Forestry research west

38 Pages·1997·2.1 MB·English

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.
*
\\
c Forestry
Research
West
September 1997
A report for land managers on Forestry
recent developments in forestry
research at the three western
Experiment Stations of the Forest Research
Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
West
In This Issue To f?rder I Western Forest
Publications Experiment
We're Listening.1 Stations
Single copies of publications
Tongass Management Plan: referred to in this magazine are
the Role of Research.3 available without charge from the Pacific Northwest Research Station
(PNW)
issuing station unless another
333 S.W. First Avenue
source is indicated. See page 31
Colorado’s Forest Portland, Oregon 97204
for ordering cards.
Insects.8
Each station compiles periodic lists Pacific Southwest Research Station
(PSW)
Kings River of new publications. To get on the
Sustainable Forest mailing list, write to the director at P.O. Box 245
Ecosystem Project.15 each station (addresses on ordering Berkeley, California 94701
cards).
Rocky Mountain Research Station
New From Research.23 To change address, notify the (RMRS)
240 West Prospect Road
magazine as early as possible
(address on outside back cover). Fort Collins, Colorado 80526-2098
Send mailing label from this
Cover magazine and new address. Don't
forget to include your Zip Code.
Wildlife viability and fish habitat Permission to reprint articles is not
were two of the key issues that required, but credit should be given
researchers focused on in helping to the Forest Service, U.S.D.A.
develop the forest plan for the
Tongass National Forest in Alaska. Mention of commercial products is
Read more about the plan and for information only. No
involvement of Forest Service endorsement by the U.S.D.A. is
scientists, beginning on page 3. implied.
The United States Department of Agriculture prohibits
discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex. religion, age. disability, political
beliefs and marital or familial status. Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means for communication
of program information should contact the USDA Office of
Communications at [phone] (voice) or (800) 855-
1234 (TDD). To file a complaint, write the Secretary of
Agriculture, USDA. Washington, D.C. 20250, or call (800)
245-6340 (voice) or [phone] (TDD). USDAis an
equal employment opportunity employer.
We’re
Listening!
Thank you to all "Forestry Most readers like the design as Readers, for the most part, like
Research West" readers who it is, complementing the use of the feature articles as they are,
responded to our recent survey. white space and graphics. citing conciseness, well-
We received over 500 Some respondents requested written, and well-balanced.
responses. Intent of the survey shorter articles, some longer Dislikes include: too long, too
was to solicit suggestions for articles, better writing, more technical, not balanced
improving the magazine's graphics, annual index of enough, too short, and not
design and content, get a feel articles, eliminate bureaucratic enough detail.
for how readers use it, which talk, and a different color of
sections are most important, ink. About half the readers find two
and to see if there is an interest or three issues per year contain
in receiving it through the articles that have direct value
The top five topics requested
Internet. to them; the other half find all
for future issues were (in order
four issues of direct value.
of interest): wildlife/habitat
Most readers like the
and interactions; silviculture/
magazine for ease of reading, The overwhelming majority
regeneration/tree
broad subject range, ease of think the writing is concise
improvement; recreation/
ordering publications, the and clear. About 37 percent
tourism; wild and prescribed
balance and variety of feature read all of each issue; the
fires; and range/grazing/
articles, and the remainder scan for items of
livestock. Other topics that
multidisciplinary approach. interest. Approximately 50
rated high were: riparian/
percent find the feature
fisheries; hydrology/
While most like the articles of most interest; 50
watersheds/erosion; forest
publication the way it is, a few percent prefer the "New from
pests; and reforestation/
suggested changes include: Research" section.
vegetation restoration.
longer articles, more issues per
year, include scientist profiles,
more abstracts, more photos,
less expensive paper, use color,
more publication reviews, and
list announcements of
upcoming symposia and
workshops.
1
The vast majority of readers Fifty-six percent of readers Over the next few months, we
use the publication ordering have interest in seeing will be working to incorporate
cards and understand the "Forestry Research West" on as many of your suggestions as
ordering instructions. Several the Internet; however, most of possible. We are also
suggestions were offered to those would also like to exploring the possibility of
facilitate the ordering of continue to receive hardcopy putting the magazine on the
publications, including: using by mail. Internet. As with many
the Internet and faxes; self- products from government
gummed labels for ordering agencies, we are limited by
While the survey shows that
cards; a central clearing house shrinking budgets and staff,
readers are generally pleased
for other Forest Service and federal guidelines such as
with "Forestry Research West"
publications; and toll-free those of the Government
the way it is, the producers and
numbers. Printing Office.
contributors to the magazine
are working on an on-going
"Forestry Research West" is basis to make sure it is the best Thank you again to all who
issued quarterly, and most publication it can possibly be. responded to our
readers prefer no change; questionnaire. Comments on
about 20 percent would like to the magazine are always
see it more frequently. welcome. Write to us at:
Forestry Research West, USDA
Fifty-seven percent of readers Forest Service, 240 West
keep back issues of the Prospect Rd., Fort Collins, CO
80526, or phone (970) 498-
magazine, with the majority
1324, Fax: [phone].
using them in a reference/
library capacity. Nearly 70
percent route issues to others In the next issue of "Forestry
within their office or Research West", we'll provide
organization. a summary of the national
Forest Service Customer
Survey, conducted to see how
the Agency is responding to
the needs of its publics. Stay
tuned.
2
Tongass by Sherri Richardson,
Pacific Northwest Research
Management Plan:
Station
Research Played a Key
Role
The Tongass National Forest in
Alaska is one of the Nation’s
largest National Forests at 17
million acres. The long-
awaited forest plan for the
Tongass was Finalized in May
1997. The recently approved
10-year plan was a long time
coming against a highly
charged political, economic,
and environmental landscape.
