Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0068-0139
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-09-29T04:00Z

Anchor
Habitats:
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
­
Executive
Summary
A
Salmon
Anchor
Habitat
Strategy
for
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
October
2000
Section
1:
Executive
Summary
Introduction
Section
1
:
Executive
Summary
Section
2
:
A
Plan
for
Restoring
Salmon
on
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
Using
Anchor
Habitat
Strategies
Section
3
:
The
Economic
Benefits
of
Conserving
Anchor
Habitats
for
Salmon
in
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
Section
4
:
The
Legal
Basis
for
Salmon
Conservation
Strategies
in
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
Section
5
:
Appendices
Ecotrust,
Oregon
Trout,
and
the
Wild
Salmon
Center
have
developed
a
specific
strategy
for
restoring
salmon
runs
in
the
coastal
Pacific
Northwest
region.
It
is
based
on
watershed­
specific
evaluations
that
result
in
the
creation
of
a
system
of
anchor
habitat
areas
that
nourish
the
most
productive
portions
of
the
stream.
When
combined
with
other
management
tools,
these
anchor
habitat
areas
create
a
strategy
that
is
both
ecologically
and
economically
viable
for
the
watersheds
of
the
Northwest.
We
propose
that
this
strategy
be
implemented
in
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests.

This
report
describes
the
details
of
this
salmon
restoration
plan
and
discusses
economic
and
legal
issues
related
to
it.

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anchorhabitats/
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Anchor
Habitats:
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
­
Executive
Summary
A
Plan
for
Restoring
Salmon
on
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
Using
Anchor
Habitat
Strategies
The
Current
Situation
Scientists
estimate
that
salmon
populations
currently
hover
at
less
than
5%
of
their
historic
productivity
and
occupy
only
a
fraction
of
their
historic
range
and
distribution
in
coastal
watersheds.
This
status
prompted
an
unprecedented
state­
initiated
coho
salmon
recovery
effort
which
culminated
in
the
Oregon
Plan
for
Salmon
and
Watersheds
(
Oregon
Plan)
and
an
executive
order
issued
by
Governor
Kitzhaber
in
1999.
This
status
also
resulted
in
the
listing
of
Oregon
coastal
coho
as
threatened
under
the
federal
Endangered
Species
Act
(
ESA)
in
1998.
State
and
federal
authorities
now
share
responsibility
for
coho
salmon
recovery.

In
the
State
of
Oregon,
the
current
salmon
restoration
strategies
as
proposed
in
the
Forest
Management
Plan
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Anchor
Habitats:
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
­
Executive
Summary
Here
is
a
List
of
the
Identified
Anchor
Habitats
for
Salmon.
(
FMP)
by
Oregon
Department
of
Forestry
are
based
on
a
timber
management
approach
(
known
as
structure­
based)
combined
with
a
"
riparian
leave"
strategy.
While
salmon
"
focus
areas"
are
being
discussed,
no
site
specific
proposals
have
been
made.

A
New
Salmon
Anchor
Habitat
Strategy
Ecotrust,
Oregon
Trout,
and
Wild
Salmon
Center
propose
an
ecologically
and
economically
viable
strategy
that
would
restore
salmon
runs
while
allowing
for
predictable
and
stable
timber
harvest
and
forest
management.
This
approach
would
1)
establish
anchor
habitat
areas
for
salmon,
2)
protect
high­
risk
slopes
from
landslides,
and
3)
establish
streamside
protections
to
ensure
riparian
habitat
protection
for
salmon.
The
approach
would
allow
for
some
careful
timber
management
within
these
three
areas,
and
scheduled
commercial
timber
harvest
on
the
rest
of
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
consistent
with
other
management
objectives
and
legal
restraints.

Establishing
Salmon
Anchor
Habitats
The
groups
propose
an
anchor
habitat­
based
strategy
for
recovering
watersheds
and
http://
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anchorhabitats/
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Anchor
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Tillamook
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State
Forests
­
Executive
Summary
Pacific
salmon
which
protects
the
most
critical
areas
for
salmon,
while
allowing
for
some
timber
harvest.
Critical
areas
have
been
specifically
identified
to
be
established
as
anchor
habitat
for
salmon.
Current
salmon
survey
information
reveals
that
only
16.6%
percent
of
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
contains
critical
anchor
habitat
areas.

How
are
anchor
habitat
areas
identified?
The
first
step
in
defining
anchor
habitat
areas
is
to
determine
the
distribution
and
abundance
of
each
salmon
species
in
the
basin.
Because
the
damaged
watersheds
restrict
salmon
to
particular
areas,
determining
where
the
salmon
are
becomes
crucial.
Not
all
portions
of
the
basin
are
equally
productive.
The
most
critical
reaches
are
those
being
used
by
salmon
for
spawning
and
rearing,
as
well
as
the
areas
immediately
upstream.

