Spilyav Tymoo
Warm Springs, Oregon
April 21, 1989 pACK3
Snags play vital role Flowmaynotmeeth needs
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Most people probably think of
dead trees (snags) as nothing more
than a source of firewood. The
truth is: There's life In dead tree!
Snags serve the forest well. They
have been part of nature's scheme
since forests have existed. They
have played a vital role in the
health and fertility of the forest
ecosystem (the total forest environ
ment). When trees die, but are still
standing, they provide habitat for
many kinds of birds and animals.
Habitat means the part of the natu
ral environment, that serves as home
and shelter for animal life. Habitat
can serve as places for feeding,
nesting, perching, resting, etc.
Without the proper habitat, crea
tures that depend upon it cannot
survive.
Up to 100 different species of
animals are in some way supported
by snags. Many species, primarily
birds like woodpeckers and chick
adees depend totally on snags in
which to make a home. The great
importance to the forest of most of
these species is that their primarv
diet is insects. Many of the types of
insects eaten by these birds are
ones that can cause problems to
trees, in particular, trees managed
for the commercial benfit of the
Tribe. Part of nature's checks and
balance against insect outbreaks
are the birds and bats that are
dependent upon snags as a place to
live in and use. Snags are also used
as perches and nests by hawks and
owls, which help keep the popula
tions of mice and squirrels in
balance.
So, it can be seen that standing
dead trees serve to maintain the
health and balance of the forest
and provide homes and shelter for
numerous forest dwelling creatures.
Over time snags fall to the forest
floor, but they are far from finished
providing benefits for the forest.
Fallen trees provide homes and
shelter for different forest animals
and organisms, such as small mam
mals. As these trees decompose
and begin to soften, they are invaded
by many types of insects and fungi.
These decomposing organisms help
the complex breakdown of the
wood. With time (often decades),
the rotting wood provides many
benefits for the forest. The wood as
it rots and softens acts like a sponge
to hold water near the surface
instead of it being lost through
runoff. The process of decay recy
cles nutrients and minerals held in
the wood, which acts like fertiliza
tion. The decaying wood also builds
up the soil with new organic matter
which makes the soil richer. More
water, fertilizer, and humus, just
like a garden, makes for better
crops.
It is nature's way to recycle every
thing in the forest to keep the
whole system healthy and in bal
ance. From new seedlings through
decaying wood, all parts are im
portant. Snags serve many pur
poses through their long life cycle.
Snags and woody debris on the
forest floor, and the life they sup-
Siort are all necessary to keep the
orest healthy and productive.
It is for these reasons that the
Branch of Forestry and Tribal
Natural Resources Department are
trying to manage snags and downed
woody debris as a truly important
resource in the forest. The man
agement and retention of snags
and woody debris on the ground
has been addressed in the past
management of the Warm Springs
Forest. New information and re
search is constantly providing more
reasons and benefits concerning
snags and woody debris.
During the present work on the
Forest Plan of the Integrated
Resource Management Plan, old
policies will be reviewed and new
information will be studied regard
ing snags and downed woody
material. The new plan will try to
provide management that will ad
dress the benefits of this resource
and manage so as not to lose the
important benefits they provide.
Special logging provisions may
be developed in the plan address
ing management and woody debris
goals. New guidelines may be deve
loped concerning the cutting of
snags for firewood.
Some dead trees have blue signs
on them designating them as wild
life trees to be saved from cutting
by loggers and woodcutters. It is
hoped that through education about
the importance of this resource and
the necessary part it plays keeping
the forest healthy, that Tribal
Members will appreciate the natu
ral role dead trees play within the
forest as a whole.
As with all Integrated Resource
Management Plan activities, advice
and comments from tribal members
is encouraged and welcome. The
health and productivity of forest
resources will benefit everyone.
No significant Impact posed
age water flows are predicted for
mrce oi Warm Springs' streams
this summer and fall.ln Mill Creek
this will still not be sufficient to
meet the needs of migrating anad
ronious fish..
Strcamflow data, continuously
, collected at Shitike Creek below
Wilford Canyon and at the Warm
Springs River below Kah-Ncc-Ta.
correlated with snow surveys,
indicate average or above average
flows for 1989.
Predicted flows for the Warm
Springs River (in cubic feet per
second) for 1989 are based on data
collected over a 15-ycar-pcriod.
Average flows over that period are
in parentheses: June-414 (399);
July 292 (287); August-262
(259); September-256 (253); Oct-
ober-259 (254).
Shitike Creek projected flow in
cfs is: May 139(135); June-1 47
(141); July 97 (92); August-61
(59); September-51 (50).
Flows on Mill Creek have been
monitored only since October 1983.
Although this is not sufficient data
to make accurate predictions, an
estimation on flow for 1989 can be
made.
