Regional Ecosystem Office
333 SW 1st P.O. Box 3623
Portland, Oregon 97208-3623
Website: www.reo.gov E-Mail: reomail@or.blm.gov
Phone: 503-808-2165 FAX: 503-808-2163

Memorandum

Date:

August 20, 2004

To:

Karen Shimamoto, Forest Supervisor, Fremont-Winema National Forests

From:

Anne Badgley, Executive Director

Subject:

Regional Ecosystem Office Review of Land Allocation Change Within "Lake of the Woods" LSR 227

Summary: The Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) interagency Late-Successional Reserve (LSR) Work Group has completed its review of the documents provided by the Winema National Forest to amend the LSR Assessment for LSR RO227 (eastern half) within the Klamath Ranger District. The REO, based upon the review by the LSR Work Group, concurs with the Winema National Forest in its findings that the land allocation change will improve the quality and distribution of habitat within LSR RO227, and that the actions are consistent with the Standards and Guidelines (S&Gs) under the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP). Thus, the work group has concluded that the proposed amendment to the Winema Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) is consistent with the Northwest Forest Plan.

Basis for the Review: A management assessment is made for each LSR and is subject to REO review under NWFP S&Gs (C-11). Decisions to change land allocations need to be coordinated with the Regional Executive Committee (RIEC). Amendments to LRMPs involving changes to standards and guidelines require RIEC review to assure consistency with NWFP objectives (E-18). The RIEC delegated this review requirement for proposed changes to LSRs to the LSR Work Group (as documented in REO memo 1807, dated May 14, 2003).

Background: As required by the NWFP S&G (C-11), the Winema National Forest prepared a LSR Assessment for the Lake of the Woods LSR RO227 (eastern half) in 1995. The LSR Work Group in May 2003 reviewed a Forest proposal to reallocate portions of the LSR in the highly used recreation area, called Lake of the Woods, to adjacent Matrix lands. This proposal provides significant improvements in quality, quantity, and distribution of current and future late-successional habitat and critical northern spotted owl (NSO) habitat within the LSR.

The Forest proposal includes the removal of approximately 2,000 acres, including Lake of the Woods and its immediate vicinity, from LSR designation and adding 2,846 of Matrix acreage in the Cold Springs vicinity to the LSR. The Lake of the Woods acres would be primarily managed for developed recreation. The Forest considered two alternative Matrix locations for re-allocation: Burton Butte and Little Aspen. The proposals were reviewed with the Forest staff in the field.

The Work Group conducted a final review of the reallocation proposal on July 9, 2004. Based upon briefings, conference calls and the memo from the Forest dated July 2, 2004, the LSR Work Group determined that the reallocation proposal is consistent with goals and objectives of the NWFP. The conclusion was reached in part for the following reasons:

1. The proposal adds habitat that currently functions as late-successional forest and removes habitat that does not (lake and marsh). The 2,005-acre Lake of the Woods parcel, proposed for removal from the LSR, is approximately 70 percent water and marshland. Of the 2,005 acres, 581 acres are capable of sustaining late-successional forest habitat. The Cold Springs parcel adds 2,846 acres of habitat capable of sustaining late-successional forest to the LSR. The proposal provides for a net increase greater than 2,000 in potential late-successional forest habitat to the LSR.
  1. The Lake of the Woods parcel, proposed for removal, has no known NSO occupancy. The Cold Springs replacement parcel currently has NSO occupancy and contains 1,533 acres of suitable NSO habitat. The reallocation proposal increases NSO critical habitat by 2,846 acres.

3. The proposed change increases LSR connectivity, especially with its adjacency to the Sky Lakes Wilderness and other lands allocated to LSR . Cold Springs ranked highest of the three alternative areas in terms of overall LSR habitat characteristics and ability to manage as LSR. Lake of the Woods is also a highly-used recreation area, which reduces the ability to manage it as LSR.

Conclusion: Based upon the interagency LSR Work Group’s review and conclusion, the REO concurs with the Work Group that the proposed reallocation is consistent with the NWFP S&Gs.

 

cc: Karen Shimamoto, Forest Supervisor
Rochelle Desser, USFS
Lisa Freedman
Cal Joyner
LSR Work Group

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