A WESTERN OREGON FOREST RESOURCES POLICY
PART I - AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - The PLF believes that the basic statues that provide for the sustained yield management of the public land forest are sound , but that there needs to be changes in timber harvest methods to help maintain forest ecosystems and protect wildlife and other resources, while continuing to sustain local economies dependent upon forest resources.
Forest areas, which are critical for the protection of such resources as fish and wildlife (especially endangered and threatened species), protection of watersheds and stands of old-growth forests, wild and scenic rivers and intensive outdoor recreation areas, need to be managed in ways that protect these values. Representative reserved stands of old-growth forest should be established throughout the northwest.
In orders to promote community stability, the annual timber sale levels should be established at the biological timber growing capacity of the forest land available for harvest consistent with multiple use and other management objectives. Decisions on the allowable harvest need to be made for enough in advance to enable dependent communities to plan for their future. BLM should use a variety of forest harvesting methods that best fit the sites, placing a priority on uneven aged practices and limiting clearcutting.
BACKGROUND AND CURRENT SITUATION - The western Oregon forest policy statement of the Public Lands Foundation (PLF) relates to the public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in western Oregon. These lands are identified as (1) the revested Oregon and California railroad lands (O&C); (2) the reconveyed Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands (CBV.[R); and (3) the intermingled Public Domain lands (PD).
The management of these lands is carried out according to the guiding principles of two major laws--the O&C Sustained Yield Act of 1937 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. There are, of course, numerous other laws and regulations with which BLM must comply.
The basic statutes appear to PLF to be essentially sound. However, policy and legal interpretations of the O&C Act during the past half century have emphasized maximizing the annual harvest of commercial forest products following a traditional sustained yield approach to multiple use forest land management with constraints imposed and acres withdrawn for environmental protection. On O&C and CBWR lands, sustainable timber production to contribute to community stability has been the primary objective under the O&C Sustained Yield Act of 1937. This policy has been affirmed by Federal courts.
In managing these lands, the BLM has pursued a program of converting mature and old growth natural forests to younger intensively managed forests established by planting following harvest. Intensive management options included in this program are as follows: reforestation improvements; use of potentially improved tree seed; precommercial thinning; fertilization; control of carpeting vegetation; and commercial thinning. Rotation age for these newly established forests has been set at culmination of mean annual increment which is about 80 years of age for most western Oregon forests.
Early planning efforts for the lands involved an inventory of the forest, estimation of the growing capacity of the forest and calculation of a timber forest level attuned to the principle of long-term sustained yield production. Over the years the planning system became more sophisticated and involved the inventory and/or assessment of other resources in addition to timber. The planning inventory/planning process was on a ten year cycle and established a ten year harvest level.
Most recently an effort called "Planning for the 1990's", undertaken in 1986 was one of the most complete and ambitious planning efforts undertaken by the BLM. The planning effort included significant interaction with the public. The planning effort examined up to nine different options for management ranging from a timber emphasis option on one hand to an environmental option limiting timber production on the other. In July 1993 BLM’s planning was combined with Forest Service planning and policies to produce what is known as the "Clinton Forest Plan." The Clinton Forest Plan is the plan of action at the present time.
POSITION NUMBER I - LEGISLATION
The existing basic statutes pertaining to Federal forest and related resource management should be retained. Management of BLM's western Oregon forested lands must be in harmony with all pertinent land and environmental legislation, including but not limited to the O&C Act of 1937, the Federal Land Management and Policy Act of 1976, Clean Air Acts, Clean Water Acts, Wild and Scenic Rivers Acts, Pacific Crest Trail Acts, Rare and Endangered Species Act.
Any new legislation should be for the purpose of making the policy intent of Congress more specific or more clear or to provide more specific guidance to the administering agencies. Insofar as is feasible any new legislation should be in the form of amendments of existing statutes.
POSITION NUMBER 2 - PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT
We favor management of Federal natural resources by qualified professionals at all levels, with sufficient flexibility to make timely on-the-ground adjustments in response to the almost infinite combinations of natural resource problems and discoveries that continually evolve. Such discretionary authority must be tempered by actions to insure, as far as possible, that day-to-day activities are consistent with policies and goals established by the Congress, implemented by Departmental regulations, and interpreted by the courts.
POSITION NUMBER 3 - BALANCING APPROPRIATIONS
We favor a formal linkage between annual appropriations and the basic legislative statutes so that a major imbalance cannot occur in annual appropriations for one class or classes of natural resources as compared to other classes of resources specified in the basic statutes.
POSITION NUMBER 4 - SUSTAINABILITY
Statutes should specify that all usage or removal of commodity and non-commodity renewable natural resources from the public lands shall be sustainable at a level designed to maintain long-term health and productivity.
