Buck Project Scoping Record November 2017

Transcription

1 Buck Project Scoping Record November 2017 The Tusquitee Ranger District is conducting an interdisciplinary analysis of a set of proposed land management actions called the Buck Project in Clay County, North Carolina. INTRODUCTION The analysis area (AA) encompasses approximately 34,508 acres of National Forest System lands in Compartments and located in southeastern Clay County, North Carolina. Management activities may include tree harvesting through commercial timber sale, site preparation for forest regeneration, timber stand improvements, site preparation, crop tree release, vine control, road reconstruction and rehabilitation, temporary road construction, permanent system road construction, watershed and fisheries habitat improvements, treatments to improve natural vegetation communities (including prescribed burning), and wildlife habitat improvements. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION The proposal is designed to improve or maintain the health of the forest ecosystem through a variety of vegetative management activities. The project would implement direction set forth in the Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) for the Nantahala/Pisgah National Forests (USDA, March 1987) as amended in 1994, in a manner which moves the existing natural resources toward desired future conditions. This proposal also addresses the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests Ecological Restoration Focus Areas. The proposed activities address the following restoration focus areas: Restore Stream Systems and Watersheds to a Healthy Condition; Restore Rare Native Communities; Threatened and Endangered Species; Restore Fire-Dependent Ecosystems; Restore Diversity in Low-Diversity Forest Stands; Restore Viable Native Plant Communities by Controlling Non-native Invasive Species; Restore Wildlife Habitat, particularly interior forest early successional age classes. EXISTING CONDITION The analysis area for the project is located in southeastern Clay County, North Carolina on the north and south sides of U.S. Highway 64, including the south slopes of Boteler Peak outside the roadless area, Chunky Gal Mountain, and Buck Creek watershed. Adjacent communities include Shooting Creek, Muskrat, and Eagle Fork. Management Areas (MAs) in the compartments include 3B, 4D, 5, 7, 13, and 14. Embedded within these is management area 18 (riparian areas around perennial water bodies). Management areas 3B and 4D are suitable for vegetation management through silvicultural treatments. MAs 5 (Backcountry), 7 (Wilderness), 13 (Special Interest Areas), and 14 (Appalachian Trail Management Corridor) are not suitable for vegetation 1

2 management. No treatments are proposed in the unsuitable management areas. These are included in the analysis area to better project the wildlife effects of proposed treatments. Elevations in the AA range from approximately 2,400 feet to 4,000 feet. The AA includes the Boteler Peak Roadless Area, the Serpentine Barrens Special Interest and Botanical Areas, North Carolina Natural Heritage Natural Areas and sites near Deep Gap and the Southern Nantahala Wilderness. There are no developed Forest Service recreation facilities in the AA. The Appalachian Trail is at the eastern end of the AA and Chunky Gal Trail cuts across the AA along the main ridge of Chunky Gal Mountain. The majority of recreational use occurs at dispersed camp sites along Buck Creek and Deep Gap Road, in and adjacent to the rockhounding area at Glade Gap, with hunting and fishing occurring throughout the AA near open and closed National Forest System roads. Figure 1. Buck Project Vicinity Map 2

3 DESIRED FUTURE CONDITION Complete descriptions of desired conditions for each management area are contained in the LRMP. A brief summary of desired conditions for the management areas contained in the project area is as follows: MA 3B: A regulated forest which provides for a sustainable supply of timber and for the habitat needs of wildlife species (particularly wild turkey) which benefit from a managed forest with limited motorized access (closed roads). MA 4D: Emphasize high quality habitats for wildlife requiring older forests and freedom from disturbance from motorized vehicles. Allow small widely dispersed openings throughout the management area. Close most roads to private motorized vehicles. Early successional habitat is provided in conjunction with managing suitable timber land in these areas. MA 5: Emphasis is on providing large blocks of backcountry where there is little evidence of other humans or human activities other than recreation use. MA 7: Congressionally Designated Wilderness, managed to perpetuate the naturalness of the area while providing for recreational, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation, and historical use compatible with the wilderness resources and attributes. MA 13: Special Interest Areas which are managed to protect, and where appropriate, foster public use and enjoyment of unique scenic, geological, botanical or zoological attributes. MA 14: Appalachian National Scenic Trail and foreground zone, characterized by a predominantly natural appearing environment. PROJECT OBJECTIVES The project will be designed to accomplish the following objectives: 1) Conduct forest management activities to improve the condition of existing forest stands within the analysis area; provide for a range of early successional habitat through timber regeneration harvesting and wildlife brushy openings, with an emphasis on prescriptions that reestablish vegetation communities within the natural range of historic variation; 2) Provide for a range of stand age classes through timber regeneration harvesting and other activities; 3) Maintain and enhance biological diversity by protecting population viability of rare species which occur in the compartments; 4) Restore optimal habitat conditions on existing wildlife openings, create new grass/forb openings, and create/enhance additional wildlife habitat where practical; 5) Utilize prescribed burns to reestablish fire return intervals within the natural range of historic variation to restore fire-dependent plant communities within the Serpentine Barrens and Riley Knob/Chunky Gal Ridge Special Interest Areas. 3

