238 



3. Application to Timber Sales 



This record of decision does not provide final authorization for any timber sale, nor 

 does it compel that any timber sale be awarded. Rather, the decision amends 

 various Forest Service and BLM planning documents; timber sales offered 

 subsequent to the effective date of this Flecord of Decision must be consistent 

 with these amended planning documents. In addition, timber sales must undergo 

 appropriate site-specific analysis, and must comply with applicable regulatory 

 requirements for public participation and administrative appeal. 



Some previously-offered sales are located in late-successional reserves. If those 

 sales proceed, the integrity of the late-successional reserves will not be 

 substantially impaired, and the cumulative environmental effects of the sales will 

 not be significantly different from the effects set forth in the Final SEIS. Between 

 the Draft and Final SEIS, the size of late-successional reserves increased by 

 378,200 acres, to a total late-successional reserve acreage of 7,431,000. The 

 amount of late-successional, old-growth habitat protected in various reserves ( e.g. . 

 late-successional, riparian, and known owl activity centers in the matrix) increased 

 by 240,900 acres, to a total of 6,864,100 acres. These increases more than 

 offset the approximately 26,000 acres of previously sold and awarde d or sol d and 

 unawarded sales located within proposed late-successional reserves. / The late 

 successional and old-growth habitat in late-successional reserves that might be 

 harvested (assuming that these areas meet ESA requirements) represents about 

 lone-third of one percent of the total of this habjtat in rese rves in the preferred 

 ^alternative, r ""''' — — — »— ^ 



a. Timber Sales Awarded Prior to the Effective Date 



Timber sales awarded prior to the effective date of this Record of Decision are not 

 altered by this Record of Decision. At the time they were awarded, these timber 

 sales were consistent with the planning documents then in effect, complied with 

 the Endangered Species Act and other laws, and the environmental effects of 

 these sales were considered as part of the baseline for the biological opinion for 

 the Final SEIS. 



Timber sales in key watersheds (as described in the Final SEIS) and inventoried 

 roadless areas (as defined in the RARE II study) awarded prior to September 1 S93 

 were evaluated and adjusted, as needed, to eliminate or mitigate long-term, 

 unacceptable effects on riparian and aquatic ecosystems. Sales were assessed to 

 determine their effect on state water temperature standards, large woody debris, 

 stream flow, sediment regime, aquatic organisms, and other aquatic resources. 

 The criteria for this evaluation were developed by the scientific group assisting the 

 implementation team. Since September 1993, sales awarded in proposed late- 

 successional reserves have been limited to thinning and salvage, evaluated using 



April I). 1994 • ROD • 13 



