262 



Lassen National Forest 



16. Hamilton Salvage Sale 

 1 7. Too Flat Salvage Sale 



Ranger District 



Eagle Lake 



Volume (mmbf) 



17-27 



Project Acres 



19.200 



Logging Acres 



9.800 



Location 



The Hamilton is located south of Highway 36, approximately six miles southwest of Susanville. The Too Flat 

 is located four miles southwest of Susanville. 



Impact 



The scoping document for these two sales states that four Spotted Owl Habitat Areas (SOHAs), two 

 Protected Activity Centers (PACs) for spotted owl, and five Goshawk Management Areas (GMAs) will be 

 logged. Within these habitat areas alone, the salvage project calls for the following intensive silvicultural treat- 

 ments: 5,100 acres of salvage logging, 1,197 acres of biomass-thinning, 939 acres of hand thinning and grap- 

 ple piling, and construction of an undisclosed number of new roads. 



These areas constitute some of the last remaining habitat for these sensitive species. These sales violate exist- 

 ing Forest Service guidelines (CASPO interim direction) which permit only "light fuels management activi- 

 ties" within SOHAs and PACs and only one commercial entry during the interim period. These activities are 

 not "light" and the scoping letter indicates that portions of the project area have already been salvaged with- 

 in the interim period. In addition, by implementing draft direction from the California Spotted Owl Draft 

 EIS, these sales violate requirements of NEPA which prohibit implementing draft direction. 



Not only do these sales threaten critical habitat for several sensitive species but they also threaten a key dis- 

 persal corridor for forest carnivores in the northern Sierra. The Hamilton-Fredonyer ridge system, within the 

 project area, has been identified by Forest Service fiirbearer experts as a key habitat link. Maintaining the 

 habitat quality of this area is key to its continued use by these species. In turn, it is only by maintaining con- 

 nections among subpopulations that the long-term viability of these populations can be protected. 



For additional information: 



Linda Blum, Quincy Library Group, 916/283 1230 



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