The Stanislaus National Forest is on track to increase its logging production this year.

But increasing the harvest 50 percent — from 14 million to 21 million board-feet — means a larger staff.

Although they will not give precise numbers, forest officials are in the process of filling numerous positions. Ranging from hydrologists to timber sale administrators, they will aid in the large timber-harvest increase.

The increased harvest is part of a long-term plan to hike the annual cut to 38 million board-feet by 2011.

But the high cost of living in California and a lack of affordable housing in the Mother Lode are "major issues" in attracting new employees, forest spokesman Jerry Snyder said.

Even so, applications continue to come in.

The forest has hired two new hydrologists, including one from Puerto Rico, and two new timber sale administrators, including one from Alaska.

And officials are reviewing applications from around the country for jobs such as wildlife biologist and an archeologist.

Several forester positions, including a timber sales preparer and a silviculturist — a person who works with trees — will soon be posted on the Web site, www.usajobs.opm.gov.

Deb Romberger, the forest's resource management program area leader, said the Stanislaus is looking at transferring employees from other Forest Service regions and having college students work for course credit.

"We probably don't have as many applications as we would have had a year ago, when things were more affordable," she said. "So far we're doing all right with it, and we're moving forward."

A Forest Service review focusing on fire-fuel reduction and vegetation management programs on three national forests in the southern Sierra Nevada last year identified some key leadership vacancies, which have since been filled on the Stanislaus.

Romberger, who helps manage natural resources for the forest, filled one. She now works with natural resource managers in each of the forest's four ranger districts.

The review found that a new Calaveras District ranger would be essential to carrying out the forest's plan to increase logging. Bill Lorenz began that job last week.

The forest's five-year vegetation management plan, released in October, is aimed at reducing trees and brush that could fuel a destructive wildfire.

Area loggers have long advocated for more logging on forest land.

Last winter, Sierra Pacific Industries temporarily laid off workers from the company's Standard and Chinese Camp mills.

Both SPI representatives and mill workers laid blame for the lack of logs on the limited amount of timber being cut on the Stanislaus.

SPI is not anticipating layoffs this winter, as workers have been stockpiling fire-salvage logs on company lands in Amador County, said Ed Bond, spokesman for the Redding-based company.

Bond said SPI will "look at the viability of each (future timber) sale" on the Stanislaus.

Last fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, the forest harvested 14 million board feet. That amount is scheduled to increase to 21 million board-feet this year.

Forest employees are now hard at work preparing sales for advertising and bids. Actual logging will begin once environmental review is complete and dry weather begins.

Next year, the timber-harvest amount is projected to increase from 21 million board feet to 25 million, followed by 30 million in 2008, 35 million in 2009, almost 38 million in 2010 and another 38 million in 2011. A board foot is an inch-thick, foot-square piece of lumber.

"We commend the forest for trying to do more," Bond said. "But at the same time I think everyone realizes a lot more can be done."

This year's federal funding for vegetation and fire-fuels reduction on the Stanislaus rose from about $4.7 million to $8 million.

The extra money will help pay for the salaries of new employees and the equipment they use for timber sales and harvesting. It can also be used to hire contractors for some work such as biological surveys and marking trees to be thinned.