 

restore aquatic habitat. For more information, see Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board 

“Biological Strategy to Protect and Restore Salmonid Habitat in the Upper Columbia Region.”

Recommendations

Continue existing monitoring program.

K. RANGE MANAGEMENT – Item not addressed this year.

L. ROAD MANAGEMENT

Monitoring ItemROAD CONSTRUCTION/RECONTRUCTION

The goal is to ensure that the transportation system is being constructed and 

reconstructed to serve the planned resource management objectives at the assumed annual 

rates. 

Roads are to be designed as safe and durable structures suitable for their intended uses. 

Within the Riparian-Aquatic Habitat Protection Zone, there are 11 Management Practices 

intended to minimize the number of roads and their impacts. The “Threshold of Variability 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 65

“for the road miles is 25 percent of the annual Forest Plan projections and 10 percent for the 

decade. Additional Standards and Guidelines are contained in the Northwest Forest Plan.

Unit of Measure Forest Plan

Decade Average FY 2002 Actual

Forest Road Program

Construction Miles 2 0.2

Reconstruction Miles 16 4.3

Timber Purchaser 

Construction Miles 80 1.7

Reconstruction Miles 3 1.8

The Northwest Forest Plan requires monitoring of several items; 1) net increase of roads 

in Key Watersheds, and 2) new roads in Roadless Areas. There was no net increase of roads in 

key watersheds and no new roads were built in Roadless Areas.

The estimated average annual output for arterial and collector road construction and 

reconstruction under the Forest Road Program is 18 miles per year. The actual accomplishment 

for FY 2002 was 4.5 miles. This is outside of the 25 percent annual “Threshold of Variability”. 

The original estimates were based upon the amount of historical funding available for this 

purpose.

Timber Purchaser: The estimated average annual output for Timber Purchaser Road 

Construction is 83 miles. The actual accomplishment for FY 2002 was 1.7 miles. The amount 

of road construction and reconstruction by Timber Purchasers is entirely dependent upon the 

amount and location of the timber contracted for harvesting. The assumption that this system 

will be completed in the first 18 years of the Plan is not valid. 

Recommendations:

Monitoring indicates management direction is not being achieved according to the 

original projections in the Forest Plan. Revise estimates during Forest Plan revision. 

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

Monitoring ItemROAD MAINTENANCE

The goal is to ensure that the transportation system is being maintained to the 

appropriate standard to serve the planned resource management objectives. 

Unit of Measure Forest Plan

Decade Average FY 2002 Actual

Roads Maintained for: 

Passenger Cars Miles & 

High Clearance Vehicles 

Miles 4233 3814

The Wenatchee National Forest continues to experience the effects of the loss of 

maintenance performed and/or paid for by Timber Purchasers. In the past, the timber sale 

program has accounted for approximately 1 to 1.5 million dollars of maintenance annually. 

If appropriated road maintenance funds are not increased, there could be a significant 

reduction in the amount of roads available to the public as well as a reduction in the level of 
 

66 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

comfort and ease of access. This year, 74 percent of the roads were not maintained to full road 

management objectives.

Recommendations:

Continue Roads Analysis as outlined in the new Road Management Policy to determine 

the appropriate size and makeup of our existing road transportation system. 

Reduce maintenance levels and decommission those roads no longer necessary where 

appropriate. 

Continue monitoring as scheduled.

Monitoring ItemROADS CLOSED/OBLITERATED

The goal is to determine how much of the transportation system is no longer needed for 

management activities. Short and long-term needs are to be considered. Roads can be closed 

and placed in Maintenance Level 1 or obliterated (decommissioned) and removed from the 

transportation system inventory. 

The Forest Plan Standards state that unless a resource need is documented in a project 

analysis, roads currently open will remain open and newly constructed roads will be closed to 

public vehicle access. 

Unit of Measure Forest Plan

Decade Average FY 2002 Actual

Roads Closed 

Total System Miles 1703 1812

Roads Obliterated Miles NA 3.7

The Wenatchee National Forest is continuing a comprehensive process of Access and 

Travel Management, and this year will continue a Roads Analysis process that is likely to 

identify additional roads to close or obliterate/decommission.

