HomeMy WebLinkAboutOverview Winburn Parcel
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A Preliminary Overview of the Winburn Parcel
Prepared for the City of Ashland by:
Marty Main
Small Woodland Services, Inc.
1305 Butte Falls Hwy
Eagle Point, OR 97524
October, 1999
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Introduction
The Winburn parcel is a 160-acre City of Ashland owned tract located about one mile
southwest of Reeder Reservoir in the middle of the Ashland Creek Watershed. It is located in the
center of Section 32 in Township 39 South, Range 1 East. The property is completely surrounded
by lands owned by the U.S. Forest Service, the only other landowner in the Ashland Creek
\Vatershed.
The Winburn parcel provides an interesting chapter in the City of Ashland's history. The
property was developed in the early 1920's by Jesse Winburn, a noted and somewhat eccentric
public figure. He helped develop an early road to the property and completed small structures and
improvements as well as creating small areas and planting several exotic tree species. Remains
of the foundations of these structures, as well as remnants of other improvements and changes,
can still be found on the Winburn parcel.
Access to the Winburn parcel is poor and can currently only be accomplished on foot. An
old U.S. Forest Service Road connecting Reeder Reservoir with the 2060 Road (where it crosses
Winburn Ridge) parallels the west fork of Ashland Creek through the center 0 the parcel, but has
been closed for many years and is currently impassable to vehicular traffic.
The Winburn parcel is located at the intersection of Weasel Creek and the west fork of
Ashland Creek, which together comprise close to 6,000 acres of watershed above the property.
Both streams are perennial and have resident populations of rainbow and cutthroat trout.
Topographically, the parcel is diverse, with numerous ridges and incised drainages
associated with easterly flowing Weasel Creek and the northerly flowing west fork of Ashland
Creek. Approximately 20 percent of the parcel is comprised of gentle 0 to 20 percent slopes
associated with these major streams, their floodplains, and associated gentle low-slope positions.
The remainder of the parcel varies from moderate to very steep (35 to 80+ percent) topography.
Elevation varies from 3,340 to 3,900 feet above sea level.
Soils on the Winburn parcel are similar to those found elsewhere in the Ashland
watershed--decomposed granitics derived from intrusive igneous rocks formed during the Jurassic
Age, 145 to 164 million years ago. These gravelly sandy loams are moderately deep, coarse
textured soils that can be excessively well drained. The general lack of cohesiveness of these soils
allows them to be easily moved, particularly during major storm events when a high likelihood
exists for sheet and gully erosion, as well as mass soil movements such as debris slides and debris
avalanches. Precipitation on the parcel, which annually averages around 30 to 35 inches, includes
some that falls as snow during winter months. The possibility of significant rain-on-snow events
can dramatically increase the likelihood of slope failure during major storm events. Although no
formal analysis of the parcel has yet been completed by a qualified engineering geologist, no
major slope failures appear to have occurred during the most recent major storm event of January
1, 1997. However, several small failures, most likely during that storm, suggest the potential for
future slope failures.
Vegetation on the property is well established throughout the parcel, dominated by a
mixed coniferous forest cover. Openings in this coniferous canopy are rare, except those created
by the 1990 helicopter logging. Douglas-fir is the primary coniferous species, with lesser amounts
of white fir (more northerly aspects) and ponderosa pine (more southerly aspects). Sugar pine and
incense cedar are uncommon on more southerly aspects, and Pacific yew occurs sporadically on
the moister, more northerly aspects. Several exotic species, most notably giant sequoia and
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l\orway spruce, were planted during the Jesse Winburn era and are well established in spot
locations on the property. Hardwoods are not as common in the stands on the Winburn parcel as
in stands lower in the watershed. Pacific madrone is the most common hardwood, but seldom
comprises more than 10 percent of total basal area or trees per acre. Other hardwoods are much
less common, including California black oak (southerly aspects) and golden chinquapin and
bigleaf maple (moist northerly aspects). Understory vegetation includes oceanspray, hazel,
serviceberry, wild rose, princess pine, bracken fern, sword fern, Pipers Oregon grape, dogwood,
grasses and other herbaceous vegetation, as well as on moister sites dwarf Oregon grape, trailing
blackberry, thimbleberry, twinflower, boxwood, Douglas maple, false solomon seal, Hooker
fairybell, and others. Riparian vegetation along perennial streams includes alder, bigleaf maple,
dogwood, Pacific yew, and understory species such as various sedges, rushes, and horsetails, as
well as many of the more moist site facultative species such as described above.
