Agendas and Minutes

Forest Lands Committee (View All)

Regular Meeting

Agenda
Wednesday, February 15, 2006

MINUTES FOR THE MEETING

ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION

February 15, 2006 – 5:00 PM

Community Development, 51 Winburn Way

 

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:         Frank Betlejewski, Richard Brock (Chair), Dan Maymar,

                                                 Joseph Vaile, Diane White

Members Absent:                   Anthony Kerwin, Jim Lewis

Staff Present:                           Keith Woodley, Nancy Slocum, Marty Main

Non-Voting Members Present:  None

 

I.                   CALL TO ORDER: Chair Brock called the meeting to order at 5:07 PM in the Lithia Room.

 

II.                APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Brock/White m/s to approve the minutes of December 14th as submitted. Motion passed unanimously.

 

III.             PUBLIC FORUM: None

 

IV.              ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA – None.

 

V.                 OLD BUSINESS

A.     AFRCAT Update – Main presented the two Forest Service Abiotic Suitability Model maps. White questioned the results because highly correlated variables ended up being weighed more heavily than other variables. Main agreed that the model used probability as a weighting factor for each of the criteria, rather than a simple flat addition of the overlapping criteria.

 

Main, Brock and Borgias were ready to accept that the model had some value as a tool. White was not willing to accept it until questions are answered and the maps are reworked into three categories: 1) highly significant variables (less than .001); 2) significant variables (.001 - .05); and 3) less significant variables (over .05).

 

Woodley wondered if nesting and foraging was treated equally in the model. Main said that the areas for nesting, roosting and foraging were the most desirable.

 

The Commission discussed the final wording for the recommendation / clarification to the Forest Service regarding critical habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl. Thus far the suggested wording was: “Based on site specific and on-the-ground verification, elevate further for owl management the areas where prime habitat and abiotic potential overlap including the AFRCA interface (e.g. Upper Tolman and Upper Clayton Creek). Adjust the prescriptions in such areas to retain more canopy closure, better retention of the full array of cohorts and vegetation variation at a range of scales, increase coarse wood and large snags, and other appropriate measures as determined by wildlife biologists. In young stands and plantations, within prime abiotic habitat, thin aggressively and other treatments and variation to promote old growth development.” The Commission would like to add wording that the individual variables appeared valid, but that the City request the Forest Service explore further refinement. The City would like to request that the Forest Service talk to the model developers to determine if the simple addition of variables creates a de-facto weighing as some of the variables appeared to be highly correlated. The City would further ask the Forest Service to rework the model and map the highly significant, significant and less significant factors.

 

Maymar / Betlejewski m/s to adopt the proposed modifications to be edited by Diane White and used for the communication to the Forest Service regarding the NSO abiotic model. Motion passed 4-0 with one abstention.

 

B.     Monitoring Subcommittee Update – No report this month.

 

C.     AFR City Council Study Session Agenda – Tabled as City Councilor Cate Hartzell could not attend the meeting.

 

D.     Finalize Three Year Commission Goals – Brock reminded the Commission that the goals and the estimated timelines are subject to future revision. White / Maymar moved to accept the Commission goal as written. Motion passed unanimously.

 

E.      Winburn Parcel – Commission decided to table this item, but asked Commissioners to read Main’s “A Silvicultural Overview and Analysis of the Winburn Parcel” dated October, 2005 and bring comments to the April meeting. Main will send the electronic file to Slocum for distribution to the Commission.

 

F.      Vote on New Meeting Time and Length – Maymar/Vaile m/s to move the monthly Ashland Forest Lands Commission meeting to the second Tuesday of each month beginning March 14th and to change the meeting time to begin at 5:30 PM and end at 7:30 PM. Motion passed unanimously.

 

VI.              NEW BUSINESS

A.     Review MOU Draft – Betlejewski thought revising the 1996 MOU with the Forest Service to reflect the citizens of Ashland’s desired role in planning and monitoring present and future watershed projects would work better than such wording in the FEIS or through NEPA channels. The 1996 MOU stated that the City already had a “seat at the table” at the planning level and project level of projects involving the Ashland Watershed. The MOU also named the Parks Commission as the City contact. Betlejewski thought that should be changed to the Forest Lands Commission.

           

Commission reviewed Betlejewski’s draft and suggested a few changes. Vaile and Brock wondered what wording could be added in order to create a specific “adaptive management” process allowing the City the opportunity to make continuing modifications to the plan. Betlejewski asked the commission to email him additions and/or corrections by February 28th. He would incorporate Tony Kerwin’s emailed comments. Brock would then forward a new draft to staff to route to Woodley for budget concerns and to City Attorney Mike Frannell for legal considerations. Main wondered if Linda Duffy should preview the draft MOU at the same time. The commission thought not. The goal was to get commission approval in April and then forward it to the City Council for review and approval.

 

B.     Update Commission Glossary – tabled.

 

VII.           OTHER

Brock asked Main to provide a monitoring schedule to redo the 120 plots in the lower parcel.

 

VIII.        ADJOURN: 6:31 PM

 

Richard Brock, Chair

 

Respectfully Submitted,

            Nancy Slocum, Clerk

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