Recommendations

Further evaluation; additional yearly information is needed. Due to the uncertainty 

about the future, it would be premature to make new assumptions for the purposes of 

estimating outputs until the Forest Plan is revised.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 67

M. INSECT AND DISEASE 

Monitoring ItemINSECT AND DISEASE CONTROL

The goal is to assure that management practices do not contribute to increases in the 

incidence of destructive insects and diseases, such as western spruce budworm, tussock moth, 

pine beetles, dwarf mistletoes, root rots, and others. The monitoring question is: 

Are destructive insect and disease organisms remaining below 

potentially damaging levels following management activities?

A survey was conducted during the summer of 2002 by the Forest Health Protection (FHP) 

staff of the Pacific Northwest Region, in cooperation with the Washington Department of 

Natural Resources. Copies of the survey maps were given to the Wenatchee National Forests 

and each ranger district. 

The survey was conducted from airplanes, and represents current insect conditions across 

the forested landscapes of the Wenatchee National Forest. The aerial survey, supplemented 

with other observations, indicates that insect and disease levels changed in 2002 from 2001. 

Defoliation caused by the western spruce budworm was mapped on 51,500 acres on 

the Naches Ranger District. The area defoliated decreased 82,500 acres from 2001. About 

1,100 acres experienced light defoliation by blackheaded budworm in the vicinity of the 

Leavenworth-Cle Elum District boundary near Mission Ridge Ski Area. The budworm 

populations will be monitored and there are no plans to do any suppression action in 2003.

No defoliation attributable to Douglas-fir tussock moth was observed in 2002.

Bark beetle activity increased in 2002 compared to 2001. Observed acres of mountain 

pine beetle affected lodgepole pine stands remained high in 2002. Fir engraver/ western 

balsam bark beetle activity was recorded on 30,000 acres on both the Okanogan and 

Wenatchee National Forests as compared to 17,000 acres in 2001. Acreage with recorded 

Douglas-fir beetle caused mortality decreased from 24,000 in 2001 to 15,000 in 2002. 

Droughty conditions contributed to the increase in acres affected by bark beetles. 

As part of the monitoring efforts, the Wenatchee National Forests has a “Strategy For 

Management of Dry Forest Vegetation”. One of the management objectives for protecting, 

maintaining, or enhancing forest health on dry forests is to reduce susceptibility to insects and 

disease occurrence outside of endemic levels. 

Options for achieving management objectives related to insect and disease are to thin to 

reduce adjacency of potential brood trees, to reduce spread potential of disease, to increase 

tree resistenece to insect and disease and to favor insect-disease resistant tree species. 

Recommendations

Incorporate options for achieving management objectives as identified in the “Strategy 

for Management of Dry Forest Vegetation on the Wenatchee National Forest”.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was to continue monitoring as scheduled; monitoring continued.
 

68 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

N. FOREST FIRE PROTECTION

Monitoring Item –

FOREST FIRE PROTECTION

The goal is to provide protection from wildland fires for Wenatchee National Forest users, 

facilities, and resources in an efficient manner. The monitoring questions are:

Do implemented fire suppression strategies adequately protect the 

public, facilities and forest resources?

Are costs of protection in line with those projected by the National Fire 

Management Analysis System?

The Forest experienced a total of 116 starts, 97% of the average of 120. However, 

the number of acres burned, was above average, burning 40,200 acres in 2002. Lightning 

accounted for 46 fire starts and the remaining 70 fire starts were human caused. Wenatchee 

National Forest employees supported fire suppression efforts in Region 6 as well as 

other regions in the national forest system, with the first assignment occurring in April. 

Additionally, forest personnel supported prescribed burning fuel treatment operations in 

Regions 3 and 8.

The first statistical fire of the season occurred on June 10th. There were two large fires 

on the Forest, both on the Chelan Ranger District. The Deer Point Fire began on July 15, 2002 

and was 37,657 acres; the Tunnel Fire began on July 19, 2002 and was 165 acres. Only the 

Deer Point Fire required an Incident Management Team, utilizing Type 1, 2, and 3 teams. 

