SMITH SHIELDS FOREST HEALTH PROJECT

Transcription

1 SMITH SHIELDS FOREST HEALTH PROJECT PROJECT UPDATE FOR CGWG Bozeman, MT March 8, 2017 CUSTER GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST YELLOWSTONE RANGER DISTRICT 1

2 OBJECTIVES Update the Custer-Gallatin Collaborative Working Group on the Smith Shields project Overview of project and how it was developed Purpose & Need/Objectives How treatment opportunities were identified Proposed Action Summary of effects analysis findings 2

3 SMITH SHIELDS PROJECT AREA OVERVIEW Designated as part of a national insect and disease treatment area Approximately 19,630 acres all within Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) 3

4 I&D TREATMENT AREA Project area meets at least one of the following criteria: Experiencing forest health decline based on annual forest health surveys; At risk of experiencing substantially increased tree mortality based on the most recent Forest Health Protection Insect and Disease Risk Map; or Contains hazard trees that pose an imminent risk to public infrastructure, health or safety. 4

5 WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE Map depicting WUI, as defined in Meagher & Park County CWPPs 5

6 STRUCTURE DENSITY Map depicting structure locations adjacent to the project area 6

7 COLLABORATIVE PROCESS Early discussions with CGWG about urgency/purpose & need Over 150 individuals/agencies notified of project in June 2016 Public meeting/field trip in July 2016 to discuss preliminary treatment opportunities and types Public meeting in August 2016 to follow-up on feedback from July and provide more specifics Scoping mid-september through mid-october 2016 Field trip in October 2016 for AWR; invite extended to others Decision signed January 2017 Information to include presentations, preliminary maps and meeting notes was and continues to be posted to project webpage Project Webpage: 7

8 EXISTING VEGETATION CONDITIONS WESTERN SPRUCE BUDWORM Chronic western spruce budworm (WSB) infestations and a recent mountain pine beetle (MPB) outbreak event. Mixed conifer stands often had species composition and multiple canopy layers conducive to further WSB activity. 8

9 EXISTING VEGETATION CONDITIONS MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE Pole-sized lodgepole pine stands visited in this project area rate at either moderate or high hazard for susceptibility to MPBattack 9

10 EXISTING VEGETATION CONDITIONS DWARF MISTLETOE Dwarf mistletoe is prevalent in lodgepole pine stands in the project area; causes physiological stress, growth loss, general decline, and eventual mortality. 10

11 EXISTING VEGETATION CONDITIONS STEM DECAY & ROOT DISEASE Decay characteristic of tomentosus root rot was associated with tree failure in recent blow-down event 11

12 EXISTING VEGETATION CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS FUELS Insect and disease-induced mortality and abiotic factors (e.g. wind) are contributing to increased surface fuels Changing forest structure in the project area is leading to increased ladder fuels NEAR SHIELDS RIVER CAMPGROUND NEAR RD

13 EXISTING HYDROLOGY CONDITIONS Shields River has TMDL (total maximum daily load) for sediment and siltation impairment Watershed improvements have been occurring since 2006 on and off Forest Service lands Roads decommissioned since 2009: 39 miles in Smith Creek area; 80 miles in Shields River area Fish barriers recently installed as part of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout conservation effort SMITH CREEK (EAST FORK) 13

14 EXISTING ROAD CONDITIONS ROADS PRIMARY ROAD Primary Forest Service (FS) roads are generally in good condition (upgrades from American Recovery & Reinvestment Act) SECONDARY ROAD Secondary FS roads would be brought up to standard as required to implement project activities 14

15 PURPOSE & NEED There is a need to reduce vegetative susceptibility to subsequent insect and disease activity to minimize tree mortality that would contribute to surface fuel loadings, as well as a need to maintain fuel loadings at levels that are not conducive to active, crown independent wildland fires during severe weather conditions. During July public field trip to the project area, surface and ladder fuels are discussed in Unit 19 15

16 INITIAL PROJECT OBJECTIVES Reduce the risk or extent of, or increase resilience to, insect or disease infestations in the project area by improving resiliency of stand structure, function and composition; Modify potential uncharacteristic wildfire behavior by creating vegetation and fuel conditions that provide for more effective and safer firefighter response. Yellowstone District Ranger and Custer Gallatin Forest Supervisor discuss project at July field trip 16

