treatments proposed under the action alternative including tree planting would ensure 

 adequate regeneration following harvest. 



Analysis Area 



The analysis area for vegetation cover and quality includes all of sections 14, and 36, 

 Township 14 North, Range 14West and adjacent lands within 1 mile of these sections. 



Existing Stand Conditions 



Conditions in both sections (14 and 36) are the result of both natural and man-caused 

 disturbances. Habitat types, local wildfire history and the presence of charred, woody 

 debris suggest stands within these two sections experienced some regular wildfire 

 interval at varying intensities and severities. Additionally, most stands in section 14 were 

 selectively harvested about 47 years ago, while many stands in section 36 were 

 selectively harvested approximately 40 years ago. A concentration of ladder fuels is 

 increasing due to proximity of sapling-sized trees to larger, mature trees. An apparent 

 decrease in vigor of mature trees can be noticed in many areas due to overstocking. This 

 is most visibly evident from tree form characteristics and leader growth. Endemic 

 populations of mountain pine beetle exist in most stands within both sections. While 

 these populations currently pose no eminent threat of widespread damage to the stands, 

 increasing tree vigor would reduce susceptibility in the future. 



Within section 14, stand structures generally consist of approximately 12-22" Diameter at 

 Breast Height (DBH), randomly spaced western larch, Douglas-fir, and some ponderosa 

 pine (roughly 35-65 trees per acre on average). Areas within these larger stands also 

 contain individuals, groups, and patches of approximately 6-12" DBH Douglas-fir, 

 ponderosa pine, and western larch (roughly 25-55 trees per acre on average). Individuals 

 and patches of healthy, advanced tree regeneration are common throughout much of the 

 stand area. Much of this regeneration shows signs (such as decreased leader growth) of 

 experiencing decreased vigor through a closed overstory canopy and over-stocking. 

 Shrubs, mostly ninebark (Fhysocarpus malvaceous), occupy many areas within the over- 

 all stand understory. 



Within section 36, there is a range of stand structures. Stands mostly on westerly to 

 southerly aspects generally consist of approximately 8-20" DBH Douglas-fir with 

 occasional ponderosa pine trees. Stocking ranges from areas with a relatively closed 

 canopy to fairiy open grown, isolated small groups (roughly 60-130 trees per acre on 

 average). There are small patches of healthy tree regeneration as well as openings 

 occupied mostly by grass. Stands on mostly easterly aspects are two distinctly different 

 types. The first stand is made up of fairiy dense (roughly 1 10-170 trees per acre on 

 average) approximately 8-18" DBH Douglas-fir and a scattered mixture of sub-alpine fir 

 and lodgepole pine. Many of the lodgepole pine are disfigured from dwarf mistletoe 

 disease. The other stand is made up almost exclusively of very densely stocked (roughly 

 170 trees per acre on average), approximately 8-16" DBH) lodgepole pine. A few widely 



