Sierra Pacific Industries to log in nice high elevation stands near California’s only wolverine.

PANORAMIC Photo By John Saltenberger

THP 2-17-068 NEV (Jack THP) Sierra Pacific Industries, 765 acres; 89% group selection, 11% sanitation salvage logging.  English Meadow, Jackson Meadow Reservoir, East Fork Creek, Bowman Lake (MD: T19N R12E Sec.25; MD: T19N R13E Sec.19, 29, 31).  Winter operations, moderate erosion hazard, steep slopes up to 55%, 9 road drainage work sites, impaired 303.d watershed, wet areas, Jackson Meadows Reservoir, herbicides, CA spotted owl, northern goshawk, wolverine, obtuse stellaria, scalloped moonwort, trees up to 120 years old.  Estimated public comment deadline: 12/09/17. VIEW

This THP is about a dozen miles NW of the summit of I-80 and about 6 miles SE of Sierra City and Highway 49 at an elevation of 6,080 to 7,240 feet.  Sierra Pacific Industries is planning a mostly group selection tractor based logging operation in nice high elevation stands of true fir, Jeffrey pine, sugar pine, lodgepole pine, quaking aspen and white pine forests.  The THP area is adjacent to the western and southwestern shores of Jackson Meadows Reservoir (sections 19 and 29), which is a popular boating, canoeing, swimming and fishing destination near 5 campgrounds (Aspen, Wood Camp, Pass Creek, Fir Top and Findely).  A WOLVERINE was spotted in the general vicinity of the THP area (unspecified) during the winter months of 2008-2009.  SPI is planning to use and construct landings, roads and crossings during the winter period, and use 2 existing landings inside class III (intermittent) watercourses.  They also are planning to use 150 feet of an existing tractor road inside a class II (mid sized) watercourse in section 29, and use an existing tractor road crossing inside a class II (mid sized) watercourse in section 31.  Nine road drainage sites are planned for work including rocking, dip construction, ditch cleaning and culvert repair/replacement.  There is a 1999 report of a northern goshawk sighting .04 miles from the THP area in section 29, and in 1992, a Sierra Nevada foothill yellow legged frog was reported to be 2.68 miles from the THP area in section 9.  Obtuse Stellaria was found under moist alder thickets and adjacent to creeks in sections 19 and 31, and scalloped moonwort was found just below a spring at the top of an alder thicket SE of Catfish Lake.  There are 3 CA spotted owl nesting territories within 1.1 miles (.01, .06 and 1.1 miles) of the THP area in sections 25, 30, 32 and 35.
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