Woodland Management in the Indian Creek Wildlife Habitat Restoration Initiative Area

Transcription

1 Woodland Management in the Indian Creek Wildlife Habitat Restoration Initiative Area Compartments 124, 125, 126, 146, 147, 148, and 149 Newberry County, South Carolina Enoree Ranger District Sumter National Forest USDA Forest Service Southern Region 8 June 2011

2 Woodland Management in the Indian Creek Wildlife Habitat Restoration Initiative Area Compartments 124, 125, 126, 146, 147, 148, and 149 Newberry County, South Carolina Enoree Ranger District Sumter National Forest USDA Forest Service Southern Region 8 June 2011 For Further Information Contact: Responsible Official: James Knibbs, Elizabeth LeMaster Francis Marion & Sumter NFS District Ranger 4931 Broad River Road Enoree Ranger District Columbia, SC Sumter National Forest (803) jknibbs@fs.fed.us The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (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 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC or call (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 1

3 Contents Page Chapter 1.0 Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action Introduction Background Purpose and Need Proposed Action Forest Plan Direction Scoping Decision to be Made Issues 10 Chapter 2.0 Alternatives Introduction Alternative 1: No Action Alternative 2: Proposed Action Alternative Considered But Not Developed Comparison of Alternatives 23 2

4 1.0 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION 1.1 Introduction The Enoree Ranger District (Enoree RD) is proposing management activities on approximately 1,916 acres of national forest system lands in compartments 124, 125, 126, 146, 147, 148, and 149. These compartments are located in Management Area 4 (Piedmont). The proposed project occurs within the Indian Creek Wildlife Habitat Restoration Initiative (ICWHRI) project area (see general vicinity map in Figure 1.1-1). The ICWHRI project area encompasses 16,613 acres, 8,092 acres of which are located on national forest system lands in Newberry County, South Carolina. The ICWHRI is an award-winning conservation initiative that began in 2004 with the goal of integrating wildlife habitat enhancement work on a landscape scale across federal lands managed by the Forest Service and adjoining State and privately owned lands. The primary objective of the project is to restore and maintain native fire-adapted woodland savannas and grassland habitats in the piedmont and manage for northern wildlife species that utilize habitats comprised of open woodlands, grasslands, shrub-scrub habitats and early seral stage forests. These habitats are declining in the piedmont resulting in a lack of habitat for open land and/or disturbance-dependent wildlife species. The area is currently occupied by mostly 60 to 80 year old pine stands intermingled with recent woodlands created in the last five years. Desirable conditions in this area are open woodlands and early seral stage habitats within a mosaic of native pines and pine-hardwood habitats. Open forest canopies with grassy understories, cultivated land, and permanent early successional habitats including grasslands, meadow, savannas and wildlife openings would be common in the area. Treatments would include thinning mature pine and pine-hardwood stands to low residual basal areas. Herbicide, mastication, mowing and prescribed burning (both dormant and growing season burning in the area is already covered under an existing decision) would be used to maintain the desired vegetation conditions. The woodlands and other habitat created would be managed and maintained for the long term used both in the dormant and growing seasons. 3

5 Figure General vicinity map of the Indian Creek Wildlife Habitat Restoration Initiative Area. 4

6 Commercial timber sales would be used to accomplish some of the objectives of this proposal. This decision is consistent with the Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, Sumter National Forest (Forest Plan) and tiers to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Sumter National Forest. This EA has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 [42 United States Code (USC) 4321 et seq.], which requires an environmental analysis for major Federal Actions having the potential to impact the quality of the human environment; the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations [40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1500 through 1508] for implementing NEPA; USDA s NEPA Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1b); Forest Service Manual (FSM) 1950; and Forest Service Handbook (FSH) Background The Enoree RD of the Sumter National Forest (Sumter NF) is located in north central South Carolina in the piedmont physiographic region between the Appalachian Mountains and the Coastal Plain. This area is typified by gently to steeply rolling hills and a mild climate. Much of the land now part of the Sumter NF was adversely impacted by past land use practices. Today, following the rehabilitation activities of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and 1940s, and management of the Sumter NF by the USFS, these lands have been in part restored. They now support a variety of fish and wildlife, various forms of developed and dispersed recreation opportunities and a sustainable yield of timber production. 1.3 Purpose and Need The purpose of the project is to provide and manage for quail, dove, songbirds and other wildlife species associated with grassland/meadow, open land, savanna and woodland ecosystems. There is a need to increase early seral stage and woodland habitats due to a decline of this type of habitat throughout the piedmont. Managing for quail means providing a variety of habitats that meet the needs of all phases of its life cycle, including nesting cover, brood-rearing cover, feeding/loafing areas, and escape cover. Quail are considered early successional species because the predominant vegetation that provides a majority of essential habitat components occur at the beginning of the plant successional timeline. Songbirds that require early successional and grassland habitat have also been adversely impacted as a result of changing land-use practices including the conversion of agricultural and grassland habitats into forests. In general, birds experiencing the largest decline in the Southeast are those that require early succession/grassland habitat. Vegetation would be manipulated on a periodic basis to keep it in an early successional state that is also beneficial to other species such as prairie warbler, eastern bluebird, loggerhead shrikes, as well as other neotropical migratory, over-wintering and year-round resident bird species. This 5