But the development of the
plan also had a unique
structure: it was the first time
science was invited to directly
participate as part of the
forest planning team.
An adult goshawk surveys the area.
The scientists focused then-
efforts on Five key issues
Six senior scientists from the “The PNW scientists joined
critical to management of the
PNW Research Station were the planning team in 1995 as
Tongass:
incorporated directly into the full members but maintained
planning team. They were distinct and separate roles
- wildlife viability
Douglas Swanston, a research from the National Forest
- Fish habitat
geologist and coleader of the System members to assure that
- cave and karst resources
Tongass Land Management credible scientific information
- social and economic concerns
Team; Charles Shaw, a was used,” explained Douglas
- alternatives to clearcut
research plant pathologist and Swanston. “We were asked to
timber harvesting
science manager for the team; analyze, assemble, and
Winston Smith, a research interpret available scientific
wildlife biologist; Kent Julin, information on the resources
a research ecologist; Guy of the Tongass and make that
Cellier, a research geographer; information available to
and Fred Everest, a research National Forest
fisheries biologist and research decisionmakers for
policy coordinator for the development of the plan.”
team.
3
The PNW scientists, with Key Findings Reserves of remaining old
assistance from more than 50 growth by themselves do not
resource specialists and appear to maintain
Examples of key science
scientists from other Federal
interconnected, functionally
findings developed by PNW
and state agencies and
interrelated old-growth
scientists and used in the plan
universities collected, ecosystems. Wide beach and
are:
analyzed, and interpreted the
estuary fringes and uncut
most current scientific riparian buffers enhance
The amount and connectivity
information on these key
connectivity among these
of the high-volume old
issues. This information was otherwise isolated old-growth
growth strongly influences
provided to managers blocks by providing
the likelihood that a broad
responsible for deciding the elevational and horizontal
range of old-growth
content and direction of the
corridors. Wide beach fringes
associated wildlife species
Tongass plan. Managers then also provide important habitat
will continue to persist in the
used the scientific for bald eagle and goshawks
information, along with legal future across the Tongass.
owing to increased screening
mandates, public desires, and from management disturbance
other factors, to reach final Old-growth reserves
and increased prey diversity
land management decisions. appropriately spaced and and abundance.
Scientists did not make any of stratified across the Forest are
these decisions. In a check of one approach to maintaining
the plan, the scientists found viable wildlife populations.
the decisions highly consistent About 16 percent of the high-
with the scientific information volume old growth outside of
they provided the forest legislative withdrawals in the
managers. Tongass National Forest has
already been harvested. Past
harvest has been spatially
clumped with concentrated
activity at lower elevations on
islands such as Prince of
Wales, Kosciusko, Zarembo,
and northeast Chichagof.
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Tongass National Forest
Developmental and Natural Setting Areas
Land Use Designations (LUD's)
- Revised Forest Plan 1997
* Natural Setting LUD's = LUD's that
maintain old-growth habftat--Wildemee6,
National Monuments, Congres6ionallv
Designated Unroaded Areas, Old-growth
Habitat Areas, Remote & Semi-remote
Recreation. Municipal Watersheds, Special
Interest Areas, Wild, Scenic & Recreational
Rivers, and Research Natural
Areas.
* Developmental LUD'S = Timber Production
Modified Landscape, and Scenic Viewshed
(less than 25% ot these lands are
suitable tor timber harvest!
m Natural Sattlng LUD's
Dsvolopmontd UJDs
Non National Forest System Land's
38 76 114 MILES
Land use designations on the Tongass National Forest.
5
Productivity of the fisheries These karst and cave in southeast Alaska compared
resources of the Tongass is landscapes are formed from to 1 percent nationally). Real
dependent on protecting sea level to the tops of some of average earnings per job,
spawning and rearing the highest peaks in the however, have declined at a
habitat, assuring that Alexander Archipelago. Some rate of 1.5 percent annually
temperature and sediment of the most highly developed since 1985, and economic
levels are not elevated karst and cave terrain, the diversity as measured at the
significantly above natural most fragile and sensitive to borough level also is lower
variation, and assuring a management disturbance, is than the average measured at
source of large woody debris concentrated in the alpine and the county level in the rest of
for the future. subalpine zones and on slopes the United States. Any
greater than 70 percent. At impacts to employment should
Habitat productivity for fish lower elevations within the be viewed within these
can be maintained by retaining forest zone, about 30 to 50 existing trends.
protective timber buffers along percent of the karst terrain in
riparian areas and associated the Ketchikan Area and 10 to
Science Used in
tributary channel systems; and 20 percent in the Chatham and
by eliminating management Stikine Areas are believed to
Planning
activities in headwater areas be highly sensitive to human
that might accelerate disturbance.
landslides that result in “Senior scientists provided
sediment and large woody decisionmakers with
As a whole, the regional
debris going into anadromous comprehensive assessments of
economy of southeast Alaska
fish streams. natural
has both strengths and
resource conditions, trends,
weaknesses compared to the
World-class karst and cave and risks associated with
economy of the entire United
landscapes on the Tongass management of the Tongass,”
States.
underlie about 437,000 acres said Tom Mills, Director of the
of forested and alpine terrain PNW Research Station.
Annual increases in
in a northwest trending belt “Credibility of the published
employment opportunities (2.1
of carbonate rocks extending science information was
percent annually from 1985 to
from Dali and Prince of assured by independent
1994) are higher in southeast
Wales Islands to Chichagof scientific reviews. Land
Alaska than in much of the rest
Island. managers used the science
of the country (1.5 percent
information to build
annual growth), as is
population growth (1.6 percent
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