The
Long Swamp area is a large (70,000 acres), mountainous
roadless area that lies contiguous on its northwest
side to the Pasayten Wilderness. The original Long
Swamp inventoried area was larger, but the northern
portion of the area was added to the Pasayten Wilderness
in the 1984 Washington Wilderness Act.
Most
of the Long Swamp roadless area was allocated under
the Okanogan National Forest Land and Resource Management
Plan to lynx/timber management. The goal of the management
area is to provide habitat to support a stable lynx
population over time while accessing the area for the
purpose of growing and producing merchantable wood fibre.
Road construction is permitted with restrictions to
protect lynx. Other lands in the inventoried roadless
area are allocated to scenery and research natural area.
The
topography varies greatly within the area. The western
portion is characterized by deep canyons with moderately
steep slopes, topped by rounded or benched ridgetops.
The majority of the area is characterized by high, gentle
ridges and meadows, but a number of streams have cut
steep, deep canyons. Elevations range from 2,000 to
7450 feet.
Recreation
use is low except for moderate use on several trails
which pass through the area as access to the Pasayten
Wilderness. Although most of the area is closed to
motorized traffic during winter, designated ungroomed
routes provide access for snowmobilers. A major feature
of the area is the large meadows on the eastern side.
The area has no developed recreation sites.
The
Chewuch River, at the western edge of the area, and
the lower reaches of several of the smaller streams
draining the area support populations of three species
listed under the Endangered Species Act: spring Chinook
salmon, bull trout, summer steelhead. The streams of
the area are important in providing cool, clear water
to maintain spawning and rearing habitat in the Chewuch
River.
The
area also provides important security to three terrestrial
species listed under the Endangered Species Act: gray
wolf, grizzly bear, and Canada lynx. Numerous other
wildlife species common to the Okanogan National Forest
also inhabit the area.
10,500
acres of the roadless area was burned during the Thunder
Mountain Fire in 1994. A small portion of the fire
area was subsequently logged, primarily by helicopter.
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