USFS
"Flagstaff Center" 5-Year Plan
Gene passed out print information of the plan (proposed
projects, available funds, necessary funds, etc).
The GFFP plays an important role in the funding and
activities of this plan. The priority list of the
plan shows GFFP activities as #1. Key points of this
plan are that there is not an increase in the total
burn areas (except for piles) due to ADEQ (air quality)
limits; the FS is at their maximum limits. Second,
the inability to sell forest products or to market
the products is affecting the community and the full
implementation of the plan. The FS project needs exceed
the available funding. If only one project sale could
occur (as opposed to paying the contractor to do the
thinning), the financial problems would be solved
and the Center would have enough funding to complete
the entire plan (survey, NEPA, implementation, pile
burn, broadcast burn, monitor). Third, a complication
to the overall plan is that the 2004 work does not
reflect the unfinished work from 2003. A decision
will need to be made whether the unfinished work in
2003 will be addressed before the 2004 priority #2
items. Otherwise, the incomplete items from any particular
year are simply "put on the shelf," due to lack of
funding. Another key point was that the fuel money
is set and there is not much room for changes. The
costs are projected by project and if the treatment
changes the budget will change. The budget changes
will have national ramifications, as the Flag Center
plan is reported to and included in a national USFS
plan.
Gene
commented that they are dealing with businessmen and
they know that the FS will pay for thinning contracts.
He mentioned that because there are no funds (if no
contracts are actually sold, but instead operators
are paid), maintenance burning is given up. Mike asked
whether any other funding is available through habitat
programs, such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Gene said no because the proposed work is mostly fuel
reduction. Tammy commented that she and GCFP have
tried in the past to get this funding but there was
no success. Gene mentioned that the budget was not
entered into the national plan past 2004; therefore,
there is greater local and national flexibility in
5-year plans beyond the second year of each respective
plan. [Top]
Tammy added a correction to the info passed out, to
strike the BLM money for 2004.
Gene then showed a detailed wall map of the Flag Center's
Five Year Plan projects. He suggested several GFFP
boundary changes to better reflect actual project
boundaries. These changes encompass expansion to all
of the Woody Ridge project area (southwest); including
the southern tip of the Kachina Village project; reflect
the Mountainaire change, from the original small project
to "Big Mountainaire" (south); and eliminate the pinyon-juniper
extension on the east side of the map. Dick wondered
if the Kachina area could be altered since it is already
planned. All agreed that this was simply an alteration
of the GFFP's project boundary on the map, and didn't
actually affect the KV project as it was planned with
this piece. [Top]
Doc motioned the changes; Bob seconded; the boundary
changes were approved.
Jim asked why the original Mountainaire project was
dropped out. Tammy replied saying that the 2000 small
project was incorporated into the 2004 larger FS project.
Jim thought that the city was going to provide funding
and services to accomplish the original project. Tammy
said that the original proposal of using a Categorical
Exclusion for this project is no longer going to occur
because the project is greater than 10,000 acres.
This is the authority that would have utilized City
participation, but due to an injunction of CEs during
the time the original project was being planned it
did not move forward.
Brad said that the problem is not that there is not
a market for small diameter wood it is that there
is no processing available locally for smallwood.
Technology and markets are identified and available,
just not here. He said that the government and private
sector need to work together, but who in the government
will step up and take the lead? He suggested that
maybe it can happen at a regional level but that we
need public investment for infrastructure. Gene wanted
clarification of who needed to step up and what does
that mean. Brad said it needs to be someone's job
specifically to make it happen. It is not a district
ranger thing; it is regional. [Top]
Gene said that the 5-year plan shows why advance planning
is so important for the GFFP. The problem is a cycle
of having no bids and having to continuously pay.
He suggested having no service contracts. Deb said
this would cause us to lose the other two loggers
left. Tammy followed up to Brad asking about the region's
response to the Mater report. Brian said the region
supports us but there is a need to take message to
new regional forester. The response is positive and
supportive but no one is stepping up to the task.
Gene said that R. Forsgren is the new regional forester.
Jim said that the 5-year plan is too comprehensive
to vote on now but he philosophically understands
it. Gene said that 2003 and 2004 is already being
implemented in the out year projects. 2004 is important
because this summer the NEPA planning work would get
done. The order of projects is Kachina Village (2002),
Woody Ridge (2003), Mountainaire and then Timberline
(2004). He wants approval for 2003 and 2004 because
the rest could conceptually change. He is seeking
GFFP commitment for the NEPA work for 2004. He said
this shouldn't be a problem because all Flag Center
priority 1 activities in 2003 regard the GFFP. Kevin
said that the only difference is Timberline. Everything
else has previously been identified with the GFFP.
Doc said it has been discussed at previous MT and
PAB as to what would happen next, Timberline or Walnut
Canyon. [Top]
Jim
motioned approval for 2003 & 2004 Flag Center
projects; Doc seconded; all approved and carried.
Kevin
followed up saying that we will need to change our
out-year plan. Gene said that he would make the new
map with boundary alterations and distribute it for
our documents. Dick said that CREC could help with
Timberline survey work. Ken said that county extension
service and Timberline Fire Dept would also be involved.
