old growth within the project 

 area. Plots in old-growth stands 

 identified for salvage harvesting 

 indicate that, on average, there 

 are still just over 15 live trees 

 per acre with a dbh greater than 

 21 inches, despite the blow down 

 and Douglas-fir bark beetle 

 damage. This proposal would only 

 remove down and some dead 

 standing material, not changing 

 the amount and distribution of 

 existing old-growth stands. 



FOGI attribute levels are not 

 anticipated to change in old- 

 growth stands affected by the 

 Action Alternative. While the 

 individual categories making up 

 the FOGI would be affected by 

 salvaging, the small amount of 

 change would not reduce the 

 overall attribute level enough to 

 change the existing 

 classification of high, medium, 

 or low. The expected changes to 

 old-growth attributes include: 



- The proposed action would 

 remove Douglas -fir bark beetle 

 brood trees, possibly reducing 

 Douglas- fir mortality, which 

 may allow Douglas -fir to 

 persist and grow into larger 

 trees . 



- The proposed action would 

 remove 7 to 8 blown-down trees 

 per acre. Some 1- to 2 -acre 

 areas where blowdown damage is 

 concentrated would have higher 

 numbers of trees removed. 

 These trees would be 

 unavailable for future down 

 woody material . 



- Approximately 1 standing tree 

 per 2 acres would be removed if 

 they have recently died or are 

 dying from insect or disease 

 attacks. Some of these trees 

 are over 21 inches dbh. No 

 dead or dying western larch 

 would be removed. Some 1- to 



2 -acre openings may be created 

 due to concentrated blowdown or 

 mortality. The trees removed 



would not be unavailable for 

 future snags or large down 

 woody material . Approximately 

 4 . 7 snags per acre would be 

 left, of which 2.4 snags per 

 acre would have a dbh greater 

 than 21 inches. 



Mature stands not yet classified 

 as old growth could be considered 

 old growth in the future as they 

 age and grow. Salvage harvesting 

 within these stands would reduce 

 some old-growth attribute levels, 

 particularly the number of large 

 snags and amount of coarse woody 

 debris, as well as potentially 

 decrease stand decadence . 



Cumulative Impacts to Old Growth 



• Cumulative Impacts ofUie JVo^ction and 

 taction Mtemative» to Old Growth 



General site characteristics and 

 past road construction, timber 

 harvesting, and wildfires have 

 led to the current amount of old 

 growth and attribute level in the 

 entire area. Future salvage 

 harvesting will not likely alter 

 the old-growth designation, but 

 will continue to reduce some old- 

 growth attribute levels, 

 particularly the number of large 

 snags and amounts of coarse woody 

 debris and stand decadence. 

 Future sales and thinning 

 projects would likely continue to 

 take place in the analysis area. 

 If additional management projects 

 were proposed, the MEPA process 

 would be implemented. 



FIRE EFFECTS 



Fire History 



Swan River State Forest 



The fire regimes across Swan River 

 State Forest are variable. 

 Different fire frequencies and 

 intensities have developed a mosaic 

 pattern across the forest as a 

 whole. Areas of frequent fire have 

 produced a Douglas-fir, western 

 larch, and ponderosa pine covertype 

 with representations of lodgepole 



Page C-10 



Vegetation Analysis 



