Six Days Left to Save the Old-Growth Forests of Secret Creek!

A recent blog post and video by Klamath Forest Alliance, along with the advocacy of residents, conservationists, and elected officials from throughout the region and throughout the country has forced the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest to “extend” the auction date for the Secret Timber Sale until September 19. Meaning unless we effectively organize against this sale, these forests could still be sold to the highest bidder in just six days.

Although we appreciate this temporary reprieve, the agency has made no guarantee that the old-growth trees currently targeted for removal will be retained or that the old-growth units would be withdrawn from the timber sale. Thus, the mature, old-growth and highly fire resistant forests of Briggs Creek and Secret Creek are still threatened with old-growth logging by federal officials. Ironically these same federal officials are currently directed by Executive Order #14072 to protect mature and old-growth forests for climate resilience.

Despite extending the auction date to review the timber sale mark, Forest Supervisor Molly Juillerat is refusing to meet with the Klamath Forest Alliance, who brought the issue to the Forest’s attention, or allow us to visit the site with her to show her firsthand the problems throughout this old-growth logging project. She is also refusing (despite repeated requests) to provide basic information about the current timber sale tree removal mark, including the Secret Timber Sale Timber Tally, Marking Guidelines and the signed Silvicultural Prescriptions. Ironically, how these old-growth trees got marked in the first place, is being kept secret.

The Upper Briggs Restoration Project was proposed and approved as a restoration and fuel reduction project intended specifically to retain large, legacy trees, rather than remove them. In fact, the Decision Notice (DN)  claims that the fuel reduction objectives of the project would be met by “thinning forested stands that would retain and enhance fire adapted trees (generally >120 years old).” (DN P. 9). This was intended specifically to “reduce the risk of large stand-replacing fires and reintroduce controlled fire to the landscape.” Yet, it is not being implemented on the ground in the actual timber sale mark.

Additionally, mitigation measures for wildlife identified in the Decision Notice included a requirement to retain all “legacy trees-greater than 120 years based on tree characteristics described in the marking guidelines” in all treatment units (DN P. 29).  Yet, trees between 30” & 53” diameter are being targeted for removal, while it is universally understood that trees this size are “legacy” structures and should be retained.

The Decision Notice also states, “Thinning activities would focus on removing subdominant trees (primarily Douglas-fir) from the understory to achieve desired stand densities, while leaving all dominant (largest, oldest) overstory trees and a multi- layered structure.” (DN P. 3) However, many of the trees marked are dominant overstory trees, including some of the largest, oldest trees in a given timber sale unit, and these trees are important in providing an upper canopy layer in the stand’s multi-layered structure. By removing large, old, and dominant overstory trees the agency is in violation of the Decision Notice, in conflict with all applicable science, and inconsistent with its own rhetoric surrounding wildfire and commercial logging.

For example, the Decision Notice also proposes “thinning from below,” and “radial thinning around large trees.” (DN P.3) This demonstrates that large trees were intended for retention and a thin from below prescription would retain the large, overstory tree component. In the Decision and Rationale portion of the Decision Notice, specific project objectives included “prolonging the persistence of legacy trees” and “accelerating the development of later seral forest structure,” while also “conserving and enhancing habitat for the northern spotted owl.” It is paradoxical to make these claims while removing large, old, dominant, overstory trees that survived the most recent fire event. These trees and forests have demonstrated fire resilience, and after the beneficial fire effects are even more likely to persist in the long term if not logged by Forest Service officials. Ironically, in the name of prolonging the persistence of legacy trees, the agency is logging them, hauling them to local mills, and removing them from the landscape.

The Decision Notice claims, and we concur, that “smaller, shade intolerant trees are less fire resistant than large, old pines, cedars and Douglas firs.” (DN P.5) However, the project proposes to remove many large, old trees between 30 and 53″ diameter. The Decision Notice also identifies a concern that the no action alternative would perpetuate conditions where, “individual large and medium diameter conifers would continue to be stressed by limited resources and become more susceptible to mortality from insects and disease.” (DN.P. 6) Yet again, both large and medium sized trees proposed for retention in the Decision Notice are instead being marked for removal in the Secret Timber Sale, ensuring their mortality.

Large portions of the Secret Timber Sale are old-growth logging projects dressed up in the language of “restoration.” But make no mistake, this is not forest restoration, it is habitat degradation utilizing a dishonest and disingenuous narrative of “forest health.” Many of the forests targeted for industrial logging are already healthy, fire resilient, old-growth forests supporting important wildlife habitats, and large carbon rich trees. While the Forest Service nationally claims they are creating strategies to protect old-growth forests through President Biden’s National Old-Growth Amendment, local land managers are creating strategies and meritless justifications to cut them down.

Please support our efforts to protect the old-growth forests of Briggs Creek by contacting Forest Supervisor Molly Juillerat at the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. We also ask that you reach out to elected officials in Oregon to demand open, transparent and accountable management of federal lands and the protection of old-growth forests. Although many of these trees have stood for hundreds of years, we have less than a week to save them!

Please contact the following officials:

Forest Supervisor Molly Juillierat: molly.juillerat@usda.gov

Deputy Chief Christopher French: Christopher.French@usda.gov

Senator Wyden’s Nature Resource Staff: Jacob Eggler, Jacob_Egler@wyden.senate.gov

Senator Merkley’s SW Oregon Staff: Dahna Black, Dahna_Black@merkley.senate.gov

 Talking Points:

• Withdraw all mature and old-growth units from the Secret Timber Sale and retain all dominant legacy trees as directed in the Decision Notice. This should protect all trees over 120 years of age as identified in the Decision Notice with a 20” diameter limit.
• Abide by the intent of the National Old-Growth Amendment and Executive Order #14072 and ensure that no old-growth trees are removed in the Secret Timber Sale.
• Support open, transparent management on federal lands by releasing the following documents on the Forest Service’s project website: Secret Timber Sale Timber Tally, Secret Timber Sale Marking Guidelines, signed Silvicultural Prescriptions for the Secret Timber Sale