VEGETATION 



#') 



condition, would maintain timber 

 stands in the project area with 

 a mosaic of multiple stories and 

 ages. 



CUMULATIVE EFFECTS 



• Cumtilntive Ii^eclMqfJ\o-*1ction 

 tlltentatice »1 on »1ge Cla-iute* and 

 Cocertype* 



Under this alternative, 

 continued fire suppression and 

 the ongoing mortality of western 

 white pine from white pine 

 blister rust would add to the 

 trend of an increase of shade - 

 tolerant tree species in the 

 analysis area and a decrease in 

 the amount of western white 

 pine. Timber stands in the 

 analysis area would continue to 

 age, which would slightly 

 offset the total area being 

 converted to younger age classes 

 through other timber-management 

 projects in the analysis area. 



• C'umulalice FUfecUt qf miction . Iltern/ttive 

 li on mige ClajtHen and Cocerti/pen 



Stillwater State Forest's other 

 timber sale projects and 

 associated planting and 

 precommercial thinning 

 activities will also increase 

 the amount of western larch, 

 western white pine, and Douglas - 

 fir in the analysis area. In 

 addition to the area that would 

 be converted to seedling/sapling 

 stands under the proposed action 

 alternative, other current 

 timber sale projects in the 

 analysis area would increase 

 seedling/saplings stands in the 

 area by approximately 1.7 

 percent and slightly decrease 

 the area in older age classes. 



> OldGrourth 



DIRECT EFFECTS 



• Direct IJ^fectJt qfJVo-,1ction Alternative, 1 

 and.lction .tltematice D on Old Growth 



No direct effects to old growth 

 would be expected under either 



alternative. Action Alternative 

 B was designed to not harvest 

 timber or build roads in old- 

 growth stands . 



• Indirect f^ffcctM ofJ\^o-%1ction Jllternatice 

 »1 anfl ».1ction .llternatice B on Old 

 GrowUi 



Under both alternatives, stands 

 currently meeting DNRC's old- 

 growth definition would become 

 more decadent with heavier 

 stocking levels and an increased 

 loading of down woody debris and 

 wildfire hazards. Shade- 

 tolerant species would increase 

 in stands and, potentially, more 

 snags would eventually occupy 

 the stands . 



Additionally, Action Alternative 

 B would harvest timber next to 

 old-growth stands and 

 structurally create a more 

 abrupt stand edge. Potentially, 

 the risk of blowdown along the 

 proposed unit boundaries would 

 increase. Harvest areas next to 

 old-growth stands would possibly 

 act as fuel breaks that could 

 slow or stop wildfires before 

 these fires could burn the old 

 growth. 



• Cumulative IJ^ffects qfJVo-, Iction 

 ,1lternative . / and, Iction . Ilternative B 

 on Old Groicth 



Approximately 188 forested acres 

 that meet the old-growth 

 definition may be entered with 

 other timber sale projects that 

 have been initiated in the 

 analysis area. Because of 

 ongoing litigation, these areas 

 are not currently being 

 harvested. If this litigation 

 is resolved, these areas would 

 be harvested as part of their 

 initial project. Following 

 harvesting, these areas would 

 not likely be considered old 

 growth . 



Chapter III— Existing Environment and Environmental Consequences Page III-5 



