Distressful Logging in Diet Coq Wildlife Reserves
Old-growth cedar trees that were later cut.
In 2005 we appealed the so-called “thinning” of the Riparian Reserve in unit 5 of the Diet Coq timber sale, located north of Camas Valley. Based on mis-information the BLM gave to the judges, we lost the appeal. This summer the forest was cut and this winter the terrible destruction is obvious.
Many of BLM’s wildlife reserves were clearcut and converted to tree plantations before they were designated reserves in 1995, so they now need to be thinned to help restore native forest biodiversity.
But unit 5 (90% of it a type of wildlife reserve, called Riparian Reserve) was never replanted into a tree-plantation when it was partially harvested in the 1940’s. Huge old-growth Douglas fir trees were left, as well as numerous old-growth red cedar trees and yew trees. Many of the remaining old-growth red cedar trees have rot and extremely valuable cavity nests for birds.
This jewel of wildlife habitat, in a sea of industrial tree farms, was virtually destroyed by the Roseburg BLM “Diet Coq” timber sale. What follows is the BLM’s version of “restoration”. Three significant components to the destruction are the cutting of old-growth cedar trees, the roadwork along a fish-bearing stream in wet weather, and the cutting and removal of valuable yew trees.
1. Old Growth Cedars were cut:
We appealed this sale because virtually every single old-growth cedar tree in the reserves was designated for cutting, even though they were half-rotten and the most valuable and hard-to-replace habitat for wildlife. Many of these cedars were over 200 years old.
After we complained, the BLM re-marked some of the cedars for retention, but many were still cut down. We know of at least 10 old-growth cedars cut, and there are likely many more. We know BLM that they cut down 49 cedars over 16” DBH. Two of the old-growth cedars had to be cut down to build the “existing” road in the Riparian Reserve. The stream is now just running over the roots of the stumps.
This is in spite of the BLM promises to the judges that no old-growth trees would be cut down in the riparian reserve of unit 5. The BLM responded that they cut hundreds of trees in unit 5, and the 40 or so we are complaining about are only a small percent. The BLM does not understand that an old-growth tree is a hundred times more valuable than a small, young tree. The percentage of trees cut that are old-growth is not the point. The point is that much of the irreplaceable old-growth component of unit 5 was sacrificed for an economic, commercial goal.
The BLM cut down numerous old cedars that had well-used and active wildlife cavity nests. It will be hundreds of years before these kinds of old-growth components can be replaced. When the birds return this spring to the nests they have used for generations, those nest trees will be gone.
It is especially egregious to cut down old-growth trees after the BLM has promised the judges that no old-growth trees will be cut down. We lost our appeal on this sale because of those false promises.
In the Environmental Assessment for Diet Coq in 2001, the BLM required that “Old-growth trees stay on ground if cut for operational purposes”, like road building. This would make one think that no old-growth trees would be cut except for operational purposes. Instead, this prohibits the yarding of the two old-growth cedar trees cut in the road right-of-way, and allows the yarding of all other old-growth trees in the unit. This type of statement misleads the public.
2. Road Winterization:
Note the muddy mess of the roads. This is in spite of the promises made to the judges and in the Environmental Assessments that the logging would produce no sediment into Lake Creek, a fish-bearing stream. Promises were made to not log during the wet season, and never to do road decommissioning during the wet season. But the road through Diet Coq was designated for “winterization” to eliminate sediment into Lake Creek. The BLM responded to our concern over the mud that they never promised to do winterization during the dry season. The BLM told us they just didn’t the time to do this roadwork during the dry season.
3. Yews:
We complained to the judges that all the yew trees in the reserve were designated for cutting and sent the judges a picture of a threatened yew tree. Yew trees are a critically important part of old-growth ecosystems, promoting biodiversity and understory trees. They are very slow growing, so the yew trees seen in our pictures are likely hundreds of years old. The Roseburg BLM relented and promised to the judges to reserve ALL yews from harvest. But as soon as cutting began, we noted that yew trees were being cut down. We told the BLM, and they again promised to fix this little mistake since many yews were still standing, even the yew in the picture we had sent to the judges. But in just a few more days, more yews were cut, even the special yew that was the subject of the appeal. Later, the BLM told us they had to cut down over 1/3rd of the yews in unit 5, and even more in unit 5. The reason the BLM gave was that they had to log trees between the yews and the fish-bearing stream 20 feet away, so the yews had to go. The BLM feels this was important to restoring biodiversity to the wildlife reserve.
We found at least two of the yew trees cut down yarded over a half mile to the paved road, even though the yews were never bought in the timber sale contract and no special use permit had been issued to take yew trees. The BLM responded there was nothing wrong with yarding the yew trees past all the other log decks and out to the paved road and will not consider it timber theft problem.
Above: Stolen yew tree, hundreds of years old, cut and yarded a half mile out to main road.4. Degrading Lake Creek and the fish that live there:
A few other examples of BLM's callous disregard for Lake Creek. The BLM built a road right along Lake Creek (claimed to be reconstructed -- with 200 year old trees growing in it). Trees were decked on the road right next to the creek, in the mud (below left). Logging, including the old growth cedars and yews, was done to within 20 feet of the creek.
The new road had to cross Lake Creek, so the BLM put in undersized culverts, and the first winter they clogged with dirt and the road washed down into Lake Creek, through the fish habitat, and into the Coquille River (above right). The BLM didn't monitor their new road -- it was up to citizens to monitor the BLM's work, and tell them about problems. BLM decided not to fix it until after winter, as the damage was done.
Conclusion:
We lost our appeal of this sale because of the erroneous statements the BLM made to the judges. This remains the worst restoration project we have ever witnessed of any federal land management agency. The BLM should be ashamed.