7 type of habitat would also benefit other early successional species such as mourning dove, migratory songbirds, wild turkey, deer and rabbits. The proposal would also reduce fuel loading in dense pine stands and create conditions where prescribed fire could be used on a two- to three-year rotational basis. Reducing stocking levels in pine stands would lower the susceptibility to southern pine beetle attack and also promote understory herbaceous development. The intent of the proposed actions is to restore native piedmont habitats including woodlands, savannas, meadows/grasslands, and open lands as well as to improve mixed pine/hardwood stands. Treatments are proposed in dense, mature loblolly pine and mixed loblolly pine and hardwood stands. Additionally, the intent of intermediate thinning treatments is to improve tree growth and vigor and reduce potential for damage and mortality from insects and disease. The existing condition of the proposed stands were surveyed and evaluated. The proposed stands range from mature naturally regenerated loblolly pine stands from 50 years old, to loblolly pine and mixed loblolly pine-hardwood stands over 100 years old. Some stands were harvested under previous decisions in the last ten years and contain dense patches of sweet gum and other vegetation that has low wildlife value for food and/or appropriate cover. The ICWHRI project area has a large number of stands in the 70-plus age class and only a few stands in the 0 to 10 age class (regeneration areas), which indicate that there is very little early successional habitat within the proposed analysis area. The diversity of understory vegetation of forbs, shrubs, and grasses would be greatly improved with thinning because open canopies allow sunlight to reach the forest floor. Increased desirable native understory grass and forb species would increase foraging and nesting habitats for quail, as well as improve habitat for other wildlife species. Proper cover is often a more limiting factor than food for many species of wildlife. Quail patches and native warm season grass strips would provide specific cover that is currently lacking in the forested landscape. Quail Patches Annual weeds such as ragweed and partridge pea provide ideal broodrearing habitat for quail and attract insects, an essential food for chicks. The structure of these plants is open underneath to allow ease of movement for quail chicks while providing overhead cover from avian predators. Quail patches would be concentrated patches (1/2 acre-1 acre) of these particular forbs planted within the woodland landscape to provide quality brood rearing habitat, where it is currently lacking. Native warm season grass strips these strips would consist of little bluestem, big bluestem, Indian grass, switchgrass, eastern gamagrass, and sideoats grama have a bunchlike structure that provides important nesting areas for quail and wild turkeys. This bunch structure provides overhead cover but still offers exposed soil and ease of movement along the ground for wildlife species. This is especially important for small quail chicks trying to move along the ground. Exposed soils offer areas that can be colonized by beneficial volunteer forbs such as beggar s lice, goldenrod, native lespedeza, and ragweed. Native warm season grass strips would provide quail and other wildlife with winter cover as well as excellent nesting, brooding and bedding habitat. 6