The snow pack for 1989 which
produces wajer to feed Mill Creek
is slightly above average. This
should provide tor average How
conditions in Mill Creek which still
will not be enough to meet min
imum flow requirements for anud
romous fish in August and Sept
ember. Estimated flow for 1989 is:
May-84.0 (85.5), minimum cfs
required for anadromou fish U 46;
June-81.0 (77.4). 30 cfs required;
July 56 (50.7). 30 cf required;
August 47 (43.2). 51 cfs required;
September-45.0 (43.7). 51 cfs
required; October 46.1 (45.3). 38
cfs required.
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Microcomputer Instruments are used collect rainall and weather data at
various places on the Warm Springs reservation.
Based on an environmental
assessment and public comments
gathered from March 2 to March
24, it has been determined that
controlled burning of tribal land
assignment number 121 does not
pose a significant impact upon the
human environment. Therefore,
preparation is not required of an
environmental impact statement
cited under seciton 102 (2) (c) of the
National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969, 42 USC 4223 (2) (c).
The reasons supporting this find
ing are as follows:
There will be a reduction fuel
hazard due to weed control from
subsequent cultivation operations.
Environmental factors were
assessed and found not to be
adversely affected by the proposed
action, provided the buffer zone
marked out by the tribal water
management department is pro
tected and the fire management
burn guidelines are adhered to.
Oregon ranks second
Oregon most comprehensively
addresses state growth issues.
Oregon was the first state to develp
statewide land-use planning and it
is one of eight states addressing
solid waste problems with a recy
cling program.
Although Oregon ranked high is
these areas, according to scoring
by the national environmental
group Renew America, it was con
sidered only average in protection
of food from pesticides and in its
protection of drinking water.
Oregon ranked fourth in forest
management.
Overall, things are not so good
in the rest of the country and even
in Oregon many problems still exist.
Farm lands in Oregon are still
being developed despite planning
laws, and forest development is
still the center of controversy.
The State of Washington is one
of seven states that has drawn up
its own comprehensive forest man
agement law and it received recog
nition by the environmental group.
Highest ranking states in the
categories of forest management,
; solid, waste, recycling, food safety
and control qf growth to protect"
the environment are: I.California,
2. Oregon, 3. Minnesota, 4. Mas
sachusettes, 5. Wisconsin, 6. Iowa,
7. New Jersey, 8. Florida, 9. Mary
land, 10. Connecticut, 11.
Washington. Idaho ranked 25 on
the scoring.
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, Warm Springs assistant watermaster Buzzy Scott takes snow pack measurement. Data helps determine water
flow in reservation streams.
Homeowners can eliminate fire hazards around their homes
People are building homes in
wildlands for a variety of reasons.
High desert and fringe pine areas
around Warm Springs offer beauty
and solitude, consequently many
residents are moving away from
immediate community services. The
national trend of increase rural
housing is apparent throughout
central Oregon. Each year state
and federal statistics reflect increas
ing populations living in the coun
try that become affected by wild
fire. Professional jargon for this
situation is wildland urban inter
face. It is not a new condition, but
one that has developed into a serious
problem of international propor
tions. We can make positive strides
to reduce the threat of wildfire to
ourselves and property. To help
guide us we need to look at some of
the contributing factors. One con
sideration is wildland fuels and the
combustible fuels we create around
our homes.
Growth characteristics and
chemical makeup of plants in the
high desert and fringe pine make
them very fire prone. Mature plants,
e.g. sagebrush, juniper and bitter
brush, are full crowned with limbs
and fine branching that extends to
the ground. This distinction plus
loss of live plant moisture with
aging invites intense burning.
Cheatgrass and medusa head are
fire borne grasses that comprise a
large portion of our rangelands.
They are fine stemmed grasses that
lose moisture very rapidly and be
come extremely fire susceptible
early in the summr. Grasses and
shrubs combined can produce
opportunities for easy fire starts
and intense, fast running fires.
This situation was apparent in
the Greeley Heights and County
Line fires last summer. High winds
caused intense fire behavior which
was difficullt for fire fighters to
overcome as fire was driven toward
and around homes. These fires
were so extreme that fire fighters
had to establish control lines and
implement tactics quickly. Al
though these fires were extinguished
without measurable damage, prop
erty loss and personal injury could
have easily occurred. What can we
do? Professional organizations an
ticipate and plan field operations
to deal with these threats; home
owners can also take positive steps
to eliminate many of the hazards
around their homes.
It is important to create a fire
safe environment around our homes
because of wildland fuel types we
have on the Warm Springs reserva
tion. Here are some suggestions
that have proven to be very effective.
1. The key to fire safety around
your home is to reduce or eliminate
combustible materials close to
buildings.
