Slinky Timber Sale

This is a close-up of an orange marked tree in the Slinky Timber Sale.

On March 2, 2007, Judge Michael Mossman of the U.S. District Court ruled in Bark ‘s favor, effectively cancelling the Slinky Timber Sale. In his ruling Judge Mossman found that the Forest Service provided no evidence that it used the best available science in proposing to clearcut 184 acres of mature and old growth forest.

Resources for Comment-Writing

Roads

Original EA closed 2 miles of road and built .7 miles temporary road. According to new EA, several miles of road reconstruction along haul roads would also occur. ‘ (5) This reconstruction includes ‘spot rocking and brushing on 5710 in addition of aggregate surfacing on 5720190 and deep patch repairs to 5720 ‘ (EA 7).

Habitats & Species

S&M Species: Buxbaumia viridusHypogymnia oceanicaMalone jumping-slugCrypotomastixhendersoni
T&E Species: L. Columbia Coho – MIIHCutthroat troutSteelhead troutChinook
Other Species: Spotted Owl – CHU OR-10 1999 Bi-OpLynxCope ‘s Giant SalamanderPine Marten / Pileated Woodpecker
Additional Species Info: Southwestern Washington/Columbia River Cutthroat Trout May impact individuals but is not likely to cause a trend to federal listing or loss of viability. ‘ Impacts also expected for Baird ‘s Shrew, Oregon Slender, Salamander, California Wolvernine, and Pacific Fisher. Crypotomastixhendersoni was found outside of Unit 2. Dear and Elk Habitat (Summer Range 6- Kink and 7-Peavine. Some migratory species that could be negatively affected are Vaux ‘s swift, red crossbill, pileated woodpecker, varied thrush, hermit warbler, Hammond ‘sflycatcher, Wilson ‘s warbler, and winter wren.’

Prescriptions

Cut using Reserve Shelterwood Regeneration Method. Units 36 and 38 were removed between old and new EA. C1 Timber Emphasis (Units 5, 8, 9, 21, 151, the southern 1/3 of unit 2 and all of the temporary road construction) and B2 Scenic Viewshed (Units 1, 15, 17 and the northern 2/3 of unit 2). The Forest Service estimates this forest currently has between 80-100 trees per acre. The proposed alternative (B) would leave 10 -12 trees per acre. Alternative D would leave 30 trees per acre (EA 12). Cumulative Impacts Other Sales in same sub-watersheds include Batwings, Bonanza Thinning (logged), Pardner Thinning (logged), Upper Clackamas Thinning and Oak Grove Thinning. From 1995 to 2003(8 years) the Oak Grove will have 577 total acres logged and the Upper Clackamas will have logged 1008 acres. This number includes 418 acres in the Oak Grove and 539 acres in the Upper Clack that are projected to be logged in 2003. Thus there is a concentration of the logging into a single year.In Slinky156 acres are in the Oak Grove Watershed 28 acres are in the Upper Clackamas.