8 Prescribed fire and herbicide would be used to maintain desired conditions for quail patches and native grass areas for the long term. Mechanical brushwork (e.g., bush hogging, mowing, and mastication) would be needed to periodically control woody vegetation that is not controlled by harbicide and prescribed fire. There are no permenantly maintained meadows in the project area. Meadows/grassland areas that are managed properly create valuable habitat for grassland bird species. Meadows lack trees and shrubs and consist of a variety of native grasses, wildflowers and forbs. Species that are adapted to this type of open grassland habitat that would benefit from the establishment of meadow include rabbit, grasshopper sparrow, dickcissel, Bachman s sparrow, eastern meadowlark, northern bobwhite, wild turkey, and white-tailed deer. The purpose of increasing the size of the Long Lane wildlife fields located in compartment 146 and converting them to create a larger dovefield is to increase and improve open land habitat for dove, quail and other wildlife, and to create better hunting opportunities for the public. Managed dovefields provide habitat year-round for mourning doves and other early successional species that forage for seeds on the ground. Doves are primarily seedeaters and obtain the bulk of their food from open cultivated fields or from along fence rows. Agricultural crops, such as wheat, rye, browntop millet, sorghum, and sunflower, along with wild grasses, various sedges and wild peas make up the majority of a dove's diet. Doves prefer to feed in areas with bare ground on which seeds are available and are easily seen. They avoid getting wet while searching for food. These fields are currently fallow with encroaching non-native invasive species. In addition, the current size and shape of the fields does not provide quality dove habitat and limits hunting opportunities. There is a need to increase habitat for mourning doves because of this species popularity as a game bird coupled with the limited number of public dovefields available for recreational hunting across the piedmont. The dovefields managed by the Enoree RD fill the need to provide quality hunting recreation. The maintenance activities would provide improved habitat for doves and other species associated with grassland and open land habitats. These activities would include the planting and maintenance of preferred plants creating open feeding conditions that attract doves. Field borders running along the edges of the field would provide critical edge habitat that is important to quail, dove, turkey and other game and non-game species. The management of this dovefield would be a cooperative effort between the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and the USFS. 1.4 Proposed Action The proposed action would establish approximately: 770 acres of woodland habitat; 25 acres of early successional habitat; 70 acres of savanna habitat; 28 acres of meadow habitat; 7

9 40 acres of open land habitat (dovefield), and 190 acres of intermediate thinning. Approximately 818 acres of existing woodlands and areas proposed for treatment under this proposal would be maintained using herbicide and prescribed fire. Periodic maintenance would favor grasses and shrubs and retard woody vegetation development. The dovefield would be disked, seeded, limed and fertilized and prescribed burned on a yearly rotation to maintain open habitat conditions. Some existing skid trails and landings would be disked and seeded periodically to maintain early successional habitat areas. Other activities would include disking, mowing, seeding and masticating to maintain desired habitat conditions. Commercial timber harvest would be used to establish the desired habitat conditions. 1.5 Forest Plan Direction The proposed action provides an opportunity to work toward the forest management goals and objectives as described in the Forest Plan. Forest-wide goals, objectives and standards are described in Chapter 2 of the Forest Plan. Specific management Goals for Wildlife Habitat and Forest Vegetation are found on pages 2-6 to 2-7. Goal 8 states Maintain and restore habitat communities and habitats in amounts, arrangement, and conditions capable of supporting viable populations of existing native and desired non-native plants, aquatic, and wildlife species within the planning areas suitable to maintain viable populations of all species native to the planning area, and where appropriate support desirable levels of selected species. Objective 8.02, under goal 8, states Provide 8,000-11,000 acres of woodlands in the piedmont on dry-xeric sites in woodland, savanna, open grassland, or shrubland conditions over the 10-year planning period. Forest Plan guidelines relevant to dovefield establishment and maintenance are summarized below: Forest-wide direction is in Chapter 2 of the Forest Plan. Specific management direction on page 2-6 states, The Sumter National Forest is charged with creating and maintaining habitat conditions suitable to maintain viable populations of all species native to the planning area, and where appropriate support desirable levels of selected species. The individual management areas are described in Chapter 4 of the Forest Plan. The Desired Condition for Management Area 4 states, There are a variety of high-quality, well-maintained developed and dispersed recreation opportunities including hunting. From Appendix H of the Forest Plan, The vegetation in wildlife openings will be maintained by a number of methods. These may include prescribed fire, mowing, disking, herbicide applications, or tree grinding. 8

