Recreation and Scenery Specialist Report

Transcription

1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service May 2010 Recreation and Scenery Specialist Report Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District, Klamath National Forest Siskiyou County, California and Jackson County, Oregon Sections 2-6, 7-11, and in T46N R7W; Sections 1-6 and 9-11 in T46N R8W; Sections 1-36 in T47N R7W; Sections 1-36 in T47N R8W; Sections in T48N R8W; and Sections 13-16, 21-28, and in T48N R9W, Mt. Diablo Meridian, Siskiyou County, California, and Sections 5-9 and in T41S R1E; Sections in T40S R1E; Sections 1-18 in T41S R1W; Sections 12 and 13 in T41S R2W; and Sections and in T40S R1W, Willamette Meridian, Jackson County, Oregon.

2 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C , or call (800) (voice) or (202) (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recreation and scenery are important resources on the Klamath National Forest (KNF), and the KNF provides a wide array of developed and dispersed recreation opportunities. Recreation on the KNF can be described in terms of supply and demand. Supply is the quantity of recreation facilities or settings available to the public for recreation use, expressed in terms of capacity such as the number of camping sites, parking spaces, etc., for developed recreation and in terms of acres for dispersed recreation. Demand is more difficult to define or determine, as it varies according to various factors such as economic factors, recreationists preference and recreation settings offered. Recreation use is an obvious indicator of demand. Recreation use, by activity and season, is a good indicator of settings, recreation facilities, and/or recreation opportunities that may be needed in the future to meet demand. The KNF Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) (pages 3 12) states that the Forest is surrounded by other National Forests and by State parks which provide similar recreational opportunities located closer to population centers. This has been a factor in keeping recreational use on the Forest relatively low on a Regional scale. Many areas on the Forest receive little use. The area includes recreation facilities and opportunities such as the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) on the north side of the East Beaver allotment and dispersed camping and picnicking along Forest Road 20 and Beaver Creek Road 11. Observation Peak and Red Mountain Botanical Interest Areas are located along the Siskiyou Crest on the north end of the project area. In regards to scenery, the project area is predominantly natural appearing, particularly along the Siskiyou Crest which is the most visually sensitive area within the project area. The upper portion of Beaver Creek to the northwest of Doe Peak in Oregon is heavily altered due to past timber harvest activities. There are no substantial differences between the action alternatives and the No Action alternative (Alternative 1) as they relate to current and anticipated recreation supply and demand within or in close proximity to the project area. Under all alternatives, the recreation settings and experience are anticipated to generally remain the same and capable of meeting current and anticipated future demand. Regarding scenery, Alternatives 1 and 3 would continue the existing scenic condition of the project area with no direct, indirect, or cumulative effects. The proposed action (Alternative 2) includes the construction of two corrals. Corral #1 is located adjacent to the PCT and as such would have a Retention Visual Quality Objective (VQO). The proposed action will include designating the corral as available for recreation horse use, thereby allowing it to be treated as a recreation site from which VQOs are evaluated. In this situation, the corral does not have to meet the Retention VQO. There would therefore be no direct or indirect effects on scenery. All alternatives meet the applicable laws, regulations, and standards that provide management direction for this project including the KNF LRMP because they follow the mandated laws, regulations, and standards described in Section 3 of this document. i

4 Table of Contents Executive Summary... i 1 Introduction Affected Environment Methods Recreation and Scenery Analysis Description of Project Area Recreation Setting Scenery Setting Applicable Laws, Regulations and Standards Environmental Impacts Including No Action Alternative Alternative 1 No Action Recreation Scenery Alternative 2 Proposed Action Recreation Scenery Alternative Recreation Scenery Cumulative Effects Recreation Scenery Summary of Mitigation Requirements and Monitoring References List of Tables Table-3-1 Land Allocation- Goals and Forest Plan Desired Condition... 4 Table 3-2 Percent Allowable Utilization Levels by Ecological Condition

