Olympic Adaptive Management Area Research and Monitoring

Last updated: 9 November 1999

Since the origin of the Olympic AMA, the Forest has taken the opportunity to conduct learning activities in both AMA (20% of the Forest) and LSR (67%).  It is often the case that the most promising opportunities for learning and adaptive management are found within Late-Succession Reserve.  Examples include large acreages of young stands in need of thinning to accelerate development of late-succession features and road systems within LSR needing stabilization to meet watershed restoration objectives (such needs are more likely to be found within LSR, which contains the majority of the Forest's steep, unstable slopes).

Title: Road Stabilization, Roads 2902 and 2924

Project description and purpose:  This stabilization/watershed restoration project consists of stabilization, sediment reduction, and storm damage repair activities. One aspect of the project involves use of differing stabilization techniques in similar situations, with the learning objective of ascertaining the relative cost-effectiveness of the methods employed.
Status:  Work was initiated 1999, with the bulk of the project to be accomplished in 2000.
Location:  Along 5.7 miles of road on the Soleduck Ranger District, this activity is located in Late-Succession Reserve with the adaptive management component of the project designed to meet LSR standards and promote attainment of LSR objectives.

Title: Olympic Habitat Development (Young Stand) Study

Purpose: Investigate the effects of variable density thinning, under story enhancement, and coarse woody debris augmentation on restoration of structural and biological diversity and development of late-succession conditions in 30-70 year old stands, with emphasis on under story development, small mammals, and terrestrial amphibians.
Methods: Variable density thinning, planting and seeding in the under story, and providing scattered and clumped (into artificial logs) coarse woody debris. A complete randomized blocks design at Quilcene, Quinalt, and Forks, 8 locations and 42 plots.  The study involves a total of eight commercial thinning timber sales, located throughout Olympic National Forest.  Most of the treatment areas are within AMA, but there are units within Late-Succession Reserve in some cases.  Where this occurs, activities are designed to meet LSR standards.
Location: Study sites are located throughout Olympic National Forest; most are within Olympic Adaptive Management Area.
Status: Study has been underway since collecting baseline data for fungi, plants, amphibians, and small mammals.  One of the sales associated with the study (approximately 2 MMBF) has been completed.  Four are currently under contract:  Fresca, Mouse Inn, Snow White, and Clavicle.  Harvest volume of these four totals approximately 12.75 MMBF.  Three projects have yet to be offered; total volume of these is roughly 6.5 MMBF.  Post-project monitoring is underway in completed harvest areas, and will continue several years into the future as treatment progresses.
Key Contact: Connie Harrington and Andy Carey, Olympia Forestry Sciences Laboratory (360-956-2345), and Kathy O'Halloran, Olympic National Forest.

Title: Forest Ecosystems Study

Purpose: Complementary to the Habitat Development Study and Olympic AMA management; an investigation of retention of old-growth legacies, commercial thinning, variable-density thinning, under planting, and cavity-tree management on under story development, fungal communities, winter birds, and mammalian prey base for owls and mustelids in 55-65 year old stands.
Methods: Silviculture treatments include variable density thinning and under planting; cavity management includes provision of nest boxes, creation of cavaties in live trees, and innoculation of live trees with top rot fungi.
Design includes second-growth with legacies in unthinned forest; commercially twice thinned forest with woody debris removal; and application of experimental variable density thinning, under planting, and cavity tree management to both
forests in a complete randomized blocks design of 4 treatments in 16 stands.
Location: This study is being conducted on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation.
Its relationship to the Habitat Development Study links it with Olympic Adaptive Management Area research.
Status: The study began with baseline data collection in 1991; experimental treatments were applied in 1993; a 5-year evaluation occurred in 1998. site monitoring and evaluation continues.
Key Contact: Andy Carey, Olympia Forestry Laboratory 360-753-7688

Title: Marbled Murrelet Studies

Purposes: Three studies are currently underway on the Peninsula --

1. A joint study with DNR, Rayonier, NCASI, and the Sustainable Ecosystems Institute on the influence of forest fragmentation and human activity on rates of predation on artificial murrelet nests.
2. Work with Quilcene Ranger District on rates of occupancy by marbled murrelets in relation to stand structure and landscape pattern.
3. A new study on relationships between inland activity and at-sea distribution of marbled murrelets in the Hood Canal/Quilcene area.

Location: Throughout Olympic National Forest, largely within Late-Successional Reserve (which contains most of the Forest's murrelet habitat).
Key Contact: Marty Raphael, Olympia Forestry Sciences Laboratory 360-753-7662

Title: Rocky Brook levels of growing stock study

Purpose: Study of thinning effects in young stands of Douglas fir.
Location: Quilcene Ranger District, within Late-Successional Reserves
Status: Established in 1963, this is one of nine installations studied in cooperation with the Washington State DNR, the Canadian Forest Service, and Oregon State University.  The final treatment was completed in 1996.  Re-measurement of treated stands is currently scheduled for 2002.
Key contact: Bob Curtis, Olympic Forestry Sciences Lab

Title: Alpine Vegetation Impact Study

Purpose: A study of the impacts of human use and mountain goats on alpine vegetation within the Buckhorn Wilderness (Quilcene RD).
Cooperator: Conducted in cooperation with Western Washington University.
Location: Buckhorn Wilderness, Quilcene Ranger District
Key Contact: Joan Ziegltrum, Olympic National Forest 360-956-2320