17 ADDITIONAL PROJECT OBJECTIVES Address road maintenance along National Forest System road 991 in the project area. Designate firewood gathering areas nearer to private properties adjacent to the project area and also use this as a method for reducing surface fuel loads. Supply forest products to support local economies and industries. FS Rd 991 is a primary ingress/egress route for Smith Creek community FS RD

18 TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES Identified areas in need of treatment using: Current stand conditions Data, imagery and personal observation (including insect & disease risk map) Smith Creek FireWise Assessment & Park County Community Wildfire Protection Plan Park County CWPP includes portion of Meagher County (Smith Creek area) in the project area 18

19 TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES Identified areas feasible for treatment: Forest Plan Management Areas Topography Riparian Areas No treatments proposed in old growth or stands that exhibited old growth characteristics Existing roads (improved, unimproved, administrative) Past activities (previous management and/or wildfire) 19

20 TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES Things that further narrowed or increased potential treatment opportunities or changed treatment types: Findings during field work that indicated need to buffer/avoid Feedback from other landowners A) Forest Service employees observe hazardous fuels reduction efforts on private land adjacent to Unit 19f; B) A spring in the original Unit 19f that was buffered out of the final area proposed for treatment 20

21 PROPOSED ACTION: VEG MGMT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT (Acres rounded to nearest whole #) Proposed Activity Regeneration Harvest w/ Whole Tree Yard Clearcut with Reserves Clearcut w/ Patches Clearcut Whole Tree Yard Group Selection TOTAL REGENERATION Intermediate Harvest Sanitation/Salvage 1055 Salvage/Stand Improvement 69 Thin 185 TOTAL INTERMEDIATE 1309 TOTAL HARVEST 1660 Activity/Treatment Size 21

22 MAP OF PROPOSED VEG MGMT: ENTIRE PROJECT AREA Map of vegetation management activities included in the Smith Shields decision 22

23 MAP OF PROPOSED VEG MGMT: SMITH CREEK Map of vegetation management and temporary road construction activities just in the Smith Creek area 23

24 MAP OF PROPOSED VEG MGMT: SHIELDS RIVER Map of vegetation management and temporary road construction activities just in the Shields River area 24

25 PROPOSED ACTION: ROAD MGMT ROAD MANAGEMENT (Miles rounded to nearest tenth) Proposed Activity Maintenance on Secondary Routes Maintenance on Alternate Route Maintenance on Primary Routes Construction of permanent system road Construction of temporary road Activity/Treatment Size None

26 MAP OF PROPOSED ROAD MGMT Map of road maintenance and temporary road construction included in the Smith Shields decision 26

27 USE OF I&D CE Project meets requirements for using the Insect & Disease (I&D) (also known as Farm Bill) Categorical Exclusion (CE): Project area is in a designated insect & disease treatment area; Entire project area is in the Wildland Urban Interface; No treatments in wilderness/study areas or where removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited and compliant with Forest Plan; Does not exceed 3,000 treated acres; No permanent roads established and temp roads will be decommissioned no later than 3 years after project completion; Public notice and scoping was conducted; Developed through a collaborative process; Considered best available science; Maximizes the retention of old growth and large trees to the extent that the trees promote stands that are resilient to insect and disease. 27

28 NEPA ANALYSIS Determined no extraordinary circumstances exist for required resource considerations: Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species; Flood plains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds; Congressionally designated areas, such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas; Inventoried roadless area or potential wilderness area; Research natural areas; American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites; and Archaeological sites, or historic properties or areas. 28

29 HABITAT CONDITIONS Elk Hiding Cover Plots 65 plots were placed within the project area Only six of the plots would not cover 90% of an adult elk at 200 feet, demonstrating adequate cover is abundant and even with proposed treatment, more than 2/3 cover will be maintained in the Elk Analysis Unit Winter Snowshoe Hare Plots 65 plots were surveyed Only 13 of those plots measured over the 48% horizontal cover threshold, meaning many of the multistory stands are not meeting winter snowshoe habitat definitions 29

