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Olympic National Forest

2000 ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Significant Events In Land And Resource Stewardship

Watershed Health And Roads Were Major Focus During Year 2000

Reaching The Underserved Communities

Assisting RuralCommunities

Forest Begins Reconstruction Of Key Facilities

Visitors Provide Important Recreation Information

Olympic Province Advisory Committee Addresses Key Issues

Managing Permitted Uses On The Olympic

Forest Visitors Continue To Benefit From Fee Demonstration Program

Ranger Districts Combined For Cost Savings & Efficiency

Forest Employee Receives Society Of American Foresters Annual Award

Congratulations Retirees

Welcome To New Employees

Olympic National Forest Statistics for 2000

Back to Annual Reports

Significant Events In Land And Resource Stewardship

The year 2000 was one ofsignificant events for the USDA-Forest Service and

Olympic National Forest. We dealt with controversial policy issues during this

past year; we helped fight fires in the Interior West; and we addressed critical

issues surrounding watershed health on the Olympic Peninsula and Puget

Sound area.

The Olympic National Forest hosted informational and public comment

meetings on two significant national issues---forest planning regulations and

roadless area conservation. Thousands of interested citizens scrutinized these

issues resulting in an agency decision to implement new policy direction. In a

nutshell, the final planning rule focuses on sustainability, collaborative problem solving, science integration, and use of

up-to-date scientific findings. The new planning rule improves a planning process that has been in place for the past

eighteen years. The roadless area conservation rule prohibits road building in inventoried roadless areas that serve as

watersheds for clean water, refuges for native plants and animals, in addition to providing places for research,

education, and solitude in a semi-primitive recreationalsetting. Roadless area conservation has been debated for

nearly three decades and public responses clearly indicated the desire to retain roadless areas.

The year 2000 fire season burned 4.8 million acres of federally managed wild lands, half of which occurred on

nationalforests. The Olympic National Forest sent 42 employees, nearly one-third of the local workforce, to support

the nationalfire suppression efforts for a total of 824 person days.

The Forest addressed significant naturalresource challenges in Western Washington. The federal listing ofsalmon and

bull trout as threatened re-emphasized our attention on restoring watershed health. We repaired and stabilized flooddamaged roads to prevent sedimentation into fish bearing streams. We develop new management tools to prioritize

road maintenance, repair, and decommissioning to achieve watershed health goals. We entered into an agreement with

Washington State Department of Ecology that places emphasis on interagency coordination in order to meet the
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FederalClean Water Act requirements and goals of both agencies. Our biologists studied bull trout to expand our

knowledge of this federally listed species. Our recreation managers conducted public surveys to understand the

changing expectations of visitors.

In this 2000 AnnualReport, I want to recognize the dedicated Forest Service employees and partners who have

"made a difference." As we move into a new year, I hope that you’ll be involved in the stewardship of our national

forests–as project volunteers, supporters of community-based stewardship programs, and active partners.

I’m looking forward to working together on the Olympic National Forest.

DALE HOM

Forest Supervisor

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Watershed Health And Roads Were Major Focus During Year 2000

Forest roads were a major management issue during 2000. As a result ofsevere winter storms during the winter of

1998 and spring of 1999, Forest managers spent a great deal of time, funds and energy to repair damaged roads.

Most of the Forest’s effort was spent in Rocky Brook, Trout Creek, West Branch Wynoochee, Baker Creek and the

Dungeness River. Forest Roads 2860, 2870 and 2880 required significant work to repair and stabilize major road

failures. The Forest awarded a total of $900,000 to repair damaged roads under the Emergency Relief for Federally

Owned Roads Program. The Forest also inspected over 300 miles of roads, 55 road bridges, and 27 trail bridges.

Forest accomplishments this year helped to prevent sediment from entering Forest streams and impacting salmon and

water quality.

Bill Shelmerdine, Forest Geologist and Engineer, was recognized for his outstanding effort in planning and directing

the repair work. Billreceived a Regional award as "Friend of the Fish" for his tireless and professional work in

reducing the risk to aquatic resources through improvement of road conditions Forest-wide.

