Timber Products Company to clearcut log SW of Etna, CA and Yreka, CA.

Google Earth Photo by Chris 707

THP 2-19-174 SIS (Ruffey THP) Timber Products Company, 259 acres; 80% clearcut, 14% seed tree, 5% selection, 2% roadside logging.  Mill Creek (MD: T41N R10W Sec 1, 11, 15; T41N R9W Sec 7).  Wet weather operations, high erosion hazard, steep slopes up to 75%, steep roads, landslide terrain, impaired 303.d watershed, oversized units, herbicides, coho watershed, spotted owl, cascade frog, leafy stemmed mitrewort, scattered large trees.  Estimated public comment deadline: 12/14/19. SUBMIT COMMENTS,  VIEW THP

This THP is about 3 miles SW of Etna, CA and about 22 miles SW of Yreka, CA at an elevation of 3,600 to 5,700 feet.  Timber Products Company is planning a mostly clearcut tractor and cable logging operation on steep and unstable slopes in nice high elevation stands of Douglas fir, white fir, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, incense cedar, mountain hemlock, red fir and Brewers spruce forests.  There are 2 landslide terrain sites in the THP area including; an unstable area in section 1 (adjacent to unit U3Y), and an unstable area in section 7 (within unit U9Y).  The THP area flows from Etna Creek into the Scott River which is listed as an impaired watershed for sediment/siltation and temperature. Timber Products Company is planning to use ground based equipment on existing skid trails in areas designated for cable logging, construct 2 segments of roads on steep slopes over 65%, and construct a segment of road on slopes over 50% within 100 feet of a watercourse area. They also are planning to construct a new segment of road through a class II (mid sized) watercourse area in section 11 to access cable yarding unit U5Y.  In 2007, a cascade frog was reported at Upper Ruffey Lake, 1.5 miles south of the THP area.  Leafy stemmed mitrewort was found at watercourse crossings along roads in close proximity to units 7, 8 and 9.  There are 3 spotted owl nesting territories within 1.3 miles of the THP area.
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