Industrial Project or a Suburban Area - Research Paper Example

Environmental analysis Introduction The local administration of Oregon recently undertook a project to thin a forest area of nearly 500 acres situated in the BLM lands under the Tillamook Resource area in the county of Columbia. The administration’s Bureau of land management has been entrusted the task of overseeing the thinning operations along with maintaining a proper oversight of any potential impact on the environment. The following sections will describe the thorough environmental analysis conducted on the project and list out all potential environmental impacts that the project is likely to have. The location of the project is shown in the figure below: Environmental issues 1. Forest and Vegetation characteristics Thinning trees is believed necessary to facilitate stand growth, enhance tree vigor and contain tree mortality due to more competition for resources among trees. However, root root (Pheilinus Weirii) was found rampant across all units and as many as 20% of the roots were found to be infected. Such diseased root stands run the risk of infecting nearby healthy trees and cause massive root decays in the adjoining areas. Further, reduced trees render the area vulnerable to winds which also aids in the transmission of the root disease to new areas. Other potential threats include increased susceptibility to forest fires and winter storms. Pollution Type Damage to vegetation due to root disease and reduced forest cover Magnitude Maximum impact of root disease in trees aged between 57 and 73 years Estimated by USDOI Bureau of Land Management Impact Root disease among exposed and rotting tree stands Scattering of Pheilinus Weirii root virus due to wind Reduced tree cover aids during windstorms Most affected species were the Oregon grape, sword fern and vine maple Trees infected with the virus do not stand for long, no evidence of inter-tree competition Proposed measures Recommended to thin the tree stands from below thus aiding in the retention of trees with larger sizes Move to favour conifer species over Douglas fir tree types to improve plant diversity in the region (increased seed supply, improve resiliency to diseases and provide cover against diseases and insects) Allow damaged trees with broken tops and cavities to remain and thus aid their regeneration Plant new trees from modified seeds immune to the root disease 2. Hydrology Analysis of the water resources is an important consideration for the present case study. It is used to assess any potential increases in new inflows, any changes in the channel morphologies, increase in turbidity and sediments. The key focal point of this issue is the Gunner lake’s drainage area which lies in the region undergoing the thinning project. The current conditions in the channel area have been a result of widespread road building and logging activities since the past 70-80 years. Pollution Type Effects on the main water resources Magnitude The area spans over 20,000 acres in size. Almost 25% of this area is being modified as part of the project. Almost two-thirds of the streams in this region are perennial. Estimated by Northwest Forest Plan Impact Enlargement of ponds in the area has converted multi-channelled drainage systems into single networks. Alteration of transport processes, sediment storage mechanisms and constant rise in the area of open surface water bodies. Much of the water and sediment has been forced downstream thereby leaving no valuable silt. Lesser stream flows in the region Due to less turbulence, local streams appear less capable of transporting sediments. Presence of several poorly maintained and undersized culverts is hampering the free movement of fish in the lake. Proposed measures Timber harvest activities must maintain at least a 50% canopy cover. New roads should be constructed on gentle topography or ridgetops without affecting the network connections to the stream drainage system. All timber activities must be at least 70 feet away from stream channels and wetlands to minimize ground disturbances. Remove or replace old culverts to aid channel adjustments to facilitate better flow of sediments and marine life. Reduce thinning activities especially nearby streams Road construction activities like rocking and removing the encroaching vegetation will enhance road quality and improve drainage, minimize erosion and restrict the delivery of sediment to streams. 3. Endangered fish species and effects on the habitat Once again, the focal point for the analysis of fish species and related habitat is the Gunner’s lake and its associated streams. It has been estimated that prior to human activities like rail and road construction, timber harvesting and settlement, the quality of fish habitat in the lake was far more complex and diverse and their population was much larger in comparison to current levels. Pollution Type Threats to Fish habitats and species Magnitude Up to 6 miles of the East Fork Nehalem river were surveyed Estimated by/using East Fork Nehalem watershed analysis, Streamnet distribution layer Impact Local population of the coho salmon were found to be different from traditional estimates as available from streamnet. Habitat areas of the fish are concentrated downstream of the tree thinning areas and cover only 1-2% of the available space. Large wooden debris, quality of pools and spawning gravels are hampering normal growth levels and oxygen content of the habitat areas. Timber harvesting has contributed to changes in the water quality in terms of chemical composition, temperature, habitat access and turbidity. Proposed measures Maintain buffers of a minimum of 100 metres and gentle slopes near all perennial streams. No harvesting must be allowed on unstable slopes to prevent any effects on the existing woody materials in the streams. Removal of the culverts will restore the natural function of the associated streams without releasing much sediment downstream. 