established. A combination of harvest types is being proposed to simulate this natural cycle. 

 Most stands in the project area have higher stocking rates and greater canopy closure than 

 occurred historically. The following table provides a visualization of the impacts that 90 years of 

 fire suppression have created. Information in the historic levels column was calculated by 

 multiplying the historic age class percentage times the total number of Lodgepole pine acres 

 within the project area. 



Table 3-10 



Historic Age Class Distribution and Current for Upper Willow Creek 



within the project area, expressed in acres 



Old growth species habitat 



Even though this project area is within the Beaverhead/Deerlodge National Forest, it was felt that 

 the western Montana Zone, old growth type code 7, (Greene et al. 1992) was most applicable 

 because the stands are well west of the continental divide and meet the vegetative characteristics 

 described under this code. Stand attributes that old growth dependant species commonly use are: 



♦ Large sized trees 



♦ Standing dead and downed woody material 



♦ High percentage of rot and disease 



♦ High potential for insect infestation 



♦ Other tree deformities 



♦ Multi-storied structure 



The west side of the proposal area contains a relatively large (137 acre) block of old growth that 

 is located in the North V2 of Section 5, and one smaller stand 28 acres in Section 17. Individual 

 old growth Douglas fir and Ponderosa Pine trees occur predominately on southern aspects and 

 usually in conjunction with second growth lodgepole pine. There is also 24.9 acres of old growth 

 Lodgepole Pine in Section 21. Within the State's ownership along the east side of the valley 

 Sections 21 and 28 there is substantially more Douglas fir. Stands, 2, 3 (SLI) in Section 28, 

 contain a scattered overstory of large 200 -1- year old fir with a multiple aged understory of second 

 growth Douglas fir and lodgepole pine. Because lodgepole makes up the majority of stems per 

 acre and volume they are classified as lodgepole pine stands. Section 21, Stand 9 has some 

 Douglas fir greater than 30 inches DBH and over 200 years old. 



The lodgepole stands in Section 5 are part of a larger patch of fairly unfragmented habitat to the 

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