10 The project area is contained within five management prescriptions: 7.D. Concentrated Recreation Zone 7.E.1. Dispersed Recreation Areas 8.B.2. Woodland and Grassland/Savanna Habitats 10.B. High Quality Forest Products (Piedmont Only) 11 Riparian Corridors Project activity is proposed in the 8.B.2 and 10.B management prescriptions. Forest Plan guidelines relevant to establishing and maintaining woodland, savanna and grassland habitats are summarized below: The emphasis for 8.B.2 management prescription as described in the Forest Plan, p.3-29 states, This area emphasizes providing optimal to suitable habitat for a variety of upland game species and plant and animal populations. Open park-like woodlands and savannas with herbaceous ground cover are found. The desired conditions for management prescription 8.B.2. - Woodland and Grassland/Savanna Habitats, p.3-29 states, Create and maintain woodland habitats (very open forests with low tree densities) and grassland/savanna habitat. Improve, restore, and maintain habitats for fireadapted communities and species. The emphasis on developing and maintaining open forest woodland to savanna and grassland habitats with scattered trees produces ideal habitats for Northern bobwhite quail, cottontail rabbit, (Eastern) bluebird, turkey, deer, sparrows, rodents, raptors, and bats. The desired condition for management prescription 10.B., p 3-38 states, Additional open, parklike woodland conditions may be developed to improve habitat conditions in the area. Existing openings and linear strips may be expanded or new ones created to improve habitat conditions or views in the area. In addition, the 10.B. prescription states, As markets allow, pine stands are maintained at moderate densities (less than 100 square feet/acre basal area) to reduce susceptibility to southern pine beetle attack, and to encourage development of larger diameter trees. Riparian Corridors are management prescription 11. Natural processes will modify most of the areas within the riparian corridor. However, management activities may be used to provide terrestrial or aquatic habitat improvement, favor recovery of native vegetation, control insect infestations and disease, comply with legal requirements, provide for recreation and public safety and meet other riparian functions and values. 1.6 Scoping On March 12, 2009, a scoping letter was sent to interested agencies, groups, and individuals asking for input on the proposed action. This proposal was also listed in the Schedule of Proposed Actions, for the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests. All public comments 9

11 received during scoping were considered by the interdisciplinary team (IDT). Two comment letters can be found in the project file from that scoping process. After internal discussions and data review, and through IDT meetings and discussions, there have been several changes made to the proposal since March 12, This proposal will be rescoped in conjunction with the 30-day Notice and Comment period required for all Environmental Assessments. Changes to note include: the removal of two stands from the proposed action (compartment 124/stand 1, and compartment 147/stand 6) due to operability concerns, the establishment of a permanent dovefield in Compartment 146, and addition of two stands into the herbicide treatment and prescribed burning regime (compartment 14/stands 4 and 10). These stands were thinned to ft 2 /acre of basal area (BA) under the 2005 Lower Enoree-Indian Creek decision and would be maintained as savanna habitat using prescribed burning and herbicide treatments. 1.7 Decision to Be Made This EA discloses environmental effects of the proposed action and alternatives. The Responsible Official (Enoree District Ranger) will make a decision based on a review of the EA. The Responsible Official will decide: 1. Whether to proceed with the proposed action or the No Action alternative. 2. Whether the decision that is selected will have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment or not. If the determination is made that the impact is not significant, then a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) would be prepared. Significant impacts on the quality of the human environment would require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement [NEPA, (c) and (e)]. The decision of the Responsible Official will be documented in a Decision Notice (FSH, , 43.2). 1.8 Issues All comments received in responses to scoping for this project in the past were considered by the IDT in helping to identify issues, develop mitigation measures and in effects analysis [NEPA, (2)]. Issues were identified as either key or non-key issues. Key issues were those used to develop another action alternative and to develop mitigation measures. Non-key issues are concerns that are already addressed by law or policy, are outside the scope of this project or are not supported by science. 10

12 The following non-key issue was identified by the IDT: Issue 1: Comment: This issue involves concerns that the use of herbicides would contaminate groundwater and surface waterways and would pose health risks to the public and to USFS personnel. Response: This issue would be addressed with the use of standards and guidelines found in the Forest Plan to mitigate adverse effects. A non-herbicide alternative was considered but not developed to address this issue. It was determine that the purpose and need could not be met without the use of herbicides. Site-specific mitigation measures have also been developed to minimize risk of contamination by requiring herbicide mix water to be carried to the site and that trucks containing herbicide or tank mixed herbicide would not park near streams or ponds. In addition, herbicides would be selectively applied with backpack sprayers manually to targeted vegetation and this would limit the amount used in the project area. The effects of herbicides, methods of applications and design criteria would be analyzed in the environmental consequences section of this EA. 11

