Jim Doran, Exec. Director

Notes from Project Work Planning Session

Colville National Forest and NEW forestry Coalition

March 21, 2005

I. Fiscal Year 2005:

1. (Not discussed) Burnt Valley WUI Stewardship Project. This project has received a great deal of attention and collaboration has lead to a permitted project. Nevertheless, the NEW Forestry Coalition remains committed to the Multi-Party Monitoring, project modifications and media and community outreach and education surrounding this project.

2. (Not discussed) Orient WUI Stewardship Project. (Same as in # 1, above.)

3. Quartzite (Not Discussed) – This was the Coalition’s first involvement in collaborative problem solving on a significant project (4,000 acres +/-). This project is now being prepared as a Stewardship Project. The Coalition is concerned about the length of time that Stewardship Contracting might add to the contracting date.

4. Geophysical – A WUI project in Pend O’Reille County with 300 prescribed fire and 300 acres of mechanical thinning and 100 acres of this within the timber sale. There will be 250 MBF removed. The Coalition is waiting word on funding that would provide for the community outreach and education for the creation of a CWPP in that overall area and with the detail needed for the specific Strategic Planning Area where the WUI project is located. This would be a similar project as the Burnt Valley project for the Coalition. There is a high level of community interest in this project area.

5. The Lakes – A WUI project near the community at Gillette and Sherry (and other) Lakes with 100 acres prescribed fire and 900 acres mechanical thinning and 400 acres of this within a timber sale. There will be 700 MBF removed. This would be an ideal project to do a similar CWPP project as was done at Burnt Valley. The coalition does not see a funding stream yet for that level of involvement. However, the Coalition would participate collaboratively at the project planning and prescription design stages. Hopefully funding for outreach, education, monitoring and CWPP will be obtained in time. Comment period is May and June 2005.

6. Bangs Mountain – A WUI project (I think) without many homes with 100 acres prescribed fire and 900 acres mechanical thinning and 600 acres of this within a timber sale. There will be 1,200 MBF removed. This could be a project to work collaboratively on issues of variable density thinning for fuels reduction and forest health.

7. Trout – A WUI project north and east of Republic in Ferry County with 2,500 acres prescribed fire and 554 mechanical thinning and 2,000 acres of this within a timber sale. There will be 6,000 MBF removed. The Coalition could get involved at this advance point, as we did in the Deadman Project, and try to work out some acceptable modifications that will get a project permitted. (the statistics will very likely change.) The Coalition could perform community outreach and education concerning this project.

8. Deadman – A timber sale project in Ferry County with 5,000 MBF to be removed. The Coalition has played a key role in getting this project to an agreed upon design. The appeal period is currently running. I am not sure of the final date. Again, the Coalition could do community outreach and education with this project.

II. Fiscal Year 2006:

1. Misery – A forest health and fuels reduction timber sale project in Pend O’Reille County with some WUI areas. There are 3,579 acres prescribed fire and 885 acres mechanical thinning and 2,600 acres of this within a timber sale. There will be 17,000 MBF removed. The roads for the project already exist. The area is used for recreation. The goal is to create a forest mosaic for fuels breaks.

2. O’Brien – A WUI project near the White Mountain burn in Ferry County with 331 acres prescribed fire and 1,123 acres mechanical thinning and 1,123 acres of this within a timber sale. There will be 3,036 MBF removed. This project will contain serious communication issues with the local community. The Coalition could collaborate jointly with the Highlands Defense Team and develop an outreach and education program for this project.

3. Aeneas – A WUI project to the north and east of Republic with 1,113 acres prescribed fire and 1,663 acres mechanical thinning. (No info available on MBF or Timber Sale). Significant and careful public outreach and education is needed. (Highlands Defense Team needs to be contacted). There are many homes in the area.

4. Jack Knife – A WUI project in the Deadman Creek area of Ferry County with 100 acres prescribed fire and 1,000 acres mechanical and 400 acres of this within a timber sale. This project is within the Lower Kettle CWPP. The Coalition’s community outreach and education program has been partially funded through the RAC. The Coalition will gather the needed information for the detail for this Strategic Planning Area (SPA). The Coalition expects to participate collaboratively on this project at the project design level and prescription development stages, through project permitting, and with third party monitoring.

5. Roundtop – A WUI project near Chewelah in Stevens County with 150 acres prescribed fire, 1,000 mechanical thinning and 600 of this within a timber sale. There will be 1,800 MBF removed. This project is within the Chewelah CWPP. The Coalition’s community outreach and education program has been partially funded through the RAC. The Coalition will gather the needed information for the detail for this Strategic Planning Area (SPA). The Coalition expects to participate collaboratively on this project at the project design level and prescription development stages, through project permitting, and with third party monitoring.

6. Lambert – A WUI project in Ferry county with 1,000 acres prescribed fire and 302 acres mechanical thinning and 302 of this within a timber sale. The area needs significant and careful community outreach and education. The area needs a CWPP with intense detail within the specific SPA. The Coalition is not funded for this project at the outreach, education or CWPP level. The Coalition could participate in project design and prescription development.

III. Fiscal Year 2007:

1. Indian Creek Fuels – A WUI project in Pend O’Reille County with 800 acres prescribed fire and 1,000 acres mechanical thinning and 100 acres of this within a timber sale. There will be 300 MBF removed. The Coalition could become involved in the outreach and education, CWPP, collaborative project design and prescription development and the multi-party monitoring. We have time to develop funding for this level of involvement.

2. Deer Jasper – A timber sale in Ferry County near Orient for watershed protection thinning for the Orient community. (Acreage information is unavailable.) There will be 10,000 MBF removed. This project could benefit by Coalition outreach and education, ect. This is within the Lower Kettle CWPP and would focus on one of the SPAs. We have time to develop funding for this level of involvement.

3. Pelky Creek – A WUI project near Orient in Ferry County that will complete the WUI treatment around that community. It has 200 acres prescribed fire and 1,000 acres mechanical thinning and 800 of this within a timber sale. There will be 2,000 MBF removed. This project could benefit by Coalition outreach and education, etc. This is within the Lower Kettle CWPP and would focus on one of the SPAs. We have time to develop funding for this level of involvement.

4. Monahan – A WUI project near Addy in Stevens County with 100 acres prescribed fire and 1,000 mechanical thinning and 1,000 acres of this within a timber sale. There will be 3,000 MBF removed. This project could benefit by Coalition outreach and education, etc. This is within the Chewelah CWPP and would focus on one of the SPAs. We have time to develop funding for this level of involvement.

5. Ferry County – A Countywide WUI project, of 15,000 acres or more, that may or may not develop once Ferry County completes its Countywide CWPP. If this does occur, the Coalition would be instrumental in the collaborative approach, working in concert with the Highlands Defense Team. Outreach, education, and multi-party monitoring could be Coalition functions. We would need to acquire funding for this project. Note: This project could take priority over some or all of the above projects if the Ferry County Fire Plan is completed early and demand is made for a large project within that WUI.