4. Soils The primary consideration of the section is to examine the major concerns on the soil resources in the area and analyze the effects of the proposed project (namely road building, tree thinning and timber harvesting) on the long-term productivity of the soil. Pollution Type Impact on the forest soil Magnitude The entire project area is comprised of moderately sloping mountain ridge tops. Dominant soil type studied is the Tolany. Estimated by Northwest Forest Plan Impact Current soil conditions are remnants of past actions. Trails of events such as forest fires during the 1930s, extensive clear-cutting and salvage logging are evident everywhere. While most soils are still suitable for forest vegetation, they remain susceptible to compaction from the movement of heavy vehicles and equipment (currently 2-5% of total project area). Compacted soil takes many years to recover. Over 34 acres are composed of Mayger soils, which drain very poorly. They are susceptible to wind throw, mainly in exposed areas or in regions with root disease. Of these 9 acres are highly fragile. Proposed measures Major activities that disturb the soil and reduce its productivity are: road-building, fuel treatment and timber harvesting. Use of tractor recommended as it has the least overall impact through soil compaction except in the skid trails. Timber harvesting through skyline yarding systems has the greatest impact in terms of soil disturbance. Can be minimized by installing waterbars and putting slash on the corroders. Prevent the construction of the 1.3 mile temporary road surface as it will result in deep compaction of top soil in over 2.3 acres. All road renovation operations to commence on existing disturbed surfaces to have the least effect on the soil productivity. 5. Wildlife Pollution Type Impact on the forest wildlife and endangered species Magnitude Analysis covers an total area of 16, 687 acres Estimated by Oregon department of Forestry Impact Deficiency in structural diversity is not aiding the foraging or nesting activities of the spotted owl and is not a suitable habitat. A mere 210 acres of habitat (low-quality) area is available to the spotted owl. The proposed project will modify the habitat of the Spotted owl Lack of proper management of the stands for spotted owls, some of which are over 70 years old, may lead to their retardation in the long term. Proposed measures Provide more area (up to 508 acres) for the Douglas-fir trees to grow. Maintain the canopy closure after the thinning project to a minimum of 60%. Enhance the placement of more snags to aid the growth of the northern flying quirrel, which is one of the primary preys of the spotted owl. The fish and wildlife enhancement project currently underway on East Fork Nehalem river is believed to offset some of the effects of activities such as tree thinning and commercial timber harvesting, and will aid the dispersal of the owl habitat in the long term. References 1. Altman (2003), Birds of Oregon: A General Reference. Oregon State University Press. 2. Alvis (2007), Aquatic Inventory Project, East Fork Nehalem Stream Report. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 3. Beschta (2008), Stream temperature and aquatic habitat: fisheries and forestry interactions. Institute of Forest Resources, University of Washington. 4. Carey (2008), The Biology of Arboreal Rodents in Douglas-fir Forests. Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5. Curtis (2006), A Simple Index of Stand Density for Douglas-fir. 6. Grant (2008), Effects of forest practices on peak flows and consequent channel response: a state-of-science report for western Oregon and Washington. Pacific Northwest Research Station. 7. Hann (2009), Oregon Growth Analysis and projection system. Oregon State University. 8. Heninger (2003), Soil disturbance and 10-year growth response of coast Douglas-fir on nontilled and tilled skid trails in the Oregon Cascades. Wildlife Monographs. 9. Matthews (2001), Pilot Analysis of Global Ecosystems: Forest Ecosystems. World Resources Institute. 10. Miller (2007), Growth of Douglas-fir near equipment trails used for commercial thinning in the Oregon Coast Range. 11. Morris (2004), Evidence for long-term productivity changes as provided by field trials. London: Routledge. 12. Satterlund (2008), Wildland watershed management. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 13. Scott (2004), Forest Soil Productivity on the Southern Long-Term Soil Productivity Sites at Age 5. Southern Research Station. 14. Thies (2009), Laminated root rot: The quest for control. 15. Thompson (2008), Growing trees where trees grow best: short-term research sheds light on long-term productivity. 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