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Oregon Forests at Risk From the Rescissions Logging Rider 

 July 17, 1996 



designated a Late Successional Reserve under the 

 Nortnvvest Forest Plan due to its excellent old growth 

 characteristics. Tlie sale was prompted by an arson 

 caused fire, but the courts ruled that the sale could not 

 proceed until the risk and impact of arson on the 

 Reserve system could be assessed. Tlie rider 

 overturned that ruling and released the sale for logging 

 thus legitimizing arson as a means of logging areas that 

 are normally oft-limits. Tlie Forest Service has also 

 increased the amoimt of timber to be cut in the sale by 

 40%, from 9 mmbf to 13 mmbf. The purported goals 

 of the Warner Creek Fire Recovery Plan are to restore 

 spotted ov^l habitat and study natural forest recovery 

 from fire. Salvage logging v^all defeat both of those 

 purposes by destroying existing owl habitat and 

 preventing natural recovery from occurring. A better 

 solution that would discourage arson for profit schemes 

 and allow for legitimate study would be to set the area 

 aside as a Research Natural Area. 



49. Sphynx The Sphynx Timber Sale is located in the North Santiam 



watershed whidi supplies Salem's driiUdng water. The sale 

 will cut 16.2 mmbf on over 400 acres of land and cor\struct or 

 reconstruct 8.87 miles of road. Most of these activities wiH 

 occur in the "Transient Snow Zone," an area highly 

 susceptible to landslides and erosion. Tliis erosion increases 

 turbiaity in drinking water supplies. For over a month 

 during last winter's rains, Salem lost its drinking water 

 supply due to high turbidit)' levels. Tliis sale was planned 

 using a Watershed Analysis that does not recognize the 

 existence or impacts of last winter's floods. Tlie Forest 

 Service has recently received money to rectify damage caused 

 by the storms, but has responded by planning to cut trees 

 and construct roads. Tliis does not demonstrate responsible 

 management of the drinking water supply of Oregon's state 

 capitaJ. Additionally, this sale will dearcut Andent Forests 

 and adversely affect the habitat of the threatened wolverine 

 and downstream fish populations. 



50. Horse Byars: This 318 sale is located in the Breitenbush watershed directly 



on Byars Creek. Qearcutting on units one, four, and five 

 would indude the downing of trees as old as 650 years. 

 Over 76 acres, 2.6 mmbf will be logged with 10 miles of 

 logging spur (dirt roads) created. 



51. Marten French: Three mmbf of predominantly old growth spedes will 



be cut. This sale is within miles of Opal and Phantom 



