Jackson Forest Forum

The Jackson Advisory Group (JAG) has now reviewed four near-term harvest plans proposed for Jackson State Forest. A problem with the harvest plans proposed in the management plan has now become apparent, a problem that has been exacerbated by the housing collapse and general economic downturn.

Dunlap North, Jackson State Forest

Many of the harvest plans were developed long before the present management plan took its final shape. Indeed, a number of these plans were initially developed in the 1990’s under the 1984 management plan that was declared invalid by the courts. The priorities and goals for forest management in the new plan differ greatly from those of the 1984 plan (which primarily addressed managing the forest for maximum timber yield, with no attention to endangered species and ecological diversity and little attention to recreation).

The new management plan places major emphasis on restoration, habitat, recreation and research. Further, the new plan constrains the types and locations of harvests for an initial 3-year period. The initial period constraints were part of a consensus agreement for resuming operation in Jackson Forest after the near decade-long halt in logging. The constraints were designed to minimize the impact of any logging operations on the long-term options for the affected stands. In simple words, logging in the interim should not seriously impact the possibility that the stand might be designated for old-growth development or for enhanced recreation opportunity.

The harvest plan schedule in the management plan included substantial even-age management (clearcuts and variations) and group selection (small clearcuts). Both of these are prohibited by the interim period guidelines. Essentially, the plans are limited to single-tree selection. No more than 30% of the trees can be removed, and the average size of the trees cannot be decreased. Further, some of the plans with the highest potential harvest profitability were excluded by the guidelines.

Hare Creek Effects of Illegal ORV Use

In responding to this changed situation, the staff of Jackson Forest did not look for new harvest possibilities that might be more appropriate given the revised goals of the management plan and the new constraints. Rather, they simply kept the same plans and modified them to fit within the constraints. Given the minimum staffing of the forest, this decision is understandable. Unfortunately, the result is that the two plans most recently reviewed by the JAG, Hare Creek and Dunlap North, appear likely to be marginally profitable or not at all profitable. Further, the harvest plan to be reviewed by the JAG this month, North Fork Spur, is in a stand not harvested since 1920’s, and is questionable under the interim period guidelines and related agreements.

It seems appropriate for the JAG to reconsider, reevaluate, and suggest modifications in the proposed harvest schedule for Jackson. This would help the forest and forest financing in the short run, and equally important, it would help the JAG to refine its long-term landscape plan for the forest.

The JAG will be discussing the complications created by the economic situation and the interim guidelines on Monday, January 12, 2008 at 12:45 p.m..  For more information on the upcoming meeting visit www.jacksonforest.org.

Please make your own comments below. The topic deserves community discussion!
_________________

Published as one of a series of columns in the Mendocino Beacon and Fort Bragg Advocate News under the heading “Jackson Forest Wanderings”, January 8, 2009.