The Forest completed Phase I of the Road Management Strategy that included a Forest-wide analysis of the

transportation system. The analysis assessed roads based on access needs and resource concerns. Analysis results

provide a powerful management tool that is usefulfor identifying and prioritizing access needs (both social and

management-related), and resource protection. The Forest received nationalrecognition for its efforts in development

of its roads analysis. Forest personnel are included in a video developed for use as a tool in Forest Service-wide

training of personnel to conduct roads analysis throughout the nation.

Forest management improved terrestrial wildlife and aquatic habitats. Management efforts aimed at providing

terrestrial wildlife habitat included thinnings to help shape young stands and plantings to provide more diverse habitats.

Critical components of the ecosystem were addressed through habitat treatments designed to increase the structural

and species diversity of the vegetation. Management actions aimed at improving aquatic habitat included stabilizing

stream banks, planting vegetation and improving fish passage. In addition, a comprehensive culvert inventory aimed at

identifying streams where there may be potentialfish passage barriers was completed during the year. The results of
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this inventory will be used to prioritize future work.

The Olympic has a number of ecosystem champions. The Hood Canal

Ranger District, through the planning efforts and leadership of Larry Ogg,

Hydrologic Technician, conducted a bull trout radio telemetry project that

greatly expanded the knowledge about this federally listed species. Eight

Hood Canal High Schoolstudents from a riparian enhancement class got

the chance to assist with the project by checking traps and snorkeling in

wetsuits to look for the elusive trout. As a result of this project, a wealth of

new information has been collected on bull trout seasonal and spatial

movements. This information will be valuable in planning for the recovery

of this species.

Carol Aubry, Area Geneticist, applied genetic resource principles to address questions related to population genetics

of listed fish species. This year, the emphasis was on building our knowledge and understanding of bull trout and Dolly

Varden population dynamics.

Several Forest personnel participated in development of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Pacific

Northwest Region - Forest Service and Washington State Department of Ecology. Forest hydrologist, Robin

Stoddard, representing the Olympic National Forest, was instrumental in assisting in the development of this

agreement that involved collaboration with several personnelfrom all nationalforests in Washington, Region 6, and the

Department of Ecology. The agreement emphasizes inter-agency coordination in order to meet the requirements of the

FederalClean Water Act by both agencies. The MOA places emphasis on management of Forest Service roads as a

means of achieving Clean Water Act requirements.

The Forest continued surveying for Neo-tropical Migrant Birds under the leadership and direction of Vaughan

Marable, Wildlife Biologist. The study is in its eighth year and with the aid of volunteers, who have demonstrated a

high level of interest in this project, basic information continues to be gathered.

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Reaching The Underserved Communities

The Olympic National Forest hosted a Multi-Agency Diversity Workshop in May 2000 to discuss issues related to

management of naturalresources for a rapidly changing society. Managers from Washington State Department of

NaturalResources; Washington State Parks and eation Commission; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Navy;

NaturalResources Conservation Service; Skokomish Indian Tribe; Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and Olympic National

Forests, and several members of the Olympic Province Advisory Committee attended the workshop. Dale Hom,

Forest Supervisor and the Forest's Special Emphasis Program Team (Debbie Larsen, Luis Santoyo, Becky Slick,

Steve Ricketts, Johnny Stephens) organized the workshop.

Twelve guest speakers presented new insights and discussed many challenges facing naturalresource managers and

underserved communities as we explore ways to serve the diverse needs and uses of public lands. People in the

above photos from left to right are: Dayton Edmonds, story teller; Ron Chew, Director Wing Luke Asian Museum,

with panel members George Caldwell, chairman of Friend's Landing; Olivia Salazar, Founder of Hispanic Youth

Network for Women; and Tony Orange, African American Affairs Commission; Kevin Martinez, representative

from Eddie Bauer; and Ahndrea Blue, Executive Policy Advisor for Diversity for the Governor's Office.

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Assisting Rural Communities

The Forest's RuralCommunity Assistance Program provides financial and technical assistance to rural natural

resource dependent communities. Olympic National Forest Staff provided key leadership, technical assistance and

statewide coordination in awarding forty-five community based grants totaling approximately 1.7 million dollars to

Washington State. Communities on the Olympic Peninsula received seven of these grants for a total of $294,000.

