WMNF Northeast Swift Comment Period

[psmart]

The WMNF has started a 30-day comment period for the "Northeast Swift Integrated Resource Management Project". The project area extends from Bear Notch Road to Conway on the north side of the Kanc.

http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=28840

Date: June 24, 2011
Dear Interested Party;
I am pleased to announce that the Saco Ranger District of the White Mountain National Forest is now seeking public review and comments on the 30-Day Comment Report for the Northeast Swift Integrated Resource Management Project.
In April 2010, public input was solicited for this project designed to improve wildlife habitat diversity, sustainably harvest timber, rehabilitate recreation facilities, restore watershed resources and improve local infrastructure such as roads and construct a new parking area. Many of you provided timely, site-specific feedback for this project, including recommendations for improvement. Using this feedback, an interdisciplinary team evaluated the issues and created two alternatives to the proposed action that received detailed consideration.
I am writing you now, to invite your comment. As the Responsible Official for this project I have elected not to select a preferred alternative for release of the 30-Day Comment Report. I have made this decision based on the fact that I have recently arrived at the Saco Ranger District, replacing Terry Miller who initiated the project. I desire to hear your thoughts and comments on the project which in turn will help me make an informed decision. To help facilitate the comment process, I will hold an open house on July 14th at the Russell Colbath Barn between 5:00 – 7:00 PM. Additionally a field visit is scheduled for July 18th
from 12:30 – 5:30 PM. Please RSVP for the field visit to Desiree Johnson at (603) 447-5448
....

Sincerely,
/s/ Michael A. Martin

DISTRICT RANGER

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Here's the scope of the project:

Silvicultural treatments and associated timber harvest including harvesting an estimated 8 million board feet of timber from approximately 1,800 acres;
Pre-commercial thinning and release of about 200 acres of young timber stands;
Up to 950 acres of prescribed burning;
Stream habitat restoration and improvement activities including:
 Felling and in stream placement of trees along approx. three miles of Cilley Brook and two unnamed fish-bearing tributaries to the Swift River;
 Stream bank stabilization (1) along a road segment adjacent to Douglas Brook, (2) at a former crossing location on Cilley Brook, (3) along the Swift River adjacent to Deer Brook Road, and
(4) on an unnamed tributary to the Swift River south of Passaconaway Road;
Recreation improvements including (1) relocating two short segments of the Nanamocomuck Nordic ski trail and replacing up to 12 trail bridges, (2) constructing a new trailhead parking lot on Bear Notch Road, and (3) forestry treatments aimed at enhancing esthetics and public safety at
Covered Bridge Campground;
Forest transportation system management activities including:
 Constructing three new Forest Roads, totaling approximately 1 mile;
 Reconstructing an estimated 5.2 miles of five existing Forest Roads (FSR 5174, 26B, 28, 28A, and 602);
 Relocating two short sections of Deer Brook road near Covered Bridge;
 Constructing a “driveway” less than 500 feet in length and placing landings at three locations along Passaconaway road, one along Bear Notch Road and along Deer Brook road to a new landing just west of Covered Bridge; and
 Reclassifying two existing unclassified spur roads (5158 and 5164), each approximately 800 feet in length.
In addition to the activities outlined, the Proposed Action for this project has incorporated a variety of project design features to minimize impacts to air quality and public health from prescribed burning, reduce adverse impacts to scenic quality from timber harvest activities, protect cultural resource areas, minimize impacts to forest visitors recreating in the project area, protect trail integrity and maintain high quality wildlife habitat features.​

 

[MichaelJ]

What is "Felling and in stream placement of trees" ?

 

[cooperhill]

What is "Felling and in stream placement of trees" ?

Habitat improvement. Lowers water temperature making better habitat for fish and the insects they feed on. The felled trees can create deeper channels and pools for fish.