Other notable resources on the property include various rare or sensitive species, including
one federally protected species, the Northern spotted owl. Spotted owls nest within the vicinity
of the Winburn parcel and would probably limit any seasonal forestry operations during nesting
season (June through August or September). Perhaps more importantly, legally mandated
protection of spotted owl habitat values will be an important consideration affecting management
directions and possibilities on the Winburn parcel. Although not legally mandated, the possibility
of the presence of other rare or sensitive species raises the same concerns. These include various
other wildlife vertebrate species, fungi, lichens, br.yophytes, vascular plants, and perhaps
invertebrate species. Most of these rare or sensitive species possibly exist within the Winburn
parcel because of the inherent late seral forest conditions that exist both on the parcel and in the
watershed as a whole.
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Unit Descriptions
The Winburn parcel has been divided into 8 units, depending primarily on vegetation and
stand conditions as determined by such variables as soils, slope, aspect, disturbance history
including recent management history, and others. The brief descriptions of these unit types should
help provide further understanding about existing vegetation, as well as resource management
potentials, issues, and opportunities on the parcel.
Cnit 1 - 45 acres, 4 subunits
Unit 1 is located on 35 to 65 percent southeasterly to southwesterly aspects. Stands are
densely stocked with three primary cohorts: (1) an average of 2 trees per acre (tpa) of scattered 200
to .3 00+ year-old ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and uncommon sugar pine and incense cedar with
approximately one-third to one-half of this original cohort (particularly Douglas-fir) removed in
the 1990 timber sale; (2) 80 to 100+ year-old primarily 6 to 14-inch DBH Douglas-fir and to a
lesser extent white fir and Pacific madrone; (3) 0 to 5-inch DBH seedlings and saplings developed
within the last 50 years, particularly in the vicinity of openings, such as created by helicopter
logging in 1990. Understory Douglas-fir in cohorts 2 and 3 are moderately to heavily infected with
dW3rfmistletoe in spots. Residual overstory old growth dominants are under considerable stress
from developing understory cohorts. Stand densities are excessive overall (relative density = .98),
averaging 900+ trees per acre and 245 square feet per acre basal area. Natural regeneration in heli-
openings of multiple species (PP, SP, DF, WF) generally good. Estimated Douglas-fir 50 year site
index is 80.
Unit 2 - 30 acres, 5 subunits
Unit 2 is located on steeper, northerly aspects ranging from 50 up to 85-90+ percent.
Douglas-fir is the primary species comprising close to 70 percent of total stand basal area. It occurs
in all three cohorts as in Unit 1, but is especially abundant in the larger, older cohorts. An average
of 4.5 trees per acre greater than 30 inches DBH exist in Unit 1. White fir more common than in
Unit 1 (approximately 200 tpa), primarily as understory species up to small pole timber size.
Pacific madrone is an integral part of some stands, particularly as mid-canopy tree. Most of unit
is overstocked (relative density = .79) although not as bad (approximately 500 tpa, 218 basal area)
as Unit 21. Better site quality (50 year DF site index = 90) and reduced stocking have produced
slightly bigger tree size on the average. Dwarfrnistletoe in Douglas-fir not as bad as Unit 1.
Understory sparse throughout unit. Steepness on northerly aspects makes them prone to slope
failure.
Unit 3 - 11 acres
Unit 3 is located on gentle 0 to 20 percent easterly to northeasterly aspects. This unit is
associated with major stream and creek floodplains and fans, as well as adjacent low slope
positions. The unit is primarily clustered around the intersection of the two major streams- Weasel
Creek and the west fork of Ashland Creek. These are moist sites with deep soils that produce high
site productivities (50 year site index for DF = 95). Douglas-fir dominates these locations,
comprising over 90 percent of the total stand basal area (average 185 total square feet per acre).
Stands within the unit tend to be relatively even-aged (usually 80 to 100 years or in some cases
perhaps up to 130 years), with high average diameters and volumes per acre (average of 8 trees
per acre greater than 30 inches). However, considerable variation exists within Unit 3 between
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individual stands in terms of stand densities structures and subsequent volumes. Some small stands
are similar to those in Unit 4 (dense, uniform, high volume), while others include diverse
characteristics more typical of adjacent riparian habitats. Dense understory groundcovers include
species that thrive in these cooler, moister sites, most notably salal and others like thimbleberry,
trailing blackberry, hazel, Hooker fairybell, princess pine, false solomon seal, and others. Potential
heritage resources from the Jesse Winburn era are also located in this unit.
Unit 4 - 9 acres
Uni t 4 is located on gentle to moderate (10 to 45 percent) westerly to northwesterly aspects.