Emphasis was placed on developing and maintaining interagency programs to improve 

the efficiency of the Fire Management Program. The Forest continued to participate in the 

Central Washington Interagency Communication Center (CWICC), to staff fire suppression 

crews and engines, to participate in the Eastern Washington Wildland Fire Coordinating 

Group, and to develop Incident Management Teams in partnership with the State of 

Washington Department of Natural Resources and other federal agencies. 

The Wenatchee National Forest hosted national and regional fire suppression resources. 

These included a National Interagency Hotshot Crew stationed on the Entiat Ranger District. 

The Wenatchee National Forest also hosted national, regional, and forest helicopter programs. 

These were a National Type II Helicopter for large incident support, a Regional Rappel Crew 

with Type III Helicopter and also a Forest Type III Helicopter. All helicopter aircraft and crews 

were based at Pangborn Airport. The Moses Lake Air Tanker Base facility was operational 

for its first full year but the air tankers spent significant time at other bases, due to large fire 

activity elsewhere. Also, the assigned C-130 was grounded, after another C-130 crashed in 

mid-June in California.

In FY 2002, the Forest emphasized safety both in training and daily work activities. 

Managers organized for the fire season by providing advanced training and encouraging 

employees to participate on Type I and Type II Incident Management Teams. All employees 

available for fire suppression attended a firefighter safety refresher, including a practice 

shelter deployment, and were work capacity fitness-tested. New employees attended 

Interagency Firefighter Training at Entiat High School in Entiat. The Fire Staff emphasized 

safety to all initial attack personnel at the annual fire preparedness reviews.

In concert with the fire suppression program, the Forest continued to emphasize fire 

detection and prevention as important components of the Fire Management Program. During 

a period of very high fire danger from July through September, most of the Wenatchee 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 69

National Forest was closed to campfire use. Districts provided extra fire prevention personnel 

to make field contacts. At the same time, additional fire severity suppression personnel were 

stationed on the forest.

Recommendations

Continue to monitor the effectiveness of the fire protection and prevention programs.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was to continue monitoring as scheduled; monitoring continued.

Monitoring Item –

USE OF PRESCRIBED FIRE

The goal is to provide appropriate, efficient application of prescribed fire in support of 

the Forest management program. The monitoring questions are:

Are the acres being treated with prescribed fire meeting expected 

resource management objectives?

Are forest fuel loadings exceeding natural levels and therefore placing 

forest users, improvements and/or resource values at risk?

The use of fire as a tool to manage unwanted vegetation and debris, to prepare areas for 

tree planting, and to improve wildlife habitat continued to be a significant portion of the fire 

program. During FY 2002, 5,070 acres were treated with prescribed fire.

The Wenatchee National Forest continued to develop and implement the Dry Site 

Strategy, which allows managers to implement fuel reduction and vegetation management 

activities on a large acreage scale that will decrease the possibility of high intensity fires.

The Forest successfully implemented prescribed burns that met resource management 

objectives and reduced fuel loadings. However, today’s increased awareness about fuel 

loadings and stand densities in excess of historic conditions, in the dry forest ecosystem has 

caused the Forest to look for new management techniques that can be applied on a much 

larger scale than used in the past.

The Wildland Fire Use Plans for all districts were approved by the Regional Forester for 

implementation within wilderness areas. Approval for implementation of the plan outside of 

wilderness areas is pending upon the resolution of survey and manage issues by the Regional 

Ecosystems Office (REO). Three wildland fires for resource benefit were implemented in 2002, 

burning 20, .01, and .01 acres each.

Recommendations

Continue to support on-going research supporting fire as an important disturbance 

process in all dry site ecosystems.

Manage wildland fires within designated wildernesses for resource benefit.
 

70 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendation was to support on-going research supporting fires as and 

important disturbance process in all dry site ecosystems. Monitoring of this research 

has continued.

O. AIR QUALITY 

Monitoring ItemLONG-TERM TRENDS IN AIR QUALITY

The goal is to evaluate the long-term air quality of major air sheds, including the longterm air quality of Class 1 Areas within the Wenatchee National Forest where smoke can 

accumulate due to air stagnation. The monitoring question is: 

Do fuel management prescribe burns on the Wenatchee National Forest 

contribute significantly to smoke levels in major airsheds of the forest 

area?

