Forest clean-up may take a while

Camp Sherman residents would like to see downed trees and accumulated fire fuel from past years cleaned out of the Metolius Basin -- and the sooner the better.

However, Sisters Ranger District personnel told those gathered at a public meeting on Saturday, August 12, it is not so easy to move full speed ahead.

"There are layers of legal planning that must be followed, including the Northwest Forest Plan (1994) which mandates that we do a spring and fall species assessment before any action can be taken", said Bill Anthony, Sisters District Ranger.

"There are about 300 species of various fungi, mollusks, lichens, plants and other organisms that must be surveyed," he said.

Bob Flores, from the Sisters Ranger Station, pointed out "that there are no protocols yet on 135 of these species as to how they are to be surveyed. Plus, there are very few experts available that can even identify some of these species."

It is therefore illegal to clear the downed wood until such surveys are completed, if they can be completed.

The Forest Service called the meeting at Camp Sherman Community Hall to get input from local residents and visitors to the popular Camp Sherman/Metolius River country.

Anthony presented a plan for the Metolius Basin cleanup. Using map overlays he defined an area of about 8-12,000 acres for cleanup roughly between Road 12 (Jack Creek Road) and Green Ridge and running from Highway 20 to about Lower Canyon Creek Campground.

"If funding becomes available, we could start with this plan during summer 2002," stated Anthony. "About 1,000 to 1,500 acres could be cleared each year, thus this is a multi-year project."

Reducing fire danger is only one component of the Forest Service proposal.

"The plan would restore big tree health (ponderosa, Douglas fir, western larch), reduce fuel buildup, reduce white fir trees and restore the beauty and visual diversity of the forest," Anthony said. "This would be accomplished by mowing, thinning and controlled burns."

An example of this kind of project is the forest restoration plan along Highway 20 between Sisters and the Camp Sherman Road turnoff (Road 14). This is a 10,000 acre project and many residents like the overall effect this project has had on forest health and beauty.

Depending on funding the Metolius Basin project plan could stretch out 10-15 years before completion. Some of the cabin and homeowners in the area suggested not only clearing brush and other fuels around their residences but going further onto nearby forest service lands and doing a clearing project. This met with legal obstacles again on forest service lands unless restrictions could be amended.

Heightening local residents concerns are the great number of major fires in the western states.

"There are presently 75 major fires (1,000 acres or more) in the West and covering 4.5 million acres," Anthony said. "This has drained firefighters around the U.S. and there is little backup reserve presently available."

The local Sisters Ranger Station has one fire truck on call plus the ability to contract out for fire truck assistance.

"Firefighters are now being imported from Australia, Canada and Mexico, to fight major western fires" stated Anthony.

Oregon, so far this year, has been spared a major fire catastrophe in our forests.

Those attending the meeting were in agreement that human safety is paramount. Clearing excess fuel wood and brush around homes is a start toward preventing disaster. Excess fuels around roads should be cleared and perhaps thinning larger areas would help set up a defensive firefighting line against a major fire.

A good example of this is the ongoing project west of Black Butte Ranch.

Fires here tend to start in the west and sweep down towards populated areas such as Camp Sherman.