FORESTRY: 2 hours: 3:15 PM to 5:15 PM

Thinning, pruning and general clean-up between Riparian Zone unit #3 and  Eastern Wedge unit #5.

Forestry portion of new trail establishment into Eastern Wedge unit #5 from the Great Cedar Snag. Cull tree and decrepit brush removal along with lower branch pruning (mostly with the hand saw in tight quarters). Surprisingly, a large collection of established (16 year-old) Doug fir in this northern end of Eastern Wedge unit. These appear to have prevailed against the encroaching hemlock and alder found in much of this unit. Still, many of them have broken (but regrown) tops, or are suppressed to the point of failure, and some have twin trunks growing from the base, so there is plenty of cull material here. The Red Alder in the Alder Seep are amazingly well-spaced and robust for their young age, perhaps 30 feet tall and 6”-10” DBH, forming a nearly pure stand of alder. Quite a few have compromised (re-grown) tops, but this damage occurred at such a small diameter (high up on the tree) that it appears to have fully sealed the wound. Many of the alder are in perfect condition for their age. I cut out some of the obvious culls: the suppressed, bent-over, and the bad broken-tops.

TRAILS: 4.5 hours: 10:45 AM to 3:15 PM

Trail creation through from Great Cedar Snag to the Alder Seep in Eastern Wedge unit #5.

Trail establishment into Eastern Wedge unit #5 from the NE corner of the RMZ. Started where I left off last time at the Great Cedar Snag – the top of the incline up through the RMZ from the upper creek crossing. Cut the trail through the brush and woody debris, roughly following the contour heading south, slightly descending down into the Alder Seep and Cedar Shake Park. Alder Seep is a shallow ravine with a lot of surface water spread over a wide area. Scattered throughout this small basin are monster old-growth cedar stumps and logs, with old shake bolts (cut by cedar shake salvagers) all over the ground. <Make note of this as a cultural site/artifact in the management plan.> Very difficult finding a good route through this steep and dense terrain, but ended up with a fairly level route that aims to cross the high side of the seep with a minimal water crossing. Much of this trail runs directly underneath many legacy stumps of the big trees that once dominated this landscape, so it should make for interesting hiking. Will have to return with shovel, mattock and axe to carve the path into the humus-y hillside, as it is too sloped to get a good footing. Associated cull tree removal and lower branch pruning on the Doug firs along the route. Also roughed out a side trail up the ridge from the Great Cedar Snag heading east to the property line.