II. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION INDICATING THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OR 

 POLITICAL SUBDIVISION THAT IS PARTICULARLY AFFECTED 



The proposed Upper Stryker Ridge Timber sale is a major development 

 sale and will initiate more intensive forest management of the area within the 

 general sale boundary. The action consists of the sale and commercial harvest 

 of approximately 4. 6 million board feet of timber from a 1 , 380-acre general sale 

 area which is located 17 air miles north northwest of Whitefish, Montana. The 

 specific location and boundaries of the proposed sale area are shown on the 

 appended reference maps (See Appendix A) . Careful study of these maps will 

 assist the reader in understanding the proposed action. 



Previous road construction and harvesting activities within this area have 

 involved construction of the Stryker Ridge Road by the Civilian Conservation 

 Corps during the early 1930's, and several small sales have resulted in the clear- 

 cut harvesting units and spur roads shown on the reference map. In addition, 

 several other small sales have been carried out within the area for the purpose 

 of salvaging scattered blowdown trees. 



The proposed sale will involve 19 small harvest units ranging in size from 

 2 . 5 to 18 acres, with the average size being approximately 9 acres. An average 

 volume of approximately 24,000 board feet per acre will be removed from the 170 

 acres of harvest units. 



The existing forest stands, the presence or absence of a manageable under- 

 story, the physical location of these stands and the management direction of the 

 land management agency play a large part in determining the silvicultural system 

 or systems to be used. The term "silvicultural system" designates a planned 

 program of silvicultural treatment to be carried out during the entire life of a 

 stand. It includes the removal of the old stand, the establishment of the new one, 

 and any supplementary treatment of the understory vegetation, slash and soils 

 for the purpose of providing favorable conditions for tree reproduction. A 

 system also includes any intermediate cuttings that may be required. Reduced 

 to its essence, a silvicultural system is a number of logical steps to initiate and 

 maintain a forest stand to maturity. 



Three methods of reproduction which result in even-age stands are to be 

 used on the proposed Upper Stryker Ridge sale. These are: 



1 . Clearcutting Method: The removal of the entire stand in one cutting 



with reproduction obtained artificially or by 

 natural seeding from adjacent stands. 



2. Seed tree Method: The removal of the mature timber in one cutting, 



except for a small number of seed trees left 

 singly or in small groups (units with an average 

 of two to ten leave trees per acre) . 