Is visibility in Class I wilderness areas maintained at a high level of 

quality.

Smoke monitors are operated on a yearlong basis at three locations: Chelan, 

Leavenworth and Wenatchee. These sites are operated by the Wenatchee National Forest in 

cooperation with the State of Washington Department of Ecology, and are part of a statewide 

network of air quality instruments. Data from these sites are posted hourly on the DOE website and can be accessed at: http://airr.ecy.wa.gov/Site/reports/report.html.

The effort since initiation of sampling at five sites within the Wenatchee National Forest 

in the fall of 2002 has been to train operators and establish a data record that meets quality 

control standards of the DOE and EPA. That objective has been accomplished. Now the 

process used by the State Department of Natural Resources to review and authorize requested 

prescribe projects on the Forests can utilize local air quality data in the review process. The 

intent is to avoid air stagnation periods or periods when there are high levels of background 

smoke, while utilizing periods of high air quality to accomplish prescribed burning. 

Class 1 Areas are wilderness areas formally designated by the Clean Air Act as Class 

1 air quality areas. On the Wenatchee National Forest these areas include: Glacier Peak, 

Goat Rocks, Mt. Adams, and Alpine Lakes wilderness Areas. Instruments located within 

the Wenatchee National Forest monitor the latter two. Data for the Alpine Lakes has been 

collected since 1994. The chart below shows trends in visibility for the Alpine Lakes Wilderness 

Area. The unit of measure is miles of visual range. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 71

Alpine Lakes Visibility 1994-2002 as Monitored from Snoqualmie Pass

Wenatchee National Forest 2002 Monitoring Report 

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0

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140

150

160

170

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Year

Mean of Clearest 20% of Days

Mean of Median 20%of Days

Mean of Haziest 20% of Days

Alpine Lakes Visibility 1994-2002 as Monitored from Snoqualmie Pass

Visual Range (miles)

Recommendations

Operate instruments on a yearlong basis. Efforts are ongoing to evaluate data and 

make comparisons to air quality standards.

 Continue to use data from these monitoring sites as the Forest Service evaluates any 

new permits for emission sources that could potentially affect Class 1 wilderness areas.

 P. MINERALS

Monitoring Item - 

MINE SITE RECLAMATION

The goal is to ensure that disturbed lands are reclaimed to a use consistent with the 

rehabilitation Standards and Guidelines. 

This report includes large and small historic mine sites under the Comprehensive 

Environmental Recovery, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the non-CERCLA 

Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program. It also includes reclamation associated with small 

scale mining activities such as one to three person underground mining and it includes drill, 

backhoe and underground mineral exploration and small tonnage sand & gravel, pit run, 

and building stone removals (mineral material permits and contracts). Also included are 

recreational-level prospecting including panning, metal detecting, rocker box operations, and 

2 to 5 inch suction dredge operations. As was the case in preceding years, during FY 2002, 

there were no moderate or large scale exploration or mining activities on the Forest, and 

there were no leasable energy or non-energy related mineral activities.

 Monitoring of CERCLA and historic AML sites and current operations during FY 2002 

indicates that approximately 200 acres were in a disturbed status from mining-related 

activities on the Wenatchee National Forest. Most of the disturbed acres (approximately 120 

acres) involve the historic Holden Mine Site. The Holden Mine is under a CERCLA remediation 

study. Actual on-the-ground remediation is estimated to be two or more years away. 
 

72 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Additional acres of disturbance involve historic AML sites across the Forest. As inventories 

are completed and funding is made available, many of these sites will be evaluated for 

restoration. An estimated 50 acres of disturbance were the result of recent small-scale mining 

operations that were approved over the recent past and continue. A small portion of these 

disturbed acres represents new disturbances. A small portion was satisfactorily reclaimed and 

met reclamation objectives. Many of the sites were not reclaimed because the operations 

were ongoing. Several operators have been instructed through Notices of Noncompliance to 

bring their operations into compliance with regulations and/or their operation plans.

Due to the lack of funding and staffing, many of the very small-scale prospecting and 

mining activities such as recreational mining or building stone collection were not monitored. 

