Votaw Camp
Amador County, California
Project Outline
- Land Restoration Strategies intended to mitigate intensive timber operations.
- Grazing Management
The Votaw Camp comprises 160 acres of high country meadow, forest and slick rock, surrounded on all sides by USFS lands. Heavily logged in 1998, the property suffers from several post-timber conditions typical to "Hit and Run" timber removal. Timber operations removed the healthiest trees in forest land occurring near the edge of high country slick rock. Many remaining trees are diseased and suffering from post-logging exposure and high incidence of blow-down.
Restoration tasks have included the following:
- Erosion control and mitigation in stream areas affected by timber operations.
- Cover seeding in damaged areas to stabilize light soils.
- Natural restock management to limit Lodgepole Pine and favor Fir and Sequoia.
- Stand thinning in remaining dense pine stands to promote Ponderosa growth.
- Under story thinning in critical locations.
This site is a good example of the failure of California timber regulations in allowing timber operations on small and sensitive parcels with little concern for the subtleties of habitat. This parcel in particular, suffers to a greater extent from blow-downs due to its location near the slick rock country. These locations typical include shallow soils and poor drainage conditions.
Had the timber plan limited the removal of larger, healthier trees, greater stand cover would remain.
Current Status
The property is currently showing tremendous growth in young Fir stock after an initial explosion of pine stock. Fir stocks are progressing while older trees continue to fall. It appears that wholesale restocking may occur, generating an outcome similar to that of clear cutting.
Habitat diversity has remained strong due to the availability of untouched habitat on adjacent forest lands, however under story work on adjacent lands is altering some patterns.