5 1 INTRODUCTION The Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District of the Klamath National Forest (KNF) is proposing to authorize livestock grazing for ten years within the East Beaver, Ash Creek, and Hornbrook allotments, implement an adaptive management system (AMS) for all three allotments, and construct a set of corrals to assist with livestock management within the East Beaver Allotment. The proposed action would authorize the East Beaver Allotment under a Term Grazing Permit and authorize the Hornbrook and Ash Creek allotments under a Term Permit With On and Off Provisions. The proposed AMS is designed to maintain or improve trends in rangeland vegetation condition, stream condition and forage utilization by monitoring design criteria and implementing management actions as determined necessary. The three-allotment area covers approximately 84,644 acres and is located roughly nine miles north of Yreka, California and north of the Klamath River within California (80%) and Oregon (20%). The legal locations are Sections 2-6, 7-11, and in T46N R7W; Sections 1-6 and 9-11 in T46N R8W; Sections 1-36 in T47N R7W; Sections 1-36 in T47N R8W; Sections in T48N R8W; and Sections 13-16, 21-28, and in T48N R9W, Mt. Diablo Meridian, Siskiyou County, California; Sections 5-9 and in T41S R1E; Sections in T40S R1E; Sections 1-18 in T41S R1W; Sections 12 and 13 in T41S R2W; and Sections and in T40S R1W, Willamette Meridian, Jackson County, Oregon. This report discloses impacts to recreation and scenery anticipated as a result of the Oak Knoll Range Project. For a complete description of the project purpose and need and alternatives analyzed, please refer to the Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project. A complete list of project design features applicable to all resources is included in the alternative description within the EA. Section 2, Affected Environment, outlines the current conditions of the analysis area. Section 3, Applicable Laws, Regulations, and Standards, outlines legal and other documents related to the analysis of the project. Section 4, Environmental Impacts Including No Action Alternative, discloses impacts anticipated from each alternative. Section 5, Summary of Mitigation Requirements and Monitoring, outlines the project design features developed to reduce impacts to resources analyzed in this report and to meet the standards and guidelines of the KNF Land and Resource Management Plan. 1

6 2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 2.1 Methods Recreation and Scenery Analysis All lands within the area were used to conduct the recreation and scenery analysis. The recreation analysis includes information regarding the existing type of recreation activities that occur within the project area including general location, season of use, important roads and trails, and Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) settings. The measurement indicator for effects analysis of the alternatives is displacement of recreation opportunities. The scenery analysis includes describing the existing visual condition, visually sensitive travel routes and viewpoints, and forest plan visual quality objectives of the project area. The analysis will include design criteria and mitigation measures as needed. 2.2 Description of Project Area Recreation Setting The project area includes recreation facilities and opportunities such as the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) on the north side of the East Beaver allotment, dispersed camping, and picnicking along Forest Road 20 and Beaver Creek Road 11. Observation Peak and Red Mountain Botanical Interest Areas are located along the Siskiyou Crest on the north end of the project area. The Klamath National Wild and Scenic River Corridor/State of Jefferson Scenic Byway is one of KNF s important travelways (USDA 2007). Except for those that discharge into Butte Valley/Meiss Lake closed basin, streams in the analysis area flow into the Klamath River. Some portions of the Klamath River are designated for inclusion in the National Wild, Scenic and Recreational (WSR) River System and some portions are recommended for inclusion. Designated river corridors are approved in the KNF Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). Recommended river corridors are considered preliminary until either Congress or the Secretary of the Interior designates these rivers. The Forest manages both designated and recommended rivers similarly. The project area provides mostly a Roaded Natural recreation experience. Forest Road 20 is a very popular backcountry scenic drive that follows the Siskiyou Crest through the north end of the project area. 2

7 2.2.2 Scenery Setting The Oak Knoll project area boundary will be used to conduct the visual (scenery) resource analysis for this project Existing Landscape Character The landscape in the project area is very steep and diverse. The elevation ranges from 1,700 feet at the confluence of Beaver Creek and the Klamath River to the south to 7,149 feet at Siskiyou Peak in the north. The project area is dominated by timbered stands, primarily mixed conifer at the lower elevations and becoming mostly true fir above about 5,000 feet. Mixed stands include Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, white fir, and incense-cedar. Southern exposures at lower elevations support stands of shrubs or oak. Historically, mature forest stands in this area were fairly open and dominated by Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine. Over the past 80 years, plant communities have shifted towards more shade-tolerant species, with more white fir and Douglas-fir than previously existed. Many stands have filled in and exhibit overstocking and decreased growth rates. The higher elevations contain extensive meadows dominated by a mix of native and nonnative grasses and forbs Existing Scenic Condition The project area is predominantly natural-appearing, particularly along the Siskiyou Crest, which is the most visually sensitive area within the project area. The upper reaches of Beaver Creek to the northwest of Doe Peak in Oregon are heavily altered due to past timber harvest activities. 3

