Regional Ecosystem Office
333 SW 1st
P.O. Box 3623
Portland, Oregon 97208-3623
Phone: 503-808-2165 FAX: 503-808-2163

              Memorandum

Date:     September 25, 1998

To:         Robert W. Williams, Regional Forester, Region 6, Forest Service

From:     Donald R. Knowles, Executive Director

Subject:  Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) Review of the Proposed Land Exchange with Giustina Resources on the Blue River and McKenzie Districts of the Willamette National Forest

Summary

The REO and the interagency Late-Successional Reserve (LSR) Work Group have reviewed the subject land exchange proposal as it relates to late-successional reserves. Based on the review of the environmental assessment prepared for the land exchange, the content of the Mid-Willamette Late-Successional Reserve Assessment, and discussions with Ranger District staff, the REO finds the proposed exchange consistent with the Record of Decision (ROD) objectives, standards and guidelines for land exchanges involving late-successional reserves (ROD, page C-17).

Background

In response to a need to improve management efficiency through consolidation of Federal land ownership on the Blue River and McKenzie Ranger Districts, the Willamette National Forest (Forest) has proposed exchanging several hundred National Forest acres for several hundred acres of lands currently owned by Giustina Resources. Included within this proposal are several parcels currently managed as late-successional reserves under the Willamette National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended by the Northwest Forest Plan (NFP). The Forest determined that the proposal constitutes a change to land allocations made under the NFP and requested REO review (ROD, page E-18). This review was conducted by REO on behalf of the Regional Interagency Executive Committee (RIEC) and is limited to those parcels proposed for removal from, or addition to, LSRs.

Page C-17 of the ROD establishes the standard which must be met in land exchanges involving LSRs, specifically,

"Land exchanges involving Late-Successional Reserves will be considered if they provide benefits equal to or better than current conditions. Consider land exchanges especially to improve area, distribution, and quality (e.g., connectivity, shape, contribution to biodiversity) of Late-Successional Reserves, especially where public and private lands are intermingled (e.g., checkerboard ownership)."

Description of the Action

The proposed exchange would affect two late-successional reserves, Horse Creek (LSR 218) and Hagen (LSR 217). These actions are all part of one exchange, which meets the normal legal and regulatory purposes and standards for a land exchange. Within Horse Creek LSR, 80 acres of National Forest System lands would be traded for 80 acres of Giustina lands. Using spotted owl habitat as a basis for comparison, the 80 acres to be traded to Giustina include 36 acres of foraging habitat, and 44 nonhabitat acres, all of which are outside of existing owl circles. The 80 acres to be acquired include 12.7 acres of foraging habitat, 39.6 acres of dispersal habitat, and 27.2 acres of nonhabitat, all within an existing owl circle.

Within the Hagen LSR, the Forest would acquire 7.45 acres (all dispersal habitat) and trade to Giustina 74.96 acres, in four parcels, including 21.43 acres of dispersal habitat, 34.1 acres of foraging habitat, and 19.43 acres of nesting habitat. In this instance the exchange would relocate the boundary between National Forest lands and Giustina lands to a watershed boundary, rather than having the property boundary zig-zag across the watershed boundary.

Rationale for Consistency Finding

The following factors were used to arrive at a finding of consistency:

• The change in the Horse Creek LSR results in no net change in acreage, but an increase in acreage of suitable owl habitat.
• Land to be acquired within Horse Creek LSR is within an identified owl circle, while land to be exchanged out of Federal ownership is not.
• Land to be acquired within Horse Creek LSR will add to the total acreage of riparian reserve.
• The proposed change to Hagen LSR represents a small (69 acres) net loss of habitat, but the habitat lost is in small, discontinuous parcels along the edge of the LSR, and is located in a different watershed.
• Neither the acres to be acquired nor the acres to be lost in Hagen LSR contribute to interior late-successional habitat.
• The analysis of effects to these LSRs contained in the environmental assessment concluded that effects to Horse Creek LSR would be beneficial, that the effects to Hagen LSR would be neutral, and that the effects of the proposal overall would be beneficial. The LSR workgroup concurred with this conclusion.

Conclusion

The REO finds the proposed land exchange, as discussed in this memo, meets the LSR land exchange language (ROD, page C-17); i.e., that the exchange provides "benefits equal to or better than current conditions." This finding is based on the project description and supporting documentation and conversations with district staff. The proposed land exchange will provide overall benefits to LSRs 217 and 218.

cc:
RIEC Members
REO Reps
Blue River and McKenzie Ranger Districts
Lisa Freedman, NR

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