30 WILDLIFE & FISH EFFECTS SUMMARY Threatened, Endangered (T&E) and Proposed Species* Canada Lynx May Affect, But is Not Likely to Adversely Affect Project area is in secondary, unoccupied habitat; no recent sightings of lynx in the project area; the standards in the NRLMD were met with the WUI exemptions Grizzly Bear No Effect No verified sightings or other documented detections (e.g. tracks, DNA samples, photos with landmarks) of grizzly bears in the Crazy Mountain Range for several decades Wolverine Will not jeopardize the continued existence of the distinct population segment (DPS) of North American wolverine A few verified sightings in the project area; project activities may have a negative impact on individual wolverines and/or their habitat, but not to the point where the species existence is jeopardized *No T&E fish species 30

31 WILDLIFE & FISH EFFECTS SUMMARY Sensitive Species May Impact Individuals Or Habitat, But Will Not Likely Contribute To A Trend Towards Federal Listing Or Cause a Loss of Viability To the Population or Species: Black-backed Woodpecker, Flammulated Owl, Gray Wolf, Long-eared Myotis, Long-legged Myotis, Western Boreal Toad, Northern Leopard Frog, Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout 31

32 WILDLIFE & FISH EFFECTS SUMMARY Sensitive Species (Continued) No Impact : Bald Eagle, Harlequin Duck, Peregrine Falcon, Townsend s Big-eared Bat, Trumpeter Swan, Bighorn Sheep View of the Shields River Valley from the project area 32

33 WILDLIFE & FISH EFFECTS SUMMARY Management Indicator Species (MIS)* Elk, marten, goshawk and wild trout are present or likely present in the project area Implementation of the proposed activities may have minor and temporary impacts on some MIS but will not impact forest-wide populations of any MIS species ELK RUB *MIS are not required to be considered for extraordinary circumstances determinations but must be considered for Forest Plan compliance and viability 33

34 BOTANY EFFECTS SUMMARY Sensitive Species* May Impact Individuals Or Habitat, But Will Not Likely Contribute To A Trend Towards Federal Listing Or Cause a Loss of Viability To the Population or Species: Whitebark Pine (candidate for listing as T&E), Short-styled Columbine, Northern Rattlesnake-plantain, Small Yellow Lady's-slipper No Impact for remaining forest-listed sensitive species *No T&E botany species in the project area 34

35 OTHER RESOURCE CONSIDERATIONS Flood plains, wetlands or municipal watersheds: Minimal Effect Congressionally designated areas such as wilderness, wilderness study areas or National Recreation Areas: No effect Inventoried roadless areas or potential wilderness areas; Research Natural Areas: No Effect American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites; Archaeological sites or historic properties or areas: No Effect Range/Weeds, Soils, Transportation and Visuals/Scenery: Compliant with applicable regulatory framework 35

36 ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES: FOREST HEALTH Intermediate and regeneration harvests will: Create mosaics of less heterogeneous age classes and species distributions Change species composition towards nonhost species, such as Douglas-fir Lower stocking levels and allocate more resources toward growth (height and diameter) Create a more equal distribution of size classes Acres Size Class Distribution of All Species DBH 0-4.9" DBH " DBH " DBH 5-9.9" Diameter Size Class Current size class distribution of all species in the Smith Shields project area Total 36

37 ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES: FUELS Proposed vegetation management activities will: Reduce current medium/high hazard fuel ratings to low for most treated areas Change fire type from passive and active crown fire to surface fires and passive crown fire by removing canopy fuels Reduce flame lengths and fire intensity by modifying fuel profiles Allow for safer and more effective firefighter response Examples of undesirable ladder (A) and surface (B) fuels in Units 19 37

38 ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES: OTHERS By-products of forest health restoration and hazardous fuels reduction work will provide forest products to local economies and industries (both large [saw] and small-diameter [non-saw] material) Restoration work accomplished through service contracts has potential to employ the local workforce and provide firewood for local land owners Road maintenance will improve public access and travel conditions, especially for Forest Road

39 FOR FURTHER INFO/QUESTIONS Contact the following if you have additional questions or need further information: Alex Sienkiewicz, District Ranger, Tera Little, Project Leader, Copies of the Decision Memo, Specialist Reports and more are available on the project webpage: 39