Experience has shown that reclamation for the majority of these activities is not necessary 

due to the very small impacts associated with them. Of those monitored, probably about 90 

percent either did not require reclamation because the activity was 1) inside an established 

borrow pit, or 2) stone was picked along drainage ditches or 3) cut slopes, and reclamation 

was not appropriate, or 4) reclamation efforts were appropriate and successful. Most of the 

remaining ten percent have not been reclaimed because the operation is continuing.

There were 12 ongoing mining operations where the Forest Service maintained a 

reclamation bond. They represent surface disturbing operations of such an extent that 

reclamation would be required. All bonded Plan of Operation-level mining activities were 

monitored and appropriately administered. Where appropriate, reclamation bonds may be 

used to fund reclamation.

The objectives in the Forest Plan appear to be adequate, and reclamation bonds and 

regulatory authority provide for compliance when the objectives are not achieved.

Recommendations 

The major problem with appropriate monitoring is not the process, but the available 

funding and staff. Continue to request funding that would allow 100 percent monitoring of all bonded mineral related activities, as has been the case over the last several 

years. 

If additional funding is provided, conduct additional monitoring to ensure adequate 

reclamation is being completed on non-bonded operations. Where it is not being 

properly completed, take regulatory action to require the operator to do the required 

reclamation.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendations were essentially the same as this year’s recommendations; 

monitoring continued.

Monitoring Item - 

MINE OPERATING PLANS

The goal is to ensure that mining notices of intent to operate and plans of operations are 

processed in a timely manner and administered to standard, complying with regulation, Forest 

Management Goals, and Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines.

Notices of intent are generally processed within the fifteen-day time frame established in 

regulations (36 CFR 228, subpart A). Notices are processed by evaluating the described work 

and either returning a letter to the proponent that acknowledges the notice as sufficient, or, 

if the authorized officer determines that surface impacts may be significant, a letter is sent 

requiring that a plan of operations be submitted. Plans of operations are often not processed 

within the thirty-plus-sixty day time frame that is established in Forest Service mining 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 73

regulations. The primary reason is the time necessary for the Forest Service to compliance 

with Federal environmental laws and their implementing regulations. 

Additionally, the Forest provided approximately 52 mineral materials contracts (sand 

and gravel, pit run, building stone, landscape rock, etc) to the public in accordance with 

regulations at 36 CFR 228, subpart C. These sales are for one to several tons of material at 

a cost that is usually less than $50.00 per contract. The highest price contract in 2002 was 

$110.00. Materials are removed from specified existing material sources and sometimes from 

along forest road cuts. These are short term operations.

 Approximately 75 Notices of Intent, Plans of Operations, and mineral material sales were 

processed in FY 2002, with a total of about 150 active plans or notices (many were multi-year 

activities). Of these, about 40 percent of the total operations were administered (monitored) 

to standard. However, all of the bonded operations (12) were administered to standard. 

The operations that were not administered were anticipated to have such small impacts that 

monitoring was considered not necessary. Most of these very small activities are recreational 

in nature and occur briefly and/or are conducted over the weekends. 

Recommendations 

The objectives and the Standards and Guidelines in the Forest Plan appear adequate, 

but the level of funding is inadequate to ensure total compliance. If determined to be 

desirable, request adequate funding that will allow monitoring of all mineral related 

activities. 

Based upon the administration and monitoring completed, a Forest Plan adjustment is 

not necessary at this time.

Actively conduct programmatic resource surveys that will accommodate anticipated 

mineral activities. This will allow the processing of Plans of Operation in a more timely 

and efficient manner.

Fiscal Year 2001 Recommendations

Last year’s recommendations were the same as this year’s recommendations; monitoring continued.

Q. COMMUNITY EFFECTS AND RESOURCE BUDGETS

This item was dropped as recommended in the FY 2001 Monitoring Report. 
 

74 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

R. GENERAL MONITORING of STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES

Monitoring ItemGENERAL STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES

The goal is to ensure implementation and validation of Forest Plan Standards and 

Guidelines including those in the Northwest Forest Plan. Monitoring seeks to assure 

Wenatchee National Forest goals, outputs, and the desired future condition. The monitoring 

questions are:

Are Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines being implemented?

