Mill Creek A to Z Stewardship Project

Project Completed: In Progress

Vaagen Brothers Lumber

The Mill Creek A to Z Stewardship project is a remarkable initiative that’s shedding new light on forest restoration funding. This groundbreaking program was first launched as a pilot project by the US Forest Service (USFS) and is an inspiring example of how ingenuity and innovation can come together to create positive change in our environment. Our team worked with Northwest Management and Vaagen Brothers on planning and implementation of the forest health restoration project in the 33,110-acre forest.  

In our role as a subconsultant to Northwest Management, our team drafted an environmental assessment for a stewardship sale and provided peer review and support for layout and design of temporary logging, main logging spur, and county transportation systems. 

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The work we provided in our partnership with Vaagen Brothers was crucial in accomplishing the restoration work outlined in the environmental assessment. Our team seamlessly combined surveying, engineering design, and construction management services. The work included:

  • Replacing 16 aquatic organism passages (AOP) structures
  • Removing three culverts identified as fish passage barriers
  • Realigning more than a mile of mainline road
  • Restoring approximately 1,200 feet of fish-bearing stream habitat

These services enhance water quality, reduce fire risk, protect fish and lynx habitats, and promote forest health.

Looking ahead: We are currently in the beginning phases to design 13 AOPs in another forest region for Vaagen Brothers.

A total station set up near a forest road with a pickup truck and forested area in the background

FOREST ENGINEERING/RURAL ROAD DESIGN

Our forester engineers peer-reviewed the forest harvest system designs, as well as reviewing the environmental assessment, and drafted sections pertaining to new road construction, reconstruction, maintenance, and decommissioning; existing and potential rock borrow pit analysis; and preliminary AOP analyses.  

Working closely with USFS and Vaagen Brothers, we designed and administered replacement of 16 AOP structures. As of 2023, all culverts have been surveyed and fully installed to complete the stream restoration.

LAND SURVEYING

Our surveying team provided topographic surveying of project areas to support our engineers’ design. This included approximately 1,200 feet of stream realignment and 16 culvert sites.

HYDRAULIC & WATER RESOURCES

In collaboration with the forest engineering team, our hydraulic and water resource team provided a habitat restoration plan for the stream realignment sites and collaborated with the forest engineering team to complete the design of 16 AOP structures.

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