Management Actions: Background:

Transcription

1 Decision Memo 2017 Shoal Creek Healthy Forest Restoration Act Project USDA Forest Service Shoal Creek Ranger District, Talladega National Forest Service Cleburne and Clay Counties, Alabama Management Actions: I have decided to implement the actions listed below to reduce the risk to insect and disease and to improve the resilience of 2,362 acres within the Ivory Mountain Planning Area of the Talladega National Forest, Shoal Creek Ranger District. The management intent is to produce longleaf pine,loblolly pine and pine/hardwood woodland conditions that will be resistant to insect and disease infestations. Treatments With-in Ivory Mountain Area 1 P a g e Thin overstocked stands with a high basal area. More than 70% of the stands are loblolly pine and approximately 60% are pine plantations. Actions will occur on 47 stands for a total of 1,850 acres. Management activities include commercial harvest (thinning) and midstory control using mechanical methods. Clearcut with Reserves to restore resiliency to stands with off-site species, stands that are over mature with dead and dying trees, and stands that are too dense with thick understories. Actions will occur on 16 stands for a total of 346 acres. Management activities include commercial harvest (clearcut with reserves), site preparation using herbicide (Triclopyr, Imazapyr, and Side-kick), artificial reforestation with longleaf pine and release using herbicide and mechanical methods. Seedtree and thinning from below (RCW thin)willoccur on 8 stands for a total of 167 acres. Seed tree cuts will retain longleaf pine and allow for regeneration through opening the stand. Thinning from below will remove primarily pine and hardwood pulpwood and leave a higher residual basal area. Management activities include commercial harvest (seedtree and thinning harvest), and the potential for release using mechanical methods if needed. Background: On February 7, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill). Among the parts that pertain to the Forest Service, Section 8204 includes an important provision for addressing insect and disease threats on National Forest System Lands. On April 8, 2014, Alabama s Governor Bentley requested designation of landscape scale areas on the National Forests in Alabama to address threats as authorized by section

2 8204. On May 20, 2014, Forest Service Chief Tidwell evaluated Governor Bentley s request and determined areas that meet one or more of the required criteria for designation. Chief Tidwell designated the Talladega National Forest, Shoal Creek Ranger District as a qualifying landscape scale insect and disease area which encompasses the Ivory Mountain area. Section 8204 amended Title VI of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 to add Sections 602 and 603 as a categorical exclusion for qualifying insect and disease projects in designated areas. An insect and disease project that may be categorically excluded from analysis in an Environmental Assessment under this authority is a project that is designed to reduce the risk of or increase resilience to insect and disease infestation. Ivory Mountain qualifies as such a project. Within the Ivory Mountain Project Area 108 stands were initially identified and verified with field visits for operability, accessibility and stand characteristics. Of those, 71 stands were selected for treatment. Approximately 70% of the identified stands are loblolly pine with 60% being pine plantations. The basal area within these stands are over stocked and in need of thinning so trees can develop to maturity. Thinning mature pine stands will increase their health and vigor and encourage recruitment of a new cohort of trees. Thinning will target small diameter material as well as trees with defects or disease. Larger diameter relict pine and hardwood trees will be retained. Figure 1: Existing Condition Figure 2: Desired Future Condition Decision: This action is categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental impact statement (EIS) or an environmental assessment (EA). The applicable category of actions is identified in agency procedures as Insect and Disease Infestation (Section 603 of HFRA (16 U.S.C. 6591b)). This category of action(s) is applicable because the project: 2 P a g e

3 Is within an insect and disease treatment area designated by the Secretary under HFRA, Section 602; Is within areas in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) or Condition Classes 2 or 3 in Fire Regime Groups I, II or III, outside the WUI; Is not within a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System; and Federal land on which, by Act of Congress or Presidential proclamation, the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited; a congressionally designated wilderness study area; or an area in which activities would be inconsistent with the National Forest in Alabama Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (Revised Forest Plan); Maximizes the retention of old-growth and large trees, as appropriate for the forest type, to the extent that the trees promote stands that are resilient to insects and disease; considers best available scientific information to maintain or restore the ecological integrity, including maintaining or restoring structure, function, composition and connectivity; and is developed and implemented through a collaborative process that includes multiple interested persons representing diverse interest; and is transparent and nonexclusive; Does not exceed 3,000 acres; Will not establish permanent roads; Is consistent with the Revised Forest Plan; and Was scoped to the public and public notice was provided. I find that there are no extraordinary circumstances that would warrant further analysis and documentation in an EA or EIS. I took into account resource conditions identified in agency procedures that should be considered in determining whether extraordinary circumstances might exist: Federally listed threatened or endangered species of designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species the actions will have no effect on the red-cockaded woodpecker; not likely to adversely affect the Indiana or northern long-eared bats; no effect critical habitat designated for 11 threatened and endangered species of mussels; no effect the Tulotoma snail, Coosa moccassinshell, triangular kidneyshell, southern pigtoe, fine-lined pocketbook, upland combshell. Southern acornshell, ovate clubshell, Alabama moccassinshell, southern clubshell, Georgia pigtoe, Alabama clubshell, Lacy elimia, painted rocksnail, and blue shiner; no effect on the Alabama leather flower, Harperella, Tennessee yellow-eyed grass, green pitcher plant, Mohr s Barbara s buttons, white fringeless orchid or the Georgia aster. Flood plains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds there are no floodplains of jurisdictional wetlands within the project area and none will be impacted by project activities; there are no municipal watersheds in the project area Congressionally designated areas such as wilderness, wilderness study area, or national recreation areas none are present within the project area; none will be affected. Inventoried roadless areas or potential wilderness area none are present within the project area; none will be affected. Research natural areas none are present within the project area; none will be affected. 3 P a g e

