FINDING 



Gladstone Creek Timber Sale 

 Sections 14, 23, 26, 28, and 34, T15N-R5W 



INTRODUCTION 



The Montana Department of Natural Resources has proposed a timber harvest in the Gladstone Creek drainage, 

 located approximately six miles west of Wolf Creek. The proposed harvest would remove an estimated 500-850 

 MBF of timber from approximately 180-200 acres of forested school trust lands. 



The State ownership consists of 5 contiguous parcels that are intermingled with private land and encompasses 

 approximately 2413 acres. An estimated 2369 acres of the State land is forested. 



Access to the State land is via an existing county road at the confluence of Wolf Creek and French Creek. A 

 temporar>' road use agreement and an easement negotiated with two adjacent landowners provide access to 

 additional parcels in Gladstone Creek. 



These tracts are classified forest tracts, valued principally for their forest resources and are part of the land grant 

 held by the State of Montana in trust for the support of the specific beneficiary, in this case sections 14, 23 and 26 

 for Common Schools, section 28 is State Reform School and Section 34 is for the Agricultural College (MSU). 



DECISION TO BE MADE 



1 have reviewed the Environmental Assessment prepared for the Gladstone Creek timber sale specifically to: 



1) Decide if an Environmental Assessment is the appropriate level of analysis or if an 

 Environmental Impact Statement should be prepared. 



2) Select an alternative to implement based on the information provided in the EA and a finding 

 that an EIS is not necessary. 



ALTERNATIVES UNDER CONSIDERATION 



There were 5 alternatives considered in the EA. Only Uvo remain selectable. One alternative, using an access 

 route across private land from French Creek, was dropped from consideration early in the process due to a clear 

 indication that an access agreement fi-om all landowners could not be negotiated. Two alternatives, using an 

 access route entirely in the Gladstone Creek drainage were considered throughout the process but cannot be 

 selected because an acceptable road use agreement could not be negotiated with two of the landowners. The 

 remaining two alternatives are reasonable and selectable. 



No Action: Under this alternative, the timber harvest would not occur. Income from forest management 

 activities would not be generated at this time. 



Timber Harvest with State Road Access: Under this alternative, an estimated 700-850 MBF of timber would be 

 harvested from approximately 200 acres. Eight treatment units are planned as follows: 



