Figure 3 . --PJioto 5 years after the tinber was removed shows verij little 



evidence of logging. 



balloon system. The esthetic advantages of balloon logging are readily apparent from 

 the air or on the ground as there are few scars left on the landscape compared to the 

 conventional logging methods. This visual observation has proven true at tins site 

 soon after logging and after several years have ]iassed since the logging tool place 

 (fig- 3). 



Lifting logs vertically uith the balloon and flying them to the landing allows any 

 cutting method to be used. On this sale, an overstory removal harvesting method was 

 used with a minimum diameter specified, in order to release the understory. f!inimum 

 diameter varied depending on tlie unit, but most units had a 13-inch (33-cm} minimum 

 diameter. Very little damage to the understor)' resulted, and the majority of this 

 damage occurred during the felling operation. A few limbs were broken by the main and 

 haulback lines and flying logs, but this damage was minimal. 



A buffer strip of timber was left uncut, adjacent to stream channels in each log- 

 ging unit. This was an effective method of protecting the stream, and the only apparent 

 damage was due to a few logs being accidentally dropped into the creek during the yarding 

 operation. Any debris from the logging was removed and the creek shows no effects from 

 the logging. Figure 4 shows a t>q5ical reach of Anderson Creek as it was in August 1977. 



Landing construction was a source of ground disturbance. In order to minimize this 

 disturbance, many of the landing areas were less than one-half acre ("0.2 ha) in size, 

 or the road surface was used for a landing area (fig. S) . A bedding area (fig. 6) was 

 constructed in the Cow Creek subdrainage for tying the balloon down during severe 

 storms or for maintenance work on the balloon. This was the only sizable embankment 

 constructed for the balloon logging operation, and some erosion resultcd--the majority 

 being during a high intensity rainfall shortly after construction. The gullies from 

 the erosion have been vegetated and have stabilized as shown in figure 7. 



3 