This unit is dominated by a very dense (relative density = .99) even-aged (100 years) stand of
primarily 12 to 26 inch DBH Douglas-fir (over 90 percent of tpa and basal area are Douglas-fir).
This stand was initiated following an intense disturbance at the turn of the century, most likely the
1901 wildfire. Stand growth has been excellent (50 year site index for Douglas-fir is 95), but high
relative densities, small crowns, high basal areas (265 average) and rapidly declining radial gro\\rths
are indicative of a stand under considerable stress. Very little understory vegetation exists under
this dense stand. Dwarfmistletoe is minimal, having been shaded out over the years in this rapidly
growing stand. Structurally, Unit 4 has excellent characteristics from a wildfire management
perspective, with minimal surface fuels or ladder fuels, although imminent in-stand mortality from
excessive stand densities will reduce its effectiveness over time.
Unit 5 - 20 acres
Unit 5 is located on moderate (15 to 45 percent) westerly aspects east of Ashland Creek.
This unit is dominated by relatively equal amounts of Douglas-fir and white fir stems per acre
(approximately 550 total), although the Douglas-fir is typically of larger average diameter. An
estimated one-third to one-half of the larger conifers greater than 30 inches DBH (primarily
Douglas-fir) were harvested in the 1990 helicopter sale, leaving a current average of around 4
scattered trees per acre in this larger size class, including one of which is a large pine. A diversity
of ages and sizes of Douglas-fir and white fir up to 130 years and 18 inches DBH characterize the
stand, although close to 90% of the shade tolerant white fir are 10 inches DBH or less. Stand
densities are generally high (relative density = .84, 240 average basal area), although somewhat
variable (some stands are extremely high density while others are more open). Dwarfmistletoe
disease is heavy in spots in Unit 5. Logging slash is also high in portions of this unit. A unique
spring/seep area with associated riparian vegetation is located midslope towards the bottom of this
unit.
Unit 6 - 11 acres
Unit 6 is located on very steep (65 to 85%) northwesterly aspects. This unit is dominated
mostly by a two-cohort stand: larger Douglas-fir and occasional pines 20 inches DBH and larger
over a dense stand of understory Douglas-fir and white fir primarily from 1 to 6 inches DBH and
up to 30 feet height. Some of the larger conifers greater than 30 inches DBH were removed in the
1990 timber sale, but close to 9 tpa of this size class remain. Dwarfmistletoe is well established
in many of these overstory Douglas-fir. Current stand densities are not excessive in Unit 6 (relative
density = .58, basal area - 144, tpa = 600::1:), primarily because about three-quarters of the stems
per acre are less than 4 inches DBH (Douglas-fir, white fir, Pacific yew). The younger understory
Douglas-fir will continue to be infected by dwarfmistletoe infected overstory trees. Very steep
slopes make this unit prone to slope failure, although no major events appear to have occurred in
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1997.
Unit 7 - 10 acres
Unit 7 is located on primarily gentle southerly to southeasterly aspects. Unit 7 is generally
the ridgeline and associated flank positions situated adjacent and above an adjacent subunit of Unit
1. [t is separately delineated because of topographical location, associated potential benefits from
fuel reduction activities, and the large amount of helicopter logging that occurred here in 1990 (50
percent of the trees larger than 30 inches DBH were removed, particularly Douglas-fir). Currently,
about 7 tpa remain of this 30+ inch DBH size class, of which three-quarters are ponderosa pine.
Although basal areas were reduced by the harvest of these larger conifers (current basal area is
180:l:: compared with 225-250 in adjacent similar Unit 1), stand densities remain high in dense
patches of conifers less than 14-16 inches DBH, primarily Douglas-fir and Pacific madrone. This
understory, including stump sprouting madrone, compete significantly with the remaining 200 to
300+ year-old conifers scattered throughout the unit (an estimated 1.6 tpa are greater than 40
inches DBH-a valuable large tree component). Stand density reduction around these mature
conifers will be necessary to retain them well into the future, much as in Unit 1. This work should
be incorporated into fuel reduction activities that could provide wildfire management benefits if
coordinated with adjacent lands owned by the U.S. Forest Service.
Unit 8 - 24 acres
Unit 8 comprises the various aquatic ecosystems associated with perennial streams and
creeks on the property, as well as their associated riparian buffers. The aquatic and riparian
ecosystems along the west fork of Ashland Creek and Weasel Creek are excellent examples of
healthy, functioning ecosystems and pristine salmonid fish habitat for the Siskiyou Mountains.
