KittitasCountyCWPP_September2022_Amendment_Only (2)

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Teanaway Landscape Evaluation Summary (2020) | Page 4 Left: Figure 6. Current and post-treatment proportions of forest types and structure classes. * mid-point of range in Table 1. Right: Figure 7. Sustainability of current and potential large tree, dense forest based on fire risk and drought vulnerabilit y. Forest Health Treatment Needs (continued) Dry dense forest treatment need Currently, dense, multistory forest structure is over-repre- sented on dry sites, especially sites dominated by Doug- las-fir. The large, contiguous patches of this forest type create high susceptibility to defoliating insects and crown fire. Treating 24,500-35,000 acres of this type (Table 1) is recommended to create large patches (~100-1000 ac) of open forest with a component of large trees (Fig. 4), flip- ping the majority of dry sites from closed to open forest (Fig. 6). Shifting composition toward ponderosa pine and reducing grand fir and Douglas-fir is also recommended. Moist and cold dense forest treatment need Dense, multistory forest on moist and cold sites exceeds or is at the upper end of desired ranges across the plan- ning area. In contrast, open canopy forest with medium to large trees, as well as open forest with small trees and shrubs, are at the low end of desired ranges, except where the Jolly Mountain Fire burned. Treating 3,000-8,000 acres of this forest type (Table 1, Fig. 4) is recommended to cre- ate a mosaic of open and dense forest that will reduce risks of large crown fire and insect outbreaks. A range of treatment types will be needed, including thinning, regen- eration treatments, and managed wildfire. Increasing the relative composition of ponderosa pine and western larch is also needed to help these sites adapt to a warming cli- mate. Following treatments, over 60% of the total moist and cold forest area would remain dense (Fig. 6) to meet habitat, wood production, and other objectives. Open forest maintenance treatment need Over the next 15 years, an estimated 11,000-17,000 acres of currently open forests on dry and moist sites will need prescribed fire, managed wildfire, or mechanical methods to maintain open conditions by reducing surface fuels and small trees. These sites include mechanically treated areas that may or may not have received fuel treatments, as well as parts of the Jolly Mountain Fire where additional fuel reduction is needed. Specific maintenance strategies de- pend on landowner objectives and time since treatment. Sustainable locations for dense forest with large trees Locations with low to moderate current and future mois- ture deficits (Fig. 3) and low fire risk (Fig. 2) offer the most sustainable locations to maintain sufficient area and patch sizes of this forest habitat type and associated ecosystem functions. Sustainable locations include the western end of the planning area, as well as north-facing slopes in the central portion and valley bottoms in the northeastern corner (Fig. 7). The large tree, dense forest sustainability map can be used in conjunction with treatment priority (Fig. 9) to select areas to promote open forest vs. where to maintain and build large tree closed canopy patches.