Timber Sales Stopped
By Liz Bowen, Pioneer Press
June 9, 2004

SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA – The small Westpoint Timber Harvest sale in the Scott Bar area is the result of a seven-year project for the Scott River Ranger District of the Klamath National Forest.

The sale was designed under Bill Clinton's Northwest Forest Plan, which encouraged a percentage of timber harvests after huge tracts of land was set aside for spotted owl habitat.

But the long, drawn out process is still not good enough for three enviro non-profit organizations that brought lawsuits against the Forest Service the end of May. Klamath Forest Alliance (KFA), a local group; EPIC, (Environmental Protection Information Center), of Garberville; and Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, which is based in Ashland, Oregon; sued over the 1,026-acre Westpoint Timber Sale above the lower Scott River.

Ray Haupt, Scott River District ranger, began his Forest Service career in Siskiyou County more than 25 years ago. He understands the healthy management of trees and has become an expert. Haupt said the Westpoint is a timber sale, because the thick stands of pine and other vegetation must be thinned to create forest health. The project will also remove brush and thin trees to help protect the small, but historical Scott Bar community from catastrophic fire.

Timber harvests are only permitted on 13 percent of Klamath National Forest land.

The Westpoint in under the "matrix" designated lands of the Klamath National Forest (KNF). Timber harvest is only permitted on matrix lands. Of the total 1.5 million acres of land in the KNF, only 13 percent are under the matrix designation. So, the vast majority of acreage can not be touched by logging.

In the large scheme of things, the Westpoint Timber Sale is small potatoes touching 1026 acres.

Enviro lawsuits are stopping the few sales that have jumped through all the hoops.

But George Sexton, conservation director of the K-S Wildlands, was quoted in an Associated Press news article by Don Thompson, on May 28, as saying the Forest Service is "targeting" the bigger trees. The reporter did not talk to Haupt about the Timber Sale, who spoke freely with the Pioneer Press about creating Forest health.

Haupt said that large trees are not targeted. Thinning the smaller trees to create a healthy stand is the goal.

Two other timber sales are also in the bull's eye for lawsuits on the Scott River District. Klamath Forest Alliance, based in Forks of Salmon, is a partner with EPIC and K-S Wildlands Center in these suits as well.

The Jack Conventional, up south fork of French Creek, was struck by a lawsuit the day that bidding opened for contract work. That was a month ago. The Jack is another project that has received in-depth study by the Forest Service and enviros. The initial project was completed in 1997 by Ranger Bob Lindsay. Since then, the Environmental Assessment has been litigated five times and "we received a settlement agreement last summer," said Haupt. But the stalling lawsuit was filed this spring.

Beaver Creek Environmental Assessment has been litigated five times.

Then on April 30, the federal judge postponed the court date on the Beaver Creek Environmental Assessment. The judge requested more time to review the record, said Haupt. When asked how big the record is, Haupt responded, "There are twelve binders that are three-inches thick. It is three-feet deep."

Haupt is stumped regarding the opposition to these sales. The Beaver Creek project was collaborated through Clinton's Klamath Province Advisory Committee, which brought diverse interests together to hash out agreements and prevent lawsuits.

It hasn't worked.

"We are actively trying to implement Clinton's Northwest Forest Plan," said Haupt, who added that 95 percent of the trees targeted for thinning and logging are only 12 to 13-inches in diameter.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and as defined under the provisions of "fair use", any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment for non-profit research and for educational use by our membership.

Scorched-Earth Policy Continues
By Liz Bowen, Pioneer Press
November 02, 2004

FORT JONES – Six years and $600,000 worth of environmental assessments were not enough for three environmental organizations that brought lawsuits and appeals against the Beaver Creek Project on the Scott River District.

Apparently, the environmental assessments, which measure several feet thick, were also not enough for U.S. District Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr. who ultimately blocked the timber-thinning project.

Klamath Forest Alliance, led by Felice Pace, the Environmental Protection Information Center, called EPIC, and Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands sued the Forest Service and ultimately won, when Judge Damrell ruled in their favor three weeks ago. The project had been in litigation since June of 2003.

Enviro groups sat at the table

Klamath National Forest employees are disheartened by the decision. The project was part of a cutting-edge collaboration called Klamath Provincial Advisory Committee (PAC), which brought a broad spectrum of groups to the table to find agreement. For two years, negotiations were held during the Klamath PAC meetings. The goal was to avoid the strangling and stalling lawsuits. But, PAC did not accomplish its goal.

The Beaver Creek Project began in 1998, under President Clinton's Northwest Forest Plan. But, appeals and lawsuits slowed the project.

Federal judges are managing the forests

"It's outrageous," said U.S. Congressman Wally Herger of Judge Damrell's decision. He fingered "liberal judges" that are making laws that affect forests and natural resources, who in actuality know little about real science and nature. Reasonable and fair-minded judges should be appointed he added.

Ray Haupt, ranger of the Scott River District of the Klamath National Forest, said that science really doesn't change, "but there is an ever-changing landscape of court cases."

Haupt admits he is disappointed that the collaboration of the Klamath PAC didn't work. He also invested years of work into the process. For six years, employees of the Scott River District have worked on this project. Haupt estimates $600,000 has been spent on the Beaver Creek Project. Now he is done.

In the present climate, where the judges rule against management, Haupt said he sees no sense in spending any more of the public's money.

After the 24 months of discussion, analysis and public scoping, the only thing that changed on the Beaver Creek Project was a modification. Some of the tractor work was changed to hand work. But, the modification was not enough for the three enviro groups.

Beaver Creek was logged in 1920s.

Beaver Creek is a small tributary to the Klamath River near the Oregon border. The project area included 975 acres on land that was heavily logged in the 1920s by the railroad.

The definition of "old growth" is also ever changing. The trees marked for thinning were under 100 years old.

The project explained that this was for forest health, which did include logging of re-grown trees. Thinning of the forest stands and under-burning was expected to provide fire protection for the watershed. Funds from the harvested timber was to be used to rock surface environmentally-friendly roads, which provide public and firefighter access to this remote area.

As part of the public scoping, 51 individuals and organizations were contacted by the Forest Service regarding the project in March of 2000. Five comment letters were received. Those concerns were analyzed and assessed and addressed during the Klamath PAC meetings.

This is scorched-earth policy

Jim Ostrowski, timberlands manager for Timber Products, is frustrated by Judge Damrell's decision. According to Ostrowski, the Forest Service project would have reduced fire risks that could now affect their lands.

"It is just a shame to see a good project shut down," said Ostrowski.

Another neighbor, who has worked hard to protect his 55 acres of forest from catastrophic fire by thinning the trees and removing brush, is Richard Hartshorn. He is irate.

"Eventually it will all burn and it will be a total disaster," said Hartshorn. "With the right conditions and the wind blowing in 100 degree heat and low humidity, you will see a million-acre holocaust in Siskiyou County. It is called the 'scorched-earth' policy of the wacko environmentalists," Hartshorn finished.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and as defined under the provisions of "fair use", any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment for non-profit research and for educational use by our membership.