Continuing further to the west timber, mainly Douglas fir and lodgepole pine, dominate north- 

 facing slopes while ridge tops and higher energy aspect are predominately grassland with 

 scattered patches of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine. On the east side, grasslands continue to 

 dominate with occasional patches of lodgepole and Douglas fir in the draws until you reach 

 Arbuckle Gulch where grassland gives way to stands of lodgepole pine. These stands descend to 

 the county road and provide travelers a sense of driving through the middle of a forest. Eighty 

 acres of 70-90 year old and old growth, mistletoe infested, lodgepole pine on School Trust Lands 

 are located immediately north of Arbuckle Gulch, in the Wl/2 SWl/4 Section 21, T8N, R15W. 

 Pre-commercial thinning was done on approximately 10 acres of this ground in the past and is 

 very visible from the county road. A narrow strip of privately owned timber provides a screen 

 between the county road and the remainder of the 80 acres. 



Approximately 100 acres of timber is part of the proposed project area and is located in the 

 SE1/4SE1/4 Section 21 and the E1/2NE1/4 Section 28, T8N, R15W. This timber is only visible 

 at a limited number of locations along the county road in the Swanson Gulch area, because of its 

 distance from the road and adjacent topography. 



Private lands adjacent to State ownership in Sections 21 and 28 were harvested approximately 1 5 

 years ago. Un-merchantable material was left standing and there has been good success in 

 regeneration creating a two-storied stand. 



Harvesting completed by the U.S.F.S., within the last 15 years, is very visible in the upper 

 reaches of the drainage. A majority of these units are clearcuts, 40 acres in size, or smaller with 

 irregular boundaries. These units stand out in contrast to second growth and mature stands. The 

 BLM harvesting lower down in the drainage is relatively old, having been completed in the mid 

 1970's, compared to USPS harvest units. The BLM cutting has had moderate success in 

 regenerating and patches of 6' to 10' tall lodgepole pine and Douglas fir. are visible from the 

 Upper Willow Creek county road. Some mature timber was left as a seed source creating a multi 

 storied stand in sharp contrast to the surrounding older stands. 



From the county road looking west trust lands appear as a natural stand of second growth 

 lodgepole pine with occasional patches of mature lodgepole pine present. In the draw bottoms 

 the lodgepole pine trees are mixed with species such as subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce. 

 Some of the south facing slopes have a more open park-like appearance due to aspect and drier 

 conditions. Subalpine fir and Engelman spruce are absent from the south facing slopes where 

 large mature Douglas fir and ponderosa pine are growing along with an understory of lodgepole 

 pine. 



Vegetation 



Forest Health 



The existing stands of timber in the project area are dominated by lodgepole pine. Large-scale 

 stand-replacing fires and low intensity ground fires, play a major role in the ecology of 

 Lodgepole Pine forests (Fischer and Bradley, 1987). When stands of lodgepole pine become 



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