project

Hunter Timber Sale

This is the view from road 42. There is a snag tree in the off center of the picture. A few other skinny trees in the forefront, along with some fern understory. The view over looks a forested valley with scattered clouds in the sky.

The “Hunter Integrated Resource Project” is a large proposal in the Clackamas River Ranger District, generally located surrounding Hwy 46 near the Big Bottom Wilderness area and Austin Hot Springs.

Bark’s Concerns

The “Hunter Integrated Resource Project” is a large proposal in the Clackamas River Ranger District, generally located surrounding Hwy 46 near the Big Bottom Wilderness area and Austin Hot Springs.

This project is split up into three parts: 1) “Vegetation management” 2) road management & 3) aquatic restoration. “Vegetation management” includes 1,880 acres of variable-density thinning in second-growth plantations and on 260 acres of “Fire-originated” (mostly never-logged) forest.  There are several other silvicultural activities proposed, such as “shelterwood harvest” of lodgepole pine forest, western white pine pruning (to save the trees from a pathogen “blister rust”), prescribed burning, and 60 acres of “regeneration harvest” (effectively clearcutting all but 15% of the trees).

After receiving Bark’s comments in opposition to the practice of “regeneration harvest,” the Forest Service cancelled 38 acres of logging from this unit, which was originally 98 acres in size. This allowed the Forest Service to be in compliance with its own Mt. Hood Forest Plan.

Road management includes nearly 14 miles of roadbuilding, 1.4 miles of road decommissioning, and 28 miles of road closures. Aquatic restoration includes log placements for fish, culvert replacements and restoring areas damaged by dispersed camping.

Over half of the Upper Clackamas watershed, where the project is located, is designated Critical Habitat for threatened northern spotted owls. The project area also includes extensive summer range for deer & elk, as well as several successful bull trout restoration projects. The Upper Clackamas Watershed is home to several previous road decommissioning projects that the Forest Service would need to undo in order to access logging units of the Hunter sale. Recreation opportunities within the project area includes the Burnt Granite trail #595 near Tarzan Springs and Rhododendron Ridge.

Hunter TS - Fire-Originated stand unit off Rd 4660-140

Resources for Comment-Writing

Habitats & Species

Northern spotted owl is known to live within this project’s bounds.

Recently reintroduced fish, the Clackamas River bull trout are also within this area.

Roads

Road work includes 127 miles of road maintenance & repair, 2 miles of new “temporary” roadbuiding, 10.2 miles of “temporary” road reconstruction (7.1 miles of which were previously decommissioned), 1.4 miles of road decommissioning, 28 miles of road closures, & 0.3 miles of roads permanently rebuilt.

Associated Files