Oregon's Elliott State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan
Oregon is proposing to revise its Habitat Conservation Plan for the 97,000-acre Elliott State Forest to include Oregon Coast coho, and 15 other unlisted species including the following aquatic species and riparian-associated species: coastal cutthroat trout, Pacific lamprey, river lamprey, Western brook lamprey, Chinook salmon, chum salmon, steelhead, red-legged frog, southern torrent salamander and coastal tailed frog. The draft EIS for the new HCP was released August 21, 2008. We submitted comments November 20, 2008.
Oregon is proposing to revise its Habitat Conservation Plan for the 97,000-acre Elliott State Forest to include Oregon Coast coho, and 15 other unlisted species including the following aquatic species and riparian-associated species: coastal cutthroat trout, Pacific lamprey, river lamprey, Western brook lamprey, Chinook salmon, chum salmon, steelhead, red-legged frog, southern torrent salamander and coastal tailed frog.
The Elliott State Forest encompasses unique aquatic resources and boasts large swaths of mature forest that are on the chopping block under current management scenarios. Mismanagement of these lands will affect three major river basins: the Umpqua, Tenmile Creek and the West Fork Millicoma, which drains to the Coos. The HCP process is an opportunity to demonstrate that the current course, a third cycle of intensive logging, does not serve Oregonians' long-term best interests, which depend on healthy wildlife and fisheries, healthy forests, and clean water. Moreover, it is clear that these resources cannot be adequately protected by relying on the surrounding federal lands, most of which are managed by the BLM (which has made its own efforts to reduce protections), and are interspersed with private industrial timberlands.
PRC is following the development of this HCP to draw attention to the level of stream protection and road remediation needed to protect fisheries and headwater species. We submitted two sets of comments in the early stages of the process (see below). The Services and State released an HCP and DEIS on August 21, 2008. Comments were due November 20, 2008. Read our comments on the DEIS.
Read comments submitted by the EPA on the DEIS.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has now said that coho and other
salmon dependent on stream habitat in Oregon’s Elliott State Forest are
at risk from harmful logging and roads. In a letter dated July 21, 2009, NMFS said that it can’t
legally grant the permit without changes to the existing management
plan.
Problems
identified by NMFS include: low levels of streamside shade, high
sediment levels from roads, removal of near-stream trees needed for
habitat creation, and increased risk of landslides. Management of the
Elliott affects salmon habitat in the Coos River, Umpqua River and
Tenmile Creek watersheds of southern coastal Oregon.
On December 10th 2009, Mary Scurlock, Policy Director for Pacific Rivers Council was invited to make a presentation to the Oregon State Lands Board, including Governor Ted Kulongoski, Secretary of State Kate Brown and State Treasurer Ben Westlund about our perspective on the proposed HCPlan for the Elliott State Forest. Mary urged the State Land Board to pursue policies that qualify for federal assurances under the Endangered Species Act to protect aquatic species and avoid litigation. A final decision is scheduled for February 2010.
Read a summary of the panelists' presentations and view Mary's presentation on the State Lands Board website: http://oregonstatelands.us
Get more information from ODF on the Elliott HCP.
Read our scoping comments on the Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan.
Read our comments on the Elliott Forest Management Plan, and its connection to the aquatic conservation components of the Draft Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan.