Are implemented Standards and Guidelines achieving the expected 

results?

Proposed projects are reviewed for consistency with Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 

during the National Environmental Policy Act process. After the signing of the Northwest 

Forest Plan, training sessions were held to ensure that Wenatchee National Forest employees 

understood the rationale and Standards and Guidelines within the Northwest Forest Plan. 

These training sessions and reviews are done on a continuing basis.

The Northwest Forest Plan established an interagency monitoring program on 

implementation monitoring. The procedures were developed in Fiscal Year 1995. In 1996 

and 1997, the Forest led an interagency team comprised of various members of the Provincial 

Advisory Committee in conducting monitoring of how management activities such as 

timber sales, roads, and restoration projects complied with the Standards and Guidelines 

contained in the Northwest Forest Plan Record of Decision. This monitoring program on the 

Forest documented a high level of project-level compliance. This interagency monitoring 

program was expanded in 1998 to include “watershed-level” monitoring as well as “projectlevel” monitoring. Watershed-level monitoring is an important step beyond project-level 

assessments. Monitoring at this landscape scale:

Helps fulfill the legal commitment to monitor at all scales.

Allows management activities (projects) to be assessed in regard to achieving Northwest Forest Plan goals.

Provides a more balanced view of the Forest’s compliance by complementing projectlevel reviews with an assessment of more pro-active Northwest Forest Plan requirements associated with the management of “areas” such as Key Watersheds and Latesuccessional Reserves. Typically, requirements associated with landscapes at the watershed scale address planning, prioritizing, and integration of activities. 

The 2002 Monitoring of both the Eastern Washington and Yakama focused on density 

management projects within Late Sucessional Reserves. 

Review findings from Yakima Province - Nile Timber Sale and prescribed Fire

Information from the Watershed Assessment and Late-sucessional Reserve Assessment 

(LSRA) was appropreately utilized to determine adequate levels of woody debris and snags to 

be retained. 
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 75

Riparian buffers were appropriately applied despite the difficulty when applying these 

standards to riparian areas associated with very dry forest plant communities. 

Treatment crteria identified in the LSRA was applied and resulted in spacing and 

underburning prescriptions that met identified objectives. 

In considering that this was the Naches District’s first conscience effort at implementing 

the Dry Forest Management Strategy under the Northwest Forest Plan, participants felt that 

a very conservative approach was taken and that in the future a more aggressive approach 

would be warrented, particularly as applied to the project purpose and need and the scale 

and intensity of thinning treatments.

Review findings from Eastern WashingtonCascade Province – Icicle 

Campground Tree Project 

It was determined that this project was inappropriately selected for review under the 

topic of density management in a LSR. The project entailed hazard tree recuction in seven 

campgrounds, only one of which was in an Late-suscessional Reserve. However, the project 

under review generated some fruitful discussion on area’s capability of meeting Standards 

and Guidelines in an area were public safety is the primary issue. It also served as an 

opportunity to display the extra effort put forward by the Leavenworth District to work with 

public interst groups to resolve issues collaboratively. 

A great deal of discussion focused on the challenge of re-engaging the interest of the 

PAC members. It was generally thought that in the PAC members were able to select a pool 

of projects that was of local monitoring interest and if the subsequent random selection was 

made from this indentfied pool, it would generate greater interest. 

Recommendations

Support the regional interagency effort in developing effectiveness monitoring protocols that will lead to answering the question; are implemented Standards and Guidelines achieving the expected results?

Consider restructuring the methodology of selecting project to monitor. 

S. LANDS

SUMMARY OF LANDS ACTIVITY - FY 2002

The Wenatchee National Forest has an active lands adjustment program. Land purchases 

in the past year have resulted in significant acreage additions to the Forest. These lands 

generally are assigned to the Forest Plan allocation hat is held by the surrounding lands. 

During the next round of Forest Plan revision, these lands will be reevaluated as to their final 

Forest Plan allocation. 

Land Exchanges;

Several land exchanges were evaluated over the year including three small exchanges 

with individuals and two very large exchanges involving multiple partners and possible special 

legislation. Land exchanges often take several years to complete
 

76 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

Purchases:

Plum Creek Option, WEN #260A; The Wenatchee National Forest purchased 3,914.43 acres 

in the Snoqualmie Pass area for $3,932,855.00. 