13 2.0 ALTERNATIVES This section describes the proposed action and the no action alternatives. 2.1 Alternative 1: No Action Current management activities would continue in the project area. Management activities as proposed would not be implemented. 2.2 Alternative 2: Proposed Action The proposal would establish 28 acres of permanent meadow habitat in compartment 146, 70 acres of savanna habitat (10-20 BA pine overstory) in compartment 124, and 25 acres of native grass strips and quail patches imbedded within other treatment areas scattered throughout the proposed units. The proposal would establish and maintian 770 acres of woodland (open forests conditions with low tree densities). Some stands in compartment 146 would be managed to enhance hard and soft mast production. Approximately 818 acres of already existing woodland habitat would just receive periodic maintenance treatments consisting of herbicide and prescribed fire. A 40 acre dovefield (including 10 acres of field borders) would be established and approximately 190 acres would receive an intemediate thinning. Control of the understory during maintenance activities would be accomplished primarily by use of herbicide and prescribed burning. Other activities would included slash removal, stump grinding and/or removal, disking, planting, and mechanical/manual understory treatments. Prescribed burning of all units (except the dovefield) is covered under an existing decision signed February 4, 2008, Prescribed Burning on the Piedmont of the Sumter National Forest, South Carolina. Acreages for specific treatments are calculated using GIS (Geographic Information System) based data sources. GIS based calculations of acreage and distances are approximate. Final unit size may vary during on-the-ground implementation. See list of treatments in Table and proposed activities map in Figure Woodland Habitat Establishment and Maintenance (770 acres) Stands to be treated are comprised of mature pine stands and mixed pine-hardwood stands. Current stand densities range from basal area per acre (BA). Residual basal areas would generally range from 30 to 40 BA for some stands to 50 to 60 BA for others. One stand would be managed to 60 to 70 BA. Management Prescription 8.B.2, Woodland and Grassland/Savanna Habitats Generally speaking, stands in this management prescription would be managed at lower basal areas. Desirable hard mast species (e.g., oaks and hickories) and soft mast species (e.g., black cherry, persimmon, and dogwood) would be retained to maintain this food source for wildlife. 12

14 Management Prescription 10.B, High Quality Product Forest Products Generally speaking, basal areas would average BA in these areas in order to sustain another harvest in these stands in future years. Compartment 147/stand 10 is the exception and would be thinned to BA to improve stand health. All stands would be maintained as pine woodlands with open grassy understories. Herbicide would be used to control early pioneering species such as, but not limited to, sweetgum and other undesirable understory species. The initial burning would be done to eliminate undesirable vegetation and would be used on a 2-3 year cycle to maintain a grassy understory of native species throughout the area. Both growing season and dormant season burns would be applied across the project area in a mosaic pattern. Quail patches and native grass strips would be created in both management prescription areas. Existing Woodland Habitat Maintenance (818 acres) Existing woodlands would be maintained with herbicide to control early pioneering vegetation. Prescribed burning would be done on a 2-3 year cycle under and existing prescribed burn decision. Savanna Habitat Establishment and Maintenance (70 acres) Compartment 124/stands 4 and 10 have a current density ranging from BA and would be managed as savanna habitat. Prescribed burning would be used on a 2-3 year cycle to maintain a grassy understory of native species throughout the area. Herbicide would also be used to control early pioneering species such as, but not limited to, sweetgum. Intermediate Thinning (190 acres) The residual basal area in stands following thinning would range from BA. Dominant and co-dominant pines would be left as well as desirable oaks and hickories. All except one of the units would be periodically prescribed burned. Early Successional Habitat Establishment and Maintenance The establishment and maintenance of early successional habitat is proposed in compartments 125, 126, 146, 147, 148, and 149. Quail Patches/Native Warm Season Grass Strips (25 acres) Small (1/2 to 2 acres) herbaceous/grass (e.g., partridge pea, ragweed, and NWSGs) openings and linear strips would be established and maintained in various sites throughout proposed harvest units. These areas would be located on mostly flat (no highly erosive soils), upland (dry) terrain and would be located on existing log decks and skid trails. These areas would be maintained and improved using mechanical methods (e.g., bush hog, disks, chainsaw, mastication, etc.), prescribed burning, herbicide and planting (e.g., seedbed preparation, fertilizing, liming and seeding). Meadow Habitat Establishment and Maintenance (28 acres) A meadow would be established and maintained in compartment 146/stand 25. All trees would be cut using conventional timber harvest methods. Slash remaining after timber harvest would be burned or removed and stumps within the meadow area would be ground up to within ground level in order to prepared seedbed and to allow disking and mowing within the area. Prescribed fire and herbicide would be used to maintain desired conditions for 13