The RuralCommunity Assistance grants focused on the following major emphasis items that were consistent with the

Chief's NaturalResource Agenda and Strategic Plan:

Ensure Services for all Americans– Priority was placed on working with new communities, tribes and user groups that

had not yet been served by the Northwest Economic Adjustment Initiative. Sixteen communities and two tribes were

awarded grants for the first time. A $24,000 grant was awarded to the Washington Agriculture – Forestry Leadership

Program for the purpose of increasing minority representation in naturalresource leadership positions.

Provide Seamless Delivery – The Forest's RuralCommunity Assistance Program worked closely with State and

Federal partners with a focus on functioning as one government when serving communities by combining and sharing

staff, resources and a common goal to work as a team to improve efficiency and customer service.

Promote Connections for Community Sustainability and Conservation Education and Interpretation – A

Timber/Salmon Communities Conference was held in Ellensburg, Washington this past year. Five communities

worked in a team setting to solve complex community projects. The Forest Stewardship Demonstration Small Wood

Initiative, the Jamestown S'Klallam Dungeness River Interpretive Center and the Northeast Washington Business

Retention/Expansion are other examples ofsustainability/conservation efforts undertaken during year 2000.

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Forest Begins Reconstruction Of Key Facilities

While recreation use continues to increase on the Olympic Peninsula, some of the Forest's existing facies are showing

wear from the years of high use. Other sites are needed to meet an increasing demand for camping. The following

projects are part of an effort to improve the Forest's recreation facilities and increase camping capacity on the

Olympic National Forest.

The reconstruction of the Hamma Hamma Road (Forest Service Road 2500) began in August 2000. Reconstruction

will convert the single-lane paved road to a double-lane paved road. This major recreation route provides access to

the popular Lena Lake Trailhead, the Mt. Skokomish and The Brothers Wildernesses, Hamma Hamma Cabin, and

Lena Creek and Hamma Hamma Campgrounds. The $2.2 million project consists of reconstructing 5.27 miles of

double-lane paved road with retaining walls, replacing major culverts, and constructing a double-lane bridge over

Wickaticky Creek.

A second major project involves the Quinault Sewage Treatment Plant at Lake Quinault. The plant is being expanded

to accommodate larger flows as a result of high recreation use along the south shore of Lake Quinault. This project

will benefit localresidents, local businesses and visitors to the Quinault area while complying with stricter state

standards. A design contract was awarded in June 2000 and construction is planned to begin in year 2001 with

completion planned for year 2002.

During year 2000, the Pacific Ranger District implemented reconstruction efforts to convert Klahanie Rustic Camp

Area into a fee campground. This campground is located just east of Forks, Washington. This site was once managed

as a non-fee campground. However, this site became a rustic camp due to decreases in maintenance funds over the

past several years. Recent reconstruction efforts have converted this site into a high quality camping facility. This work

was accomplished through expenditure of capital improvement funds, and the use of volunteers and inmate crews from

the Washington State Department of Corrections. The site is scheduled to be ready for occupancy in May 2001.

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Visitors Provide Important Recreation Information

The Olympic National Forest along with three other nationalforests and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic

Area completed a Recreation Use Survey during calendar year 2000. The intent of this survey was to obtain new

information about visitors and the types of activities they pursue on National Forest System lands. The information will

be useful in recreation planning, project design and facility maintenance as the Forest Service strives to enhance the

visitor's experiences on the National Forest.

Al Maza and Harvey Olsen, forest technicians, were the primary surveyors

spending over 150 days in the field talking to visitors concluding their visits to

the National Forest. It was noted that many out-of-state visitors were very

impressed with the beauty of the northwest and Olympic Peninsula. For

example, people from Florida and Texas were in awe of the rugged

mountains, dense stands of trees, cascading rivers and beautiful lakes.

The following is a brief list ofsome of the observations and comments made

to the surveyors:

Visitors liked the cleanliness and the well-maintained facilities, but some would like to see larger parking spurs

in campgrounds to accommodate their recreation vehicles. Many wanted hot showers and potable water at all

campgrounds.