8 3 APPLICABLE LAWS, REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS Table-3-1 Land Allocation- Goals and Forest Plan Desir ed Condition Allocation Goals and Desired Condition Forest Plan Pages Late Successional Reserve (LSR) (MA 5) Goals - protect and enhance conditions of late-successional and "old growth" forest ecosystems, which serve as habitat for late-successional and "old growth"-related species including the northern spotted owl. These reserves are designed to maintain a functional, interacting, latesuccessional and "old growth" forest ecosystem. Desired Conditions Well-dispersed and continuous areas of multilayered forests with high quality habitat characteristics and attributes are common. S&Gs Range-related management that does not adversely affect latesuccessional habitat will be developed in coordination with wildlife and fisheries biologists to Special Interest Area (MA 7) Riparian Reserves (MA 10) Designated and Recommended Recreational Rivers (MA 13) Goals Manage for ecological processes and unique features for which the area was designated. Desired Condition Vegetative, geologic, and other natural features are enhanced to emphasize the area was designated. S&Gs Permit existing livestock grazing within SIAs. As rangeland project decisions are revised and updated, modify to be consistent with SIA objectives. Goals Maintain and restore riparian dependent structures and functions of perennial and intermittent streams. Provide benefits to riparian-dependent and associated species. Improve travel and dispersal corridors for terrestrial species and provide connectivity of the watershed. Manage for consistency with Aquatic Conservation Strategy goals. Desired Condition Vegetation communities contain native and desirable non-native species in good ecological condition. In meadow areas, overhanging banks with herbaceous and/or shrubby vegetation cover provide canopy cover. Riparian vegetation is diverse and dense enough to stabilize stream banks. S&Gs Limit livestock trailing, bedding, watering, loading, and other handling efforts to those areas and time that will ensure meeting of Aquatic Conservation Strategy (ACS) objectives. Monitor livestock utilization levels and change strategy if needed to meet ACS objectives. Goals Protect and preserve Recreation Rivers in a free-flowing condition and enhance the outstandingly remarkable value(s) for which the river(s) are or would be designated, while providing for public recreation and resource uses that do not adversely impact or degrade those values to to to

9 Allocation Goals and Desired Condition Forest Plan Pages Partial Retention Visual Quality Objective (MA 15) General Forest (MA 17) Desired Condition - The waterway remains generally natural and riverine in appearance, aquatic system is maintained. Habitat for anadromous and resident fish is in good condition, capable of supporting viable populations of indigenous species. The river area may be developed for the full range of agricultural and forestry practices, show evidence of past and ongoing timber harvest, or include some residential, commercial, or similar development. S&Gs- Permit grazing within Recreational River Areas. Modify AOIs to be consistent with Recreational River s management goals. Livestock improvement shall meet all management goals for the area. Goals Provide an attractive, forested landscape where management activities remain visually subordinate to the character of the landscape. Manage human activities so they are subordinate to the character of the landscape. Desired Condition Area is managed to meet a Partial Retention VQO and may show evidence of management activities but are visually subordinate to the characteristic landscape in form, line, color, or texture of landscape elements. Views from visually important roads and trails appear forested and provide a nearly natural looking landscape. S&Gs None for Range Management Goals - Provide a programmed, non-declining flow of timber products, sustainable through time. Desired Condition - The mosaic of healthy forest stands is comprised of a variety of vegetative species. S&Gs Utilize these areas as transitory range when opportunities become available to to The Forest Plan also provides Forest-wide goals, desired future conditions, and S&Gs. The following list is summary of Forest-wide guidance applicable to the analysis area. APPLICABLE FOREST-WIDE GOALS Manage with the highest standards of stewardship by working to meet needs for wood, water, forage, wildlife, recreation, and other resources. Actively manage the land and resources in an environmentally sound manner to achieve the intent of the Forest Service mission: sustainable production of forest products and appropriate human uses of the land and resources. Achieve water quality objectives through the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs). Maintain soil productivity. Manage to sustain healthy, resilient forest rangeland and aquatic ecosystems. Produce commodity outputs at levels that are consistent with managing those ecosystems. 5

10 Manage for desired compositional, structural, and functional attributes of biologically diverse forest, rangeland, and aquatic ecosystems consistent with ecological processes. Emphasize maintenance or improvement of Endangered, Threatened, and Sensitive species habitat. Manage vegetation to provide for healthy ecosystems and to make forage available on a sustainable basis for use by livestock and wildlife. Manage vegetation to provide for a desired condition of herbaceous shrub and forested vegetation according to site potential and resource needs. Manage grazing activities to not retard or prevent attainment of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives. Provide forage to support big game objectives established by the CDFG and to meet current livestock forage allocations. APPLICABLE FOREST-WIDE DESIRED FUTURE CONDITIONS Composition and structure of forest, rangeland, and aquatic ecosystems is within natural range of variability. These ecosystems are healthy and resilient to change (Page 4-15). Healthy and resilient rangeland ecosystems provide sustainable forage for use by livestock and wildlife (Page 4-17). APPLICABLE FOREST-WIDE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES S&G 6-7: Manage for a distribution and abundance of plant and animal populations that contribute to healthy, viable populations of all existing native and desirable non-native species. S&G 23-1: Determine current ecological status of the Forest s rangelands. If rangelands are found in an unsatisfactory ecological condition, use management strategies and activities necessary to achieve satisfactory ecological condition. Satisfactory ecological condition is when soil is adequately protected and forage species composition and production meets Forest Plan objectives or the trend in forage species composition and production is acceptable. S&G 23-4: Landscape/watershed-level ecosystem analysis, Rangeland Project Decision documents, and Annual Operating Instructions (AOI) shall be the primary tools for analyzing, establishing, and implementing management actions to meet Forest Plan objectives and desired future conditions for rangelands. S&G 23-5: Establish site-specific objectives for allotments that are consistent with Forest planning objectives. S&G 23-10: The desired future condition of rangeland resources should be expressed in terms of desired ecological status (FSM ). 6

