Alternative B 



This alternative is a combination of trust revenue generation and elk security retention. 

 Alternative B was developed by taking issues generated from public scoping along with 

 specialists input and modifying actions identified in the initial proposal. Mitigation measures 

 were incorporated into this action alternative. 



One of the fundamental reasons for proposing this sale is to return forested land to an age class 

 distribution which more closely reflects historical conditions. These conditions are believed to 

 be more sustainable in the long term. As a guide for what the historical conditions were, we used 

 Losensky's (1993) research as a guideline. More specifically the data which pertained to 

 historical Lodgepole pine age class distribution. When existing age class distribution was 

 compared to research data, both on a project and unit wide level, it was apparent that the age 

 class distribution was skewed toward older stands. This alternative would move older and 

 middle age lodgepole pine stands into a seedling state while retaining the large old Douglas fir 

 and ponderosa pine. Approximately 177 acres of lodgepole pine are proposed for harvesting to 

 emulate the occurrence of a stand replacement fire. 120 acres would be harvested to emulate a 

 mixed severity fire. Within these units the lodgepole pine would be removed while most of the 

 Douglas fir and ponderosa pine would be retained. In addition to moving these stands toward a 

 seedling condition, we are hoping to increase the ponderosa pine and Douglas fir in the 

 regenerated stands. In talking with long-time residents in the valley, (personal communication 

 with Hans and John Luthje) they described forests with a larger ponderosa pine and Douglas fir 

 component. There is evidence of past low intensity ground fires occurring within the stands. To 

 mimic these occurrences, approximately 667 acres would be thinned using post and rail 

 harvesting. Stand density would be reduced to between 302 and 436 residual trees per acre. 

 Within this 667acres there are small patches of 60-80 year old trees, which are so stagnated from 

 overcrowding that their crowns have been reduced to the point, <30% of the total tree height. 

 They are unlikely to respond to thinning. Up to 10% of the 667 acres, or 67 acres, would have all 

 the trees removed. These harvest patches would be less than 5 acres in size. 



Access would be provided by the construction of 5.06 miles of new road, reconstruction of 2. 1 8 

 miles of existing road and construction of .3 miles of temporary road. Existing access for this 

 proposed sale is by USPS and BLM road systems that connect into the Upper Willow Creek 

 County Road. 



There are several water quality problems associated with a ditch system that DNRC inherited 

 from the BLM in a land exchange. The ditch dewaters lower Beaver Creek, a historic fishery. 

 Where the ditch is dropped into Bear Creek there is a severe erosion and sediment problem. For 

 most of the year Bear Creek flows approximately twice the amount of water it would under more 

 natural conditions. Part of the proposed project is to address these problems. 



This alternative retains approximately 500 acres of untreated cover for elk security, which are 

 located in two blocks of approximately 250 acres each, located in Sections 8 and 5. The road 

 system is designed to avoid this area and maintain the security value by using the existing federal 

 agency road system. The number of potential live stream crossings is substantially reduced 



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