Summary: The Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) interagency Late-Successional Reserve (LSR) Work Group has reviewed the April 2007 revision of the Davis Late-Successional Reserve Assessment (LSRA). The REO finds that the April 2007 Davis LSRA provides a sufficient framework and context for future projects and activities within the LSR. This LSRA replaces the 1996 Davis LSRA. Future silviculture and salvage activities described in this LSRA not otherwise consistent with criteria in the REO memorandum #362 "Criteria to Exempt Specific Silvicultural Activities in LSRs and MLSAs from REO Review" (dated April 20, 1995) and REO memorandum #694 "Criteria to Exempt Specific Silvicultural Activities in Late-Successional Reserves and Managed Late-Successional Areas from Regional Ecosystem Office Review" (dated July 9, 1996 and amended on September 30, 1996 by REO memorandum #801) are subject to REO review.

Basis for the Review: Under the Standard and Guidelines (S&Gs) for the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP), 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 REO review. In accordance with this direction, the review of the Davis LSRA focused on whether the assessment contains sufficient information and analysis to provide a framework and context for making future decisions on projects and activities. The eight specific subject areas that an assessment should generally include are found in the NWFP (S&Gs, page C-11). The result of the review may be to find the assessment contains sufficient information or to identify topics or areas for which additional information, detail, or clarity is needed. The findings of the review are provided to the agency or agencies submitting the assessment.

Scope of the Assessment and Description of the Assessment Area: The Davis LSRA is a substantial revision of an existing 1996 LSRA. The revision was prompted by the over 21,000-acre Davis Fire of 2003 that burned mostly within the Davis LSR boundary. The Davis LSR comprises 48,890 acres and is located east of the Oregon Cascade crest on the Crescent Ranger District, Deschutes National Forest. Much of the Davis LSR is occupied by dry-mixed conifer forest. The composition, density and structure of these stands (while suitable for late-successional species of interest such as the northern spotted owl) make them less resilient to loss by stand-replacing events, such as fire or insect and disease. A major goal of management within the Davis LSR is to minimize the likelihood of an active crown fire event. If such an event occurred, timber stands would not be in a condition to sustain the event over large areas of the landscape, thus retaining valuable, suitable late-successional habitat that may be more vulnerable to loss.

The major strategy shifts in this revised assessment are:

1. The inclusion of strategic fuels treatments along with management of stand density to provide late-successional habitat over time, while recognizing that these conditions will shift around the landscape as some areas fade out due to fires or insects, and others grow back into conditions that will support species dependent upon late-successional habitat.
2. A shift away from trying to manage dry ponderosa pine sites for spotted owl habitat.
3. Controlled access management due to the increase in recreational use and the ongoing reduction of road densities.

Review of the Assessment: The LSR workgroup made a field visit to the LSR on June 26-27, 2006. At that time, the District and Forest staff presented their management concept and examples of future treatments within the LSR. The LSR workgroup reviewed a February 2007 version of the LSRA. After discussions with the District, a final version of the LSRA was submitted for review in April 2007. The revised Davis LSRA provides a sufficient framework and context for designing future actions consistent with LSR objectives in the NWFP S&Gs.

Conclusion and Findings: Based upon a review of relevant documentation, discussions with the Forest staff, and on-site visits, the REO concludes that the Davis LSRA (April 2007 revision) provides a sufficient framework and context for decision-makers to proceed with project development and analysis. Future silviculture and salvage activities described in this LSRA not otherwise consistent with criteria in the REO memoranda #362 and #694 (as amended by #801) described above are subject to REO review.

cc:

Chris Frisbee (Deschutes NF)
Chris Mickle (Deschutes NF)
Joan Kittrrell (Deschutes NF)
Jim Stone (Deschutes NF)
Ken Boucher (Deschutes NF)
Kim Mellen-Mclean (LSR Workgroup) (RO)
Phil Mattson (RO)
KJ Silverman (RO)

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