POSITION NUMBER 5 - PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES
PLF agrees that the Federal Government should compensate states and local governments for burdens created as a result of immunity of Federal lands from State and local taxes. However, in today's context, we believe that a percentage of gross receipts is not the method of payment that is most desirable and equitable to all parties. Such payments vary greatly from year to year and fail to reflect the actual impact of Federal land management activities on State or local government.
We favor a transition period of about five years to change from the present percentage of receipts system to a different, uniform and stable system of compensation which recognizes the major investments the 18 O&C counties have made on the O&C lands since the 1950's.
POSITION NUMBER 6 - COMMUNITY STABILITY
In order to promote community stability, the annual timber sale levels should be established at the biological timber growing capacity of the forest lands available for harvest consistent with multiple use and other management objectives. In addition, cooperative projects involving Federal, State and private forest managers should be implemented and adequately funded to rehabilitate watersheds, improve fish and wildlife habitat, and promote healthy and productive forest ecosystems; thus creating employment opportunities in forest-dependent communities.
Community stability in western Oregon requires a dependable supply of timber. Decisions on the base allowable harvest need to be made at an early date to eliminate the indecision about what the supply will be so that the forest industry and the dependent communities can plan for their future.
A WESTERN OREGON FOREST RESOURCES POLICY
PART II - IMPLEMENTATION
POSITION NUMBER I - OBJECTIVES
The overall objectives governing BLM's forest management are to achieve an ecologically sound and sustainable base of renewable natural resources for the purpose of contributing to the economic and social needs of both local communities and the nation as a whole through a sustainable yield of both commodity and non-commodity forest products and values. These products and values include, but are not limited to, a moderated flow of quality water, a continuing supply of commercial forest products, quality habitat for fish and wildlife, maintenance of quality scenic beauty and opportunities for outdoor recreation and protection of scientific and historical values. PLF endorses a concept of adaptive management to meet changing ecosystem management objectives. Adaptability to long-term change is the focus and the sustained yield of products is provided within this context.
POSITION NUMBER 2 - BLM’s PLANNING SYSTEM
The principal tools for harmonizing the various natural resource objectives for Federal laws and policies are BLM's land use planning system, funds for implementing the resultant plans, and the actual on-the-ground management.
POSITION NUMBER 3 - OLD GROWTH FORESTS
Old growth forests under purely natural conditions are not static. Any attempt to "freeze" them in place for hundreds of years will prove futile in most cases. Unless interrupted by fire, insects, disease or some other catastrophe, the vegetative components of old growth forest gradually change into more shade tolerant vegetation presently in the understory. Nevertheless, the PLF endorses reserves of representative stands of old growth forests, well distributed throughout the Pacific Northwest and other forest regions, for strict protection from timber harvesting or any other disruptive human activity.
Old growth forests not set aside in strict reserves should be managed as mature forests. PLF urges BLM to specify which of the mature forest categories should be dedicated to the primary purpose of fish and wildlife, but with limited forest harvesting allowed. Such acreage, combined with acreage of old growth forest reserves should be sufficient to provide BLM's share of the habitat needed for the fish and wildlife and plant species dependent on or associated with old growth forests.
POSITION NUMBER 4 - FOREST LAND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
The management techniques for accomplishing the natural resource plans and objectives decided upon include, but are not limited to:
a. Identification of specific geographic areas which are critical to the protection or realization of particular values, such as intensive forest management and outdoor recreation; fish and wildlife habitat (especially endangered or threatened species); protection of watersheds, including existing and potential wild and scenic rivers; and stands of old-growth forests.
b. Public identification and publicizing of these critical areas, and
c. Taking appropriate action to ensure that these special areas and values will be managed for the foreseeable future.
2. Use of a wide variety of forest harvesting methods and silvicultural practices that best fit the species ecology and best maintain the long-term health and productivity of forest stands where timber harvesting is proposed. Place a priority on uneven aged practices and give special emphasis on preventing soil erosion and maintaining high quality forest soils.
3. Placing high priority on the prompt salvage of tree mortality where needed to reduce fire hazard, improve forest health and meet management objectives.
4. Establishing and maintaining a mix of forest rotation ages that are sufficiently long to serve adequately the needs of fish and wildlife and other associated forest uses and contribute to timber related employment opportunities.
5. Limiting of clear-cutting to area where fully stocked, replacement stands of trees will be established within ten years of cutting. Also limiting the size and visual impact of clear cuts to the extent possible.
6. Maintenance of the diversity of forest species.
POSITION NUMBER 5 - FOREST ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT
PLF endorses a concept of forest ecosystem management directed toward sustaining the health and productivity of forest ecosystems for all their benefits and values.
The concepts on which forest ecosystem management is based are still being developed. Currently there are gaps in the scientific information base that can be filled only by applying, observing, monitoring, and analyzing ecosystem management prescriptions that are promising. Thus adaptive management is needed to assure that practices can be adjusted to meet changing ecosystem management objectives. Such operational scale adaptive management needs to be linked to an effective, adequately funded monitoring program providing a strong partnership between management and research.