4 The proposed vegetation management activities would occur in MAs 3B, and 4D. Temporary road construction and temporary and permanent road reconstruction may need to occur at stream crossings in MA 18. PROPOSED ACTIONS: This scoping record includes maps and a summary of the proposed actions for this project. These proposed actions and alternatives analyses will be documented in the project Environmental Assessment (EA), to be developed in ISSUES: The proposed action and alternatives will be analyzed for effects on the following issues and/or resources: 1) Soil and water quality 2) Air quality 3) Aquatic resources 4) Botanical resources 5) Wildlife resources 6) Silvicultural systems and vegetation management 7) Heritage resources 8) Recreation resources 9) Scenery 10) Road management 11) Social and economic considerations PLANNING TEAM DESIGNATION The District Ranger for the Tusquitee and Cheoah Ranger Districts is the responsible official who will decide on a course of action based on the alternatives and analyses presented by the interdisciplinary planning team. The team will consist of: Steverson Moffat, Nantahala National Forest NEPA Planner (Team Leader) Sarah Bridges, Tusquitee and Cheoah Ranger Districts Silviculturist Ben Spatola, Tusquitee and Cheoah Ranger Districts Timber Management Assistant Jason Farmer, Nantahala National Forest Fisheries Biologist Johnny Wills, Nantahala National Forest Wildlife Biologist Matt Bushman, Nantahala National Forest Botanist Gregory Heide, Detailed Nantahala National Forest Archaeologist Chad Cook, Tusquitee and Cheoah Ranger Districts Fire Management Officer Heath Emmons, Tusquitee and Cheoah Ranger Districts Recreation Specialist PUBLIC NOTIFICATION The scoping record is posted on the NFsNC web page, and a notice of this scoping record will be sent to interested parties, planning team members/consultants, and Forest Supervisor s Office staff. Their comments will be used to identify other issues and further shape the environmental analyses to be conducted. Planning information on this project will be reported in NFsNC Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA, distributed by the Forest Supervisor s Office, Asheville, NC). 4

5 The scoping record with accompanying maps is posted under the Land and Resources Management and Projects links at If you would like hard copies, please notify Steverson Moffat at or by telephone at ext 108. Please provide your comments by the close of business on January 8, PROPOSED MANAGEMENT ACTIONS Shelterwood with Reverses: Currently, 34 stands are being proposed for regeneration using a two-aged shelterwood with reserves treatment (refer to Table 1 for stand numbers and the area of environmental analysis). This would be implemented by commercial timber harvest, using ground-based skidding equipment. The majority of the timber would be cut and removed while approximately square feet of basal area would remain through the next rotation. The residual trees would be left in clumps or dispersed throughout the stand, depending on site specific characteristics. The result of this treatment is the creation and maintenance of a twoaged stand in which one of the age classes is the regenerating trees and the other is the mature trees that remain after the harvest is complete. The LRMP limits even-aged openings through silvicultural treatments to 25 acres with 660 feet between openings in MA 4D and to 40 acres with 330 feet between openings in MA 3B. In some cases, the area of analysis presented in Table 1 is larger than 25 and 40 acres in MA 4D and 3B, respectively, to provide flexibility for locating openings that are consistent with the LRMP and which would also avoid and/or minimize environmental impacts in the area of analysis. Table 1: Buck Project Proposed Vegetation Treatments Stand Management Area Area of Analysis in Acres 102/5 4D /3n 4D /3s 4D /13 4D /18 4D /19 4D /23 4D /2 3B /4 3B /5 3B /7e 3B /7w 3B /2 4D /4 4D /11 4D /19 4D /8 4D /20 4D /21 4D /23 4D 34 5

