The Trask Watershed Study: Examining the effects of contemporary forest practices on aquatic ecosystems at multiple scales

Background/Question/Methods and Results/Conclusions

The Trask Watershed Study is a multi-disciplinary, long-term research project in the Oregon Coast Range that is designed to examine the effects of current forest management practices on aquatic ecosystems.  The study utilizes a before-after, replicated, paired watershed approach to compare current management practices on public and private forestlands at two spatial scales:  small non-fish headwater streams (21-48 ha) and larger downstream fish-bearing reaches (280-670 ha).  Since 2006 we have been in the pre-treatment phase of the study where we have been gathering baseline data and characterizing variability of the study area landscape, and developing models of integration.  In 2012, 8 of the 15 small non-fish headwater study streams will be clearcut harvested: stream buffers will be left on public lands but not on private lands.  Extensive physical (e.g., water quantity and quality, channel morphology) and biological data (e.g., primary productivity, macro-invertebrate communities, amphibian movement and fish populations and behavior) has been collected in both the small and large watersheds since 2006 and will continue until 2016.  The analysis and integration of the Trask Watershed Study data will allow us to understand aquatic ecosystem response to management and the degree to which responses influence downstream aquatic communities.  The results from this experimental study will provide resource managers with expanded understanding of both direct and indirect effects of forest management on aquatic ecosystems.