Many expressed their enjoyment of the interpretive signs along the nature trails describing natural events and

occurrences. "Please provide more, they're great!"

A high number of visitors enjoy the National Forest for driving pleasure. Most wanted better-maintained roads

and damaged sections repaired.

Many visitors do not differentiate Forest Service and National Park Service facilities.

Approximately 60% of the folks surveyed favored the fee demonstration program (currently known as the Northwest

Forest Pass). Approximately 20% understood the need for the fees but felt "free-use" was better and another 20%

were against paying any fee to recreate on Federal lands.

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Olympic Province Advisory Committee Addresses Key Issues

The Olympic Province Advisory Committee continued to advise and provide

recommendations to facilitate integration of forest management activities among

Federal and non-Federal entities to ensure that all proposed activities during

year 2000 were complementary to the Northwest Forest Plan. The Committee

reviewed the following key Forest topics and issues: proposed road

management strategy, Northwest Forest Plan Implementation Monitoring

Report, Forest Survey and Manage mollusk management strategy, and

adaptive area management.

The committee visited the Satsop Development Park where the group

discussed the Park's latest developments involving new industries,

telecommunications and local employment.

There are four Olympic Province Advisory Committee meetings scheduled for year 2001:

DATE

February 23

May 11

LOCATION

Blyn, WA

Forks, WA
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August 17

November 16

Montesano, WA

Olympia, WA

All Province Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public. Contact our headquarters office (360) 956-2300

for detailed information about the next scheduled meeting.

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Managing Permitted Uses On The Olympic

The Olympic Special Use Team, organized in 1998 as a pilot project,

continued to accomplish a large workload, administering new special use

applications and inquiries while maintaining all current permits. Twenty-two

new permits and leases were issued and over fifty inquiries and information

requests were handled. Fourteen expired permits were evaluated and updated

to current standards.

The team assisted with the regionalrecreation residence reappraisal process,

which will be used to determine new annualfees for summer-home permits at

Lake Quinault. The team also prepared and implemented a Title VI Civil

Rights Compliance Review Plan for 2000, to insure non-discrimination practices at federally-permitted facilities. Lake

Quinault Lodge, the Quinault Mercantile and the garage managed by the Rain Forest Resort, Inc. received fully

satisfactory grades.

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Forest Visitors Continue To Benefit From Fee Demonstration Program

In 1996 Congress authorized federal agencies to implement a fee program to demonstrate the feasibility of usergenerated cost recovery for the operation and maintenance of recreation areas and sites on federal lands. The Region

Six Trail Park Pass Project was implemented in 1997 and required all users to have a pass in their vehicles while

parked at a Forest Service trailhead. The Pass was only valid at trailheads in the Region (Washington and Oregon).

On May 1, 2000 the Pacific Northwest Region implemented significant changes to the Trail Park Pass Fee

Demonstration Project. The Pass is now valid at all Fee Demo sites in the Region where a vehicle pass is required. In

addition to trailheads, the new Northwest Forest Pass is now valid at picnic areas, boat launches, rustic campsites,

visitor centers and interpretive sites in Washington and Oregon and in the North Cascades National Park Complex

where a Fee Demonstration charge is required.

Sixty miles of trail on the Olympic National Forest were maintained with

funds received from sales of the Northwest Forest Pass. The Northwest

Youth Corps maintained 15 miles of the Wynoochee and TunnelCreek

Trails. The Quilcene Ranger Corps, a local youth program, logged out,

brushed and completed tread repair on approximately 20 miles of trail on

the Hood Canal District. The popular Quinault Loop Trailreceived 7 miles

of tread work and 200 feet ofsafety railing was repaired. Northwest

Forest Pass funds will continue to fund routine maintenance work, repair

minor storm damage, repair trailsigns and complete routine maintenance at

trailheads.

Three cabins and nineteen campgrounds are also under the Fee Demonstration Program. Eighty percent of the funds

collected under this program are retained locally and spent on maintenance tasks. Funds were used to maintain toilets;

water systems; garbage collection; fee collection; signing; and to repair and clean tables, stoves and fire places.

