Foresters offer Metolius Basin report

Sisters District Ranger Bill Anthony offered a generally optimistic view of local forests to the Friends of the Metolius at their annual meeting on Saturday, May 26.

Focused on thinning forest areas in the Metolius Basin, the report gave hope to the large crowd gathered at Camp Sherman's Community Hall. Heavy fuel buildup in the forests presents a fire threat to rural homes in Camp Sherman, but residents are also concerned about possible negative impact from efforts to thin the forest.

Anthony described a 17,000-acre area that he believes could be thinned in the next five years. He identified the area on a large map display and said as much as 65 percent could be thinned.

Doing any work in the Metolius Basin is not simple. Unlike the Highway 20 project between Black Butte Ranch and Sisters, which had relatively smooth sailing with highway funds and a noticeable thinning of the forest corridor, the Metolius Basin projects come under restrictions including the Northwest Forest Plan and spotted owl dispersal habitat.

The Metolius Basin represents a late successional forest and there are some people who want nothing done to it. Also, it falls under the Wild and Scenic River plan whose guidelines must be followed.

According to Anthony, the Forest Service wants a high level of public involvement in any thinning project in the area.

Community involvement could include buying a mower and contracting with the Forest Service for small brush removal according to Anthony.

Mark Rapp, Forest Service clearance expert, estimated the cost of a mower at $42,000. The machine would be capable of clearing brush and small trees up to 3-4 inches in diameter. A shearing attachment could up the capabilities to clear 4-8 inch trees.

"Chipping and composting could also prove valuable in reducing fuels around home sites in the area," said Kris Martinson of the forest service.

Local ranger and Metolius Basin resident Kirk Metzger said, "The problem is many years of growth that have led to much brush in the forest and a ladder fuels effect for burning when fires start. It would really help to remove as much of this material as possible."

Local residents were pleased with the Forest Service presentation.

"I'm really delighted to see the flexibility shown by the Forest Service proposals and the setting up of a timetable," stated Becky Johnson.

The local ranger district has instituted a plan for removing down and dead wood around the 100-plus river cabins.

"People may clear up to 300 feet from their property line and reduce the fire danger," said Ranger Anthony. "There are restrictions and a free permit must be obtained at the Forest Service office for this personal use firewood," he continued.

The Metolius Basin covers over 50,000 acres. Assuming costs of over $100 per acre for thinning work, clearing in the 17,000-acre area described above will cost well over $1 million.

At the same time that these discussions are going on about the Metolius Basin thinning project, the FOM and Forest Service have a smaller, 120 acre, demonstration project moving forward that will allow local residents to compare eight different thinning methods and three control (unthinned) areas.

Discussions will continue between Forest Service personnel and the community.