Smoke Signals
May 1991
page 4
Tribal Timber(cont)
According the head tribal forester Cliff Adams, the
reservation land has one pair of spotted owls at this
time. "What we're going to try to do is see if we can't
work around the pair of spotted owls," explained Adams.
"We think it is important to try and provide the revenue
to the Tribe but, in a way that is not detrimental to the
owl."
One of the main issues being reviewed by the court is
just exactly what kind of environment they need to
survive. "The biologists don't have all the answers, they
are going with the worst case scenario because they want
to err on the side of protection if they are going to err at
all," said Adams. The owls on the Grand Ronde
reservation are not residing in old growth timber at this
time and more and more cases are being documented all
the time showing that the owls can survive in trees other
than what is currently defined as "old growth". "I think
people on both sides of this issue are finding out that
the owls can survive and do quite well in a habitat that
isn't characteristically old growth," said Adams. "You
will find lots of owls in 89 to 100 year old stands."
'The biologists don't have all the answers, they
are going with the worst case scenario because
they want to err on the side of protection if they
are going to err at all."
- Cliff Adams . ,. v-
Currently, the forestry program is producing an
inventory of the reservation to see exactly where the ;
owls are nesting and if there are anymore on the land.
"So far the biologist that we hired to do this inventory
has not found any at this point," explained Adams.
According to Adams, the owl inventory must be done
every year. "It has to be done every year because the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would like to see three
calls (owl inventories) in one year and an additional
three calls the second year on all timber sales before the
timber is harvested," said Adams.
As far as the issue of old growth is concerned, the
tribal timber base should be unaffected. "We don't have
any particular area on the reservation that has old
growth characteristics. There may be a tree scattered
here or there but, the oldest stand of trees we have is
110 years old," said Adams.
Another issue of concern among tribal members is
knowing how the forestry program is prepared to handle
a forest fire should one break out on the reservation. "I
think that we are as ready as we can be for the kind of
response needed to react within minutes should a fire
start," said general manager Jim Willis. "What we have
done is what other private landowners have done and
that is build ourselves a small initial action unit so that
we can respond as quickly as possible."
"We don't have any particluar area on the
reservation that has old growth characteristics.
There may be a tree scattered here or there but,
the oldest stand of trees we have is 110 years
old."
-Cliff Adams
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This picture of an adult spotted owl was taken on the Grand Ronde reservation by forester Cliff Adams.
Adams feels as though his program is as prepared to
fight a wild fire as they can be. "It would be rare to have
any kind of major fire in this area but it has happened
before," he said. The Forestry Program currently has
two fire trucks ready to go. Adams said that they also
"I think that we are as ready as we can be for
the kind of response needed to react within
minutes should a fire start..."
- Jim Willis
have a small slip-on tank that fits on to the back of a
truck that can be used as well if needed. "Our foam
truck isn't quite finished yet but it should be ready this
month. So, instead of having just a standard water truck
we'll have foam capabilities which actually increases the
effectiveness of the water", explained Adams. "The foam
makes your water last longer. It sticks right to the
source of the flames and helps smother the fire as well
as cool it." The program is also going to hire a three
person fire crew for the summer .
As we wait for a ruling to be handed down in Seattle
that will determine the future of timber lands through
out the entire Northwest, we can feel good that our
Forestry Program is on top of these controversial issues.
Part three of this scries will focus on the future
of the Tribal Forestry Program and the activities
we will be involved in.
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This is a picture of one of the only old growth
trees on the Grand Ronde Reservation. Forester
Cliff Adams estimates that the tree could be from
250 to 300 years old. (Photo by Brent Merrill)
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