 

[peakbagger]

There was a thread a few months ago about a project in Nash Stream for this type of improvement. The Sunday River in Bethel and its feeder stream is also a place that is doing "chop and drop". In the old days, it was strictly forbidden to go anywhere near a stream during a timber cut and now they are intentionally dropping trees in streams.

 

[psmart]

Apparently, most of the streams in the Whites were "blown out" by the runoff from early logging and floods, destroying much of the complex structure that supports aquatic life. So there's a recent effort to restore natural stream characteristics by various means including "recruiting woody debris". (Don't you just love the jargon!)

I'm told that the Wonalancet River was one of the few streams that was spared, and you can actually see the difference if you spend some time walking it's banks.

 

[cushetunk]

Apparently, most of the streams in the Whites were "blown out" by the runoff from early logging and floods, destroying much of the complex structure that supports aquatic life. So there's a recent effort to restore natural stream characteristics by various means including "recruiting woody debris". (Don't you just love the jargon!)

Also, it takes large old trees to naturally decay and fall down into streams, and there haven't been very many of those around for the past 100 years.

 

[MichaelJ]

Fascinating, I had no idea … thanks for all the commentary, I'm going to try pay more notice to the effects of fallen trees on streams next time I'm out.

 

[LarryD]

Earlier this year a NH Fish and Game biologist gave a presentation at Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Conway on the work the agency did adding trees and removing culverts on Nash Stream. It was interesting (if you find presentations on rivers and fish interesting). Adding the trees really does do a lot for the fish.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I know that Christmas trees are often used to build artificial reefs in lakes and ponds. I also know that ships are sunk at sea to do the same.

Tim

 

[HH1]

Check out this article from the Feb 2011 edition of Northern Woodlands entitled "Of Trout And Trees".



It goes into detail on the value of fallen trees and especially root wads. Much info on Nash stream restoration as well.

 

[Jason Berard]

That Northern Woodlands article is excellent. Actually, for folks on the board who don't know about this magazine, you should! Reading it has really enriched my experience walking in the woods.

 

[RoySwkr]

When I read the title of this note, I thought it was an endangered bird

I spent a lot of time in the Nash Stream area in the decade following the dam blowout, as mentioned the whole channel was scoured out to nothing but gravel and rocks and the public road bridge over Nash Stream and the first one on the Upper Ammo were carried away

Nash Stream could have been an interesting whitewater run but the road was generally gated during prime season, wonder how dumping in all the trees will affect this

 

[Craig]

Interesting.

I wonder what the pros & cons are of letting nature do the reclamation of the wildlife habitats?
Additionally, I would like to know what the anticipated cost is for this reclamation.
The net overall project is probably in the black.

 

[psmart]

I would like to know what the anticipated cost is for this reclamation. The net overall project is probably in the black.

It's often difficult to answer this question, since the timber revenue from these projects is often offset by expense items such as road reconstruction and even stream restoration. So the project as a whole may be a net "loss". But remember that the official objective for these projects is to "meet desired future conditions", and not necessarily to generate federal revenue. Whether a given timber sale is "below cost" depends entirely on how you do the accounting (i.e. what expenses are directly attributed to the timber sale). And since a contractor (such as a logger) may bid on a combined package of timber harvesting and road reconstruction, the FS may never have separate figures for the two activities.

 

[Craig]

It's often difficult to answer this question, since the timber revenue from these projects is often offset by expense items such as road reconstruction and even stream restoration....

Surely the consulting firm gave itemized budget numbers along with their proposal?

I have often wondered, when hearing about varies habitat restoration project, at what cost is this being undertaken.
I can only imagine that these projects must be difficult to define, before procurement, thus leading to endless cost overruns.

Perhaps Im a little cynical but when I read about these things I often think about the “Restore Hetch Hetchy project.” Estimated total cost of somewhere between 1 & 10 billion dollars.

Im all for habitat restoration projects if the cost is commensurate with the value added by accelerating what nature would take care of over time.