265 



Stanislaus National Forest 



23. Irish Salvage Sale 



24. Cupid Salvage Sale 

 ?5. O'Manuel Salvage Sale 



Ranger Disiiicr Volume (mmbf) Project Acres Logging Acres 



Calaveras 6.5 2.980 2.200 



Location 



These sales are just north of Highway 4 and near the towns of Arnold and Hathway Pines. 



Impact 



Sales on the Stanislaus confirm that the Forest Service is focusing on green, thinning sales in the absence of "dead and 

 dying" timber to cut. According to Groveland Distria timber management officer, Jack Myrick, the Forest Service has 

 condensed their regular green sale program for the next five into an 18 month period to take advantage of the Rind- 

 ing available under PL 104-19. 



These three sales on the Calaveras District are significant because each one is essentially a "green tree" sale. According 

 to distria staff team leader, Carolyn Madden, there is almost no "dead and dying" component in these sales since the 

 area has already been salvaged. While the stated purpose of the sale is to reduce the fire risk in the urban-rural inter- 

 face by chinning out trees from 2,200 acres, the sales also includes 440 acres of clearcuts. Qearcuts have no known 

 fire risk reduction purpose; in fact, the regeneration of dense even-age stands chat occurs on clearcuts drasdcally 

 increases fire risk. 



In addition to clearcuts, the 8.8 miles of new road are a tremendous concern. Numerous hydrologists and geologists 

 have demonstrated that new road construction has a significant negative impact on water quaUty and the overall habi- 

 tat value of downhill streams. Salmonid species need clear streams to spawn, and road building in the uplands increas- 

 es sedimentation in these streams. It does not appear the Forest Service has adequately assessed the impacts of these 

 additional roads on nearby streams. Funhermore, this road building will add to the existing impacts of years of aggres- 

 sive salvage logging in the area. 



These sales prescribe logging 1 19 acres in three Spotted Owl Proteaed Activity Centers and one goshawk territory. 

 Underbuming is highly effective at reducing fiiel loads, but has far milder impacts on wildlife than logging prescrip- 

 tions. The Forest Service has not tried to thin these stands with a series of low intensity prescribed burnings. Allowing 

 the Forest Service to reduce fuels through thinning opens the door to logging of the valuable larger trees. 



For Oilditional information: 



Peter Bell, Foothill Conservancy, 209/296 5734 



?9 



