Foreground viewing of the area takes place most often by visitors driving and sightseeing on the DelRey and Lower Whitefish roads. In the short term, shrubs and trees would continue to grow, limiting views from roadways. Both alternatives plan some harvesting within the roadside vegetation buffers, but some shrubs, saplings , and larger-diameter trees would be retained. As evidenced by buffers retained in 1995, the existing shrubs would likely grow in width and height and limit views into the harvest units on the uphillside of the roads. The vegetative buffers may not be as effective below roads due to the lack of past disturbance, which initiates shrub regeneration.
Harvesting often causes damage to vegetation that is planned to be left.
Timber Sale Contract specifications promote careful logging and felling operations, as well as require damaged trees, especially the sapling-sized trees, to be felled. This debris is usually left scattered over the ground for up to 1 year to return nutrients to the soils from the needles. To remove the logs on from large harvest areas, major skid trails and landings are required. When that soil is disturbed or displaced, slash and debris are placed on the trails primarily to meet BMPs, but it also helps cover the trail. Landings are sites where logs are skidded from where the trees were cut.