HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012.10.09 Forest Lands Commission Minutes Minutes FOR A MEETING OF THE
ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION
Tuesday, October 9th, 2012
5:30PM to 7:30PM
Siskiyou Room, Community Development Building
51 Winburn Way
I. CALL TO ORDER: 5:38 PM
John Williams, John Karns, Chris Chambers, David Chapman,Jeff
McFarland,Dan Maymar, Albert Pepe, Stefanie Seffinger, Frank
Betlejewski,Marty Main
IL INTRODUCTIONS
Williams said that there will be a debate between mayor candidates at the Middle
School on the loth of October.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: September l lth Draft Minutes
Number III. Frank brought out the "1936 State of Oregon Forest Type Map"
produced by the Pacific Northwest Forest Experiment Station.
Motion to approve with changes made by Seffinger, seconded by Williams and all
ayes.
IV. PUBLIC FORUM
None.
V. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA
None.
VI. BUSINESS
A. Ashland Forest Plan Revision
Williams said that Pool won't be working on the recreation section. There is a lingering
question about whether or not Oredson-Todd Woods should be included in the Plan.
Seffinger asked that question at the last Parks Commission meeting. Concerns were with
the trail signs, pesticide use. McFarland said there are no differences between Oredson-
Todd and Siskiyou Mtn Park so it should be included. Trails are continuous and the
conservation easement applies to both properties together. The Creek to Crest trail route
connects through Siskiyou Mtn Park, but not Oredson-Todd. Betlejewski pointed out that
the two Parks properties don't have the level of classification that the other City lands do
and we should have some common scheme that relates between the two areas. McFarland
has quite a bit of information about treatments in SMP and OTW going back to 2003. He
also talked with Main about installing some basic inventory plots. McFarland has used
the City's wildfire classification document over the years, and this has a classification
scheme in it that can be used as a stepping stone for the Forest Plan work. Chambers will
send Betlejewski the plan. McFarland has been monitoring the areas visually over the
years. Some have experience significant die off. Thinning and burning is still ongoing on
Siskiyou Mt Park. There was a thinning entry in the area in 1996 and that's helped in the
interior portion of SMP, but the fringes have been hard hit by insects. There are
challenges with the conservation easement and recreation use on those properties. Some
events have been denied because of this. McFarland has a letter from the Southern
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Oregon Land Conservancy group encouraging Parks to include Oredson-Todd in the
Ashland Forest Plan. Frank stated there was a request from Kristi Mergenthaller that the
Oredson-Todd woods be included in the Ashland Forest Plan. In the past, the Conservancy
has authorized work as long as it follows the Ashland Forest Plan. Seffinger could put it
on the agenda at the next meeting of the Parks Commission although she has brought it
up at past meetings with no opposition. With support from the SOLO, she feels that
including Oredson-Todd is appropriate. Williams suggested moving ahead with including
it and then the Parks can review it in draft form. McFarland said they treat it basically
the same in their work. Main pointed out that the history is different, but that's the big
difference other than the setting with Oredson-Todd being riparian. Betlej ewski noticed
that the trails aren't designated between uses. Seffinger said that some trails are
designated as hiker only. McFarland is working on a connector trail for the Mike Uhtoff
trail sections. Main said that there are two different objectives between the City and
Parks with Parks embracing recreation more than the City and has a lot of frontage with
private properties and homes. Funding priorities may differ between the two. There has
been a lot of overlap over the years,just as the City has overlapped with the Forest
Service in many areas. The context of budget and priorities is different between City and
Parks and between Parks properties. Betlej ewski will do the initial classification work for
free if the Parks will enter it into a GIS database. Betlejewski asked Chambers to send
out the White Rabbit data that he produced a couple years ago. McFarland shared the
map created in the City's wildfire study in 2002. This map has the Siskiyou Mt Park and
Oredson-Todd properties mapped out. Conditions have changed since this mapping was
completed, both for the better and worse from a fire perspective. The Douglas-fir in SMP
have struggled recently due to their history. Seffinger asked what can be done and it's
challenging, but it's what the Forest Lands Commission has done for the past 20 years.
Data has helped in decision making on the City lands.
B. Update Commission 3-Year Goals
Skipped this item.
C. Trails/Recreation Update
Karns mentioned that the trail signs will be installed by Parks and AWTA in
the near future. Bandersnatch was used for the Siskiyou Challenge race.
Equestrians are happy with the trail.
D. AFR Project Update
Chambers said that the helicopter work will begin October 22nd. Granite St
will be closed at Glenview Dr for public safety for a period of 3-4 weeks to
include the Fairy Ponds area. Chambers will be sending out postcards to
people in the Granite Street area and will use the City's Citizen Alert program
to alert citizens that the helicopter will be starting. A media alert will also be
sent out. Log hauling will be common through town during the helicopter
work. Tree cutting has been ongoing for over a week and they're making good
progress anticipating the arrival of the helicopter.
E. Watershed Outreach Plan Review
VII. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
VIII. REVIEW AND SET COMMISSION CALENDAR/NEXT MEETING
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A. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting: November 13th, 2012
IX. ADJOURN: 7:30 PM
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ifyou need special assistance to participate in
this meeting,please contact the Public Works Office at 488-5587(TTYphone number 1 800 735 2900).
Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to
ensure accessibility to the meeting(28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title I).
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