Cascade Creek Salvage

The Cascade Creek Fire burned 20,300 acres September/October 2012 on Gifford Pinchot National Forest lands. The Forest Service for the most part let the fire burn in the Mt. Adams Wilderness but aggressively fought the fire outside of Wilderness. The Forest Service (FS) decided to salvage trees from the fire initially proposing to harvest trees from Late Successional Reserve (LSR) and Matrix. After protest from FOMA and Gifford Pinchot Task Force (GPTF), LSR lands were dropped. However, 56 acres of Matrix lands are planned for salvage harvest fall of 2013. Ironically, these salvage areas have dead trees due to burnout operations from the FS firefighting. FOMA and GPTF are objecting to harvesting old growth trees, whether dead or alive as large trees provide important wildlife habitat, especially if dead. Discussion and field review with the Forest Service is continuing.