Upper Goose Creek

Both units occupy portions of two small side drainages of the East Fork of Goose Creek. The northeast unit covers 140 acres (57 ha), the southwest 320 (130 ha). Elevations range from 1830 to 2450 ft (558-747 m) at the northeast unit and 1840-3440 ft (561-1049 m) in the southwest unit. The northeast unit has the predominant northwest- and southeast-facing slopes about equally represented, whereas the southwest unit has virtually all slope aspects except due south. Inner gorges of both small drainages are steep, and both units have permanent streams.

Distinctive Features 

Port Orford-Cedar-Douglas-Fir-Western Hemlock Forest: This forest is poorly represented in California on Federal lands (most stands on private lands have been logged) and was once more widespread in southwest Oregon. However, root rot (Phytophthora lateralis) has decimated some of the best Oregon stands. The ravine-bottom stands are characterized by very large individuals of all three species: Port Orford-cedar (POC) that are 5-6 ft (1.5-1.8 m) dbh and 200-225 ft (61-69 m) tall; Douglas-fir, 6-6.5 ft (1.8-2 m) dbh and 240-250 ft (73-76 m) tall; and western hemlock, 2.5-3.5 ft (0.76-1.1 m) dbh and 160-175 ft (49-53 m) tall. These forests are remnants of moist Tertiary environments when western hemlock and POC coexisted over a much larger area. POC and western hemlock are climax species indicated by abundant regeneration in forest shade, whereas Douglas-fir is seral. Ages of some of the largest POC may exceed 1000 years. The Adorni RNA also contains similar vegetation, but has no hemlock, is dominated by Douglas-fir throughout, and has smaller and younger POC individuals. 

Douglas-Fir-Hardwood Forests: These locally most extensive forest types are typical of many lower-elevation areas in the west Klamath Mountains ecological section. The various slope aspects and successional states of the Upper Goose Creek forests will provide important baseline information on the ecology of this most economically important forest in the Klamath Mountains ecological section. The effects of fire and logging on succession of this forest type can be elucidated by studying these forests’ composition, slope exposure, and history of disturbance.

Association Types 

Eighteen 100-m² plots were sampled in the POC-Douglas-fir-western hemlock forest. For additional vegetation sampling in this area, see Keeler-Wolf (1988b). 

Douglas-Fir-Dominated Forests (82420): 111 acres (45 ha) northeast unit, 222 acres (90 ha) southwest unit. These forests cover the majority of the area. They occur in relatively xeric situations upslope from the POC-Douglas-fir-western hemlock types. They may be divided into north- and south-facing slope types. 

The north-facing type is characterized by a canopy of Douglas-fir with a subcanopy layer dominated by giant chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla) and a dense shrub layer dominated by Rhododendron macrophyllum. Other important understory species are tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), Vaccinium ovatum, Gaultheria shallon, and Xerophyllum tenax. Total shrub and herb cover averages about 90%. 

On south- and west-facing slopes without recent crown fire damage, the Douglas-fir canopy is more open relative to north-facing slopes. There is a hardwood subcanopy dominated by tanoak, with Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) and canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis). The understory also differs from north-facing Douglas-fir forests with Gaultheria shallon frequently dominant in relatively low total cover, along with smaller amounts of Berberis nervosa, Pteridium aquilinum, Rubus ursinus, Arctostaphylos cinerea, Toxicodendron diversilobum, Iris sp., Xerophyllum tenax, and Campanula prenanthoides.

Port Orford-Cedar-Douglas-Fir-Western Hemlock (82200): 31 acres (13 ha) on southwest unit, 32 acres (13 ha) northeast unit. This association is restricted to very mesic ravines and bottomlands and may be divided into two subtypes: POC-Douglas-fir and western hemlock. Characterized by tall, dense trees with heights up to 250 ft (76 m) and dbh up to 6.5 ft (2 m), this forest averages 1440 trees/ha and a basal area cover of 204 m²/ha. POC has a higher overall importance value than Douglas-fir but a lower basal area. Western hemlock is third in importance. Small understory trees form a scattered layer including Acer circinatum, tanoak, bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii), and giant chinquapin. Ericaceous shrubs dominate the understory, covering an average of 40% of the ground. Gaultheria shallon, Rhododendron macrophyllum, Berberis nervosa, Vaccinium parvifolium, and V. ovatum are the principal species. Although 25 species of herbs were recorded in the samples, only three (Polystichum munitum, Blechnum spicant, and Coptis lacinata) account for anything more than trace cover.

The second subtype is characterized by hemlock dominance and tends to be best developed on alluvial flats and relatively gentle slopes. The understory is sparser than the former type because of dense shade and litter. Oxalis oregana and Polystichum munitum are the most characteristic understory species. The western hemlock-dominated forest typically occurs on the most mesic sites with the deepest soils and the gentlest topography.

Successional Forest (81100, 81400, 37530): 43 acres (18 ha) southwest unit, 12 acres (5 ha) northeast unit. Large areas of surrounding vegetation have been disturbed by crown fire, clear-cutting, or both, over the past 60 or more years. Recent clearcuts are frequently dominated by Ceanothus velutinus var. laevicaulis with resprouts of tanoak, madrone, giant chinquapin, and canyon live oak along with shrubs such as Rosa gymnocarpa, Rubus leucodermis, and Toxicodendron diversilobum. Skid trails and more heavily disturbed areas are dominated by naturally seeding thickets of Douglas-fir saplings. In addition, Douglas-fir has been planted uniformly throughout most of these cuts. Older successional forests tend to have broadleaved evergreens dominant in a low 35- to 40-ft (11- to 12-m) canopy with occasional emergent survivor Douglas-fir. Tanoak and madrone tend to dominate on south-facing exposures while giant chinquapin is an additional codominant on more north-facing exposures.

Riparian Woodland (61130, 81A00): The low-volume side streams have a scattered bordering layer of red alder (Alnus oregona) up to 32 inches (81 cm) dbh and more than 100 ft (31 m) tall overlying a dense, largely deciduous shrub layer dominated by Ribes bracteosum, Euonymus occidentalis, Rubus spectabilis, and Rhamnus purshiana. Herbs of this association include Boykinia elata, Mitella ovalis, Aralia californica, Athyrium filix-femina, Adiantum pedatum, Tellima grandiflora, Carex ormantha, Agrostis longiligula, Calamagrostis foliosus, Woodwardia fimbriata, Petasites palmatus, and Aquilegia formosa. 

The riparian zone along the main East Fork of Goose Creek is characterized by more sun, flooding, and alluvium than the riparian zone along the side streams. The red alder trees are relatively small, and many of the more shade-loving species are absent. Phacelia bolanderi is characteristic of the gravelly alluvium areas along this stream.

Plant Diversity 

Ninety-six taxa are listed. 

Conflicting impacts 

Logging roads may potentially act as transport routes for Phytophthora lateralis, the root rot fungus lethal to POC. The southwest unit has more integrity because most of the drainage is within proposed boundaries of RNA. The northeast unit is more vulnerable because its drainage is heavily traversed by roads. Clearcuts and other human disturbances affect edges of both units but not core areas of the target element. There is no erosion associated with human-mediated impacts on side streams, but the main East Fork of Goose Creek shows some increased downcutting, probably resulting from clear-cutting upstream. Despite shortcomings, this rRNA probably contains the best available examples of POC-Douglas-fir-western hemlock forest in California.