6 Stand Management Area Area of Analysis in Acres 109/7 4D /11 4D /19 4D /35 4D /7 4D /18 4D /22 4D /32 4D /34 4D /40 4D /41 4D /1 4D /11 4D /34 4D /6 4D /7 4D 59 Total 1,277 Stand Improvement and Site Preparation Activities: Activities following harvest would be necessary in order to promote the desired future condition of the stands. The following activities have been proposed: Site Preparation with Herbicide treatment of residual stems with herbicide; Site Preparation with Hand Tools cutting of the residual stems; Site Preparation burning using prescribed fire to prepare the site for regeneration; Planting planting desirable tree species on the site; and Release with Herbicide releasing desirable stems to grow using herbicide. Crop Tree Release and Vine Control: Release desired trees several years post-harvest through manual and/or chemical treatment of undesirable competition (including vines) from hardwood stems, particularly favoring the release of hard mast-producing species, as necessary, in AA stands as they reach 10 to 30 years of age. Release and vine control treatments would be conducted as necessary to prevent damage to regenerating areas in the stands receiving silvicultural treatments as proposed in Table 1 and in areas that have received silvicultural treatments previously. Road Reconditioning, Rehabilitation, Temporary Road Construction, and New Road Construction: To provide management access and to maintain and improve the existing road system, the following treatments are proposed (please refer to the scoping maps for specific locations): Approximately 8.7 miles of road reconstruction and rehabilitation; Approximately 9.4 miles of temporary road construction; and Approximately 0.80 miles of new system road construction. 6

7 Watershed Improvements: A number of watershed improvement projects are proposed, as follows: Dave Barrett Creek Crossing. Stream crossing currently has three corrugated metal pipes (CMPs). The channel is over widened with aggradation upstream. Propose replacing crossing with a bridge or bottomless arch. Dave Barrett Creek bank erosion. The left stream bank is eroding approximately 150 feet downstream of the road crossing. Propose sloping the bank to a 2:1 slope, constructing a small bankfull bench, installing a rock or log vane to direct flow away from the bank and vegetating the site. Loggy Branch Ford. The road has been blocked, but the old ford lacks vegetation on banks. Propose breaking up soil compaction using small excavator and vegetating with transplants, live stakes, and riparian seed. Dave Barret Creek Dump site/atv trail. Trash has been left within the riparian area. An old road accessing the dump site is used by ATVs. Propose removing trash, obliterating the illegal road using small excavator, and seeding and mulching the site. Barret Branch Crossing. The existing CMP is undersized for the stream. Propose replacing with a natural ford or bottomless arch. Ledford Branch Ford. Ford is too flat, resulting in rocks being deposited within the ford and over-widening the channel. Propose installing rock vane structures at the ford to increase sediment transport capacity within the ford and improve vehicular access. Glade Branch dispersed campsite. The campsite within the riparian area has caused stream bank erosion and channel instability. The campsite sits entirely within the floodplain of Glade Branch. Propose closing the campsite and redesigning the site to control runoff, reconstruct the stream bank using toewood structure, possibly install an instream rock/log structure to control stream grade, and vegetate the stream bank. Glade Branch trash dumps. Tires, appliances, etc. have been dumped along the road adjacent to Glade Branch. Propose removing and disposing of the trash. Glade Branch 4x4 road (spur road off of old Highway 64). The old road is being used by 4x4 vehicles, resulting in erosion and sedimentation of streams. Propose closing or obliterating the road using an excavator. Tributary of Glade Branch Ford (spur road off of old Highway 64). An old road is open to 4x4 vehicles with a ford that is diverting water onto the road surface for approximately 50 feet in length. Propose closing or obliterating the road using an excavator. Restore the stream to its original channel. Barnards Branch Road and Slide. An old road within the riparian area has developed a slide directly into Barnards Branch. Propose obliterating the old road and constructing a small bankfull bench along the stream where the slide has occurred using an excavator. The site would be revegetated. 7