15 meadow habitat for the long term. Mechanical brushwork (e.g., bush hogging, mowing, and mastication) would be needed to control woody vegetation that was not controlled by prescribed fire. Field Borders (10 acres) A field border consisting of native warm season grasses forbs, annuals and non-invasive legumes would be established and maintained around the dovefield. Periodic disking and seeding would be needed to maintained desired conditions. Open Land Habitat Establishment and Maintenance Dovefield (40 acres) In compartment 146, the two existing wildlife fields and the surrounding area would be developed and maintained as a dovefield. Establishment of cultivated portions of the dovefield would be accomplished by removing trees and stumps, clearing land, and conditioning the soil where topography permits (less than 5% slope). The remainder of the area would be maintained in a low basal area of trees and field borders of native warm season grasses and forbs. Unmerchantable material and stumps would be chipped/ground-up, piled and/or dispersed around the edge of the unit. The areas would then be disked, seeded and maintained in an open condition. Crop species planted in the dovefield would include but not be limited to browntop millet, winter wheat, corn, sunflower and sorghum. Non-native invasive species would be treated with herbicide under an existing decision. Maintenance work would consist of disking, seeding, mowing, crop rotation, using herbicides, liming, fertilizing, and prescribed burning (see Table for timing of maintenance activities). Agricultural practices would occur on the contour or planted with no-till seeding. Crop rotation and winter/spring disking (as weather permits) would be used to control emergent grasses. Herbicides would be used as needed to control aggressive plant species that reduce effectiveness of planting and crop rotations. Prescribed burning would be used to control woody vegetation and parch seeds to reduce sprouting of undesirable plants and as well as prepare the field for fall hunting season. Table Dovefield Maintenance Activities Spring Summer Fall May June: liming and fertilizing April June: disking, planting and herbicide July August: mowing, burning and herbicide October November: disking and planting Maintenance activities would include applying glyphosate, a post-emergent herbicide, in combination with disking, mowing, crop rotation and prescribed burning. Glyphosate would be applied at an estimated rate of 1.07 pounds per acre between July and August. Glyphosate would also be sprayed on corn, sunflowers, and winter wheat to defoliate and brown the vegetation to provide weed control. It would be applied using equipment such as a tractor boom low-volume sprayer. Backpack sprayers would be used if smaller areas need to be treated. Additional herbicides would be used to control grasses if disking does not provide adequate control of crab grass and non-native invasive species such as Johnson grass, Bermuda grass and tall fescue. A mixture of imazapyr and water would be used (imazapyr at an estimated rate of 0.31 lbs per acre) as a mid-summer control of Bermuda grass or non-native invasive plants such 14

16 as, but not limited to, sickle pod and horse nettle. These species are more difficult to control with glyphosate alone and may require periodic use of this herbicide. Selected areas or the entire field may be burned thirty days after vegetation has been treated with herbicide. Herbicide Applications Herbicide would be used in conjunction with prescribed burning to control encroachment of unwanted woody vegetation in proposed treatments listed in Table 2.2-1, except for the intermediate thinnings. Herbicide would be applied at label rates to control sprouting of hardwood species, such as sweetgum and maple, and pine seedlings in areas where treatments remove a substantial portion of the overstory. All treated areas would be monitored to determine the need for further herbicide treatments. Treated areas would be prescribed burned no sooner than 30 days following herbicide treatments. Low-volume backpack sprayers and tractor mounted booms would be used to apply herbicide to target vegetation. The hack-and-squirt method would be used in conjunction with foliar treatments to control larger vegetation left (hardwoods and unmerchantable loblolly pine) remaining after harvest. Foliar Spray - Herbicides would be applied using a backpack sprayer to spray the foliage of targeted plants. A mixture containing 0.5 ounce of imazapyr (Arsenal AC or equivalent), 1 ounce of a water-soluble dye spray pattern indicator, and 0.5 ounce of limonene adjuvant per gallon of water would be used. The anticipated application rate would be ten gallons of mix, 5 ounces of imazapyr per acre. Herbicides would be applied to targeted vegetation by speckling the leaf surface during the period of June through early October of the second or third growing season. All treated areas would be monitored for further follow-up treatments after the initial treatment. All downed vegetation would be left on-site to decompose. Hack-n-Squirt - Targeted vegetation (greater than six feet tall) would be treated with imazapyr (Arsenal AC or equivalent) and triclopyr (Garlon 3A or equivalent) herbicide that is sprayed/injected into cuts made into the cambium layer with a manual cutting tool (such as an axe or sandvik). The herbicide mixture used would be 50 percent triclopyr, 50 percent water, plus 6 ounces of Arsenal AC per gallon of water. All treated areas would be monitored for further follow-up treatments after the initial treatment. All treated vegetation would be left on-site to decompose. *NOTE: Commercial herbicides/adjuvant/dyes referenced in this document (Garlon 3A, Arsenal AC, Cidekick, and Bullseye) represent those formulations that are commonly used for the proposed forestry treatments. However, other equivalent formulations may be used for implementation of the proposed treatments. Equivalent formulations would include any other brand name herbicides that have an equivalent proportion of the specified active and inert ingredients. 15

