Alternatives B & C 



While the previously described alternatives would maintain short-term old growth presence, B 

 and C would decrease 101 years old stand and old stand age groups. The age class distribution 

 would be moved toward conditions, which more closely resemble those historically present. Size 

 of stands older than 101 years would be reduced while those in the unstocked and 1 to 40 age 

 group would increase. Stability of the stands would be improved by the harvesting either by 

 increasing between tree spacing or converting an older stand to one, which is, regenerating and 

 not susceptible to bark beetles. These stands would also be less susceptible to stand replacing 

 fires because of a reduction in tree density and ground fuel accumulation. Specific to the Upper 

 Willow Creek drainage, there would be a decrease in those stands meeting the Greene old growth 

 definition on State land. There would continue to be substantial old growth lodgepole pine 

 stands on adjacent USPS lands (per observation F. Staedler), thus minimizing impacts within the 

 drainage. 



The age class distribution within the project area and through out trust land on the Anaconda 

 Unit is substantially different then research indicates is the historical norm (Losensky, 1993). 

 Without harvesting wildfire, insect attacks or the passage of time current age class distribution 

 would remain in its present state. In the short term there would be little impact. Over the long 

 term this disproportionate weighting toward old stands is not a stable condition. Build-up of 

 fuels in the stands will lead to the occurrence of large high intensity stand replacing fires. While 

 this type of fire has historically played a major role in the ecology of these systems, it is 

 reasonable to assume that the addition of 90 years of fuel accumulation caused by suppression of 

 wildfires has moved it outside of the "normal" parameters. 



The proposed harvesting has been designed to simulate the effects that fire and insects would 

 have creating a view shed, which would somewhat emulate presettlement conditions. Stands 

 which have a high fuel loading potential have been proposed for removal of all trees to simulate 

 the occurrence of a stand replacement fire. Where fuels are lighter and Douglas fir or ponderosa 

 pine are present, large, scattered trees would be left. This type of harvesting would simulate the 

 occurrence of a mixed severity fire. Forest processes operate in a cyclical manner. Natural 

 processes of establishment, growth, maturation, decadence, and death are always occurring. 



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