Barkley Salvage Sale Background

The Barkley fire burned over 40,000 acres in 1994; a relatively small portion of which was on the Lassen National Forest. A project area of less than 5,000 acres was identified by the Almanor Ranger District of the Lassen National Forest for salvage timber harvest with approximately 250 acres actually proposed for logging under the timber salvage law (P.L. 104-19).

The project area is within the Deer Creek watershed which is considered by experts to have the greatest potential for springrun chinook salmon restoration of all Sacramento Valley streams. Because of this the Quincy Library Group (QLG) identified the Deer Creek watershed as "off-base" for timber management in its Community Stability Proposal. A small portion of the project area is within the QLG "Deferred" landbase designation.

The letters provided herein provide background on this controversial issue that was a critical juncture in the QLG's existence because it tested the landbase agreement of the proposal.