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Statement of Daniel P. Christenson 

 9 March 1994 

 page three 



construction, operation of heavy machinery in forest areas and 



by vegetation removal. The usual mode of timber harvest requires 



access by roads. Road construction in mountainous terrain 



contributes to erosion and subsequent stream sedimentation and 



water quality degradation. The cut-and-fill method of road 



construction on hillsides exposes bare soil to the erosive action 



of rain and snow-melt. It also results in steepened banks which 



further increases the risk of erosion. The compacted road 



surface prevents percolation of rain or snow-melt water into the 



underground. The resulting over-land water flow carries sand 



and silt and is generally concentrated and diverted off the 



roads causing gully erosion down-slope. 



The use of heavy machinery in removing logs from the forest 

 disturbs soils which exposes them to the effects of wind and 

 water erosion. It also disturbs the protective layer of forest 

 litter or mulch. The piling and burning of logging slash and 

 debris subsequent to a timber harvest operation results in 

 additional soil damage aaid increased exposure to erosion, not to 

 mention the air quality problems of smoke. 



Timber harvest in the southern Sierra, in essence, is the 

 killing and removing of coniferous trees. In the process a great 

 deal of other vegetation is destroyed. Trees that are too small 

 or defective for lumber production and brush and other species 

 are usually burned or left stacked on logging sites. The effects 

 of removing trees and other forest vegetation include 



