The Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) has performed a review of the Chemult Late-Successional Reserve Assessment (LSRA) for LSR numbers RO232 and RO233. In light of its review, based in large measure on the analysis and recommendations of the REO-led interagency Late-Successional Reserve (LSR) Work Group, the REO finds that the Assessment provides a sufficient framework and context for future projects and activities within the LSRs. Also, future silvicultural activities described in the Assessment that meet both the criteria and objectives of the LSRA and the Standards and Guidelines (S&Gs) in the Northwest Forest Plan (NFP) are exempted from further project-level REO review.

Under the S&Gs for the NFP, a management assessment should be prepared for each large LSR (or group of smaller LSRs) before habitat manipulation activities are designed and implemented. As stated in the S&Gs, these assessments are subject to review by the REO. The REO review focuses on the following:

The Assessment addresses two Late-Successional Reserves (LSRs), LSR O232 (7,219 acres) and O233 (4,294 acres). The LSRs are located on the Chemult Ranger District of the Winema National Forest, approximately 19 miles southwest of the community of Chemult, along the eastern boundary of Crater Lake National Park.

The two LSRs are located on the eastern flank of the former Mount Mazama. This old volcano erupted about 6,800 years ago covering the area in pumice and ash to depths that exceed 100 feet in parts of these LSRs. The young volcanic soils of this area do not support highly productive vegetative growth. The highest elevation plant community is dominated by lodgepole pine, typically above 6,000 feet. The mixed conifer communities generally occur from 6,000 feet down to 5,300 feet, and the ponderosa/sugar pine communities from about 5,300 feet down to 4,700 feet.

There are only two small Riparian Reserves within the LSRs, and the associated streams become subterranean upon leaving the LSRs. The majority of the forest is in the dry, mixed conifer and ponderosa pine plant groups that have become increasingly overstocked since the advent of fire suppression in the area, making them highly vulnerable to fire and to insect and disease losses. There are no known northern spotted owls occupying or nesting within the LSRs, nor goshawks or other species dependent upon dense, multi-storied classic late-successional forests. Selection of this area as an LSR appears based in part on extant blocks of mature and old-growth ponderosa pine, mixed conifers, and lodgepole pine communities needed to support more open-stand (single-story), old-growth associated species such as white-headed woodpeckers, flammulated owls, pygmy nuthatches, black-backed woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers, and American martens. Management toward such stands will substantially improve ecological sustainability by reducing the risk of insect loss of large pine overstory trees, and reducing the risk of large, high-intensity fires. Identification of desired future conditions was based in part on the 1996 Mazama Watershed Assessment.

Review of the Assessment
The Assessment was submitted to the REO for review through the Regional Forester in March 2001. On April 13, Ken Denton and Bob Progulske (LSR work group review leads) met with assessment team members in the field to review conditions and treatment plans. Two members of the assessment team made a detailed presentation about the LSRs and treatment plans. On April 27, preliminary review was completed and 42 specific comments were forwarded to the District. Responses to most of these comments were incorporated into the document and a final version was submitted on June 4. On September 7, Ken visited the District to meet with primary authors and review the responses (to the 42 comments in detail), agreeing on several minor edits and completing work group review. On September 20, Ken made a presentation of the work group’s analysis and recommendations to the REO, which concurred in the recommendations after asking questions and seeking clarification on several points.

The Assessment provides a detailed description of current conditions of vegetation, topography and geologic origin, habitat, fire risk, and past and current human uses. A potentially non-conforming mushroom gathering is identified and proposed for additional analysis and follow-up. The Assessment evaluates sustainability, by examining current risks from noxious weeds, fire, insects and disease, and draws conclusions about processes and objectives, using both the NFP and the Columbia Basin assessments. Needs and opportunities to improve habitat to make it more sustainable, and connect existing late-successional forests by accelerating growth on intervening stands are identified and scheduled for treatment. Applicable resource trends needing attention are incorporated from the Mazama Watershed analysis and include increased fuel loading, increased stress to large old overstory trees, and a shift in habitat away from open-stand dependent species. To develop desired future conditions, the Assessment does a good job of balancing historic, open forest conditions as an indicator of sustainability, against a habitat need to provide dense, classic late-successional forest heavy to components such as down wood and snags. Resultant treatments retain and indeed create appropriate habitat while significantly reducing the risk of a large fire moving into and within the LSRs. Additional hazard reduction treatments, indeed the bulk of such treatments, are outside and downslope of the LSRs. All potentially present NFP-emphasis species are discussed including Survey and Manage species, as well as other late-successional forest associated species specifically addressed in the Winema Land and Resource Management Plan.

In light of its review, based in large measure on the analysis and recommendations of the REO-led interagency LSR Work Group, the REO finds that the LSRA provides a sufficient framework and context for designing future actions and making decisions. The descriptions of current and desired conditions (forest structure, composition, and vegetation patterns) provide an informational framework for identification, design, and prioritizing of treatments. The Assessment provides specific objectives and criteria and identifies needed and proposed treatments to achieve and maintain desired conditions.

Review of Treatment Plans and Criteria
The LSRA identifies the location and treatment details of all planned density management (commercial and pre-commercial), ladder fuel reduction, prescribed underburning, piling and burning, fuelbreak construction, and snag creation activities anticipated within the designed life of this Assessment (ten years). Treatment units are identified on Tables 19 and 20, and total 2,211 acres in RO232, and 815 acres in RO233, 28 percent and 19 percent of the LSRs respectively. Most treatments are grouped along the east, or lower elevation side of the LSRs in the ponderosa pine and dryer-mixed conifer. All acres will be pre-commercially thinned and pruned to reduce ladder fuels. Most acres will be commercial thinned, and over half will be underburned. Activities will adhere to specific criteria described or referenced for each treatment in Chapter 5, or to the 1995 or 1996 REO thinning exemption letters. During treatments, existing snags and down wood will be maintained sufficient to meet Table 17 values to the extent practicable, and where deficits from these numbers exist post-treatment, trees will be felled or killed standing to meet the large wood and snag numbers shown in Table 17 (except 15 to 20 inch dbh trees will be used to meet any deficits in snags over 21 inches dbh). The REO requires only that the commercial thinning not proceed unless the unit is confident the young stand thinning and other fuels treatments will be accomplished as well, given that these latter treatments are the most important to achieving stated objectives.

Chapter 7 of the Assessment describes ten specific implementation monitoring steps required for management activities. To monitor effectiveness, the Assessment keys to the Plant and Animal Diversity monitoring section in the Winema Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.

Conclusion
In light of its review, based in large measure on the analysis and recommendations of the REO-led interagency LSR Work Group, the REO finds that the LSRA provides a sufficient framework and context for decision-makers to proceed with project development and analysis. As identified above, silvicultural activities included on Table 20 and further described in the LSRA that satisfy the criteria and objectives described in the Assessment and NFP Standards and Guidelines are exempt from further project-level REO review. (Salvage activities, as described in the NFP S&Gs on pages C-13 through C-16, are not included in this exemption, however.)

cc:

REO Reps
Terry Simpson, Chemult Ranger District
Jack Sheehan, Winema National Forest
Lisa Freedman, FS R-6, SP
LSR Work Group

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