4 American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites. There would be no extraordinary circumstances related to these resources because they are not present in the project area. This is based on site specific cultural resource surveys conducted on the analysis area, preparation of a Cultural Resources Report, and consultation on the proposed project with the Alabama State Historic Preservation Officer. Archaeological sites, or historic properties or areas The actions will avoid any sites listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of historic Places and will not cause loss of destruction of significant scientific, cultural or historic resources. This is based on site specific cultural resource surveys conducted on the analysis area, preparation of a Cultural Resources Report and consultation on the proposed project with the Alabama State Historic Preservation Officer. Collaboration and Public Involvement: Collaborative meetings were conducted informing partnering agencies on the implementation of the HFRA insect and disease categorical exclusion beginning in the winter of This action was originally listed as a proposal on the National Forest in Alabama Schedule of Proposed Actions and updated periodically during the analysis. A project announcement letter with proposed action was mailed to interested parties on February 9, A reminder was released on Feb 27th announcing a public meeting to discuss the project. One comment was received from POET of Sylacauga, AL stating that pines should not have been planted since they attracted southern pine beetles. This comment was not responded to since it was not germane to proposed action. A letter of support was received from the Longleaf Alliance. March 1, 2017 Public meeting at the Shoal Creek Ranger District office Heflin, AL: Six people attended the public meeting held at the Shoal Creek Office. The employees in attendance were: District Ranger Karen McKenzie, TMA Jessica Blackwell, TSA Wesley Todd, Wildlife Biologist Jonathan Stober and Program Specialist Greg Scull. From the public, the attendees were: Jimmy Jimmerson, Hoyt Allred, Sean Harris, Doug Roberts, Alex Varner (TNC) and Brandon Bobo (NWTF). The meeting lasted for approximately one hour. McKenzie opened the meeting and Stober presented a power-point explaining a little about the HFRA authority, SPB infestation history in this area, and maps and info about the Ivory Mountain proposal. McKenzie concluded with a basic timeline for this decision to be signed (hopefully April). Following the presentation there were a few questions about the proposal including: 4 P a g e Were we going to use the seedtree method to reforest any of these areas? What is the fire frequency in the area? Is this the Walk-in Turkey Area? There were a few questions not related to the proposal including:

5 How does prescribed burning effect southern pine beetle? There are wild hogs west of Pilgrim s Rest are we doing anything about them? Have we noticed an increase in turkeys in the area over the past few years? No comments were presented that were critical of the proposal and sentiment was supportive of the proposal and the need for the stands to be treated to restore and manage the designated stands on Ivory Mountain. Findings Required by Other Laws and Regulation This decision is consistent with the National Forest in Alabama Revised Land and Resource Management Plan as required by the National Forest Management Act. Administrative Review This decision is not subject to administrative review. Implementation Date The project can be implemented as soon as this decision notice is signed. Contact For additional information concerning this decision, contact: Jonathan Stober, Wildlife Biologist, Shoal Creek Ranger District, 45 Hwy 281, Heflin, AL 36264, _/s/ Karen McKenzie 5/23/17 Karen McKenzie Date District Ranger 5 P a g e

6 Table 1: Shoal Creek Health Forest Restoration Thinning and Restoration Stands Comp Stand Stand Acres Forest Type Origin Age Year Pine BA HWood BA Total BA RX Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Planted restore Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Planted thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural restore Loblolly Pine Planted restore Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Longleaf Pine Natural thin Longleaf Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine Natural rcwthin Loblolly Pine Planted restore Longleaf Pine Natural thin Loblolly Pine Planted rcwthin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Longleaf Pine Planted thin Longleaf Pine Planted thin Longleaf Pine Planted thin Longleaf Pine Natural rcwthin 6 P a g e

7 Longleaf Pine Planted thin Longleaf Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine Natural thin Longleaf Pine Planted thin Virginia Pine Natural restore Longleaf Pine Planted thin Loblolly-Longleaf Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Planted restore Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Planted thin Loblolly Pine Planted rcwthin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Planted thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Planted restore Loblolly Pine Planted thin Virginia Pine Natural thin Loblolly Pine Planted restore Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural restore Virginia Pine Planted restore Loblolly Pine Natural seedtree Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural seedtree Loblolly Pine Natural thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Longleaf Pine -Hardwood Natural restore Loblolly Pine Planted thin 7 P a g e

8 Loblolly Pine Natural thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Loblolly Pine Planted restore Virginia Pine-Oak Planted restore Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Virginia Pine Planted thin Virginia Pine Planted thin Longleaf Pine-Hardwood Natural thin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Longleaf Pine Natural rcwthin Loblolly Pine Planted thin Loblolly Pine Planted restore Longleaf Pine-Hardwood Natural seedtree Longleaf Pine Natural restore Loblolly Pine-Hardwood Natural restore Longleaf Pine Planted thin Planted max Natural min sum mode 8 P a g e

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