Agendas and Minutes

Forest Lands Committee (View All)

Regular Minutes

Agenda
Tuesday, July 11, 2006

MINUTES FOR THE MEETING

ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION

July 11, 2006 – 5:30 PM

Community Development, 51 Winburn Way

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:         Richard Brock (Chair), Anthony Kerwin, Jim Lewis, Diane White

Members Absent:                              Dan Maymar, Joseph Vaile

Staff Present:                                                  Marty Main, Keith Woodley, Nancy Slocum

Non-Voting Members Present:          

 

I.                   CALL TO ORDER: Chair Brock called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM in the Siskiyou Room.

 

II.                APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Kerwin/Lewis m/s to approve the minutes of June 13th with two minor amendments. Motion passed unanimously.

 

III.             PUBLIC FORUM: None

 

IV.              ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA: None.

 

V.                 OLD BUSINESS

A.     AFRCAT / AFR Update – Woodley reported that the AFRCAT is waiting to finalize the community alternative until the Northern Spotted Ow1 habitat modeling is completed and further discussed.

 

B.     Monitoring Subcommittee Update – The subcommittee consisting of Brock, Vaile and White did not meet last month. Main reported that he had begun the plotting inventory the commission requested. He noted the poison oak had returned and there was a lot of Madrone, Manzanita seedlings and thistle. He was encouraged by the success of the native grass seeds planted in the burn piles. Brock asked Main to write an evaluation of those grass seedlings.

 

Brock wondered about the optimum habitat for woodrats. Main did not see any woodrat nesting areas Kerwin said generally woodrats prefer moist, closed habitat near riparian areas. He would consult with expert Steve Cross and report back to the commission

 

Brock said he was too busy to have an August subcommittee meeting; however, he was open to an email discussion.

 

C.     Review Winburn Inventory Data and Prescriptions – Last meeting the discussion ended at Unit 1, dry forest openings. Main thought the size of the stated openings in the draft prescription was appropriate in our “old growth” forest given the goal of providing openings for pine regeneration and encouraging diversity of species. He noted that the City may have to plant rust resistant sugar pine. Kerwin would like to see the openings on the ground during a field trip. Brock agreed and wondered given existing openings, mistletoe and snag pockets whether there was a need to “create” openings. Main said openings were particularly important in the Winburn Parcel. Unit 1 currently had a lot of variation of openings in the upper 2/3s. He felt we needed to create openings in the lateral ridgelines. Wildfire management would become most critical in Units 1 and 4 (Unit 1 breaks in horizontal continuity though openings, Unit 4 breaks in vertical continuity through openings). The commission decided that openings would be discussed further during a field trip in August or September.

 

Navickas thought an economic analysis with volume to cost graphs was very important. The commission said this topic would be included in the final management document. The commission’s approach has been to plan a project first and then work out the financial aspects.

 

Former commissioner Frank Betlejewski had written comments to Main’s prescription document before he left the commission. He noted that the basal area was not consistent with the CWPP. Brock said that Winburn was basically a research area and so the CWPP didn’t apply to most of it (the lower 2/3). Betlejewski also recommended removing trees with heavy mistletoe infiltration. Brock said there was some advantage to this, however, it is controversial. Units 3 and 6 would need to have the mistletoe left for Northern Spotted Owl habitat. Brock said that overall microsite management was needed. Main said the city, with its limited acreage, could implement that type of strategy.

 

Summary of Unit 1: the philosophy as written was acceptable; no major changes. Discussion centered around stand density, dry forest openings, mistletoe and a density mosaic. The commission would like to discuss these items further during an upcoming field trip.

 

Unit 2 prescriptions: White would like to see non commercial thinning around pines if the slope was not prohibitive – even through the northern slope. Commission would like to visit Management Unit “2b” during the field trip. Generally a microsite management approach was also recommended for Unit 2.

 

Unit 3 prescriptions: The commission wanted to include the east side of Ashland Creek that is heavily infected with dwarfmistletoe as part of the upcoming field trip. This unit includes the “historic” Winburn camp. Commission asked Slocum to send the Historic Commission a memo asking for their recommendations for the Winburn camp.

 

D.     Continue Discussion on MOU Draft – Tabled.  

 

VI.              NEW BUSINESS

 

A.     Update Commission Glossary – Tabled.

           

B.     Noxious Vegetation Inventory and Control Plan – Main reported that he had begun the process of inventorying populations of noxious weeds. He still needed to get the data mapped. Chris Chambers may work on some treatment options and the Parks Department had done some work.

 

Brock want to make sure noxious weed information from the quarry was included.

 

 

VII.           OTHER

                                         

VIII.        ADJOURN: 7:27 PM

 

Richard Brock, Chair

Respectfully Submitted, Nancy Slocum, Clerk

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