ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES in rocky mountain coniferous ...

STUDY DESIGN
The study area is located on the 3 019 ha (7,460 acre) Coram Experimental Forest,
on the Hungry Horse District of the Flathead National Forest. It is accessible from
U.S. Highway #2 at Martin City and lies about 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Kalispell.
The cutting units were established along the main ridge facing east into Abbott
Basin, sections 25, 35, and 36; T31N, R19W (48'25' north lat., 113O59' west long.).
Timber was harvested in 1974 using one or more running skyline systems, and the
residues broadcast burned in the fall of 1975.
The study area falls primarily in the Abies/Pachistima habitat type,* with a
lesser amount along the bottoms within the habitat type. The mountain
slope soils are from impure limestone loamy-skeletal soil
fa mi lie^.^ Slopes on the cutting units range in steepness from 30 to 80 percent (17
to 39") and average about 55 percent (Do). Elevation ranges from 1 189 to 1 585 m
(3,900 to 5,200 feet) rn.s.1.
Six cutting units or blocks were harvested, originally designed to provide two
rep1 ications of three basic silvicul tural systems as follows (figure 1 ) :
(1 ) She1 terwood -- Block 11 12 ha 30 acres)
-- Block 21 9 ha I 22 acres)
(2) Group Selection -- Block 12 0.5 ha (1.2 acres)
-- Block 22 0.5 ha (1.2 acres)
(3). Clearcut -- Block 12 6 ha 15 acres)
-- Block 23 6 ha 1 15 acres)
In addition, two Control Blocks, 14 and 24, were established in the adjacent
uncut mature forest,
Within each sil vicul tural treatment, four residue management treatments were
superimposed. The residue subunits, designed to represent four basic levels of
utilization, are as follows:
'~ased on a habitat type survey completed in 1969 by Robert D. Pfister.
2Based on a soil survey compieted in 1969 by R. C. McConnell.