1 Minutes from the Oct. 22 meeting: Lisa M. moved, Spencer 2nd, minutes approved. - Jay McL. asked for clarification of quote from Nancy R. in the meeting minutes to the effect that she wished that we had MADCG involvement sooner in the Cave/Bear project. Nancy does not remember the quote. 2 Woody biomass: - Jay questioned remarks from several meetings that implied that there had been 2 biomass units in the Sawtooth Huckleberry Restoration project which has not been sold due to lack of interest. In fact no such sales have been offered. Units 4 & 6 were not included in the timber sale to avoid discouraging bidders. - Jim M. - SDS is actively working to maximize biomass collection currently. The Stray Cat sale entailed “mountains” of biomass. High Cascade is working on two Stewardship sales; they would “love to sell biomass” from those sales. - Jay – biomass, including 'small wood', should be sorted at the landing during timber sale operations. Example, WA DNR sale on Buck Creek. - Spencer moved to create a subcommittee for biomass/small-material; 2nd Jim W., approved. Jay McL., Spencer, Jim M. joined. - Gail F. mentioned 2 grant offers – one 'to do', one to study. Todd M. will review. 3 Cave/Bear project update – Jay McL.: - 2,200 acres chosen for stand exams – 80 units of 51-80 years old trees. - One bidder on the contract – Integrated Resource Management of Philomath, OR. - Started one week ago with one timber cruiser. More coming, but so is the snow. - Current rate of work should equate to the 9,600 acres specified in RAC II grant. - Jim M. asked if they have any mbf estimates yet. No – lacking silviculture data. - Jay noticed some areas of 15 – 20 dbh trees that need thinning. - Tom L. commented that the watershed is approximately 64,000 acres. What does the 9,600 acre sample mean for a watershed-level project? - Nancy R. - Jon Nakae thinks that the District may need to divide the watershed into 2 NEPA projects. - Tom – can Mt. Adams District get money for 2 NEPAs? Nancy – Wildcat did. - Tom – what about timber volume vs. the District’s expected target contribution? - Nancy tried to push for 2010 budget funds for Cave/Bear but request was rejected. - Norm W. - the 5-year plan called for Cave in 2010, Wind River in 2011, etc. - Lisa M. - Wildcat took more work than expected. Nancy agreed - “too big”. 4 Cave/Bear restoration projects – Lisa M.: - Scope of work discussion beginning now to get ready for field work. See the file that Lisa e-mailed last week for her proposals. - RAC II funds were for Stewardship. - Lisa's proposals come from a late-90s Forest Service list. It's a preliminary look at the project – some parts might have been completed already; some conditions may have changed. - Nancy – the RAC II money is for NEPA work. She has told District staff to make suggestions as to how to “flesh out” the details. (Any staff work of this sort is considered part of normal F.S. work. No RAC II funds will be applied to this.) - Gail F. asked if the road densities proposed are aligned with the Forest Plan. Lisa replied that this has not been addressed. - Tom L. commented that he had announced early-on to be included in the Cave/Bear committee, but has had no warning about this activity. “Collaborative?” - Lisa – this is just a starting point. The watershed analysis came straight from the F.S., except roads section, which came from GP Task Force (related map, too). Related to this, the committee needs to look at the F.S. 2003 road analysis. - Lisa wants to form a subcommittee to work on these aspects. Gail F., Tom L., Jim W., Terry T. signed up. - Lisa will call an early December meeting and will send out the related analyses to the subcommittee members. - Gail F. - how to find the analysis documents on the F.S. Web-site? Go to the Publications link on the GPNF site. - Norm W. wants to know where suggested road decommissions reach plantations. 5 Bear Creek project – revision draft: - Spencer sent out re-draft to members who attended the last MADCG meeting. Comments came from Jamie T. only. - Nancy – address the letter to the RAC. OK to add that it is “confirmed by the F.S.” - Nancy – review the cost elements in light of the changed focus. - The group verbally affirmed the letter contents. 6 Forest Service update: - Jay McL. And Jake A. met with Robin (?) and Jon Nakae, plus some contractors, on 'small-material' sales to discuss the benefits to small businesses. Even a single, large hazard tree can be worthwhile to a small mill. - WA DNR is supportive of such treatment; federal Forests have more “hoops”. - Jake – small steps to create big improvements. - How to? - Categorical Exclusions? - Jay – include small units in big NEPA projects. - Norm W. - the Siuslaw N.F. does big NEPA with 10-year lifetimes. They then set up sales every year from the document. Terry T. - Umatilla. Jay – Colville. - WinThin – helicopters done for the year. - Jim M. - Ruth Tracy (sp?) and Aldo Aguilar (sp?) helped to set up a second trial of a mechanical harvester system to set up optimal log bundles for the remaining helicopter work. There will be many monitors. - Jim M. also commented on the 43 road rebuild necessary to work the Mowich sale, due to lack of maintenance by the F.S. Now the Hemlock Dam removal project has damaged the road severely again. - Norm W. - lack of 'pulling' ditches causes water to pool, then migrate under the roads, washing out fines, which eventually results in slumping of the road. - Terry T. - culvert condition, too. Jim M. - culverts 'decayed', too. - Nancy – didn't burn Mowich due to east winds. - Norm visited the Mowich site and found the area thick with Vine Maple and fir seedlings. No 'red slash' left. Jim M. commented that, given the lack of needles, the F.S. Should spread the slash around – not likely to burn well. - Nancy – making test burns at the Sawtooth project. - Wildcat sale is under appeal by the GP Task Force. Response due soon. - MADCG projects for 2010 – in general the ARRA ('Stimulus') money has arrived for bridges, trails, buildings, and roads. GPNF staff has had to take the time to prep for these projects, which has reduced their time for standard Forest management work. - Norm – the Dry Creek bridges “look good”. - Norm – what is the status of the Dry Creek thinning project? The gates are closing on Dec. 1? - Some cable-based work was re-started last week. (?) 7 Next meeting: Dec. 17 at the Underwood Community Center @ 15:00. Attendees: Peggy Bryan, Paul Spencer, Lisa Moscinski, Nancy Ryke, Bruce Holmson, Terry Tanner, Gail Fullerton, Jim White, Jim Mickel, Jay McLaughlin, Tom Linde, Norm Ward, Jake Anderson, Todd Murray | 
