HFQLG
Project Evaluation Form
Project Name: Kybos DFPZ
Project Type: DFPZ, Commercial Harvest
Forest: Lassen
Ranger District: Eagle Lake
Date: 6 Oct 2006
Attendance:
Agency – Frank Stewart, County Forester and Quincy Library Group
Public – Harry Reeves and Linda Blum, Quincy Library Group
USFS – Bob Andrews (District Ranger), Scott Stawiarski (Silviculturist/TMO), Gary O’Brien (Small Sales
Officer), Linda Wrenn (Sale Administrator/FSR), Angela Parker (HFQLG Assistant Team Leader), Colin
Dillingham (HFQLG Monitoring Coordinator)
Project completed by: Timber Harvest Contract, Sierra Pacific Industries. Sawtimber delivered to SPI –
Burney and biomass to Mt Lassen Power in Westwood.
Logger was Dave Schroeder Logging
Date completed: started fall 2005, finished summer 2006.
Type of treatment and acres: The project consisted of 831 acres of DFPZ treatment, approximately 50%
sawlog and 50% biomass.
The following marking guidelines were reflective of prescriptions in the Cone Crater EA to achieve
objectives of the DFPZ description discussed on page 5 of Appendix J in the HFQLG FEIS:
All of the DFPZs should be approximately ¼ to ½ mile in width. Approximately 25% of each DFPZ within
the project area will be left as untreated to meet SNFPA objectives.
Designate the largest, healthiest conifer trees as leave trees. No more than 20 percent of dominant and codominant trees should be removed. All conifers 20 inches dbh or larger are leave trees. Designate an average
of 3 of the largest snags per acre as wildlife trees. A snag must be a minimum of 15 inches dbh. Do not
reduce the existing crown closure of the co-dominant and dominant trees by more than 20%. When possible,
radial thin 30 feet from the bole of the pre-dominant, yellow barked, old growth pine trees that exist
throughout the project. Maintain basal area on a stand by stand prescription, from 40 to 100 square feet per
acre.
Resource Area
Silviculture
Silviculture
Wildlife
Fuels
Soils
Sale
Administration
Heritage/
Botany
Attribute
Basal area
Objective
Thin to retain
generally 60-100
square feet basal area
Forest Health
Thin stand to achieve
proper spacing
Limited
operating
period
Protect adjacent
nesting sandhill
cranes
DFPZ
treatment
Reduce ladder fuels
and canopy fuels
Soil
Compaction
and disturbance
Prevent deleterious
soil compaction and
reduce surface
disturbance.
Residual stand
damage
Prevent excess
damage to residual
trees during harvest
Source of
Objective
Marking
guidelines for
stands 110252
and 110253
EA/ Marking
Guidelines
EA
HFQLG FEIS
Appendix J and
Decision Memo
Contract
contract
Degree Met
Successful
Successful
Implemented,
lifted early
Successful
Successful, no
apparent
compaction
observed and
little soil
disturbance.
Successful
Comments
Basal area retention met
in both stands reviewed.
Stand appears free to
grow for 2 or more
decades and fire resilient.
LOP lifted after biologist
confirmed non-nesting
activity
Canopy fuels and ladder
fuels greatly reduced and
meet objectives for
effective DFPZ, followup underburn planned to
treat surface fuels.
Operator was careful
with equipment and little
soil displacement was
observed.
Little residual damage
observed.
No issues
discussed
Shortcomings and Successes:
The project was an economic success and produced an effective DFPZ. All present were pleased with the
successful DFPZ implementation.
Much discussion centered on how to tell the story of how successful the USFS implementation of these
projects has been. Wildfire is a huge issue and the USFS needs to interpret the DFPZ implementation to the
public.
Follow up actions:
Frank Stewart suggested that the USFS should consider using stewardship contracts in projects of this size.
Funds could be used to help enhance adjacent stands.
The USFS needs to think about telling the DFPZ strategy to the public on a national level. Ideas passed
around the group include the following ideas:
1) Get results from Eagle Lake Ranger District onto the Lassen, Plumas, Tahoe, and QLG web pages.
2) Invite the Lassen/Plumas webmaster onto the next HFQLG field trip.
3) Get interpretation of HFQLG projects onto interpretive boards throughout the HFQLG project area.
Specific sites mentioned include kiosks at: Bogard (Eagle Lake RD), Morgan Summit (Almanor RD),
Four Trees (Feather River RD), Bucks Lake (Mt Hough RD), Little Truckee Summit (proposed
kiosk) (Sierraville RD) and Lassen National Park.
4) Create a new kiosk adjacent to the Bidwell project along the well-used road to Lassen National Park.
HFQLG Implementation Team to follow up on suggestions. Tamara Schmidt would be a key contact as the
public affairs officer.
Frank Stewart suggested that if money was needed to complete the interpretation, that there was Title 3,
cycle 6 RAC funding available for education. There is $195,000 available and a request of $25-35,000 may
be available for this type of interpretation.
Frank Stewart had some larger scale public and government involvement ideas he shared with the group.
These were:
1) Invite media on field trips. It appears we are preaching to ourselves on these field trips. Frank Stewart
suggested we get someone like Tom Knudson on a specialized field trip.
2) Think about creating a special field trip and invite Chief of the Forest Service and the Governor of
California. Eagle Lake Ranger District could be an excellent showcase example of what our projects
are creating.
3) Get a follow-up article with National Geographic Magazine or Smithsonian Magazine to give this
National Pilot project National coverage.
Notes completed by: /s/ Colin Dillingham_ Date: 15 Jan 2007