The
first
pass
at
determining
distribution
and
abundance
was
done
by
reviewing
existing
information
and
by
a
systematic
snorkel
count
of
juvenile
salmon
throughout
most
of
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
region.
Through
these
intensive
stream
surveys,
areas
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Anchor
Habitats:
Tillamook
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Clatsop
State
Forests
­
Executive
Summary
of
high
salmon
production
were
identified
in
each
watershed.

How
should
anchor
habitat
areas
be
managed?
We
suggest
that
the
watershed
above
each
of
the
identified
areas
of
high
salmon
production
be
designated
as
an
anchor
habitat
area.
These
are
then
managed
to
maintain
their
high
value
for
salmon
productivity,
reestablish
healthy
watershed
function,
recover
old
growth
characteristics,
and
minimize
landslide
risk.
Anchor
habitats
remain
protected
until
other
parts
of
the
watershed
have
recovered
and
are
able
to
contribute
towards
salmon
productivity.
While
higher
protections
exist
for
anchor
habitat,
these
areas
would
not
be
permanently
removed
from
the
timber
base.
Some
timber
harvest
(
thinning)
would
be
allowed
within
the
same
watershed
and
management
to
reduce
negative
impacts
from
roads
and
stream
crossings
would
also
be
a
priority.

Protecting
Against
Landslides
Outside
of
the
anchor
habitat
areas,
we
suggest
that
steep
unstable
slopes,
identified
as
being
at
high
risk
for
landslides
into
salmon­
bearing
water,
remain
off
limits
to
timber
harvest
activities.
Our
analysis
shows
that
high­
risk
slopes
account
for
7%
of
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forest
lands.
If
steep
slopes
are
not
protected,
watersheds
will
not
properly
recover.
In
these
areas,
roads
and
stream
crossings
should
be
upgraded
to
reduce
stream
impacts.
Though
landslides
will
still
occur,
the
goal
is
to
reduce
the
occurrence
to
a
size
and
frequency
natural
for
the
area.

Protecting
Streamside
Habitat
Within
100
feet
of
streams,
we
suggest
that
only
activities
that
restore
aquatic
and
riparian
function
be
permitted.
This
could
include
thinning
and
replanting
consistent
with
the
function
restoration
objective.
Outside
the
100
foot
riparian
area,
certain
forest
practices
would
be
allowed
with
the
objective
of
retaining
and
growing
large
trees
and
establishing
a
diverse
and
healthy
forest
structure
that
includes
large
snags,
large
downed
woody
debris
and
a
multiple­
layer
canopy.

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Anchor
Habitats:
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
­
Executive
Summary
The
Economic
Context
Achieving
Sustainable
&
Harvestable
Salmon
Population
Numbers
As
compared
to
the
existing
management
regime
and
NMFS's
1998
forest
practices
analysis,
modeling
indicates
that
our
anchor
habitat
strategy
would
result
in
the
largest
coho
and
chinook
harvest
counts.
If
implemented
today,
the
anchor
habitat
plan
would
allow
for
3,000
coho
and
8,000
chinook
to
be
caught
within
20
years,
and
21,000
coho
and
10,000
chinook
to
be
caught
within
120
years.
Under
current
market
conditions,
an
increase
of
3,000
in
the
number
of
catchable
fish
available
to
anglers
would
be
worth
about
$
600,000.

Timber
Harvest,
Revenue,
and
Job
Growth
Projected
timber
harvest
levels
and
job
growth
under
the
anchor
habitat
strategy
would
not
be
altered
from
existing
projections.
This
finding
is
based
on
analysis
that
assumes
that
the
aggressive
swiss
needle
cast
disease
abatement
program
and
anchor
habitat
strategies
of
the
current
proposed
plan
are
both
implemented.
While
the
anchor
habitat
strategy
will
result
in
a
reduction
in
access
to
timber,
this
will
be
offset
by
newly
projected
timber
harvest
increases
to
treat
swiss
needle
cast
disease.
Annual
harvest
volumes
will
increase
from
113
MMBF
in
2001
to
188
MMBF
in
2010.
Because
overall
timber
volume
harvested
from
the
forest
would
not
be
reduced,
job
growth
projections
in
the
affected
counties
(
projected
at
an
increase
of
400
local
jobs
in
the
next
ten
years)
would
remain
constant.

Recreation
Revenues
and
Alternative
Forest
Products
It
is
possible
that
forest­
related
revenues
from
sources
other
that
timber
sales
could
increase
with
the
adoption
of
an
anchor
habitat
strategy.
Increases
in
recreational
fees,
for
example,
might
be
instituted,
or
forest
managers
may
collect
addition
revenues
from
the
sale
of
forest
products
other
than
timber.

For
example,
a
recent
analysis
in
southern
Oregon
of
the
potential
positive
and
negative
aspects
of
designating
a
national
monument
concluded
that,
if
expenditures
by
visitors
to
the
monument
from
outside
the
local
area
increased
3­
10
percent,
the
employment
impact
would
be
an
increase
in
210­
700
jobs,
more
than
offsetting
the
loss
of
65­
70
jobs
in
the
timber
industry.
Similar
opportunities
are
available
to
the
managers
of
the
two
state
forests
and
the
residents
of
Clatsop
and
Tillamook
counties.