8 Barnards Branch Log Crib Fish Barrier. A fish barrier is causing stream aggradation upstream and degradation downstream. Propose removing the structure using an excavator, stabilize the existing banks, install instream grade control structures, and vegetate banks. An abandoned vertical mine shaft near the log crib barrier is currently flooded and poses a safety risk. The shaft would be plugged using boulders placed by an excavator. Buck Creek Road Forest Service Road (FSR) 71. A side channel of Buck Creek is cutting into FSR71. Propose unplugging other channel to redirect flow away from road. A vane would be installed in the bend of the creek at the road to pull water away from road and create a pool for fish. The opposite bank from the vane would require some reworking with an excavator to provide a bankfull channel for the stream. Buck Creek FSR71D Spur. An old road bed intersects FSR71D. The road has diverted stream flow during storms resulting in mass wasting of stream banks and undercutting of the road fill. The upstream portion of this old road was analyzed for treatment under the Buck Creek Watershed Project (2014 decision) but the lower portion also requires plugging and stabilization using an excavator to prevent additional erosion from occurring. Little Buck Creek Brook Trout Reintroduction. Little Buck Creek once supported a Brook Trout population. The pond has been breached and a stable channel has been constructed. Propose working with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to relocate Brook Trout from upper Buck Creek into Little Buck Creek to reestablish a population. This work may require removal of any Rainbow Trout and/or Brown Trout which may occur within the headwaters of Little Buck Creek using electrofishing gear. Muskrat Branch Large Woody Debris Additions. This stream contains very little large woody debris within the channel. Several sections have an entrenched stream channel condition with very low fish habitat diversity. Propose adding trees with root wads attached to the channel using an excavator. Trees would be placed at the direction of the fisheries biologist and/or hydrologist to increase stream channel complexity and reconnect the stream channel to its floodplain. Some steep banks may need to be sloped to a stable 2:1 slope and vegetated. Botanical and Vegetation Community Treatments: Prescribed Fire: Six prescribed fire units (approximately 3,000 acres) are proposed for the area around the Buck Creek Serpentine Barrens Special Interest Area, Glade Gap Slopes, and the Riley Knob/Chunky Gal Special Interest Area. The goal of prescribed fire in the Buck Project area is to reduce encroaching woody vegetation which is degrading open habitat needed for native plants and animals and to promote barrens fire adapted plant and animal species found in the Special Interest Areas and surrounding Management Areas, some of which include Natural Heritage Natural Areas. Multiple prescribed fires within each prescribed fire unit are proposed over the life of the Buck Project. 8

9 Non-commercial Slashing: Slashing treatments are proposed to remove vegetation and improve ecological conditions in and adjacent to the serpentine barrens and the Buck Creek watershed north of U.S. Highway 64. These treatments would be conducted at select locations within a 1,500 acre area. Slash down treatments would consist of using mechanical methods (e.g. chainsaw, brushsaw, loppers, swede axe, all-service vehicle, brush hog mower, or rollerchopper, etc.) to cut, smash, lop, or grind woody vegetation typically up to 16 inches in diameter. These methods would be used to enhance prescribed fire effectiveness, to mimic natural fires which occurred more frequently historically, and which is essential to the vigor and resilience of the special vegetation communities in the area. Slashing would be used in locations where commercial timber harvest is not practical or feasible, prescribed fire has been ineffective due to shaded, cool, and wet conditions from the tree canopy, and where additional fuel loading is needed to achieve desired fire effects. Slashing treatments may be applied to selected areas across the entire 1,500 acre prescribed fire units multiple times over the life of the Buck Project. Vegetation monitoring would be utilized to determine when and where to use sub-merchantable timber harvest based on the percent cover of woody vegetation within a prescribed fire unit. Planting: Plant herbaceous annual, biennial, and perennial native pollinator species in log landings, as practical, to provide foraging habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife. Non-native Invasive Species: Treat non-native invasive plant species with NFsNCapproved herbicides as necessary throughout the analysis area. These treatments would be applied as many times as necessary. Wildlife Treatments: Buck Creek Watershed: Rehabilitate the three wildlife fields on FSR 6269A, which could include disking, seeding, applying herbicide, and feathering the edges; replant to clover; and plant one or two apple trees along the field margins and protect with tree shelters. Plant multiple apple/persimmon trees along the margins of the Catholic Fields and protect with tree shelters. Due to the need for female persimmons to produce fruit, multiple trees would need to be planted in close proximity. Dave Barrett Creek Watershed: Rehabilitate an existing logging deck from a prior entry in this watershed. Increase the size of the logging deck by removing young poplars and other trees using a dozer and establish a feet wide brushy edge around the perimeter. Plant clover and /or a pollinator mix. Apply herbicide to eliminate Sericea lespedeza on a nearby logging deck and establish clover mix at this location. Vineyard Creek Watershed: Clear encroaching woody vegetation in wide spots of FSR If possible, plant to clover mix. 9

