Moose Creek is a marvelous low-elevation, wild enclave in the midst of a National Forest where old-growth stands have been logged for years and logging roads have severely fragmented the landscape. The maturing forest of Moose Creek is a prime candidate to replace at least some of the old growth that has been cut down in the region. That forest already constitutes habitat for the northern spotted owl, and the Moose Creek watershed comprises spawning habitat for a critically imperiled run of winter steelhead. Both the owl and steelhead are listed as threatened by the federal government. And the area is a popular spot for year-round recreation enjoyed by visitors to the region and residents of Willamette Valley alike.
The Moose Subwatershed project would offer up to 22.5 million board feet of timber for sale. Logging and road construction would directly or indirectly modify more than 1,500 acres of this roadless area, including more than 900 acres of habitat for the northern spotted owl that would be "degraded, downgraded, or removed," according to Forest Service documents.
The Forest Service approved this project in 1998, but the agency failed to complete species management surveys that are required by the Northwest Forest Plan. New information on several species, including the red tree vole, and the federal listing in March 1999 of the Upper Willamette winter steelhead appear to require additional studies-even a new Environmental Impact Statement-before the sale can proceed.
