Marbled murrelet (U.S. Forest Service)

Marbled murrelet (U.S. Forest Service)

Marbled murrelet plans to have little impact on county harvests, says Clallam commissioner

“The reason is there’s been a lot of work done already in Clallam County to protect the [northern spotted] owl,” Bill Peach said.

PORT ANGELES — Proposed protections for the marbled murrelet on state-managed forests would have a “minimal impact” on harvest volumes in Clallam County, Commissioner Bill Peach reported last week.

Peach also serves on the state Board of Natural Resources, which sets policies that guide how the state Department of Natural Resources manages forest lands and other resources.

The DNR board is considering six alternatives in a long-term conservation strategy for the marbled murrelet, a seabird that nests in coastal forests. It is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act and by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“Here’s the bottom line with regard to the murrelet: Of all of the options being considered for the management of murrelet, they have minimal impact on Clallam County,” said Peach, a retired Rayonier regional manager, during the county commissioners’ meeting Tuesday.

“First time I’ve seen that in my entire career. But if you stop and think about it, the reason is there’s been a lot of work done already in Clallam County to protect the [northern spotted] owl. And so if you take a look at owl and murrelet behind that, there is already protection, as long as they count the same habitat for those species.”

Peach cited a DNR report comparing harvest volumes of the various scenarios in the marbled murrelet long-term conservation strategy.

Each of the options would result in a modest increase in harvest volume on the North Olympic Peninsula’s state forest transfer lands.

The “no change” option would leave an annual harvest volume of 35.5 million board feet in Clallam County and 4.7 million board feet in Jefferson County, the report says.

The five alternatives would result in annual harvest volumes ranging from 36.2 million board feet to 41.8 million board feet in Clallam County and 4.9 million board feet in Jefferson County.

Other counties, such as Snohomish, Skagit and Lewis, would see less harvest volume under the more restrictive options in the draft marbled murrelet conservation plan.

Under the no-change scenario for marbled murrelet protection, the statewide harvest volume would be 464 million board feet per year.

Option B, which offers the least protection for the small seabird, would result in an annual harvest volume of 498 million board feet.

Option F, which offers the most protection for the murrelet, would leave 400 million board feet of available timber.

The cumulative value of the timber is between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, depending on which option is selected, DNR officials said.

Revenue from timber sales on state-managed trust lands supports timber counties and junior taxing districts such as schools, hospitals, libraries and fire departments.

Peach had requested a county-by-county breakdown of the effect of the murrelet alternatives on harvest volumes.

DNR Deputy Supervisor for State Uplands Kyle Blum prepared the analysis for the board’s Sept. 6 meeting in Olympia.

The report is available on the DNR website, www.dnr.wa.gov, under “About,” “Boards and Councils” and “Board of Natural Resources.”

“The previous scenarios were for comparative purposes only,” Blum concluded in the report.

“Those numbers should only be viewed in the context of this exercise, as further choices around the Sustainable Harvest Calculation will influence final volume levels.”

The six-member Board of Natural Resources, which normally meets once a month, will hold special meetings every other week through October to deal with three specific issues, Peach said.

The first step will be to select an option for the marbled murrelet.

“The second will be to answer the question how should we deal with arrearage,” Peach said.

“That is the variance between what was authorized [for sale] and actually occurred.”

Recession-era staff reductions and environmental protections were the main reasons why DNR failed to sell 92 million board feet of Clallam County timber that was supposed to be sold from 2005 to 2014, officials have said.

“And then, finally, there will be a conversation about the assumptions that should be in the model for harvest of riparian zones,” Peach said.

Riparian zones are areas around streams and rivers.

DNR manages about 93,000 acres of timberland on behalf of Clallam County and junior taxing districts.

________

Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Port Angeles teachers’ union votes to honor paraeducators’ picket line on April 8

Members of the Port Angeles Education Association voted overwhelmingly… Continue reading

Funding needed for Port Townsend homeless shelter

Operation at Legion Hall to close April 30

Port of Port Angeles renews lease for Composite Recycling Technology Center

Agreement covers 26,000 square feet at airport business park

Fire district volunteers lauded

Clallam County Fire District No. 3 recently recognized seven members… Continue reading

Clallam to continue providing deputy to Forks

Contract includes wages, mileage and maintenance reimbursement

Maintenance closes section of Olympic Discovery Trail

A portion of the Olympic Discovery Trail is closed… Continue reading

Hanna Paoluccu of Alexander, N.Y., and Rosie Berg of Nevada City, Calif., members of the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and working with the Jefferson County Noxious Weed Board, remove poisonous hemlock weed from along the Larry Scott Trail in Port Townsend on Monday. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Poison hemlock removal in Port Townsend

Hanna Paoluccu of Alexander, N.Y., and Rosie Berg of Nevada City, Calif.,… Continue reading

YMCA to build childcare facility

$1-2M still needed for $6.7M project

Port Townsend Police Department recognizes award recipients

The Port Townsend Police Department recognized officers, employees, volunteers… Continue reading

Port Angeles High School evacuated due to bomb threat

Nothing suspicious found, principal says

A tree that has grown out of its tree box and shattered a nearby curb and sidewalk in the 100 block of North Oak Street is among those targeted for removal and replacement in downtown Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Port Angeles tree and sidewalk replacement to begin Monday

The Port Angeles downtown tree and sidewalk replacement project… Continue reading

Grant for Forks treatment plant to be discussed

The Clallam County Opportunity Fund Advisory Board will discuss… Continue reading