Caribou Fire The Caribou Fire area on the Wild and Scenic South Fork Salmon River on the Klamath National Forest was logged the past few summers. EPIC was able to get some of the best snag habitat saved for wildlife. The Forest Service’s environmental analysis (EA) was replete with “Project Design Features” and “Best Management Practices” that were put in place to protect fisheries, hydrology, soils and wildlife. However, after on-the-ground monitoring we discovered multiple inconsistencies between the EA and what is actually happening on the ground.
Countless mitigations were ignored. The Forest Service severely failed to meet their promises, surveys for threatened and sensitive species were not completed, most all of the largest snags and large logs that were to remain standing or within the logged areas were removed, all of the hardwood snags were removed and sold as firewood, despite the requirement for it to remain on the landscape, riparian areas were logged and much of the work took place during rainy weather.
We were extremely disappointed to discover the broad swath of disparity separating the Caribou Project description from the reality of what actually has occurred in this Key watershed that, is critical for Salmon recovery. Further, this project cost over $1.6 million dollars to plan, the contractor paid a less than $50,000 and did not make a profit, leaving taxpayers holding the bill for the destruction of their national forest.
To add insult to injury the Klamath National Forest is not being held accountable. There is no recourse that can come to them aside from your public outcry.
Snags in Riparian Reserve.
Post-fire recovery in the Caribou.
Large snag marked for cut in the Caribou Salvage sale.
Two large snags marked to be cut alongside a recovering creek.
Native plants and insects return to burnt landscapes following fire.
Native birds such as this woodpecker take advantage of the post-fire landscape.
Seasonal ponds form in depressions caused by bears wallowing (rolling around) in the soil.
Caribou post-fire, pre-salvage logging implementation: Unit 8 and large snags
Caribou post-fire, pre-salvage logging implementation: Unit 8 and large snags
These four foot snags were saved by EPIC.
Post Salvage Logging: the hillsides along Caribou have been ravaged.
Unit 10 of the Caribou Salvage Sale. The hillside is left barren and desolate.
Post-Salavage Logging of Caribou's Unit 8.
Logging equipment leaking oil and fuel into the ground.
The non-merchantable timber is culled, rejected, and left to waste on the log landing.
Unit 10: the hillside is left barren and desolate.