Coles Corner, WEN #262, The Wenatchee National Forest purchased 32.72 acres along the 

Nason River for $129,000.

Several other parcels were prepared for purchase in 2003.

Disposals:

Several Small Tract Cases to resolve long-term encroachments were worked on. 

Accomplishment of these will be reported in future years. 

Totals:

The net increase to the Wenatchee National Forest in FY 2002 is 3,947.15 acres
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 77

IV. FOREST PLAN UPDATE

WENATCHEE FOREST PLAN AMENDMENTS from 2001

AMENDMENT DATE LOCATION DESCRIPTION

Amendment 1 10/90 Forest-wide Amendment by Secretary of Agriculture vacating ROD for Northwest

Regional Guide Supplement, and returning Spotted Owl Habitat Areas

(SOHAs) to the land classification of the adjacent land 

Amendment 2 03/92 Forest-wide ROD signed by Regional Forester (Region 6) for FEIS on Management of the 

Northern Spotted Owl in the National Forests, which directed each National 

Forest to insure that all management activities are consistent with the 

management directions adopted by the ROD.

Amendment 3 05/92 Forest-wide General corrections and definitions made or added to the 1990 Forest Plan

Amendment 4 06/92 Sec 16

T.22N, R.11E.

Site-specific amendment for reallocation of 300 acres in the Snoqualmie 

Pass (Ski Acres) area from ST-1 Scenic Travel, Retention, to RE-1 Developed 

Recreation. This amendment was later rescinded.

Amendment 5 07/92 Sec 20 & 21

T. 28N, 

R. 21E.

Site-specific amendment to modify the VQO on 5 acres in the RE-3 allocation 

from Retention to Modification, and to allow harvest and disposal of trees for 

the purpose of constructing a flood control debris channel on Slide Ridge.

Amendment 5 10/92 Forest-wide [Note: there was a duplication of amendment numbers.] Adjustments to

the Activity Schedules provided in the 1990 Forest Plan.

Amendment 6 07/95 T.27N,

R.19-21E.

Multiple Sections

Site-specific amendment to assign allocations to lands within the Bear-Potato 

Recovery project area acquired by the Forest Service since publication of the 

Forest Plan. Lands were allocated to the same management prescriptions given 

the surrounding National Forest lands.

Amendment 7 07/95 Sec 27 & 35

T.25N, 

R.17E.

Site-specific amendment to assign allocations to lands within the Freund 

Recovery project area acquired by the Forest Service since publication of the 

Forest Plan. Lands were allocated to the same management prescriptions given 

the surrounding National Forest lands.

Amendment 8 07/95 Section 27

T.24N,

R.17E.

Site-specific amendment to assign allocations to lands within the Boundary 

Butte Recovery project area acquired by the Forest Service since publication of 

the Forest Plan. Lands were allocated to the same management prescriptions 

given the surrounding National Forest lands.

Amendment 9 09/95 T.24-25N.,

R.17E.

Multiple 

Sections

Site-specific amendment to assign allocations to lands within the Tumwater 

Recovery project area acquired by the Forest Service since publication of the 

Forest Plan. Lands were allocated to the same management prescriptions given 

the surrounding National Forest lands.

Amendment 10 10/95 T.24N,

R.16-17E.

Multiple Sections

Site-specific amendment to assign allocations to lands within the Eightmile 

Recovery project area acquired by the Forest Service since publication of the 

Forest Plan. Lands were allocated to the same management prescriptions given 

the surrounding National Forest lands.

Amendment 11 02/96 Section 16

T.26-27N.,

R.19E.

Site-specific amendment to assign allocations to lands within the Tyee Ridge 

Wildfire Recovery project area acquired by the Forest Service since publication 

of the Forest Plan. Lands were allocated to the same management prescriptions 

given the surrounding National Forest lands.

Amendment 12 04/96 T.25N., R.20E.

Multiple Sections

Site-specific amendment to assign allocations to lands within the RoaringMills project area acquired by the Forest Service since publication of the Forest 

Plan. Lands were allocated to the same management prescriptions given the 

surrounding National Forest lands.
 