17 Table Proposed Action Treatment Table Compt. Stand Acres Prescription Activities (periodic or one time) Savanna habitat establishment and maintenance Savanna habitat establishment and maintenance maintenance - Thin to BA/Acre Woodland habitat maintenance Woodland habitat maintenance maintenance - Thin to BA/Acre Woodland habitat maintenance Woodland Habitat Establishment - Thin to BA/Acre species. Prescribed burn on 2-3 year cycle. Mechanical mid-story removal using mastication Woodland habitat maintenance maintenance - Thin dense pine clumps to 50-60BA/Acre maintenance - Thin to BA/Acre maintenance/mixed pine/hardwood habitat - Thin to 50 BA/Acre Woodland habitat maintenance maintenance maintenance - Thin to BA/Acre Woodland habitat maintenance Woodland habitat maintenance species. Prescribed burn on 2-3 year cycle. Mechanical mid-story removal using mastication. species. Prescribed burn on 2-3 year cycle. Mechanical mid-story removal using mastication. Select to remove pines and undesirable hardwoods during thin. Herbicide release to control early pioneering species. Prescribed burn on 2-3 year cycle. Thin to BA/acre, remove undesirable hardwoods. Herbicide to control early pioneering species. Prescribed burn on 2-3 year cycle. 16

18 maintenance - Thin to BA/Acre Intermediate Thinning - Thin to BA/Acre maintenance - Thin to 50 BA/Acre maintenance Meadow establishment and maintenance Permanent dovefield establishment with field borders and maintenance maintenance - Thin to 50 BA/Acre maintenance - Thin to BA/Acre maintenance - Thin to BA/Acre Woodland habitat maintenance Woodland habitat maintenance Woodland habitat maintenance Woodland habitat maintenance maintenance - Thin heavier portions of stand to BA/Acre for a total of BA/Acre for entire stand maintenance - Thin heavier portions of stand to BA/Acre for a total of BA/Acre for entire stand Area west of the creek would not be treated. Thin to BA/acre, remove undesirable hardwoods. Herbicide to control early pioneering species. Prescribed burn on 2-3 year cycle. Remove all slash and grind stumps to ground level for seedbed preparation. Herbicide to control early pioneering species. Prescribed burn on 2-3 year cycle. In addition, use manual/mechanical methods (mastication) to control undesirable tree species. Remove all slash and stumps within dovefield area for seedbed preparation. Herbicide to control early pioneering species and nonnative invasive plant species. Prescribe burn as part of dovefield maintenance and preparation. species. Prescribed burn on 2-3 year cycle. Mechanical mid-story removal using mastication. 17

19 Woodland habitat maintenance Woodland habitat maintenance Intermediate Thinning - Thin to BA/Acre Intermediate Thinning - Thin to BA/Acre Intermediate Thinning - Thin to BA/Acre Total 1,916 Thin to BA/acre. Prescribed burn on 3-5 year cycle. Thin to BA/acre. Prescribed burn on 3-5 year cycle. Thin to BA/acre. Prescribed burn on 3-5 year cycle. 18

20 Figure Map of Proposed Treatments 19

21 Connected Actions Skid Trails, Landings and Roads Connected actions associated with this project include construction of skid trails, landings and temporary roads for the commercial removal and loading or chipping of trees on site. Logs would be skidded with heavy equipment to landings where they would be decked for removal by logging trucks. Existing and new skid trails would be used during skidding operations. Best Management Practices for Forestry (BMPs), site-specific mitigation measures along with Forest Plan standards and guidelines would be used to limit exposure of soil and protect streams from sedimentation. Typically, skid trails and landings are water-barred and re-vegetated to reduce soil erosion. A mixture of annuals and native warm season grasses would be used for revegetation of these areas to reduce erosion. System road reconstruction and maintenance (estimated at a little over ten miles) would be needed. Reconstruction work would consist of, but not be limited to, gravelling road surfaces, replacing culverts, ditch cleaning, removing brush and trees along road rights-of-way, installing or replacing gates and correcting road safety hazards. Maintenance would consist of spot gravel, road grading, cleaning culverts, light brushing and mowing. Specific information on roads is contained in the project file. Monitoring Activities and effects would be monitored to ensure compliance with the Forest Plan. Monitoring activities would ensure that the herbicide work complies with federal regulations during transportation, mixing, and application. Monitoring is done through project plan reviews and periodic on-site evaluations. Follow-up evaluations would determine the effectiveness of the proposed treatments. Timber harvest activities would be supervised by a Forest Service timber sale administrator. 2.3 Alternatives Considered but not Developed An alternative action without the use of herbicides was considered but not developed because the purpose and need of the proposal could not be met without herbicide use. Manual, mechanical and prescribed burning methods alone are not as effective at controlling understory vegetation. Monitoring of existing woodlands indicates that woody vegetation is becoming dense and cannot be controlled effectively with fire alone. 20

