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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels September 10, 2004 New plan leaves behind old growth By Emily Morris Tidings Correspondent The City of Ashland's fuel reduction plan was unveiled Thursday during a community forum, advocating protection of old growth trees and the removal of a diameter size limitation, among other suggested changes. The Community Wildfire Protection Plan was developed in response to the U.S. Forest Service's proposed Ashland Forest Resiliency Project. Under the 2003 Healthy Forest Restoration Act a plan adopted by Congress to fast track federal wildfire fuels reduction in forest lands, a community abutting wildlands may submit an alternative proposal to be reviewed by the Forest Service. The leader of a 12-person team, Marty Main, said the community alternative to the U.S. Forest Service thinning plan for the Ashland Watershed was a difficult process. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings file photo Darren Borgias, stewardship ecologist and nature conservancy member who made up part of the 12-person technical team that formulated new protection plan, said the groups aim was to take advantage of natural fire resistant areas, and to avoid and protect sensitive areas. Instead of the compartmentalized approach of the Forest Service, the community's alternative plan would create a fuel discontinuity network, carving out certain areas for treatment within selective thinning in the watershed. Cindy Deacon Williams, conservation director of Headwaters, said the group is leaning towards not touching any old-growth stands. While the Forest Service includes treatments in some of these areas, she said the stands have already proven themselves fire resistant, and instead will focus on other areas for wildfire fuel reduction. "There are no simple answers," said team leader Marty Main, " The nine linear miles to the top of Mount Ashland are some of the most diverse in the country." The team's new plan does not include a diameter limit as does the Forest Service proposal. The community's alternative plan will include some treatment in roadless areas. This was the subject of a protest prior to the forum. The leader of the protest, Eric Navickas said the plan does not reflect a community that supports environmental protection and sensitive fuels projects. Williams said that a diameter limit is not practical, because there are smaller old-growth trees, and instead of specific trees they will be looking at the stands themselves. George Badura, a retired U.S. Forest Service soil scientist is also working on the project. He said if the sensitive top-soil in the area is disturbed, as could happen with the Forest Service proposal, the highly erosive area could be permanently affected as well as the city water supply. Badura said the community plan has a more varied technical team to approach the fuels reduction project, and this is a perfect opportunity to monitor the tree removal and it's effect on the soil in the watershed. Woodley told people at the forum that the goal is to maintain an ecologically sound watershed where fire is allowed to occur. The goal is to modify fire behavior, no to eliminate it, he said. Wildfire suppression, specifically within the last 90 years, has created the possibility of a high intensity wildfire within the watershed that needs to be addressed, said Ashland Fire and Rescue Chief Keith Woodley. Originally unveiled in February, the Forest Service's AFR plan addresses treatment of 8,150 acres within the watershed. In the initial phase the Forest Service would thin 2,800 acres, known as Defensible Fuel Profile Zones, generally along ridge tops. The plan is to compartmentalize the watershed, creating thinned areas in where the wildfire intensity would have to decrease because of canopy removal and become controllable. The jigsaw approach would prevent the fire from spreading to other compartments. The community alternative places highest priority on lands where development and wildlands intermix. Instead of treating large areas for thinning it calls for a more spotted and integrated method. "Fires burn at lower elevation and get sucked up," said Fire Chief Keith Woodley. "The key to keeping fire out is controlling lower elevation. Most fires in the area are human caused at a lower elevation that burn into watershed" The community plan must address the proposed purpose and need of the project, which is to decrease fire fuels and protect the community water supply in the watershed. The Forest Service will include the community's alternative, the original proposal and no-action alternative in their Environmental Impact Statement. Ashland District Ranger Linda Duffy was hesitant about setting a specific date, but expects a Draft EIS in December, followed by a comment period and Final EIS to be ready next fire season. The community plan will be presented at the next City Council meeting on Sept. 20, giving community members until the end of next week to comment on the plan. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams