Prepared By:
Yuba Watershed Institute
Timber Framer’s Guild of North America
Bureau of Land Management
June, 1996
Introduction
Executive Summary
The Partners
The Planning Process
Relationship With Other Planning Documents
Authority
Laws and Policy
Community-Based Sustainable Forestry on the ‘Inimim Forest;
Goals, Practices and Definitions
Explanation of Terms and Concepts
Management Practices Based on Soil/Plant Associations
Soil/Plant Associations on the ‘Inimim
Soil/Plant Association Management Groups
Basic Practices—Definitions
Community Stewardship
Plan Amendments
Plan Implementation
Appendices
Partnership Goals
Individual Parcel Descriptions
Parcel 1 Grizzly Hill School
Parcel 2 Sugar Loaf
Parcel 3 Poison Oak
Parcel 4 Shady Grove
Parcel 5 Big Parcel
Parcel 5A Headwaters
Parcel 5B Long Ravine
Parcel 6 Bear Tree
Parcel 7 Spring Creek
Parcel 8 Shield’s Camp
Parcel 9 Long View
Parcel 10 Bald Mountain
INTRODUCTION
The ‘Inimim Forest consists of ten separate Public Land parcels, spread over roughly five miles, totaling about 1,813 acres, and ranging from about 2,500′ to about 3,800’ elevation on the central part of San Juan Ridge in Northern Nevada County. This whole area of San Juan Ridge is covered with the mosaics of manzanita/ceanothus chaparral, ponderosa pine/black oak stands and the other trees and shrubs that make up the Sierran mixed coniferous forest type. The semi-exposed tertiary gravels supporting early seral species are the only exception to this general pattern.
The purpose of the ‘Inimim Forest partnership is to create and carry out a program of land use practices that meets national standards as well as local needs. It is based on an environmental ethic that fosters the protection and management of timber, wildlife, cultural, historical, recreational, educational, scenic and other resource values on a sustainable yield basis. This plan also provides for the production of specialized forest resource products.
Based on the continuing growth and development patterns of communities within 150 miles of Sacramento, it seems likely that the private land on San Juan Ridge will be further divided into smaller parcels and much of the landscape suburbanized in coming decades. The future residents of this area will place a very high value on the public land parcels that have been protected for educational and recreation purposes, as well as for timber harvest.
The local community clearly understands that they are choosing a forest that is actively managed to maximize the amount of forest that is growing large old trees, rather than allowing purely natural processes. For example, there is ample evidence that the greatest single threat to the woodlands and communities of the Sierra Nevada is the possibility of massive forest fires, therefore, one of the highest priorities is the rapid implementation of all possible fuel reduction strategies on both the ‘Inimim and co-operating private land. A great deal of work will also be in soil and plant community rehabilitation.
A century from now, the public lands of the ‘Inimim Forest will be a mosaic of plant associations—including riparian and chaparral—but mostly consisting of forest stands of different age and species composition. Many forest stands will have an open understory, giving a park-like appearance. The forest will reflect the effect of prescribed burns, selective logging, preservation zones, pruning and thinning, and other management practices. It will continue to provide habitat for wildlife species which depend on old growth. There will be a steady supply of clear, old growth timber and other forest products from several species of trees, including both softwoods and hardwoods, for use by crafts and trades people.
This plan should be read as a living document whose details will be shaped by more refined knowledge of the forest ecosystems. It will change with—among other things—the input of citizens, available tools, the economy, and better understanding of various management practices.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. Big Trees Fast—In contrast to allowing natural succession to totally control the restoration of the land to old forest habitat, techniques such as commercial and pre-commercial thinning to speed up the growth of the dominant larger trees. Wherever possible, the ‘Inimim will be old forest habitat. Surrounding private lands will most likely always consist of younger, smaller trees. In order to compensate for this reality, the ‘Inimim will be kept in late seral forest even though in presettlement days, perhaps only 30% of the ‘Inimim was old forest.
2. Reduce the Risk of Catastrophic Fire—In order to protect the investment in this forest and recognizing the natural role of wildfire in this ecosystem, excessive fuel loading will be reduced through thinning, chipping and prescribed fire.
3. Save All the Pieces—Ecologically, all native species of plants and animals that make this area their home will be maintained. In some cases, such as the fresh water sculpin in Spring Creek, a species which was once present may be re-introduced.
4. Soils are the Bottom Line—Sustainable forestry on the ‘Inimim will be based on the maintenance and improvement of the soils—the heritage of future generations. The goal is no net loss of soil. What happens below the ground is as important as the plants that grow above. Impact on soils will determine how much timber will be removed.
THE PARTNERS
The Yuba Watershed Institute (YWI) was founded by a group of citizens of the San Juan Ridge, whose special interest is the maintenance of the long term biological integrity and wise use of natural resources within the Yuba River watershed. The Institute shows this concern by cooperating with public land management agencies, private landowners, professional associations and community organizations. It also serves as an educational resource, sharing its information, and historical and cultural perspectives with all citizens of the watershed and beyond.
The Timber Framers Guild of North America is an organization of seven hundred members from more than three hundred companies manufacturing timber frame post-and-beam buildings for domestic, commercial, and industrial use. These post-and-beam buildings usually employ pegs and interlocking joints to make the connections between the structural members. Timbers of large size and high quality are needed to do this work. Such timbers are only obtainable from large second-growth or old-growth timber stands. The guild is a national organization with members living and working in the San Juan Ridge area.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior, the nation’s principal conservation agency. The BLM manages 272 million acres of Public Lands and resources in 12 western states, including Alaska, to serve the needs of the American people. Resources are managed under the principles of multiple use and sustainable yield, taking into account the long-term needs of future generations for renewable and non-renewable resources, fish and wildlife, wilderness and scenic, scientific and cultural values. It is the policy of the BLM to establish partnerships to foster cooperation, discover new ideas and management opportunities and to more effectively manage the Public Lands.
The Folsom Resource Area office of the Bureau of Land Management is directly responsible for managing approximately 231,000 acres of Federal Public Land, scattered throughout California’s historical Mother Lode country from Nevada County in the north to Fresno County in the south. These lands, the remnants of the old public domain, are designated mostly as multiple-use lands, which means that they are managed for several purposes, including forestry, mining, grazing, outdoor recreation, wildlife, cultural resources, watershed values, and similar items.
THE PLANNING PROCESS
The ‘Inimim Forest project is an unusual cooperative effort, experimental in nature, between the Bureau and the residents of San Juan Ridge. The project is a direct result of local citizens’ desire to be included in the land use decisions for Federal lands, which may affect their community for years to come. The residents, through the Yuba Watershed Institute, have asked to participate in forming a low-impact multiple-use policy which restores past resource values for both long-term economic and aesthetic reasons. The local community strongly advocates sustainable resource management, and has taken the initiative to achieve this goal.
The Yuba Watershed Institute, joined by the Timber Framers Guild, entered into a Cooperative Management Agreement (CMA) with the BLM to jointly manage the public lands known as the ‘Inimim Forest. The primary goal described in the CMA is the re-establishment of a late seral, or old growth forest.
To achieve the objectives of the CMA, the YWI performed a detailed inventory of resources on the ‘Inimim lands. This information was then used to formulate a site-specific draft management plan, which was submitted to the BLM for consideration. The role of the Bureau was to act as a partner and a coach in the effort.
San Juan Ridge presents a classic example of the urban-wildlands interface which is becoming increasingly common throughout the west. The ‘Inimim Forest project is an exercise in community involvement at the most basic level to develop a sustainable program of low-impact multiple use which will benefit both the local residents and the Federal Government well into the next century and perhaps beyond.
Most importantly, the ‘Inimim Forest is an experimental effort in coordinated land use planning at the “grassroots level” that could serve as a model for forest management in other portions of the Sierra bioregion.
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Management of the Public Lands under the jurisdiction of the Folsom Resource Area, including the ‘Inimim Forest, is guided by the Sierra Planning Area Management Framework Plan (MFP), as amended in 1988. The ‘Inimim Forest Management Plan is a supplement to the MFP. Topics and issues not specifically addressed in the ‘Inimim Plan, such as mining, will continue to be guided by the MFP.
AUTHORITY
The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), Section 102 (a) states declares “…that it is the policy of the United States that:
“(2) the national interest will be best realized if the Public Lands and their resources are periodically and systematically inventoried and their present and future use is projected through a land use planning process coordinated with other Federal and State planning efforts;
“(7) goals and objectives be established by law as guidelines for public use planning, and that management be on the basis of multiple use and sustained yield unless otherwise specified by law;
“(8) the Public Lands be managed in a manner that will protect the quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air and atmospheric, water resource, and archaeological values; that where appropriate, will preserve and protect certain Public Lands in their natural condition; that will provide food and habitat for fish and wildlife and domestic animals; and that will provide for outdoor recreation and human occupancy and use;
“(9) that the United States receive fair market value for the use of the Public Lands and their resources unless otherwise provided for by statute;
“(12) the Public Lands be managed in a manner which recognizes the Nation’s need for domestic sources of minerals, food, timber, and fiber from the Public Lands, including the implementation of the Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970 (84 Stat. 1876, 30 U.S.C. 21a) as it pertains to the public lands.”
In Sec. 103(c), FLPMA provides the following definition: “The term ‘multiple use’ means the management of the Public Lands and their various resource values so that they are utilized in the combination that will best meet the present and future needs of the American people; making the most judicious use of the land for some or all of these resources or related services over areas large enough to provide sufficient latitude for periodic adjustments in use to conform to changing needs and conditions; the use of some land for less than all the resources; a combination of balanced and diverse resource uses that takes into account the long-term needs of future generations for renewable and nonrenewable resources, including, but not limited to, recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, wildlife and fish, and natural scenic, scientific and historical values; and harmonious and coordinated management of the various resources without permanent impairment of the productivity of the land and the quality of the environment with consideration being given to the relative values of the resources and not necessarily to the combination of uses that will give the greatest economic return or the greatest unit output.”
Further, FLPMA, Section 202 (c)(9) goes on to state “…to the extent consistent with the laws governing the administration of the Public Lands, coordinate the land use inventory, planning, and management activities of or for such lands with the land use and management programs of other Federal Departments and agencies and of the States and local governments within which the lands are located…”
LAWS AND POLICY
The Bureau of Land Management is experimenting with a collaborative form of planning and management. This experiment holds promise for more effective and meaningful community involvement in the management of nearby public lands. The BLM’s goals are to find better ways of managing Public Lands, and better ways for the community benefit environmentally, culturally, and economically from these lands. This experiment may lead to new laws or policy. However, at the present time, current laws and policy will be adhered to in all matters.
COMMUNITY BASED SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY ON THE INIMIM FOREST
GOALS, PRACTICES AND DEFINITIONS
The concept of sustainability in the field of natural resource management is widely discussed today, but poorly understood and almost never implemented. The term is used to denote many distinct kinds of interactions between people and place; but for the purposes of the ‘Inimim Forest Plan, “sustainable forestry” is defined as those activities which include the biological, economic and social aspects described below:
The highest priority of this plan is the maintenance of the diversity and resilience of the biological communities, above and below ground. Forest trees, wildlife, and human communities that make their living in the woods are completely dependent on the long-term health of the forest.
Management practices included in the Plan provide for the regular, periodic output of high-quality, large or old-growth timber at levels which do not exceed the measured rate of growth in the first order watershed in which the timber grows. Management practices also provide for commercial thinning of trees for small sawlogs for lumber and fiber. (“A first order watershed” is here defined as the area draining into a first order perennial creek. i.e. one that contains fish.)
The Plan emphasizes the non-exploitative use of local labor, in which local individuals own the equipment and companies that do the work. The goal is that profits from the harvesting, processing and sale of finished products will provide as much economic return to the local community as possible. Forest management practices are based on identification of the soil/plant associations (vegetation types) within which logging can be supported over the long term. Lands too steep, biologically important or fragile for sustainable logging will be zoned for other uses.
In the areas subject to logging, the Plan provides for the maintenance of species diversity and plant associations so that no native species, plant, animal or microbial members of the soil community are lost as a result of Management Plan activities.
The Plan provides for maintenance of soil organic material levels, snags, woody debris and soil porosity so that it is at least as high after timber harvesting as at the beginning of Plan implementation.
The Plan will provide for the maintenance of water quality—both chemical composition and stream sediment loading—so that water is not degraded as a result of any disruptive activity authorized for by the Plan, i.e. such things as timber harvest, trail or road construction.
The Plan provides for the reduction of forest floor fuels so that fuel loading and hence fire hazard are reduced over time. The goal is to keep the level of fuel loads low enough to prevent catastrophic fires.
Successful implementation of sustainable forestry on the ‘Inimim requires several steps new to forestry as it has been practiced in this country. First and foremost is the recognition that this work is a complex, valuable task that should be done by well-paid, highly skilled and trained workers. The goal is to develop training programs cooperatively with forest workers in basic hydrology, soil science, forest ecology and botany.
Sustainable forestry requires the establishment of a process by which independent monitoring is conducted quickly and efficiently. The following should be monitored by a non-profit entity: soils, water, forest volume, species composition and growth, and the presence or absence of plant and animal species.
Community based sustainable forestry is a long-term project. It can’t be practiced without a base of people who have a genuine curiosity about the biotic and abiotic processes that are constantly at work in the forest. In addition, community forestry requires a culture that values the lessons that can be learned in and about the forest and that takes an active role in educating children, long time residents, newcomers and people from other communities. To this end, the ‘Inimim partners are committed to an ongoing program of lectures, field seminars, workshops and discussion groups on forest ecology and stewardship.
The ‘Inimim forest consists of ten non-contiguous parcels within a large watershed. Many of the practices described in this plan should prove useful to private landowners and public agencies who want to manage their own lands for similar outcomes to those described in this plan. It is the intention of the partners of this Plan to encourage a frequent and open exchange of ideas on forestry practices and stewardship among landowners, land managers, forest workers, community members, and users and producers of forest products.
This Plan acknowledges the sustainable inhabitation practices that have been used for thousands of years by Native Americans in this region and welcomes traditional Native gatherers on the ‘Inimim.
EXPLANATION OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS
Maintenance of forest biological community diversity and resilience
As a living, interdependent association of organisms, the forest behaves much like a human body: remarkably tough, adaptable and resilient as long as its basic health is maintained, vulnerable to shock and disease if it is seriously disturbed. It is impossible to practice sustainable forestry unless the forest community is allowed to maintain itself in good working order.
The main responsibility of people in this process is to recognize that within the forest ecosystem, nothing is produced in excess, nothing wasted. Whatever is removed from the forest influences the soil, watershed and growth rate of the young trees. The practice of sustainable forestry will require a careful balance between wood that is removed for human use, and wood left in the ecosystem for the health and resilience of the forest community. On harsh, marginal forest soils, nothing will be removed.
Periodic output of high quality timber
The long term goal of the ‘Inimim plan is to grow and cut older, large diameter timber suitable for cabinetry, beams and furniture. In order to achieve this goal, small and medium size trees will have to be thinned. These commercial thinnings will make up the majority of the volume removed in the early years of the Plan.
Non-exploitative, equitable involvement of local people
One of the primary goals of sustainable forestry is to provide long-term, well-paid, community-based outdoor employment for rural people, allowing them to capture the real economic value of local forests for the benefit of their families and communities. Achieving this goal will involve manufacturing value added products at the site of production to maximize local profits. Local ownership of logging, processing and manufacturing companies is encouraged to assure that the profits from the forest will enrich the local community.
Maintenance of species diversity of the soil/plant/animal community subject to logging
Coniferous forest communities such as those present on the ‘Inimim forest are made up of several thousand animal, plant and microbial species, many of which play essential roles in the growth and maintenance of forest trees. The vast majority of these species are insects and microorganisms that live in the soil. Without the “work” they perform with their daily metabolic activities (acquiring, digesting and excreting food), many essential nutrients would be unavailable to higher plants. While many species are known to be essential, the roles of other species are less understood. Upon close study, every species presently living in the natural community is found to influence its neighbors—predators and prey, decomposers and hosts—in profound ways. The sum interaction of all species in the community has created the forest that is present today. When plant or animal species are lost, the forest community changes in response.
Identification of forest soils capable of sustaining tree removal in the long term.
In the summer-dry climate of the Sierra Nevada, commercially valuable tree species may grow on soils that are too shallow and non-productive for reliable reestablishment of the logged tree species. On such sites, living trees and fallen logs take on a large part of soil’s traditional role in storing water and nutrients. In the ‘Inimim plan, such naturally stressed forest/soils will not be subject to the added stress of logging. Marginally productive soils will be identified by their shallow depth to bedrock and low water storage capacity.
Maintenance of soil organic material, snags, coarse woody debris and soil porosity
Maintaining soil fertility is an essential component of sustainable forestry. In forestry, unlike agriculture, fertilizer is not applied to the soil. Because of this, careful attention must be paid to the retention of essential nutrients at each site during logging, and to the maintenance of natural mechanisms for nutrient and water capture and storage in the soil.
Maintenance of Water Quality
In undisturbed forests, overland flow—runoff—is rarely seen outside of actual stream channels. Water quality management in the ‘Inimim Forest will focus on maintaining the high natural levels of root channels and openings in the soil for capture of rainfall.
These source-based water quality protection measures will be implemented by 1) rigorously maintaining and restoring soil cover (litter, chipped or lopped slash) on all disturbed sites including skid trails, landings and temporary roads; and 2) avoiding the creation of any additional hillslope roads or cuts that divert natural subsurface water flows directly into streams, causing flooding and stream channel damage.
Reduction of forest floor fuel loading
One of the principal impediments to the practice of sustained yield forestry on the westslope Sierra Nevada has been exclusion of the natural fire regime. The Sierran forests evolved with fire as part of the decomposition process, essential for the recycling of nutrient elements. In the absence of fire, woody materials have decayed too slowly, building up to dangerously high levels on and near the forest floor. This fuel buildup has set the stage for a catastrophic hot and severe fire which could completely destroy the forest and damage the soil for hundreds of years.
Logging has increased fire risk even more by depositing additional woody material—slash and unwanted debris—on the forest floor and opening up the canopy, encouraging the growth of flammable, low-growing shrubs and young trees.
All of these changes stand in the way of sustained yield management because at any moment the entire forest could be killed by fire. One of the most important actions taken by the ‘Inimim plan will be the reduction of forest floor fuel levels.
Making training available for people who work in the woods
One of the traditional problems with forestry has been its top-down hierarchical approach, in which highly trained people design projects but never get their hands dirty. This approach fails to recognize and utilize the intelligence, flexibility and knowledge of the people who actually do the work.
In the ‘Inimim the goal is to join with forest workers to develop a better appreciation of hydrology (watershed science), soil science, forest ecology and botany, among other valuable fields of knowledge relating to their work. This study will allow the basic guidelines of sustainability to be implemented gracefully and flexibly in the field. It will enable those who are doing the work in the field to understand where and why previous practices were successful, where they were destructive, and how the work they are doing fits into the larger ecosystem.
Independent monitoring
Monitoring of practices will be paid for by the forest product purchaser as part of the timber harvest contract. This monitoring should be done by a non-profit organization to keep the costs down for the contractor and to assure that the forest is the primary client in the monitoring process. The eventual goal is for each purchaser to be largely self-monitoring. As purchasers become more experienced with the new forest practices guidelines, we hope that only basic inventory work will be necessary as an ongoing project that is independent of timber harvesting and processing.
Ongoing Education
Background: The YWI has been organizing educational programs relating to the Inimim Forest since it was founded in the fall of 1990. the programs have been of five basic types: 1) evening lecture series; 2) one and two day field seminars; 3) interagency workshops with public participation; 4) a six weeks internship in forest ecology and inventory; and 5) focused discussion groups. Educators and consultants have been people from public agencies, colleges and universities, other community projects, private projects, and the local community.
Ongoing educational projects will be 1) a continuation of these types of programs for students at all levels and the community; 2) training of local people to lead seminars and field trips and to do monitoring and inventory work as another step toward strengthening the community economy; and 3) working cooperatively with timber purchasers to develop a series of classes that will lead to self-monitoring in sustainable logging practices.
Native American Sustainable Inhabitation
The sustainable forestry project proposed for the ‘Inimim has some important precedents in the traditional horticultural and gathering practices of Native Americans. In particular, Native Americans practiced controlled burning, pruning, coppicing and digging in order to maintain healthy plants for foods, medicines and sewing/ weaving/ building materials. In California, Native Americans are faced with increasing difficulties in finding access to gathering places. Plan implementation will include working with traditional gatherers to address this problem and to learn more about native practices.
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES BASED ON SOIL/PLANT ASSOCIATIONS
What is a soil/plant association?
Most human activities in the ‘Inimim plan are organized around soil/plant associations (also known as ecosystem types). A soil/plant association is a unique combination of soil conditions (depth, parent material (bedrock), slope, aspect, elevation) and the plant species, herbs, grasses, shrubs and trees that grow in each soil type.
Over the course of their lives, plants, especially trees, profoundly influence the physical and chemical properties of the soil they grow in—including its overall fertility, rate of formation, moisture storage capacity, acidity and texture. In turn, soil conditions profoundly influence overall productivity of each place—as much as do rainfall and temperature. These conditions largely determine which plant species will thrive and which will ultimately die out on a particular site.
The commercial coniferous trees in the ‘Inimim are highly adaptable and tend to grow on many different soil types. But the herbs and shrubs on the forest floor have much more precise requirements for soil condition, moisture and temperature. It is these understory plants that we use to distinguish the different soil/plant assemblages, which differ markedly in their overall productivity and response to logging or other disturbances.
Wherever the “right” soil conditions exist, the aboveground community of plant species that thrive there will also be found. Since these soil conditions are found in different places throughout the ‘Inimim, so are the plant communities with which they’re associated. Once one becomes familiar with the above-ground plant communities, the soil type beneath can be reliably predicted. That is one of the primary ways in which soils are mapped.
The mapping of soil/plant communities in this plan is based on the work of the Soil Conservation Service (SCS). Using aerial photography and ground plots, SCS mapped all of the ‘Inimim lands in the late 1960s. These soil maps form the basis for the initial soil plant community maps on the ‘Inimim. Accuracy of the original soil mapping will be improved through the process of resource inventory and by monitoring.
SOIL/PLANT ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT GROUPS
The soil/plant associations in the ‘Inimim can be classified into three groups based on the kind, and intensity of human interaction proposed in this plan. Management practices will be applied to ‘Inimim lands based on these three groups.
Group 1 These are commercial conifer forests growing on deep productive, resilient soils. It is the gently sloping lands on these soils that will be the focus of sustainable forestry.
Practice 2: Restoration/working with succession.
Practice 4: Thinning from below
Practice 5: Small group selection logging.
Practice 6: Use only existing roads and skid trails.
Practice 7: Maintain soil cover.
Practice 8: Maintain soil organic matter.
Practice 9: Inventory and Monitoring
Practice 10: Contract sizing to benefit small, community companies.
Practice 11: Growth and maintenance of late-succession forest conditions.
Practice 12: Protection of riparian zones.
Practice 13: Educational example for private land management.
Practice 14: Study Area
Practice 15: Fuel load reduction
Group 2 Includes those assemblages that support commercial conifer and broadleaf species but are marginally productive, dry, shallow soils.
Practice 2: Restoration/working with succession.
Practice 3: Transplantation, natural seeding and reforestation
Practice 12: Protection of riparian zones
Practice 13: Educational example for private land management.
Practice 14: Study Area
Practice 15: Fuel load reduction
Group 3 Chaparral/shrubland, wetland, and non-commercial associations.
Practice 1: Natural processes and cycles.
Practice 12: Protection of riparian zones
Practice 13: Educational example for private land management.
Practice 14: Study Area
Practice 15: Fuel load reduction
BASIC PRACTICES – DEFINITIONS
Practice 1: Natural cycles and processes
The goal of this practice is to allow natural events to unfold without human interference, except to practice fire suppression if necessary to protect threatened, rare or endangered species, or human dwellings on a case by case basis.
Practice 2: Restoration/working with succession
This practice applies to forest lands of moderate to high productivity that have been cleared in the past by logging or intense fire. The goal is to assist the natural soil regeneration process that results, step by step, in gradual replacement of shrub and grass species with trees—and finally those tree species that would naturally be most abundant after several hundred years of uninterrupted growth.
Working with succession involves recognizing the role that manzanita, ceanothus and many broadleaves play in modifying soil conditions in favor of forest trees. It also involves avoiding activities that negate the soil improving effects of these species and damage the soil in the process of reforestation.
Practice 3: Transplantation, natural seeding and reforestation
It is important to recognize that not only are different tree species unique, but also that each race on the Westslope Sierra has evolved to particular local conditions over the past 10,000 years.
Ponderosa pine only a few miles apart can be adapted to growing on moist, north-facing slopes at 1,400 feet or on dry, shallow soil 2,000 feet higher. Buds break at different times. Trees grow to different heights at different rates. Trees are adapted to feast or famine regarding critical nutrient elements.
To maintain the intelligence of these local site adaptations, reforestation on the ‘Inimim is focused on preparing seedbeds for natural reseeding, and transplanting local stock into the small clearings that have been created.
Practice 4: Thinning from below
This is a method of selecting for removal only suppressed or smaller trees beneath the main canopy. Thinning from below is the opposite of high-grading. Logging is targeted on the understory, not the dominant trees.
To avoid changing species composition of the stand, both commercial and non-commercial species (such as broadleafs) will be cut.
Some non-commercial species, such as hardwoods, will be removed from the site to be sold as fuel. Others will be cut leaving stumps no higher than 18 inches above ground and allowed to decay and build soil fertility.
Practice 5: Small group selection logging
Small group selection is the dominant logging method on the ‘Inimim. This method minimizes the damage to soil, the bark of other living trees, and the canopy (which gets broken up as large trees drop through it). In group selection, logging focuses on the small aggregations of trees within a stand that have grown in response to a previous disturbance, logging or fire 100 or more years before. As opposed to clear cutting, where trees of all species and ages are indiscriminately leveled, group selection only occurs within small groups of older, large trees of the same age class. Young trees of all species, if they can survive the felling of the group above them in the canopy and the increased sunlight on the forest floor, will be left to grow. Within the first two years after logging, trees will be transplanted into the new openings as necessary to maintain stocking suitable for the site. Both broadleafs and conifers will be “planted” in these ways:
-seedlings on the forest floor released by opening the canopy above,
-nuts or acorns planted,
-seedbeds prepared,
-conifers transplanted from nearby seedbeds
-natural seeding in the immediate zone of the logging.
The maximum size of openings will be 1.5 times the mature height of the forest canopy on the site—the distance within which wind can disperse conifer seeds and woody material from the surrounding uncut forest. This is also the distance within which logs can fall in from the side and enrich the soil. Snags and healthy young trees of shade-intolerant species will be left in the openings.
Practice 6: Use only existing roads and skid trails
Construction of roads, landings (places where logs are loaded on trucks) and skid roads (where logs are dragged) are the most destructive aspects of forestry—much more destructive to soil fertility and watersheds than the felling of trees. No new hauling roads will be constructed on the ‘Inimim Forest unless absolutely necessary.
Because of the complexity of this topic, guidelines for logging will be developed by YWI in close consultation with the local logging community.
Existing roads which provide access to private property, or which provide escape routes in case of wildfire will be maintained in good condition to reduce erosion.
Practice 7: Maintain soil cover
Within the ‘Inimim forest, soils are typically forming at the rate of 25 thousandths of an inch per year. This is thinner than a piece of paper. The same soil, exposed to the washing rains, has been lost from clearcuts on the upper San Juan Ridge at the rate of over 2 inches per year. Over 18 inches of soil has been lost in 15 years. On some soils, the difference between those that support low productive commercial conifer forest (30 inches to bedrock) and manzanita chaparral (20 inches) is only 10 inches of soil. Thus catastrophic, accelerated soil erosion can convert forest to chaparral soils in 5 years or less. Weathering can restore such soils, but it will take over 400 years. Even then, soil will be restored to previous depth only if surface erosion can be completely halted during that entire period.
As a general rule, if the mineral soil is directly exposed to the rain, soil is being lost at unsustainable levels. The only certain way to prevent such loss is to keep it covered with litter and duff. On the ‘Inimim, prescribed fire will only be used when it will burn cool enough so as not to completely consume the duff. In addition, any soil exposed by logging, skid roads, or landings will be thoroughly mulched before the completion of each project.
Practice 8: Maintain soil organic matter.
Soil organic material will be measured using a statistically sound procedure for each soil/plant association at the inception of the plan. By monitoring soil organic material over time, an index of the net effect that logging is having on soil fertility will be obtained.
Organic material levels will be maintained or increased through the careful use of:
-cool burns,
-retention of fallen logs on the forest floor,
-chipping of slash and shrubs cut in the course of logging and fuel load reduction,
-return of all possible slabs, bark and other cast off material from timber processing to the general vicinity of the logging site.
Practice 9: Inventory and monitoring.
How can an independent observer be certain that sustainable forestry is being practiced on the ‘Inimim? How can the community know? On the ‘Inimim, this dilemma will be resolved by a statistically valid inventory and monitoring process by which a small portion of the real places in the ‘Inimim are measured periodically to determine, with known levels of precision, the current condition, quantity and location of forest species and resources. This will allow the partners to quickly, efficiently and accurately determine if sustained yield guidelines are being followed and if unexpected problems occur—such as the decline of a certain tree species, size or age class of tree, or other plant or animal species.
The YWI has established a data base for basic forest conditions: volume, species composition, size class distribution, snag and down log density. Additional primary inventory to determine the presence and distribution on the ‘Inimim of plant and resident animal species will be completed prior to implementation of the first logging projects.
Federal or state listed rare, threatened and endangered species will be given special attention, and a list of the species that occur on the ‘Inimim will be prepared. Basic inventory of soil and water conditions, and current fuel loading by soil/plant association and site will also be completed.
Practice 10: Contract sizing to benefit small, community companies.
Projects involving cutting, removing and processing timber, tree planting and fuels reduction on the ‘Inimim will be carefully designed to benefit small, local, community based logging, woodworking, transporting, wood processing, milling and manufacturing companies. The goal of such project design and scaling is to encourage the community to capture the maximum local economic benefit from each tree cut.
Ideally, once local companies are established, the size and design of timber cutting projects will encourage milling of materials on-site, processing, finishing and curing of wood products locally, and the sale from the community of wood grown on the ‘Inimim only as finished lumber, furniture and other value added products.
Practice 11: Growth and maintenance of late-succession forest conditions
All forest practices on the ‘Inimim will be based on the goal of encouraging natural processes of growth and decay to reestablish late-succession forest conditions—such as multi-layered canopies, large snags and down logs, large diameter trees several hundred years old, and deep organic matter-rich forest floors—to develop on the majority of the lands in ‘Inimim. The trees—living and dead—will provide essential habitat for late-succession forest dependent species. Such woody material will also maintain the fertility of the forest soil, storing and cycling essential nutrients, and maintaining stable water flows in the forested watersheds of the ‘Inimim.
Practice 12: Protection of riparian zones.
Streamside or riparian zones are critical parts of the ‘Inimim as wildlife habitat and key zones in watershed protection, and the prevention of flooding. Vegetation on both sides of fishbearing streams and those that dry to pools in the summer will be completely protected within the zone in which moisture requiring riparian vegetation—alders, willows, clumpgrass—grows. Vegetation will be protected to provide shade for streams, woody material—leaves, branches and coarse wood—which are a major energy source for the stream animals, and to reduce the time in which streamside soils are saturated and contribute to flooding. During intense storms, the volume of water simply falling on the surface of perennial water bodies can cause flooding downstream. The surface area of this wet zone can be greatly increased, with severe results, if streamside vegetation is cleared and streamside soil is saturated too.
Practice 13: ‘Inimim as an educational example for private land management.
One of the core goals of the ‘Inimim plan, once it is implemented, is to provide an educational and inspirational example for state of the art sustainable forest management on the surrounding private lands owned by members of the local community. All work undertaken on the ‘Inimim will be pursued with this educational and model project goal in mind.
Practice 14: Study Area
The Community-Based Sustainable Forestry project on the Inimim and the Inimim Forest itself will be of interest to other communities, public and private land agencies and educational institutions. Projects will be conducted in such a way that they will be open and accessible to interested people. Documentation of the projects an important part of sustainable forestry.
Practice 15: Fire as an ecological tool
In order to reintroduce fire into the ecosystem, it will be necessary to reduce fuels using a variety of methods, including mechanical removal of brush, chipping, thinning, and pruning. The purpose of reintroducing fire is to reduce the likelihood of catastrophic fires, to increase the rate of nutrient cycling in the system, and to preparing the seedbed for regeneration of forest trees and plants.
COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP
Public participation in the stewardship of the ‘Inimim Forest is essential to the project. The basic guiding principle is that those who make the decisions must live with the consequences. It is the policy of the BLM to approve community-generated management decisions unless those decisions fall outside existing Federal laws or regulations, or Bureau policy.
There will be two forms of input from the local community to the Bureau:
1. Advice from people from the public and business sectors, such as but not limited to small scale timber operators, the fire department, schools, forest workers, agriculture grazing, and mining.
2. Periodic public meetings concerned with specific projects to solicit further public input.
PLAN AMENDMENTS
To be effective, a plan must have some flexibility built into it. This is because even the best of plans sometimes have unforseen consequences which might be undesirable. On the other hand, plans that are easy to change have no stability—one of the main reasons for having a plan in the first place.
The ‘Inimim Forest Plan can be modified, however, if a good case can be made for the change. For example, if the monitoring program or an independent research project produces information which would justify a change, then a plan amendment should be prepared.
Proposed Plan amendments will be treated formally. The BLM will prepare an Environmental Assessment, and submit both the proposed amendment and the EA for public review. A plan amendment will not be finalized until the public review process has been completed.
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
As the ‘Inimim Forest Management Plan is implemented, the partners will continue working closely together to insure a positive outcome.
The Bureau of Land Management will continue to be the responsible agency for the Public Lands, and will remain the final authority. Decision-making authority for the management of the Public Lands cannot be delegated. Therefore, for example, the BLM will be responsible for coordinating and conducting prescribed burns with private landowners, CDF, the Forest Service, Fish and Game, the local fire department and others.
The Yuba Watershed Institute and the Timber Framers Guild will continue to participate in helping develop goals and objectives. From time to time, they will also make land management recommendations to the BLM. Private landowners may participate on an individual basis by including or excluding their land from area-wide management practices, such as prescribed burns, or they may make recommendations to the BLM on their own.
Timber sales and all other administrative functions, legally the responsibility of the Federal Government will continue to be a Federal responsibility.
However, a high level of community interaction will occur in every phase of plan implementation, and the BLM will be implementing management actions consistent with the community-based plan, as adopted.
Any management action not described in the plan will continue to follow current management practices as specified in appropriate Federal laws, regulations, and policies.
APPENDICES
PARTNERSHIP GOALS
(Adopted Fall, 1990)
1. To provide a sustainable supply of high-quality, old growth conifer and hardwood timber, including species not presently utilized, for the use and benefit of craftspeople such as timber framers, furniture builders and specialized consumers who use high quality wood. The production of mature or old growth timber will require intensive stand and individual tree management practices, including thinning, pruning, and careful harvest.
2. To foster the development of a late seral or “old growth” ecosystem with appropriate habitats for forest wildlife species such as the spotted owl, flammulated owl, pileated woodpecker, long-eared myotis, flying squirrel and fisher. Also to protect and enhance the winter range of the Nevada City deer herd.
3. To preserve and enhance the riparian zone along the forks of Shady Creek and Spring Creek for fish and wildlife habitat, water quality and public recreation.
4. To provide a model of timber management that demonstrates that high-grade wood products can be produced on a sustainable basis and, in turn, sustain a community economic system.
5. To establish a research natural area for research and educational uses that further the primary purpose stated above.
6. To improve the relationship between the BLM and all those with an interest in public lands on San Juan Ridge.
INIMIM PARCELS
Parcel #1
“Grizzly Hill School Parcel”
Legal Description: Lot 1, Sec 32, T18N, R9E, MDB & M
Total acres: 19.48
Assessor’s Parcel Number: 61-10-39
Soils: JoC- 15%, JrE-15%, MaD-15%, HrC-15%, HrD-40%
Narrative Description:
The Grizzly Hill School parcel is a small. relatively flat area, located adjacent to Grizzly Hills School. It is bisected by Old Mill Road, which carries a significant portion of school-related traffic. Another road loops through the western portion. None of the roads has a right-of-way for access, but are informally maintained by a local property owners association. Two rights-of-way, one for power and one for telephone service, cross the western portion of the parcel along the roads.
The land east of Old Mill Road contains a mixed coniferous/hardwood forest which contains elements of a developing old growth structure. There is also a small meadow, and some riparian growth. This area is currently under a Recreation and Public Purposes Act lease to the San Juan Ridge Union School District.
The vegetation west of Old Mill Road is about 50% large conifers with a manzanita/kitkitdizze understory. About 30% of the parcel is a manzanita brush field. There is a dense stand of young ponderosa pine next to Old Mill Road.
Management Practices which may apply to this parcel: 2-16
Parcel #2
“Sugar Loaf”
Legal Description: SEC 6, T17N, R9E Lot 13 30.27 acres
Lot 14 45.06
Lot 15 44.90
Lot 16 38.88
Lot 17 7.04
Lot 18 4.25
Lot 19 24.89
Assessor’s Parcel Number: 61-13-02
Total Acreage: 195.29
Soil Types: McFZ-60%, JoE – 30%, HrC- 10% Ta-2%
Narrative Description:
This parcel consists of a large hill. From the summit, there is a splendid view of several other ‘Inimim Forest parcels. A portion of the old Tyler-Foote Road runs along the eastern portion of the parcel.
The south slope of Sugar Loaf is mostly covered with manzanita, with a few conifers located in drainages. An old pine plantation is in the southeast portion, with what appears to be an old skid road leading to the top of the hill. Black oaks can be found in increasing numbers toward the west and north. Several abandoned cars and other trash items are at the base of the plantation.
The north slope contains two good conifer stands which show some characteristics of developing old growth structure. Ponderosa pine is dominant along the ridges with Douglas fir dominant in the ravines.
Management Practices which may apply to this parcel: 1, 2, 4-14
Parcel #3
“Poison Oak”
Legal Description: SEC 12, T17N, R8E E½NW¼
Assessor’s Parcel Number: 62-04-2
Total Acreage: 80.00
Soil Types: SID-55%, SIB-40%, MrE-5%, HrC-15%, Ta-5%
Narrative Description:
The Poison Oak Parcel got its name from very thick stands of poison oak. Overall, it is relatively flat, with the southern end facing south and most of the parcel facing north. A ravine with a perennial stream, “Slug Creek,” enters the parcel from the hydrauliked lands to the immediate east. There was a BLM timber sale in 1971. Shady Creek Road enters the parcel at the northeast end. An old logging road suns the length of the parcel. Sumi Road crosses the southern end.
The south-facing portion is dry, with scattered ponderosa pine, madrone, manzanita, and some Scotch broom. The majority of the parcel, which faces north, is a mixed coniferous forest dominated by Douglas fir. The riparian area along Slug Creek contains bigleaf maple, dogwood, several ferns, and other herbaceous plants.
Management Practices which may apply to this parcel: All
Parcel #4
“Shady Grove”
Legal Description: SEC 12, T17N,R8E Lot 3 13.11 acres
Lot 4 39.95
Assessor’s Parcel Number: 62-04-06
Total Acreage: 53.06
Soil Types: SIC-45%, SID-40%, HrD-15%, HnC-5%
Narrative Description:
The Shady Grove Parcel, dominated by a coniferous forest, largely consists of a north slope which ends at Shady Creek. The southern end is well-stocked with youngish ponderosa pine with a kitkitdizze understory, which transitions into Douglas fir with honeysuckle on the forest floor toward the north. A distinctive feature is a two-acre grove of very large trees used by local residents for picnics.
A BLM road traverses the northern portion of the parcel. Logging occurred in the early 1970’s, and the parcel has experienced wildfire. There has been little or no mining activity.
Management Practices which may apply to this parcel: 2-16
Parcel #5
“Big Parcel”
Legal Description: SEC 7, T17N, R9E Lot 17 35.90 acres
Lot 18 6.85
Lot 19 27.60
Lot 20 40.16
Lot 21 43.91
Lot 22 42.50
Lot 23 42.68
Lot 24 42.93
Lot 25 42.41
Lot 26 42.25
Lot 27 42.07
SEC 8, T17N,R9E Lot 9 6.03
Lot 10 30.37
Lot 13 39.64
SW¼SW¼ 40.00
Assessor’s Parcel Numbers: 62-05-05 & 62-05-07
Total Acreage: 525.30
Soil Types: JoD-30%, HeC-20%, HrD-5%, Pr-5%, JrE-10%, MaD-5%, AfB-5%, Afc-10%, MrE-5%, HnC-5%, Ta-15%. These are the soil types for the entire parcel. The soil types will be separated into the two parcels in the next printing.
Special Considerations:
Because of the size of this parcel, it is convenient to divide it into two separate management units, using Jackass Flat Road as a boundary. The northern portion will be known as Parcel 5A, “Headwaters;” while the southern portion is identified as Parcel 5B, “Long Ravine.”
Parcel #5A
“Headwaters”
Narrative Description:
The Headwaters Parcel consists of 341 acres of public land, nearly all of which has been disturbed to some degree in the past.
The northeast portion was subjected to hydraulic mining in the early 1880’s. There is no original soil, and topography is highly irregular. Vegetation consists of a few stands of poorly developed trees, and scattered shrubs. A combination of surface run-off and ground water seepage has fostered the evolution of a wetlands habitat, with ponds, and several cranberry bogs.
The remainder of the parcel contains some placer mining scars and tailings, but none to the extent of the northeast portion. Topography shows some variation. There are two intermittent streams, and one perennial. Vegetation on the non-hydrauliked portion of the parcel consists of a mixed coniferous forest dominated by ponderosa pine on ridgetop areas and by Douglas fir on the north slopes. There is considerable incense cedar, black oak, and madrone in the overstory, and an abundant ground cover of kitkitdizze, whiteleaf manzanita, and sweet birch. A near-old growth situation exists in Rocky Raccoon Ravine.
Much of the parcel was logged in the early 1960’s by a selection cut harvest method. A ponderosa pine plantation was established in 1964, adjacent to Jackass Flat Road. A BLM road cuts through the west half of the parcel.
Management Practices which may apply to this parcel: All
Parcel #5B
“Long Ravine”
Narrative Description:
The Long Ravine Parcel contains 185 acres, most of which has been disturbed in the past. Much of the past disturbance was from timber harvest; the last was in the early sixties. There is an old ponderosa pine plantation, an extension of the same one identified in the Headwaters Parcel. Very little hydraulic mining occurred on these lands.
The most striking feature of the Long Ravine Parcel is Long Ravine itself. It runs toward the southeast, and contains large ponderosa pines and Douglas Fir trees. There is a second southeast-running ravine to the south that also has some big trees. A notable group of large sugar pines is along the Fire Access Road. The area as a whole is predominantly mixed conifer showing evidence of previous fires and logging, but with healthy trees of many species., and occasional manzanita fields. Much of the terrain is rugged, and apart from the few dirt roads, there are no trails and few places that are easy open walking.
Management Practices which may apply to this parcel: All
Parcel #6
“Bear Tree”
Legal Description: SEC 4, T17N, R9E Lot 15 10.18 acres
SEC 5, T17N, R9E Lot 8 3.60
Lot 9 10.15
SEC 8, T17N, R9E Lot 6 40.01
Lot 7 26.19
Lot 11 17.17
Lot 12 39.56
Assessor’s Parcel Numbers: 62-12-03, 61-13-13, 62-01-06,
Total Acreage: 146.86
Mining Claims: One, with one claimant.
Soil Types: SIC – 60%, HrC -20%, Ta- 5%, JoD -10%, JrE -20%
Narrative Description:
The northern end of the Bear Tree Parcel is a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the diggings. Most of the parcel is dominated by ponderosa pine, but there is a manzanita brush field on the southern slope of a ridge in the southern portion. There is a wide diversity of canopy layers (three or four), and age classes. Species composition includes ponderosa pine, incense cedar, manzanita, sweet birch, black oak, and Douglas fir.
The most noteworthy feature of the parcel is the impressive stand of large trees on the northern slope of the ridge which lies just south of Farrell Ravine Road. These are among the largest trees of the ‘Inimim Forest and are beginning to resemble an old growth forest.
The southwest corner contains the Azalea Grove, a very healthy timber stand with significant diversity of species, including Douglas fir, sugar pine, ponderosa pine, incense cedar, live oak, black oak, and madrone. The understory consists of azalea, dogwood, wood rose, snowberry, and toyon. This area is presently inaccessible by motor vehicle.
A road bisects the parcel to provide access to residents on private property. There are some signs of mining, but not many. The parcel has been logged in the past.
Management practices which may apply to this parcel: All
Parcel #7
“Spring Creek”
Legal Description: SEC 4, T17N, R9E SE¼NE¼ 40.00 Acres
Assessor’s Parcel Numbers: 61-11-07, 61-11-08 & 61-11-09
Total acreage: 40.00
Soil Types: SIC -50%, SmE -45%, SID -5%
Narrative Description:
The parcel is mostly heavily wooded, but effectively cut into several pieces by Spring Creek and Lake City Road.