10 Boteler Peak Area: Reestablish clover, if not the entirety, then as much as possible, in the large field on top of Boteler Peak. Natural Heritage Natural Areas (NHNAs): Through consultation with the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, the Forest Service may modify the silvicultural prescription for stands that are located inside the boundaries of NHNAs to enhance and conserve the special attributes within the NHNAs. Old Growth: Consistent with direction as described on page III-27 of the LRMP, in each compartment containing more than 250 acres of National Forest System lands, a small patch for future old growth management would be designated. The purpose of these designations is to increase biological diversity and provide structural components of old growth forest at the stand and landscape levels. DESIGN CRITERIA FOR ALL PROPOSED ACTIONS Follow Forest-wide and general direction and standards for Management Areas 3B and 4D as described on pages III and G-1-G-3 of the LRMP Amendment 5. In particular, the following measures would be employed as part of this proposed action: Visual Resource Management: Proposed actions would meet the Retention, Partial Retention, and Modification Visual Quality Objectives (VQO) (LRMP Amendment 5 pages III-12-13, III , and III-79-83) in the MA 3B and 4D parts of the project area as well as any areas that may be seen from the Appalachian Trail. Direction for the Partial Retention VQO in MA 4D and in areas that may be seen from the Appalachian Trail is for management activities to be visually subordinate to the characteristic landscape and to meet the VQO within two growing seasons after treatments. Direction for the Modification VQO in MA 3B authorizes management activities to visually dominate the original characteristic of the landscape, borrowing from naturally established form, line, color, or texture and to meet the VQO within three growing seasons after treatment. Wildlife Management: The proposal would follow standards in LRMP Amendment 25 (USDA Forest Service, 2000 and as revised in 2010) to minimize the risk of incidental take and conserve habitat for the Indiana bat and the northern long-eared bat. It would comply with the terms and conditions listed in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service s Biological Opinion (B.O., April 2000). Retain as many snags and den trees as practicable. Designate and retain living residual trees in the vicinity of one third of all large (>12 inches dbh) snags with exfoliating bark to provide them with partial shade and some protection from windthrow. Limit openings in the upper canopy to single tree gaps within 30 feet each side of intermittent streams, with at least 75 feet distance between openings. Leave up to ten well-formed dogwood, serviceberry, and other soft-mast producers per acre during site preparation. 10

11 The proposal would follow all standards of the 4(d) rule for the conservation of the northern long-eared bat. Soil and Water Management: Use brush barriers, silt fencing, or hay bales to prevent visible sediment from entering stream courses as needed. Revegetate all exposed cut and fill slopes within 30 days of initial disturbance. Revegetate and/or mulch disturbed soil at stream crossings the same day. Restrict operations to periods of dry weather. Comply with the forest practices guidelines and standards in the North Carolina Forest Practices Guidelines Related to Water Quality (BMPs). Herbicide Use: Apply herbicides according to labeling and site-specific analysis; all formulations and additives must be registered with EPA and approved for Forest Service use. Use application rates at or below those listed as typical rates in the Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Assessment on Vegetation Management in the Appalachian Mountains (ROD, FEIS-Veg. Mgmt.); use selective rather than broadcast applications. Forest Service supervisors and contract representatives must be certified pesticide applicators. Sign treated areas in accordance with FSH Application would be consistent with USDA Forest Service herbicide risk assessments (USDA Forest Service 2007a). Apply no herbicides within 100 feet of public or domestic water sources; those not having an aquatic label would not be applied within 30 feet of perennial or intermittent streams. Mix herbicides at the District work center and dispense into application equipment on National Forest land at least 100 feet from surface water. In addition to the above measures, apply all standards and guidelines for the appropriate MAs, as found in the LRMP, as amended. Also, apply all 99 mitigating measures found in the ROD, FEIS-Veg. Mgmt., and incorporated in the LRMP by Amendment #2 in July 1989, as needed. 11