any unmerchantable snags (an 

 average of 3.9 trees per acre) 

 would be retained, resulting in a 

 retention of 4.7 snags per acre; 

 of these, an average of 2.4 snags 

 per acre are over 21 inches dbh. 



The removal of sound snags and 

 downed trees could alter the 

 amount of feeding sites for 

 insectivorous animals and 

 available shelter for protection 

 and reproduction. Recent beetle- 

 killed trees provide a food 

 source for woodpeckers and bark- 

 gleaning birds. The removal of 

 these trees is expected to reduce 

 feeding sites. In the longer 

 term, removal of these trees 

 could reduce nesting habitat. 

 However, this is not expected 

 because nesting trees typically 

 are infected with heartrot while 

 alive. If these trees were 

 infected to a degree that causes 

 a substantial loss of wood value, 

 the tree would be left on site; 

 thereby, the loss of future 

 nesting habitat would be reduced. 

 Downed trees also provide 

 foraging sites; therefore, 

 removal of downed trees would add 

 to the loss of foraging sites. 

 Additionally, concentrations of 

 downed material provide 

 protection from predation and 

 weather to a host of wildlife 

 species. To mitigate the effects 

 of these losses, all western 

 larch snags, a preferred forage 

 and nest tree species, would be 

 left on site. Additionally, root 

 wads, cull material, and 

 preexisting downed trees would be 

 retained. 



The loss of feeding or 

 reproduction habitat is not 

 expected to substantially affect 

 wildlife species in the area. 

 The retention of unmerchantable 

 trees would continue to provide 

 foraging sites. Additionally, 

 the retention of snags meets or 

 exceeds the amounts in 

 unharvested stands reported by 

 Harris (1999) and western larch 



snags, a preferred nest and 

 forage tree species, would not be 

 harvested in the project area. 

 Additionally, 100 to 150 live 

 trees would be left on site, 

 which could provide snag and log 

 recruitment through time. 

 Therefore, it is believed that 

 the deadwood retention levels and 

 the potential for future deadwood 

 recruitment would continue to 

 provide habitat in the project 

 area for native species that rely 

 on deadwood. 



The structural components of the 

 blowdown pockets could be lost or 

 depleted due to this project; 

 however, coarse woody debris 

 would be retained throughout the 

 proposed units. To mitigate some 

 of the loss of blowdown 

 structure, preexisting downed 

 material, root wads, and 

 unmerchantable material would be 

 retained. These areas could 

 offset some of the structural 

 habitat loss for small to 

 midsized mammals. Since most of 

 the blown down trees to be 

 harvested would be sound, changes 

 in hollow log resources are not 

 expected; therefore structure for 

 large mammal habitat, primarily 

 black bears, are not expected. 

 The remaining live trees would 

 continue to add log resources 

 through time. 



Cvunulative Effects - Coarse Filter 



• Cumulative j^ffects qfthe JWo-»lcHon 

 Mtemalive • Coarse Filter 



No additional disturbance to 

 deadwood habitat would occur. 

 Other DNRC projects, such as the 

 Goat Squeezer Timber Sale and 

 Soup Creek Salvage projects, ' 

 would continue in nearby areas. 

 Douglas-fir bark beetle 

 populations would continue to 

 cause mortality in and around the 

 project area. The increased tree 

 mortality in Douglas -fir would 

 provide additional foraging 

 opportunities. The mortality of 



Big Blowdown Salvage 



Page E-3 