11 S&G 23-13: Discourage use of wet meadow communities by permitted livestock until the range has been determined to be ready to sustain use, or prior to July 1 if such a determination has not been made. S&G 23-15: Allowable utilization levels for key species by ecological condition and plant community are shown in Table 3-2. Table 3-2 Percent Allowable Utilization Levels by Ecological Condition 1 Ecological Condition Upland Wet Meadow Riparian Satisfactory (3 to 4 inches) (3 to 4 inches) Unsatisfactory (4 to 5 inches) (4 to 5 inches) Woody Vegetation Percentage of current years growth that is acceptable for removal during a single grazing year. Approximate height of vegetation remaining on site after end of grazing season is shown in parentheses. S&G 23-19: Encourage permittee participation in development of Rangeland Project Decisions, AOIs, rangeland monitoring and evaluation, and in development and maintenance of rangeland improvements. S&G 24-8: Protect significant cultural resource sites from adverse effects. 7

12 4 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS INCLUDING NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE 4.1 Alternative 1 No Action Under the No Action Alternative (Alternative 1), commercial livestock grazing would be discontinued on federal lands in the East Beaver, Hornbrook, and Ash Creek grazing allotments Recreation Although recreation use may change slightly over time due to natural and social trends resulting from discontinued livestock grazing, no direct or indirect effects on recreation are anticipated Scenery Scenery, like recreation, may change over time due to natural and social trends resulting from discontinued livestock grazing; however, no direct or indirect effects on scenery are anticipated. 4.2 Alternative 2 Proposed Action Alternative 2 is similar to current management in the project area, except it would include construction of a set of corrals in the East Beaver allotment for livestock management, fisheries conservation measures, and implement an adaptive management system (AMS) for all three allotments Recreation There are no substantial differences between Alternative 2 and current management as they relate to current and anticipated recreation supply and demand within or in close proximity to the project area. Under Alternative 2, recreation settings and experiences are anticipated to remain the same and capable of meeting current and anticipated future demand. A slight increase in recreation use may occur as a result of the construction of corrals that would be available for public use. Since no recreational activities will be modified as a result of this project, Alternative 2 will have no direct or indirect effects on dispersed recreational activities available in the project and surrounding area, including any recreation activities within the designated special interest areas Scenery Corral Site 1 is proposed along Siskiyou Crest Road 20, a recreational travel route for which the Klamath Forest Plan has a "Retention" Visual Quality Objective/VQO (no 8

13 visually noticeable changes allowed). By making the corral available for use by recreation horse users, the facility qualifies as a recreation site (included in the Recreation Infra database) and as a viewpoint from which to measure the accomplishment of the VQOs. The corral then is exempt from having to meet Retention. Forest Plan S&G 11-1 on page 4-44 describes this process of viewpoints and immediate foreground views. A project design feature (see Chapter 5) provides design and location guidance and this will reduce the corrals effects to scenery resources. 4.3 Alternative 3 Under Alternative 3, the current management situation would continue Recreation Although recreation use may change slightly over time due to natural and social trends, no direct or indirect effects on recreation are anticipated Scenery Under Alternative 3, the current management situation would continue and the scenic condition of the project area would remain the same. No direct or indirect effects on scenery are anticipated. 4.4 Cumulative Effects Recreation The temporal boundary used for cumulative effects analysis is 20 years and the spatial boundary is the project area boundary. Over the next 20 years, no long-term negative impact to recreation settings, opportunities, or experiences are anticipated as a result of Alternative 1, 2 or 3. Recreation use would not measurably increase or decrease as a result of any alternative Scenery Cumulative impacts for scenery include the impacts from past projects, the proposed project, and other foreseeable future projects. Cumulative impacts may also occur from other recent projects outside of the proposed project area but within the viewshed of sensitive travelways within the project area. Past and proposed projects that could have an effect on scenery were reviewed and no cumulative impacts were identified. 9

14 5 SUMMARY OF MITIGATION REQUIREMENTS AND MONITORING The corral facility must be attractively designed with natural, primitive materials such as the wood construction proposed (large pole/split rail recommended). The location will be set back from the roadside, and will be screened by trees to the extent possible. This corral should be signed as a public corral available for both recreational and permittee use. The KNF landscape architect will be involved in the design and location of the corral. 10

15 6 REFERENCES USDA Final recreation niche narrative for the coming decade. Klamath National Forest, Pacific Southwest Region. August