Noxious/Invasive Species Specialist Report

Transcription

1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Southwestern Region Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands Noxious/Invasive Species Specialist Report Kiowa, Rita Blanca, Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands Plan Revision May 2011 Environmental Impact Statement Analysis Submitted by: /s/ Rick Newmon, Range Management Specialist Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands

2 2 Noxious/Invasive Species Specialist Report Executive Summary Noxious/Invasive species disrupt natural ecosystem functions and negatively effect both ecological and socio-economic conditions. Noxious/Invasive species can displace desirable native species, reduce the quality of wildlife habitat, damage riparian and watershed areas, increase wildfire risk and increase erosion. Common to all alternatives, the desired condition regarding noxious/invasive species, both native and non-native is for plants to be low to non-existent in abundance and distribution. The feral hog and hybred Eurasian boar/feral hog population would be diminishing or non-existent. An Integrated Pest Management program is being implemented on the grasslands. Noxious/Invasive plant populations are distributed across the grasslands in scattered patches. Densities are low, but without treatment are expected to increase The outcome for all alternatives is similar. Invasive and noxious plants and animals would be identified and removed on a timely basis, limiting their potential spread. Alternative A would maintain and sustain shelterbelts, thus supplying a source for undesirable native and nonnative invasive tree seed from species such as black locust, eastern redcedar, and Siberian elm. Alternatives B and C would reduce the areal extent of undesirable trees and would provide clear management direction for effective noxious/invasive plant species control which would provide more benefit to wildlife habitat. Although alternative A would allow removal of nonnative invasive plants, there would be no focus on removing undesirable native invasive trees. Alternatives B and C would more clearly address controlling invasive animals, such as feral hogs, than would alternative A, but alternative A and other established Forest Service direction allow for similar control activities.. Overview of Affected Environment The Black Kettle/McClellan Creek Grasslands have a Integrated Pest Program that allows for treating noxious/invasive species such as scotch thistle, black locust and eastern red cedar. The Kiowa/Rita Blanca Grassland will be implementing an Integrated Pest Management program similar to the Black Kettle/Mcclellan Creek. Salt cedar along the Canadian River has been treated by aerial spraying and mechanical methods combined with herbicide stump treatments. Printed on recycled paper Month Year 2

3 3 Noxious/invasive plant populations are primarily scattered plants across the landscape. Salt cedar is the exception in that it is isolated and dense at stock water ponds. Summary of Environmental Consequences Common to All Alternatives. An integrated pest management program would be implemented on the grasslands to control invasive plant populations. Invasive species control would generally improve grasslands aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitat; however, in the potential wilderness area under alternative C, treatment options may be restricted, require waivers, or require the approval of the regional forester. Implementation of saltcedar eradication would reduce evapotranspiration of the instream flow and enhance riparian habitat on the Canadian River within the potential wilderness area. Alternative A. Where the current plan is silent, law, regulation, and policy and BMPs are used for guidance. Shelterbelts would be maintained and sustained, thus supplying a source for undesirable native and nonnative invasive tree seed from species such as black locust, eastern redcedar, and Siberian elm. Alternatives B and C. Implementation would provide clear management direction for effective noxious/invasive plant species control which would provide more benefit to soil condition, water quality, and wildlife habitat. Feral hog populations would be reduced grasslands-wide. Introduction This report discloses and evaluates the potential environmental consequences that could occur from implementing the desired condition for noxious/invasive species. Relevant Laws, Regulations and Policy That Apply New Mexico Noxious Weed Act New Mexico Executive Order 00-22, Governor of New Mexico Texas AG. Code Ann. 78,003; Noxious Weed Oklahoma Weed Act Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rotencide Act FSM Noxious Weed Management FSM 2150, Pesticide-Use Management and coordination Environmental Assessment for Integrated Pest Management of Noxious/Invasive Plants: Cibola National Forest and Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands Catron, Cibola, Colfax, Harding, Lincoln, McKinley, Mora, Sandoval, Sierra, Socorro, Torrance, Union and Valencia Counties in New Mexico; Cimarron Countyn Oklahoma; Dallam County in Texas. June USDA Forest Service Southwestern Region. MB-R Albuquerque, NM Final Environmental Impact Statement for Canadian River Tamarisk Control: Cibola National Forest Harding and Mora Counties, New Mexico. May USDA Forest Service Southwestern Region. MB-R Printed on recycled paper Month Year 3