Value­
added
Forest
Products
Value­
added
wood
processing
essentially
derives
greater
value
in
products,
jobs,
wages,
and
the
tax
base
than
exporting
raw
materials
to
other
counties
for
processing.
Currently
only
50%
of
harvested
timber
remains
in
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
counties.
Doing
more
with
less
is
a
successful
economic
development
strategy
that
increases
the
level
of
community
equity
in
the
outcomes
of
forest
management
through
business
ownership,
higher
wage
jobs,
greater
local
flow
of
revenue
dollars,
and
increased
personal
assets.
For
example,
if
25%
more
MMBF
could
be
captured
by
local
processing
in
the
counties,
about
390
total
local
jobs
would
be
created.
At
average
salary
rates
for
the
sector,
$
23,500,
this
would
translate
into
approximately
$
9,650,000
annually
to
community
economies.

The
Legal
Context
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Anchor
Habitats:
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
­
Executive
Summary
Based
upon
legal
and
scientific
research,
it
is
our
conclusion
that
an
anchor
habitat
strategy
offers
the
best
opportunity
for
the
State
of
Oregon
to
meet
their
salmon
recovery
obligations
on
state
forest
lands
under
state
and
federal
law.

Traditionally,
the
state
has
retained
management
authority
for
native
fish
species
of
the
state.
This
authority
is
exercised
in
trust
by
the
state
for
the
benefit
of
its
residents.
This
authority
is
well
recognized
and
has
been
upheld
by
the
courts.
State
law
further
requires
that
the
state
prevent
the
serious
depletion
of
indigenous
species,
such
as
native
salmon.

Additionally,
the
state
must
comply
with
the
federal
Endangered
Species
Act
with
regard
to
species
such
as
Oregon
coastal
coho
salmon,
which
are
listed
and
protected
under
the
Act.
Forest
management
planning
documents
must
incorporate
practices
and
measures
that
ensure
conformance
to
the
requirements
of
this
law
or
be
subject
to
potential
enforcement
action.

State
law
recognizes
timber
production
as
one
of
the
purposes
of
state
forest
management
and
requires
that
a
portion
of
the
revenues
generated
from
forest
management
activities
must
be
distributed
to
local
counties.
However,
there
is
no
legal
requirement
to
maximize
timber
production
and
revenue
generation
on
every
acre
of
state
forest
lands.
It
is
fully
within
the
Board's
discretion
to
manage
some
areas,
such
as
the
salmon
anchor
habitats
proposed
in
this
report,
primarily
for
fish
and
wildlife
productivity.
This
authority
also
extends
to
other
non­
timber
production
uses
such
as
recreation,
municipal
water
supply
protection,
or
watershed
protection.
These
uses
are
consistent
with
the
statutes
authorizing
the
creation
and
rehabilitation
of
the
state
forest
system.

An
anchor
habitat
strategy
for
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
Forests
will
allow
for
scheduled
timber
harvest
and
predictable
payments
to
counties
under
state
law.
It
will
assist
in
ensuring
compliance
with
the
federal
Endangered
Species
Act
and
state
laws
protecting
salmon.
Reducing
state
exposure
to
potential
liability
for
violation
of
state
or
federal
law
should
be
a
high
management
priority
for
the
state
during
its
present
planning
process.
Our
proposal
is
intended
to
help
facilitate
the
use
of
management
strategies
that
will
protect
salmon
and
highly
productive
habitat,
while
allowing
for
other
forest
activities
to
commence
in
a
timely
way
and
continue
without
interruptions
caused
by
legal
violations.

Conclusion
An
anchor
habitat
plan
for
the
restoration
of
salmon
on
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
is
the
most
ecologically
and
economically
sound
way
to
manage
these
forests.
We
view
anchor
habitats
as
imperative
to
real
recovery
of
salmon
populations.
Without
them
no
progress
will
be
made.
They
are
economically
viable,
based
on
the
best
estimates
of
current
and
future
timber
harvests,
revenues,
and
the
acreages
required
for
anchor
habitats.

If
all
the
major
elements
of
this
forest
practices
framework
are
included
in
a
salmon
restoration
plan,
we
believe
that
it
has
a
high
likelihood
of
success.
However,
if
anchor
habitats
are
not
protected
as
the
core
places
where
already
declining
salmon
populations
exist,
salmon
will
decline
further
thus
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Anchor
Habitats:
Tillamook
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Clatsop
State
Forests
­
Executive
Summary
foreclosing
on
any
future
restoration.

Next
Page
»
A
Plan
for
Restoring
Salmon
on
the
Tillamook
and
Clatsop
State
Forests
Using
Anchor
Habitat
Strategies
http://
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anchorhabitats/
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