Results seen from SMILE efforts
The green of newly planted grass
can be seen in a fire swept area
bordering Shitike Creek. The efforts
of Madras Jr. High students is
showing.
Students in the Science and Math
Investigative Learning Experience
(SMILE) planted three acres of
grass last February as one of their
projects. With the assistance of
program leader and Madras Jr.
High science teacher David Vick
and Warm Springs fisheries biolo
gist Bob Heinith, students planted
six sacks of seed and spread straw
for mulch. The students also picked
up a truck full of trash and debris
uncovered by the fire.
The SMILE program, sponsored
by the Office of Academic Affairs
and the College of Science at Oregon
State University, is aimed at spark
ing science and math interest in
minority students. With grants from
AT&T, Hewlett-Packard, Mentor
Graphics Foundaiton, Apple Com
puter, TheOregon Community Found
ation, Sunneville Fund, Tektronix
Foundation and the Title II pro-
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Madras Jr. Hith science teach and SMILE coordinator David Vick works with students during reseeding
project on Shitike Creek.
4
gram, students at Madras Jr. High,
Chiloquin High School, Woodburn
Jr. High and Ontario Jr. High are
able to participate in the program.
Vick is interested through the
. program in developing basic aca
demic skills, attitudes and self con
fidence in students. He is also
interested in providing science
based enrichment activities for stud
ents and helping them to think
about career opportunities in math
and science.
Vick would also like to see an
increase in the number of Warm
Springs students enrolling in col
lege math and science programs
such as engineering, medicine, re
source management and computer
sciences.
During the Shitike Creek reseed
ing project students learned about
the health and ecology of streams.
The grass they planted will help
prevent erosion along stream banks
and will also provide food and
cover for insects that trout and
salmon rely on for food.
Students in the SMILE program
at Madras Jr. High include Vel
dina Currie, Nathan Dexter,
SacheenSmith, Marcella Brunoc.
Sunmiet Minnick, Andrea Moroy
qui, Rhea Pierre, Jo De Gouo).
Bobbie Calica, Alyssa Macy, Leif
Suppah, Russel Graham. Teri
Courtney, Jennifer Mollman. Wil
liam Parker, Mindy Walker, Siva
Gonzales. Direlle Calica and Mindo
Rios.
2. If you have trees growing
around your homes, remove limbs
within 15 feet of chimneys; cut
away dead branchwood overhang
ing the roof; remove loose, fine
combustible material likedry leaves,
tree needles, paper and bird nests
from rain gutters, roofs and eaves. Com
plete this chore before each fire
season (April or May) or whenever
they build up to a one incrfdepth or
more.
3. Keep your house free of wooc
piles. Stack wood away from build
ings and wooden fences.
4. Maintain a green zone oi
green belt within 30 feet of youi
home. It helps to, establish non
combustible landscaping such as -lawns,
border plantings, flower and
vegetable gardens.
5. Within the 30 feet to 100 feet
zone from your house, remove dead,
woody plants, and if possible, elim
inate weed species that die and cure
out early in the year.
6. Remove 'older vegetation in
favor of younger vegetation.
7. Keep trees and shrubs from
gowing into powerlines.
8. Using walls of non-combustible
material (stone walls) for landscap
ing design and seclusion will pro
vide heat shields to deflect flames
and radiant heat.
9. Maintained hedge rows can
deter wind and screen out wind
blown embers. Hedges should be
plante only if they are watered
regularly, and you remove dead
branch wood and leaves. Decidu
ous species are best, because ever
green shrubs ignite easily. Example
of fire resistant shrubs are cherries,
roses, honeysuckles, currants,
sumac, lilac, apples and buffalo
berry.
10. Try to avoid evergreen shrubs,
but if you plant them, keep them
well spaced, at least twenty feet
from buildings, and prune fre
quently. 11. If you plant trees, keep them
well spaced; tree crowns should not
touch or overlap; prune to a height
of eight to 1 0 feet above the ground
and reduce combustible materials
under the trees.
12. If you wish to design a wind
break using trees, plant them no
more than 10 feet apart, about 100
feet from the area to be protected
and plant on flat areas or at the
base of slopes.
13. In central Oregon, where
irrigation can be a problem, crested
wheat grass planted 10 to 20 feet,
or as much as 300 feet around
homes, can establish an effective
firebreak. This will require min
imal irrigation, and can also retard
the growth of highly flammable
grasses such as cheatgrass and be
aesthetically pleasing.
Any further information on mak
ingyour rural home fire safe should
be directed to Fire Management or
Fire Control.
Spring clean-up time
April is spring clean-up time. Garbage
bags are available, free of charge, from
the Housing Office located next to the
administration building.A truck will be
picking up garbage at homes in the
Warm Springs community April 24-28.
Large items will be picked up April 27
and 28. For those who work, a truck will
make a last pick-up on May 1.