Brad wants information on GFFP's Woody Ridge project
and how work on the Centennial Forest is integrated
with the FS. JJ said that the Centennial Forest management
plan is not press ready and that the management plan
will be broad. Tammy said that the FS had a meeting
with the Centennial Forest to begin discussion on
the Desired Future Conditions of the entire area and
how they could work together to achieve this. They
want field tours but don't know the complete integration
yet. The FS is going ahead with NEPA this summer.
JJ said the Centennial Forest Advisory Committed has
seen the management draft and it is ready to give
to the State Land Commission. [Top]
Gene said that the 2003 and 2004 budget process is
disconnected internally because of the quick deadlines
imposed upon local FS staff. He hopes Dick's involvement
aids in the planning problems. Dick wants to add the
GFFP out year planning to the annul review. This would
be the best time for the GFFP to commit to out-year
projects. Tom asked if these short-notice planning
& budget meetings are activity specific (for acres
or type of treatment). Gene responded that they are
not. He looks at the available funds then designs
projects that come from the EIS direction and input
that comes from the public comments.
Deb emphasized that to "break the cycle"
we should be cautionary with a decrease in service
contracts because there is no market for small diameter.
Mike inquired about box factories and if this is being
done. Deb said that there is a pallet factory in Phoenix.
She wants people to know that there is no small diameter
wood market. Gene again said that operators know that
they aren't going to buy because we are going to pay
them. And they know the exact amount because it is
in the publicly available plan. Doc said that to get
the regional "big picture" underway we need
to get markets. Brad said that there are markets but
there is no process facility. That is what we need.
Gene said that A1 West might generate money.
[Top]
Kachina
Village Project DEIS
Tammy said that the DEIS is about done and June 15
is the expected public release date. The new budget
has unit costs (a follow-up from a question asked
by Deb at the last meeting). Brad wondered if the
FS was on track or ready to answer questions regarding
the monitoring of indicator species (MIS). Due to
all the recent successful lawsuits, he feels that
something should be done soon by the FS. Gene said
that the Coconino has met all MIS requirement according
to the Forest Plan and that any more analysis (such
as the suggested population monitoring of MIS) was
not feasible because there was no staff or funding
for this activity. Tammy said the MIS analysis was
sent for regional review.
Greater Flagstaff Forests Partnership, Inc.
(restructure)
Brian said this is well underway. The new board will
meet 5-15 (meeting is open to the public) and that
a formal letter will be sent out today to the PAB
announcing the changes from the previous board's meeting
on April 30. The name has been formalized and is now
being used, and he passed an agenda out for the upcoming
board meeting. Brian and Dick will update the cooperative
agreement with the FS. Brad asked if the website is
being changed. Brian said yes, and that the PIT is
actively addressing this and other public outreach
components of the change.
Accomplishments Document/Urban Interface
Map
Dick has the map; some FS and A1 polygons are missing.
It is coming along well. When it is completed he will
try to make it at a scale that is accessible to put
it on the web. This will probably happen within the
next few weeks. He is thinking of making it 8 1/2
x 11 or displaying the map by quad. Brian said that
the Accomplishments Document will also happen soon.
Dick is working on it and it is in tabular format.
Fort Valley Ecosystem Restoration
Project
Brian said that not much has changed. Unit 28, where
Wes has been for some time, is still being worked
on. There are still 5-10 acres left because of red-flag
restrictions over the past month. It is bound to slow
down more as the Kaibab and Coconino are on hoot-owl
restrictions. Jim asked how the handling and delivering
to the market is going. Brian said this is actually
the major slowdown as the couple of remaining markets
for Ft Valley wood are no longer taking much. The
pallet mill is full and that has been a primary market
for Perkins. Jim asked about the chainsaw restrictions.
Dick said that heavy work could occur until noon and
hauling until 2:00pm. Doc asked what the chance or
cost to do a pallet mill here would be. Brad said
that we could do a small diameter mill here. Deb said
that there is no processing now because the supply
is a concern and pallet mills are low-value.
Arboretum Project
Brian said it is completed and signed off. Tomas said
that the Arboretum is concerned about invasive weeds
colonizing the area. He asked if research is being
done on this issue, and if piles will be burned. Brian
said that the piles are going to be burned. Doc answered
that research is being done on invasives. Jim said
that the science is here and that the forest fuel
reduction priority has been positively addressed with
this project. Mike suggested having sheep graze from
Motorola to control invasives. The FS has used that
method before. Taylor and Brad commented that the
protocol has been studied with machine use. Taylor
wants to monitor any efforts that occur. Doc has seen
noxious weeds fade out as native species and fires
return to an area. He said that from empirical evidence,
healthy understory out-competes noxious weeds. His
worry is if they do insufficient treatments the noxious
weeds will have an advantage. He said that this is
not proven but it is a concern. Tom said we should
look at Julie Korb's thesis defense about invasive
weeds and that Will Moore and Julie Crawford have
papers on this topic.
PIT
Brian said that the team's current focus is on the
independence transition (website, press release, etc.)
and planning the Kachina Village project public outreach.
The minutes from the last meeting have been sent out
and the next meeting is within a month. The next meeting
will be when Ken Fredericks knows the KV s
