Quincy Library Group - Becknell/Last Chance Timber Sales

Attachment I

Briefing Paper

for

H. WAYNE THORNTON
Forest Supervisor

by

Frank Ferguson

Becknell/Last Chance Timber Sales
Team Review and Discussion with the Quincy Library Group

August 24, 1993

Purpose: The Quincy Library Group - Community Stability Proposal Addendum of August 10,1993, to the Forest Supervisor was a request. It said; "Please defer sales on Becknell and Last Chance until further environmental review is completed and the sales are modified." This briefing provides a summary of a review made in response to that request. It also includes a summary of the resulting discussions which took place at the Quincy Library Group meeting on August 30, 1993.

The Becknell Timber Sale and the Last Chance Timber Sale are very similar. Becknell was selected for field review with the belief that it is representative of both sales.

The Review Team went to the field and reviewed the Becknell Timber Sale on August 24, 1993. The Team included Michael Yost (Instructor of Forestry at Feather River College and QLG Liaison to Forest Service), Fred Krueger (Timber Management Officer), Dick Castaldini (Forest Silviculturist), Dennis Clemens (District Silviculturist and Sale Planner), and Frank Ferguson (Forest Planning Staff Officer and Liaison to QLG).


Quincy Library Group - Becknell/Last Chance Timber Sales

The team spent a full day reviewing the Becknell sale area. The majority of the discussion compared the silvicultural prescriptions and tree marking with the Quincy Library Group - Community Stability Proposal.

Approximate Stem Distribution Curve

1/ The Quincy Library Group is proposing use of the single tree selection methods in stands like the ones in these sales. The Group has also suggested use of a stem diameter distribution curve to help identify tree diameter groups which are either excess or deficient in the overall timber stand. They have also suggested that something approximating a 200-years rotation be used. The above diagram is a rough representation of the stem diameter distributions in Becknell and Last Chance Timber Sales.

(.) - The dots are to represent a feasible distribution curve for the timber site.

(*) - The are to represent relative distributions of the existing trees.

Stand Description Stands are clumped. They occur on hot, south and west slopes of decomposed granite. The clumps are most noticable in the younger component (est. 30 to 90 years). There is a distinct gap in age distribution between young and old trees. Many of the old trees display scars of fires they have survived. Perhaps the younger trees have followed those fires and persisted in the absence of fire. A majority of the old trees have short, thin crowns. Needle retention is poor. Many of them are showing flags (branches of red needles) anticipatory of mortality. Some of the trees marked this season have already subsequently died. Perhaps the moisture stress from competition with the younger trees and the drought are key factors in the current mortality rate. There are about 2.5 marked trees per acre. The numbers of trees per acre is generally lower on the steep slopes proposed for helicopter logging than on the gentler slopes which are proposed for tractor logging, otherwise the stands are similar.

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Quincy Library Group - Becknell/Last Chance Timber Sales

Marking Guides - In lay terms, the trees to be marked for cutting were the large, old, slow-growing trees.

The marking rules are based on Keen's Crown Class descriptions (attached). Trees with poor and declining crowns and class 4A were designated for removal.

Review - The team agreed on all of the following points:

Comparison to Quincy Library Group - Community Stability Proposal. - The team agreed on the following points (+ or -)

As marked:

+ The sale is single tree selection.
+ Designated trees to be removed are older than 200 years.
+ The project is light on the ground and would probably not cause environmental harm.
-  The timber stands in the sale area generally contain trees less than 100 years old or older than 200 years old. There are few trees in the age groups between 100 years and 200 years. Only growth in the younger stand component can fill the gap with thrifty trees.
Retention of a few healthy trees over 200 years of age could maintain some diversity in stand structure until the younger trees grow to fill the gap. This would occur over the next 100 years. Young Keen class 3A trees (180-220) are the best candidates to provide the large tree component (these are not designated for removal in either sale). Keen class 4A trees (over 300 years) could survive another 50 to 100 years, but the risk of mortality is greater.
- The sale does not improve fire resistance. Dense crowns and stand density in the clumps of younger trees are still susceptible to fire.

Modifications - The following modifications would provide the most feasible representation possible to the Community Stability Proposal:

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Quincy Library Group - Becknell/Last Chance Timber Sales

an easy thing to do contractually. Both the tractor and helicopter portions require the use of a road which is to be reconstructed under the current proposal.

Summary of Discussion - All of these points were accurately reported by Michael Yost at the August 30, meeting of the Library Group. Discussions focused on two concerns:

Resolution - The discussion concluded with a verbal resolution that the Quincy Library Group would request Forest Supervisor, Wayne Thornton to withdraw the Last Chance and Becknell Sales from the timber sale program.

The following attachment provides a comparison between three different alternatives: Sell Unchanged; Sell With Further Modifications; and Don't Sell.

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Quincy Library Group - Becknell/Last Chance Timber Sales

Attachment II

ALTERNATIVES

  ALT. A
SELL UNCHANGED
(Sunk Cost)
ALT. B
DON'T SELL
(Sunk Cost)
ALT. C
SELL MODIFIED
MODIFIED COST
PREPARATION COST:      
Becknell ($120,000) ($120,000) $120,000
Becknell Modification     $10,0001
Last Chance ($450,000) ($450,000) $450,0001
Last Chance Modification     $ 9,000
Salvage -$ 19,0001 $ 19,0001 $ 0
Total Cost $589,000) $589,000 $ 589,600

1/ Approximately $19,000 would be diverted from the Forest salvage efforts to make the modifications to the Becknell and Last Chance Timber Sales ($10,000 to Becknell and $9,000 to Last Chance).

VOLUME:

  ALT. A
SELL UNCHANGED
(Sunk Cost)
ALT. B
DON'T SELL
(Sunk Cost)
ALT. C
SELL MODIFIED
MODIFIED COST
Becknell 4.0 mmbf 0.0 mmbf 3.4 mmbf
Last Chance 3.0 mmbf 0.0 mmbf 2.6 mmbf
Salvage 0.6 mmbf 0.6 mmbf 0.0 mmbf
Total 7.6 mmbf 0.6 mmbf 6.0 mmbf

STUMPAGE VALUE:

  ALT. A
SELL UNCHANGED
(Sunk Cost)
ALT. B
DON'T SELL
(Sunk Cost)
ALT. C
SELL MODIFIED
MODIFIED COST
Becknell 2 $2,100,000 $ 0 $1,785,000
Last Chance 2 $1,575,000 $ 0 $1,338,750
Salvage $ 180,000 $180,000 $ 0
Total $3,855,000 $180,000 $3,123,750

2/ Values are based on actual bid rates for the Nye Timber Sale.
3/ Value is base on typical bid rates for current salvage timber sales.

LOCAL REVENUES:

  ALT. A
SELL UNCHANGED
(Sunk Cost)
ALT. B
DON'T SELL
(Sunk Cost)
ALT. C
SELL MODIFIED
MODIFIED COST
Log. & Mfg. $2,280,000 $180,000 $1,800,000
County Receipts:  
   Schools $ 481,000 $ 22,500 $ 390,000
   Roads $ 481,000 $ 22,500 $ 390,000
Total Receipts $ 962,000 $ 45,000 $ 780,000
TOTAL REVENUES IN COUNTIES $3,242,000 $225,000 $2,580,000