Minutes from 09/17/09 Mt Adams District Collaborative Group Meeting 1 Minutes from the two field trips will be sent out for review and possible additions by participants. Spencer provided copies of Siuslaw N.F. trip report by 4 members of GPAG to some attendees. 2 Field trip review and further discussion: - Eastside - - La Roux – we looked over a 'Before' and 'After' commercial thinning project. 'Before' was the area surrounding the road on the way into the 'After', which was the thinning project site. Site was a prescription by Description, relative density criteria (remove 40%). Canopy was sparse, due to “late entry”. - viewed a 'young stand thinning' (20 years old) with clean up on the roadside only. Criterion was 8” dbh or less, but save all “minor species”. - Big Tree site for lunch with presentation by Sue Hummel concerning her Gotchen area research. - Gotchen LSR fuels reduction – two sites: 1) masticator – good recovery was noted in second year after process; 2) standard thinning site with piled slash, incomplete burn. - Aspen restoration – best slash piles ever! Tanager observed fleeing from invading hordes of Collaborationists. - Gotchen shaded fuelbreak – Lodgepole Pine. Part of Straycat stewardship sale. 40% canopy cover remaining after thinning. - Westside - - Bear Creek watershed – 4 stops: 1) private owner with CWPP implications for egress and fuels reduction near home; 2) oak restoration site; 3) second-growth stands (40 years old); 4) Triangle Pass with high-density of trees (some dog-hair thickets) along main access/egress route for this area. - Dry Creek Stewardship project – LSR. Lisa M. commented on the permanent nature of the 'temporary road'. - Trout Creek restoration in an old-growth stand. Spencer commented on the fact that the creekbed had been reconstructed by means of a bulldozer nine years ago, and the area looked pristine. 3 Update on Cave/Bear project for 2009: - Paperwork hang-up until 2 weeks ago has delayed start of stand-exam work. RFP coming next week for Forester to contract for this work. (Grading criteria for bids is still under discussion, including some points for “locals”.) Trying to get 2,000 acres this year. - Jon Nakae and Jay McL. have been looking over the area. Parts are 45 – 50 years old with 30 – 40% “thinnable”. Another 6,000 acres (2,200 acres of plantation) are made up primarily of 51 – 80 year-old trees. - 81 – 130 and 131 – 150 year-old stands may not be suitable for this project. - Nancy R. - 2010 budget may have money for surveys. No F.S. Salaries included. - Jamie T. - can the Collaborative Group ask for money to be budgeted for survey work? - Lisa M. - is the 2010 budget finished? Nancy R. - prioritized, not set. Lisa will discuss status with Erin Black. - Jay McL. Commented – he can “change via contract language”, when written. [I don't understand the comment, but was writing quickly to keep up with comments.] - Norm W. asked why the RAC project was approved, if the F.S. was not actively supporting it. The money for Cave/Bear should have been coordinated with GPNF plans and resources. Norm also asked why the project didn't include stand exams for the younger trees in order to build up future 'shelf stock'. Nancy replied that, if the trees are too young, they would have to repeat the exam for later project. 4 Sawtooth Huckleberry project: - Jay McL. reported that some plots have been put in with volunteer help. - Todd M. suggested that we need monitoring protocols for fruiting, other criteria. - Jamie T. suggested a letter from the Collaborative Group to 'push' F.S. Actions. - Spencer moved, Lisa 2nd, to authorize Jamie to draft a letter. Approved. - Nancy R. commented that budgets, contracts, delays of various sorts contribute to problems. - Someone suggested bringing the Contracting Officer to a meeting to elucidate. 5 Bear Creek project: - Spencer reported that project supporters are moving toward a change in the focus from hazardous fuels reduction to thinning for forest health and late seral development. This new approach has evolved from discussions within this group, from the discussion at the RAC board meetings, and from the presentations during our GPAG meeting with the Siuslaw N.F. Staff. 6 Nancy R. updates: - ARRA (“Stimulus”) money to the GPNF = $800K for roads. Resurface 24 and 60. - Bridge repair and replacement projects – only 2 on the Mt. Adams District. - Contracting has been a problem, as the MAD has had to out-source this function to other districts and to other N.F. - Current status of Upper Cispus and Catherine Creek sales - ? - WinThin was sold. - Wildcat is in the appeal period. - The draft EA for the Pinchot Partners-led project (1,500 acres) in the Cowlitz District is published. - The proposed gas pipeline will require changes to the NW Forest Plan. - 2009 timber target was not met. - Lisa M. asked whether there were targets for Forest projects other than timber. - Jamie T. asked Nancy to share the 2010 targets, when available. 7 Where-to for the MADCG? - Jamie T. stated that the RAC funding quest distorted our Group building process. She suggested that we should bring in more MAD specialists for their perspectives. - Tom L. stated that Collaborative Group representatives are included on the ID teams on the Siuslaw N.F. - Jamie T. mentioned FACA [again, I missed the import]. Jamie will contact Sue Ripp for discussion of this topic. - Lisa M. stated that we should review the process as experienced on the Mt. Hood N.F. She will contact Collaborative Group leaders there for presentation. - Terry T. asked about 'small sales'. This led to a discussion of CEs. - Jake A. and Gail F. suggested that there might be MADCG cadre to help develop CEs. - Nancy R. stated that F.S. review would be required. - Norm W. suggested that we could use existing EAs for Mowich and/or Dry Creek to create new sales via CE. - Lisa M. asked if we would want to create an inter-Collaborative 'Science Panel' to present seminars to interested members. One starting subject might be Stewardship. 8 Other business: - Norm W. recommended that the MAD send a biologist and botanist – at least – to the Siuslaw N.F. For discussions with their peers. Or we could bring Siuslaw specialists here; or bring some of their Collaborative Group members here. - Tom L. recommended that, if there is an intention to do a 'burn' at Mowich, the weather window was closing rapidly. Nancy R. indicated that she wants to do this, but that there are uncertainties. - Lisa M. stated that she would like to see the MADCG look at more issues on the GPNF than vegetation. - Norm W. stated that the GPNF Headquarters Biologist has asked for projects that will benefit Elk (and help to get money from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation – looking at you, Rick). Attendees: Jamie Tolfree, Peggy Bryan, Paul Spencer, Tom Linde, Jay McLaughlin, Lisa Moscinski, Nancy Ryke, Jacob Anderson, Norm Ward, Bruce Holmson, Terry Tanner, Rick Larson, Gail Fullerton, Sally Newell, Todd Murray | 