Spring Creek, a perennial stream, has a well-developed riparian community associated with it. Vegetation includes dogwood, Pacific yew, maple, tan oak, madrone, and Oregon grape. Trout can be found in the creek.
The southern half of the parcel is broad, and relatively flat. There is a good stand of ponderosa pine, with incense cedar and black oaks mixed with the pines. The understory tends to be dense in places. There is a thicket of young Douglas fir.
The southeast corner, isolated from the rest of the parcel by the road, is undistinguished.
Management Actions that may apply to this area: 2-16
Parcel #8
“Shield’s Camp”
Legal Description: SEC 3, T17N, R9E Lot 3 39.80 Acres
SE¼NW¼ 40.00
E½E½SW¼NW¼ 10.00
SEC 34, T18N, R9E W½W½SE¼ 40.00
SW¼SW¼ 40.00
W½NW¼SW¼ 20.00
SE¼NW¼SW¼ 10.00
S½NE¼NW¼SW¼ 5.00
Assessor’s Parcel Numbers: 3-30-11
3-32-39
3-32-41
Total Acreage: 284.80
Mining Claims: Ten, with three claimants.
Soil Types: Cod -35%, SmE -5%, CoE -20%, HrD -15%, ScE -10%, Ta -5%, CkF -15%, ImE -5%
Narrative Description:
The Shield’s Camp parcel is probably the most varied parcel in the ‘Inimim Forest. Portions of the parcel are within the tertiary Yuba River channel, and show some signs of past placer mining activities. A mixed coniferous forest with trees of varying ages covers most of the parcel, with ponderosa pine dominating the south-facing slopes and flat areas. There are also stands of hardwoods and some white fir. About 30 acres of a south-facing slope is a mixture of chaparral and oak trees. The parcel has been logged in the past, and old fire scars are common.
Two perennial streams cross the property. One of them, Spring Creek, contains trout. Both streams have well-developed riparian communities.
The only open meadows on public land in the ‘Inimim Forest are found here. The Shield’s Camp meadow was once the site of a mining operation which included a swimming pool. To the south of Shield’s Camp, the Many Springs meadow has soil much too wet for trees or brush.
This is the only parcel with recognized archaeological resources. The Many Springs site, an occupation area, is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. There are bedrock mortars and an overhanging ledge ancient campsite. An old mining camp, probably from the 1930’s, is present along Spring Creek.
Management that may apply to this parcel: All
Parcel #9
“Long View”
Legal Description: SEC 3, T17N,R9E Lot 11 37.02 acres Lot 12 5.80
Assessor’s Parcel Number: 3-32-18
Total Acreage: 42.82
Mining Claims: None recorded
Soil types: CoE -50%, Rn -15%, CsF -20%
Narrative Description:
The Big View Parcel is the hub of several habitat types divided diagonally by a steep 100-foot cliff. To the south is a dry outcropping of composite rock covered with shrubby birchleaf mountain mahogany. The opening here affords a grand vista of the North Columbia Diggings, the lower ‘Inimim Forest, and, at the horizon, the Coast Range.
The upper bench is covered with ponderosa pine, a few cedars and manzanita. The older trees, some quite large, show scars from a wildfire.
On the north side of the cliff is the lower level of the parcel. This contains a moister, cooler Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, incense cedar forest with ginger and sweet birch on the forest floor. Large 150 to 200-year old trees are scattered throughout. This area has been logged in the past.
The private property to the north has a fence just inside the ‘Inimim border and a Mormon gate which provides access from the property to a skid trail. Except for this skid trail, the Big View Parcel is roadless.
Management practices that may apply to this parcel: 1-3, 13-16
Goal: Reserve the parcel for use as a habitat reservoir for the greater San Juan Ridge ecosystem.
Goal: At the appropriate time, devise a management plan which will be consistent and complementary with plans developed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation for the management of State lands associated Malakoff Diggings.
Parcel #10
“Bald Mountain”
Legal Description: T17N, R9E, Sec. 18, NE¼NE¼ 40.0 Acres
S½NE¼ 80.0
SE¼NW¼ 40.0
N½NW¼SW¼ 80.0
N½S½NW¼SW¼ 10.0
NE¼SW¼ 40.0
E½NW¼SE¼SW¼ 5.0
NE¼SE¼SW¼ 10.0
N½SE¼SE¼SW¼ 5.0
N½SE¼ 80.0
N½SW¼SE¼ 20.0
NW¼SE¼SE¼ 10.0
W½NE¼SE¼SE¼ 5.0
Total Acres: 425.0
Assessor’s Parcel Number: 62-08-3
Total Acreage: 425.0
Mining Claims:
Soil Types:
Narrative Description:
The Bald Mountain parcel is approximately 425 acres of ridge and slope land above the 2,800 foot contour interval just north of the South Yuba River. From Bald Mountain summit, 3,125 feet, one can see the southwestern San Juan Ridge and beyond that the Sacramento Valley and the Coast Range. To the east one looks up to the high country at the headwaters of the South Yuba River.
The parcel is dominated by Bald Mountain, which is central to it. The extensive dome of Bald Mountain is a dry, shallow, stony soil underlain by metabasic rocks. It supports the rare Macnab cypress, dwarf Oregon white oak (Salvia sonomensis, and very probably a number of serpentinian endemics. The coastal horned lizard and the California thrasher have also been found in this unique dry association. East of the mountain is a bowl-shaped watershed whose gentle slopes drain east into Spring Creek. Soils here are deeper, finer in texture, moister and underlain by volcanic andesite and metamorphic sea sediments. The whole eastern end of the parcel was logged and/or burned in the thirties or forties, and now has some dense thickets of whiteleaf manzanita with 15-40 foot ponderosa pines above. Older sugar and ponderosa pines grow scattered throughout the land, much of which has been subject to severe sheet erosion as noted by the Soil Conservation Service. In the northwest corner of the parcel are a few very large ponderosa pines and black oaks on the deeper soils of the ridge-top.
Bald Mountain itself is accessible by an old logging/fire access road that passes through private property. A trail goes from the fire road to the summit. The mountain has a marvelous broad view, and is regularly visited by local people on foot or horseback. Mountain bikers occasionally try it. The trail, however, is eroding at a high rate, and seems to be turning itself into a drainage channel. It needs top be closed, and a new trail to the Summit constructed.
Because of the dense brush and the proximity to the steep slopes of the South Yuba River canyon, fire danger is very high. The parcel would benefit greatly from fuel reduction.