NOTE: THIS BRIEFING PAPER WAS PREPARED BY THE LASSEN, PLUMAS AND TAHOE NATIONAL FORESTS.

BRIEFING PAPER
QUINCY LIBRARY GROUP - COMMUNITY STABILITY PROPOSAL - PLUMAS NATIONAL FOREST
FY 1994 IMPLEMENTATION
APRIL 8,1994

ISSUE:

There is a question as to whether the Forest is doing all it can to implement the QLG initiative contributing to community stability through managing for ecosystem health. Increased accomplishments and outputs are not visible or significant. The Forest did not request reprogramming to increase implementation.

BACKGROUND:

• Forest budget is down 40%.
• Forest organization is down 30%.
• Timber offered FY 1994 is down 70% from historic levels.
• Payments to the counties are down 78%.
• Economic stability has been shattered by these reduction since FY 1992.
• Unemplyment is rising.
• Teachers are being issued layoff notices.
• The community has appealed for help. Chief Thomas suggested reprogramming the $52MM combined budgets of the Lassen, Plumas, Tahoe National Forests.

DISCUSSION:

• The Forest supports the QLG initiative and ecosystem management. Our Rangers & Staff alone have spent over a 1000 hours working with the QLG this fiscal year.
• Our program is already aligned with the QLG initiative (Attachment 1). Ecosystem management is in the FS's budget direction, summer 1993.
• Only $8.0 million of the Plumas $23.0 million budget can be reprogrammed. (Appropriated National Forest System Funds and Construction Funds) (Attachment 2).
• We have many initiatives besides those forest health projects which typically might produce products i.e., salvage, thinning, fire break construction, etc. (Attachment 3).
• Resource specialist time allocated to forest health projects and other initiatives is shown in Attachment 4. Most of these projects must be accomplished.

CONCLUSION:

• The Forest is actively supporting the concepts of ecosystem management.
• The Forest is aggressively working with the QLG.
• The Forest is supportive of the QLG initiative.
• The Forest's current budget is not sufficient to restore economic conditions in the communities.
• Planning process for new projects (NEPA etc.) takes months (years?).

ATTACHMENT 1
Attainment Targets for FY 1994

ATTACHMENT 2

PLUMAS NATIONAL FOREST

FY 1994 FINAL BUDGET ALLOCATION

*Funds available for reprogramming (35% of Forest allocation).

ATTACHMENT 3

PNF INITIATIVES

TIMBER

CASPO Data Request
Furbearers Data Request
Completed and sold CEA sales lst quarter
Data implementation planning
Reforestation Contracting

RECREATION

Green Sticker Admininstration
Wild and Scenic River
Special Uses - lodges/cabins
Trail Surveys
Facility Compliance
Campground Rehabilitation
Land Exchange
Easements
Bucks Lake Administrative Site

FOIAs INFORMATION REQUESTS

Plumas Forest Project FOIA, 12/10/93
CASPO Information Request, 02/11/94
Wilderness Society FOIA, 01/20/94
Furbearers Information Request, 02/25/94
Plumas Forest Project FOIA, 03/28/94
Scenic Shoreline Preservation FOIA, 03/94

ENGINEERING

Asbestos Management (Regional Coordinator)
Radon Screening
Accessibility Surveys
Federal Highway Administration Liaison
Cleveland N.F. ERFO
Forest Highway Inventory
Safe Drinking Water Act
Road Operation and Maintenance
Trail Construction/Reconstruction/Maintenance
Landline Location
Facilities Construction/Maintenance

QUINCY LIBRARY GROUP

SYU
Budget Development
Administrative Study
QLG Meetings
Washington Trip
Silvicultural Priorities
Watershed Priorities

ARCHAEOLOGY

Range NEPA
Campground Rehabilitation
Land Exchange
Federal Highway Realignment
Mining
Record Management
Native American Repatriation Act

ATTACHMENT 4

Forest Health Workforce FY 1994

QUINCY LIBRARY GROUP
Information request/Briefing Paper
LASSEN NF

The following provides information requested from the Quincy Library Group about the existing FY 94 budget and the anticipated accomplishments in FY 94 and FY 95. The areas of most concern are fire resistance and fuel reduction, forest health, watershed and riparian habitat restoration, and monitoring along with the desire for community stability.

The Management Attainment Report (MAR) Accomplishments anticipated (may be more than target) include:

MAR              Fire Resistance or Fuel Reduction related projects

Fuel reduction includes underburning, fuel breaks, and slash removal using methods like tractor and hand piling.

Forest Health

Forest health projects include thinning of overstocked timber stands, salvaging insect and drought related mortality, and reforestation.

Watershed / Riparian Restoration and Improvement

Watershed and riparian habitat projects include road improvements designed to reduce sedimentation, as well as headcut structures and fence exclosures.

Monitoring

Action plans are being developed for the Implementation of Lassen National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan which includes specific monitoring requirements. Although there are no monitoring targets the goal is to increase the amount of monitoring and documenting of projects across the forest.

TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST
Sierraville Ranger District
April 6, 1994

The following is a listing of projects planned to be accomplished in 1994 on the Sierraville Ranger District.

1. Timber Management

A. Kyburz Project - NEPA document to be completed in May, 1994. Timber sale to be sold by 9-30-94. Project is located in eastside pine type, planned on a watershed basis covering approximately 11,000 acres and objectives primarily focus on reducing fire risk, improving forest health and wildlife habitat improvement. Proposed harvest prescriptions include group cuts, single tree selection and thinnings.

B. Salvage sales (est. 3 sales) - NEPA document to be completed by June, 1994. Timber sales to be sold by 9-30-94. Projects are located in eastside pine type. Project objectives focus on reducing fire risk and improving forest health. Proposed harvest prescriptions treat dead and dying trees and thinning of overstocked green trees.

C. Continue planning and analysis on Rice-Roni Project. Project is located in mixed conifer and is planned on a watershed basis covering approximately 10,000 acres. NEPA document scheduled for completion in 1995.

2. Fuels Management

A. Prescribe burn 250 acres for deer habitat improvement on eastside of district. To be completed April, 1994.
B. Reduce harvest activity slash on 502 acres.
C. Underburn 20 acres on existing fuelbreaks.
D. Construct 10 acres of new fuelbreak.

3. Wildlife Management

A. Construct wildlife water development in Sardine Valley area. To be completed by 9-30-94.
B. Remove lodgepole on 15 acres of meadow to enhance wildlife habitat.
C. Enhance 20 acres of riparian area through willow plantings.
D. Plant 35 acres with native grass seed on old timber sale area.

The following projects are being funded by $20,000 of special funds allocated to the Tahoe NF to meet a portion of the Quincy Library Group goals.

A. Monitoring: Monitor range, soil, watershed, wildlife and plant resources on selected grazing allotments and timber sales.
B. Resource Project Survey and Planning:

1. Watershed condition survey on Smithneck Watershed. Information is necessary for a coordinated Resource Management Plan.

2. Fuels - Initiate planning for the development of a district-wide fuelbreak construction plan.

3. Wildlife - Start survey work to identify goshawk nesting network on district.

The Tahoe NF is presently reviewing the opportunity to change some forest project priorities as a further effort to meet some Quincy Library Group goals.

Projects under consideration include road obliteration and road realignments to minimize watershed impacts, underburning fuelbreak areas, and the preparation of a restoration plan for an eastside creek.

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