The 2007 Plantation Thin Environmental Assessment covers the commercial thinning of thinning of young (30 to 61 year old) plantations on approximately 4,374 acres within the Middle Clackamas River and Collawash River 5th field watersheds of the Clackamas River.  These stands occur in various land allocations as described in the Northwest Forest Plan, including matrix, late-successional reserves, and the dry upland portion of riparian reserves.  Thinning will occur on approximately 2,188 acres of matrix and 1,237 acres of late-successional reserves.  Approximately 1,225 acres of thinning is proposed within riparian reserves.  Thinning would be designed to enhance diversity by applying variable density prescriptions that includes density management elements such as trees unevenly spaced, small gaps (openings) and small skips (clumps) within residual stands.  Riparian Reserve prescriptions would encourage understory growth and development of intermediate forest layers.

The treatment area is located within eight drainages of the Middle Clackamas River and eight drainages of the Collawash River.  The total area of the sixteen drainages associated with the project is 68,778 acres.  The area of the eight drainages within the Middle Clackamas watershed is 42,117 acres and includes: Lower Fish Creek, Lower Clackamas River Tributaries, Pup Creek, Sandstone Creek, Big Creek, Trout Creek, Lower Clackamas River Timber Lake, and the Lower Clackamas River Wards drainages.  The area of the eight drainages within the Collawash watershed is 26,661 acres and includes the Hot Springs Fork Tributaries, Dutch Creek, Thunder Creek, Blister Creek, Fan Creek, Farm Creek, Lower Collawash River Tributaries - North, and the Lower Collawash River Tributaries – South drainages.

As of this date (01/08) the 2007 Plantation Thinning EA includes the following Stewardship Contracts:

1. K-9
2. Quarry
3. Hot
4. Pin