Existing riparian vegetation is well established and has been previously described. Their excellent
condition is of obvious importance in terms of water quality and delivery for the City of Ashland.
The size of Unit 8 was determined by assigning appropriately sized riparian management areas to
existing streams on the property as required under State of Oregon forest practices rules. Major
streams and creeks on the property generally require a minimum of 50 to 70 feet of riparian
management areas on either side. However, these same \vaterways are required to have a 300-foot
riparian buffer under U.S. Forest Service guidelines. Obviously, considerable difference exists
between the two regulatory standards, and the City of Ashland may choose to expand on the
acreage in Unit 8 listed here based on management objectives developed for the Winburn parcel.
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Issu es/Concerns/Opportunities
1.
Management objectives need to be determined for the Winburn parcel. How are they similar
to or different from the remainder of the City of Ashland ownership?
The Winburn parcel is the only private parcel in the middle of the Ashland Creek
\Vatershed, which is part of the federally designated 51,000-acre Mt. Ashland Late
Successional Reserve (LSR). Although not legally bound to abide by the same LSR
regulations as the adjacent USFS lands, the City of Ashland obviously operates in concert
\vith USFS in the Ashland Creek Watershed. Although the 1990 harvest significantly
changed the late seral characteristics of the Winburn parcel, it still retains many important
functional and compositional late seral features, most notably an average of 4 trees per acre
greater than 30 inches DBH. Unfortunately, many of these trees, most notably the old growth
pines in Units 1 and 7, are under significant stress from excessive understory stand densities.
Loss of these critical stand structural components can be expected to increase within the next
several years unless stand density reduction is completed within their vicinity.
Excessive stand densities and presence of Douglas-fir dwarfmistletoe disease has resulted in
significant stand decline in many portions of the Winburn parcel. In most cases, these stand
development trends can be reversed through appropriate and carefully applied stand
management activities. The importance of such activities depends in large part on the City-
derived objectives for the parcel.
The topographical location and relative steepness of the Winburn parcel do not provide
significant wildfire management opportunities with several exceptions, most notably portions
of Units 1 and 7 if coordinated with similar fuel reduction activities on adjacent USFS
ownership. Management of stand structures and densities with associated slash treatment
could reduce wildfire potential property-wide, however, by creating a less flammable
vegetational profile. Spot treatment of logging slash from the 1990 helicopter harvest could
also reduce wildfire hazard.
If removal of merchantable timber is prioritized as part of sensitive and proactive
management strategies for the Winburn parcel, it should be coordinated with timber sale
activities elsewhere on the City ownership and perhaps with similar activities with adjacent
USFS lands.
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6.
Northern spotted owls are the only federally protected threatened or endangered species in
the area. Their occurrence in the vicinity could seasonally restrict timing of forest operations,
as well as alter prescriptions in order to insure maintenance of habitat critical to their long-
term viability.
Inventories for other rare or sensitive species (vascular and non-vascular plants, molluscs,
etc.) have not been completed for the parcel, although some formal surveys have been
completed for USFS ownership in the watershed. The City of Ashland is not legally bound
to conduct such surveys. A survey for rare and/or sensitive vascular plants was conducted
for the rest of the City ownership within the Ashland Creek Watershed by Wayne Rolle of
the U.S. Forest Service.
No slope stability or geological hazard zonation has been conducted for the Winburn parcel,
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8.
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although some inferences could likely be drawn from the work completed by B. G. Hicks
for the rest of the City ownership in the watershed.
9. A management plan for the aquatic and riparian resources on the City of Ashland ownership
in the watershed, including the Winburn parcel, have not yet been developed. To date, as
a minimum, no activity has occurred within a legally mandated 100-foot riparian
management area on the City ownership, except in some cases logging during the 1990
helicopter harvest. Healthy, fully functioning aquatic and riparian ecosystems are vitally
important to the City of Ashland. They also have regional significance as examples of such
healthy ecosystems within the Siskiyou Mountain province.
10. A cultural resource inventory of heritage resources on the Winburn parcel has not been
prioritized and/or completed. Resources include items such as foundations, old road grades,
meadow, exotic planted trees (giant sequoia, Norway spruce), etc.
11. Vehicular access to the Winburn parcel is currently non-existent, although road
reconstruction/renovation perhaps to some minimal standard could be considered. Does the
City of Ashland have legal access to the Winburn parcel? If so, would the City want to
develop such access? Obvious pros and cons exist. The actual road grade has partially
washed out in one location between Reeder Reservoir and the Winburn parcel. Two major
road crossings on the Winburn parcel have also washed out, with large non-functional
culverts still in place.
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