22 2.4 Design Criteria Design Criteria that apply to all action alternatives are incorporated from the following documents: The Forest Plan provides specific standards and guidelines to ensure proper layout of units and during project implementation. South Carolina s Best Management Practices for Forestry (South Carolina Forestry Commission 1994). Soil and Water Conservation Practices Guide, Southern Region, (U.S. Department of Agriculture 2002). The following design criteria would be used to reduce adverse effects during project implementation. 1. Identified heritage sites would be avoided during site disturbing activities associated with logging and follow-up treatments. 2. Identified PETS species location would be avoided during site disturbing activities associated with logging and follow-up cultural treatments. 3. Temporary roads and skid trails would be located in such a manner to roll with the terrain to reduce water concentrations. Drainage dips and lead-outs would be incorporated in construction of temporary roads. Gully crossings would be avoided and water from roads would not be directed into gullies. 4. Skid trails and log decks would be seeded, fertilized and mulched at the time each harvest area is closed. Seed mixtures would include native grasses and legumes or other desired non-native species beneficial to wildlife. 5. Trees would not be harvested within gullies or on steep slopes adjacent to gullies unless needed to promote stabilization or recovery efforts. 6. Streams would be identified on sale area maps and protective measures would be specified in the timber sale contract. 7. Desirable oaks and hickories would be retained within treatment stands. 8. Hardwood inclusions, to be protected within and adjacent to harvest units, would be identified on-the-ground and on the sale area map of the timber sale contract. 9. Water used for mixing herbicides and cleaning would come from a public water supply and be transported to the site in separate labeled containers. 21

23 10. Trucks containing herbicide or tank mixed herbicide would not be allowed to park within 200 feet of streams or other bodies of water. 11. Check dams would be installed in ephemeral stream channels adjacent to harvest units. Check dams would not be used in intermittent or perennial streams. 12. Water-bars on skid trails that cross ephemeral streams would be constructed and maintained to avoid discharging water directly into stream channels. Water-bars would be reconstructed and skid roads revegetated at the time each harvest area is closed. Skid roads would be blocked to limit motorized vehicle use. 13. Erosion control devices such as diversions and temporary rock sediment dams would be installed prior to road reconstruction and maintenance activities where needed to deter soil runoff into streams. Erosion control devices would be maintained in working order throughout project activities including linear wildlife strips and until plant growth is established and stable enough to control runoff and erosion. Road ditch lines would not be routed toward stream crossings, but instead into vegetative buffers. 14. Weather conditions would be monitored and herbicide applications scheduled so that drift is minimized or eliminated. In addition, herbicides would not be applied previous to or during periods of rain. 15. Dovefield disking, herbicide application, liming and fertilizing would not be implemented when periods of rain events are expected. Exposed soils should be monitored and erosion control measures implemented when off-site movement of soil occurs with this annual activity. 22

24 2.5 Comparison of Alternatives This section compares aspects of the alternatives to one another. Analysis of the effects can be found in the next section, Environmental Consequences. Table Comparison of Alternatives Treatment Alternative 1 (Acres) Alternative 2 (Acres) Woodland Habitat Establishment and Maintenance Existing Woodland Maintenance Savanna Habitat Establishment and Maintenance 0 70 Intermediate Thinning Early Successional Habitat Establishment and Maintenance Quail Patches, NWSG Strips and Field Borders (embedded within other treatments) 0 25 Meadow Habitat 0 28 Field Borders (embedded within dovefield) 0 10 Open Land Habitat Establishment and Maintenance - Dovefield 0 40 Herbicide Use to Control Undesirable Vegetation 1 0 1,726 Total 0 1,916 1 Backpack sprayers would be used if smaller areas need to be treated using the foliar spray method. The hack-nsquirt method would be used on larger stems by treating the cambium layer. Herbicide would be applied using equipment such as a tractor boom mounted with a low-volume sprayer. 23