78 Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 

AMENDMENT DATE LOCATION DESCRIPTION

Amendment 13 04/96 T.24-25N.

R.19-20E.

Multiple Sections

Authorization of grazing on a temporary pasture outside an existing livestock 

allotment.

Amendment 14 02/97 T.27N.,

R.18-19E.

Multiple Sections

Site-specific amendment to assign allocations to lands within the Mad-Hornet 

Wildlife Recovery project area acquired by the Forest Service since publication 

of the Forest Plan. Lands were allocated to the same management prescriptions 

given the surrounding National Forest lands.

Amendment 15 01/98 Eldorado Creek, 

portions of North 

Fork Teanaway 

River watershed, 

and portion of 

upper Beverly 

Creek, Cle Elum 

RD, Kittitas Co. 

Change Eldorado Creek RNA from a candidate RNA to an established RNA.

Amendment 16 06/97 Fish Lake Bog, 

Lake Wenatchee 

RD, Chelan Co.

Establishment of Fish Lake Bog RNA

Amendment 17 11/97 Snoqualmie 

Pass AMA (I-90 

Corridor)

Establishment of standards and guidelines and management direction for the 

Snoqualmie Pass AMA as directed by the Northwest Forest Plan amendment

Amendment 18 09/98 Section 22

T.22N., R.19E.

Site-specific amendment to assign an allocation to a parcel of land within 

the Sand Ecosystem Restoration project area acquired by the Forest Service 

since publication of the Forest Plan. The parcel was allocated to the same 

management prescriptions given the surrounding National Forest lands.

Amendment 19 09/98 Section 12, T.21N., 

R.13E.

Section 36, T.22N., 

R.11E.

Section 8, T.19N., 

R.13E.

Site-specific amendment to allow for wetland crossings by access road segments 

to private inholdings where no other options exist.

Amendment 20 09/99 Section 22, T.27N., 

R.17E.

Site-specific amendment to adjust allocation line between Matrix allocation 

and SI-2 allocation to coincide with natural topographic features, forest stand 

habitat conditions, and an existing county road.

Amendment 21 07/99 T.18-20N.

R.12-15E.

Multiple 

Forest Plan amendment to assign allocations to lands acquired from Plum Creek 

Timber Company as part of the legislated I-90 Land Exchange.

Amendment 22 04/94 Forest-wide Northwest Forest Plan Amendment of the Wenatchee National Forest Plan.

Amendment 23 01/01 Region-wide “Amendments to the Survey and Manage, Protection Buffer, and Other 

Mitigation Measures Standards and Guideline” in documents within the range 

of the northern spotted owl.
 

Wenatchee National Forest—FY 2002 Monitoring Report 79

LIST OF PREPARERS

Susan Carter........................ Forest NEPA, Appeals and Litigation Coordinator

Forest Plan Appeals and Litigation

Vladimir Steblina................ Forest Recreation & Wilderness Program Manager

Amy Tinderholt................... Forest Economist

Recreation Trails and Wilderness

Community Effects

Barbara Jackson................. Landscape Architect

Scenery Management

Powys Gadd........................ Forest Archeologist

Cultural Resources

Rod Clausnitzer.................... Botanist/Ecologist

Sensitive Plants, Biodiversity and Old Growth

William Gaines.................... Forest Wildlife Biologist

Wildlife

William Armes.................... Silviculturist

Timber Offered, Harvested and Related Silvicultural Activities

John Townsley..................... Silviculturist

Insect and Disease

Ken MacDonald.................. Forest Fisheries Biologist

Soil, Water, Fisheries and Related Activities

Jacqueline Haskins.............. Fisheries Biologist

Soil, Water, Fisheries and Related Watershed Fire 

Robert Hulet........................ Engineer

Road Management

Shari Miller.......................... Fire Planning Specialist

Forest Fire Protection

Tom Robison....................... Forest Hydrologist/Water & Air Program Manager

Soil, Water, Fisheries and Related Watershed 

Richard Stearns.................... Minerals Management

Area Mineral Examiner

Steve Johnson..................... Lands