In a recent agreement Weyerhaueser and King County have conditioned logging in
Priority Habiatat to include a study of riparian buffers and their impact on
winter habitat for Black Tail Deer. The locations are on the lower North Fork
of the Snoqualmie not far from North Bend.

This was done under the Shorelines Management Conditional Use Permit process.
By law King Co. can restrict activity within 200 feet of the stream. The
study will study results of 100 and 200 foot buffers by setting transects
at intervals and studying deer feces. ( My expertise in deer come from their
runious eating of my fruit trees and garden - based on which knowledge I'd
say the deer will do better in the clear cut, ie the narrower buffer will be
better for deer ) Weyerhaueser's goal is to establish that the 100 or even
a 50 foot buffer suffices to give cover in case of severe winter storms.

King County has gotten Weyerhauser to agree that other wildlife can be included
in the study. They are asking if anyone would be willing to use the study
areas to evaluate the impact on birds.

The goal is to use this model as a process to educate Weyco on the importance
of the buffers and to allow expediting permiting for harvesting if Weyco
accepts conditions shown to be important to wildlife.

If you are interested in participating please send me a note. I'll get you
in contact with the study team.

Steve Hallstrom steveh at u.washington.edu
(206) 333-4928