LAKE CHELAN

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Lake Chelan National Recreation Area Washington

SUMMARY

Implementation of the Forest Fuel Reduction / Firewood Management Plan will reduce forest fuel accumulation in selected coniferous stands of Stehekin Valley. The result will be improved wildland fire protection of human life and property. The management actions presented in this document encourage a late successional stage Douglas fir/ponderosa pine forest, the protection of natural and cultural resources, and a long-term monitoring program to evaluate these actions.

Management-ignited prescribed fire and selective manual thinning will reduce surface, ladder, and canopy fuels in six forest fuel reduction areas. Three more coniferous forest stands are identified for future prescribed fires. These stands have had the greatest frequency of wildfire in the valley. The forest fuel objectives are consistent with the Standards and Guidelines for Management of Habitat for Late-Successional and Old Growth Forest Related Species within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl developed by the Forest Ecosystem Management Assessment Team (USFS/BLM 1994), and reduce the risk of wildfires on the ground from entering and carrying through the tree crowns in these treatment areas. This effort is combined with hazard fuel reduction near structures to create more defensible spaces. Both management actions improve conditions for suppressing wildfires.

Control and safety concerns limit prescribed fire treatments to low intensities, although this Douglas fir/ponderosa pine forest has a moderately severe fire regime. Selective manual thinning is preceded by a forest stand examination and the establishment of a long-term monitoring program. A silviculturist selects trees for removal within the plan's marking guide or prescription. Thinning to remove these accumulated forest fuels is done by National Park Service (NPS) personnel, individual woodcutters under NPS permit, and low impact logging contractors. This protects old-growth trees, especially ponderosa pine, and is consistent with levels expected in a late successional stage forest. Cut trees and other large woody debris are removed so that they do not create an additional fire hazard.

Surplus logs from forest fuel reduction areas, hazard fuel reduction near structures, and hazard trees will provide firewood at fair market value. Individual woodcutters will be able to obtain firewood near existing roads where access into the forest stand is relatively easy. Bids are solicited from contractors with small machinery to cut and remove selected trees from the more remote portions of forest fuel reduction areas. Their methods minimize environmental impacts, especially when performed over snow. Logs may also be available to the National Park Service for administrative purposes. There is no guaranteed amount of firewood per year, but ample firewood will be available for several years.

A program of long-term monitoring and evaluation provides important feedback for preserving natural processes, refining prescribed fire and fuel reduction methods, and making more informed management decisions. This monitoring program determines the effectiveness of fuel treatments, detects planned and unplanned changes, and provides a better understanding of the resources. Information is shared with the public, and recommendations are solicited at annual workshops.