Volunteers continue to perform a significant amount of maintenance work on the Forest. The excellent condition of

many trails, trailheads and developed sites on the Forest are a direct result of the effort and commitment ofskilled
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volunteers. Tools and materials to support the volunteer program are purchased with Northwest Forest Pass funds.

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Ranger Districts Combined For Cost Savings & Efficiency

The Olympic National Forest finalized its district consolidation from four to two during the year. Faced with annual

budget reductions over the past several years, this change is a way to reorganize staffing and field operations to be

more in line with current and future budgets.

The Forest now has one westside ranger district after the consolidation of

the Quinault and Soleduck Ranger Districts. The new Pacific Ranger

District office is located adjacent to the Washington State Department of

NaturalResource's Olympic Region Office in Forks. The Pacific Ranger

District willretain a visitor information office at Quinault Lake. Most of the

field operations on the southern half of the new district will be conducted

out of the Quinault Office with 11 employees. The main district work force

of 19 employees will be located in the new office in Forks. The Pacific

Ranger District consists of 271,300 acres and gets its new name from the

Pacific Ocean that parallels most of the district.

The eastside ranger district consists of the combined Hood Canal and Quilcene Ranger Districts. The new Hood

CanalRanger District will have a ranger station office at the current location in Quilcene on Highway 101 and will

operate a visitor information office in Hoodsport at the old Hood Canal office. A total of 21 employees will be

stationed at the district office in Quilcene and a work force of 19 employees will operate out of the Hoodsport Office

which will involve field work as far west as the Wynoochee Drainage. The new Hood CanalRanger District is named

after the large, narrow body of water that parallels much of the district. This new Ranger District has a total of

361,000 acres. The Forest Headquarters office in Olympia continues to reduce staffing levels. Some positions are

being shared with other nationalforest to improve both effectiveness and efficiencies with limited budgets.

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Forest Employee Receives Society Of American Foresters Annual Award

Joe Heller was honored as Washington State Society of American Foresters

(SAF) Forester of the Year at the SAF annual meeting held April 7 in Port

Ludlow, Washington. Joe is the first USDA-Forest Service employee to

receive this annual award. Joe's Forest Service career started in 1971 and he

has been employed with the Olympic National Forest since 1980.

Joe has been a member of the Society of Foresters for 24 years and was

recognized this year for his accomplishments, efforts and leadership in the

Society of American Foresters, in his local community and his personal life.

During Joe's career, he has served with quiet distinction on agency, interagency

and intergovernmental teams including 15 years on an Interagency Fire Team and five years on the Puget Sound River

Basin Study Team. Joe is nearing the end of a long-term detail with Washington State Community, Trade and

Economic Development. In July, he willreturn to work at his new job as the Olympic National Forest Public Service

Program Manager.

He has recently worked as a volunteer to help establish the Black Mountain Forestry Center complete with museum,

a forestry demonstration site and facilities for environmental education. The center is located in Whatcom County

where he was born and raised. Joe continues to be an active community member where he is involved with several

localservice groups and organizations including the volunteer fire department and the Kiwanis.
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During the SAF ceremony, he was recognized as a person who has labored quietly, effectively and without fanfare,

and is truly outstanding and worthy of recognition as Forester of the Year 2000.

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Congratulations Retirees

Jack Janda – Served as recreation program manager at the Hood CanalRanger District, Hoodsport, Washington

before being assigned an interim position in the Headquarters office as the Public Service Program Manager. Jack

completed 30 years of federalservice. He and his wife Karen will continue to reside in Hoodsport, Washington.

Gloria Young – Completed 7.5 years of federalservice working in office services in the Headquarters office. Gloria

willretain her residence in Shelton, Washington.

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Welcome To New Employees

Jody Sandel – Jody is a recent graduate from Texas A&M University with a Master of Science Degree in Wildlife

and Fisheries. She willserve as Pacific District Wildlife Biologist, stationed in Forks, Washington.

Pamila Sullivan – Pamila willserve as the Safety Officer for both the Olympic and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie

National Forests. Her duty station will be Olympia. She has worked 20 years in various safety and health care

positions and most recently worked at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, Rhode Island as a Safety

and Health Specialist.

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