4 4 Environmental Assessment for Invasive Plant Management: Cibola National Forest Black Kettle Ranger District, Cheyenne, Okla. August USDA Forest Service Cibola National Forest, Cheyenne, Oklahoma. Methodology and Analysis Process A noxious/invasive species inventory was conducted on the grasslands as part of a forest wide inventory in The Black Kettle District was found to have 6000 acres with scattered populations of various noxious/invasive species. The Kiowa/Rita Blanca District had 1597 acres with scattered infestations of species classified as noxious/invasive. The Black Kettle District has been treating approximately700 acres a year since April Primary species that have been treated are scotch thistle and eastern red cedar. Treatments began on the Kiowa/Rita Blanca in Primary species to be treated are Salt Cedar, Canada thistle and Scotch thistle. Treatment will follow an Integrated Pest Management approach that will utilize treatment methods such as prescribed burning, mechanical, manual, cultural, and herbicides. Assumptions In the analysis for this resource, the following assumptions have been made: The land management plan provides a programmatic framework for future site-specific actions. Land management plans do not have direct effects. They do not authorize or mandate any sitespecific projects or activities (including ground disturbing actions). Land management plans may have implications, or environmental consequences, of managing the forest under a programmatic framework. The plan decisions (desired conditions, objectives, standards, guidelines, management areas, monitoring) will be followed when planning or implementing site-specific projects and activities. Law, policy, and regulations will be followed when planning or implementing site-specific projects or activities. Monitoring will occur and the land management plan will be amended as needed. We will be funded similar to past budget levels (past 5 years). The planning time frame is 15 years; other time frames may be analyzed depending on the resource (usually a discussion of anticipated trends into the future. Revision Topics Addressed in this Analysis Management direction for other resources addressed in the Grasslands plan revision were reviewed as to their affect on reaching the desired conditions for noxious/invasive species. It was determined that they would not affect reaching the desired condition. The removal or control of noxious/invasive species would have beneficial affects on the other species. Printed on recycled paper Month Year 4

5 5 Summary of Alternatives Alternative A utilizes guidance from the Environmental Assessment for Integrated Pest Management of Noxious/Invasive Plants for the Cibola National Forest and Kiowa and Rita Blanca, June 2010, that covers treatments to eradicate, control, or contain invasive plants. Alternative A also utilizes the Environmental Assessment for Invasive Plant Management, Cibola National Forest, Black Kettle Ranger District, Cheyenne, Oklahoma, August 2007, that covers treatment methods such as cultural, biological, manual, and mechanical control; controlled grazing; prescribed fire; and chemical (herbicide) methods to control invasive plants. Alternative B would use grasslands-wide and district-specific invasive species control and would allow for removal of invasive or nonnative trees from historical grassland vegetation communities or in otherwise suitable LPC habitat on the BK NG following site-specific assessment. Objectives and guidelines would promote the desired condition. Alternative C would be identical to alternative B, except that invasive species management in the Canadian River PWA would have some limitations on management tools that could be used. FSM 2320, Wilderness Management, would govern use of management tools within the potential wilderness. Description of Affected Environment (Existing Condition) Historically there were no noxious/invasive species on the grasslands. Disturbance factors such periodic fire and grazing by wild ungulates kept native plants that have invasive characteristics in check. The settlement of the grasslands and increasing populations made it necessary to limit fire activity and allowed native invasive plants to increase. The Dust Bowl Era resulted in a landscape with erosion and soil deposition conditions to be implemented in order to stabilize the soil. One conservation measure was to divert wind to reduce erosion. Windbreaks and soil erosion shelterbelts were created by planting tree species that included Siberian elm, Russian Olive, and Salt Cedar. These species are very prolific and have dispersed over the landscape. Transporting of vegetation products such as hay for livestock feed and ornamental flower arrangements has resulted in the spread of noxious plants such as Russian knapweed, Scotch thistle and Musk thistle. These plants have no natural control on the grasslands. This has enabled them to establish and spread quickly. Environmental Consequences The land management plan provides a programmatic framework that guides site-specific actions but does not authorize, fund, or carryout any particular project or activity. Because the land management plan does not authorize or mandate any site-specific activities or ground disturbing actions there can be no direct effects. However, there may be implications, or longer term environmental consequences, of managing the forests under this programmatic framework. Printed on recycled paper Month Year 5

6 6 Common to All Alternatives. An integrated pest management program would be implemented on the grasslands to control invasive plant populations. Invasive species control would generally improve grasslands aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitat; however, in the potential wilderness area under alternative C, treatment options may be restricted, require waivers, or require the approval of the regional forester. Implementation of saltcedar eradication would reduce evapotranspiration of the instream flow and enhance riparian habitat on the Canadian River within the potential wilderness area. Alternative A. Where the current plan is silent, law, regulation, and policy and BMPs are used for guidance. Shelterbelts would be maintained and sustained, thus supplying a source for undesirable native and nonnative invasive tree seed from species such as black locust, eastern redcedar, and Siberian elm. Alternatives B and C. Implementation would provide clear management direction for effective noxious/invasive plant species control which would provide more benefit to soil condition, water quality, and wildlife habitat. Feral hog populations would be reduced grasslands-wide. An increase in prairie dogs could have an effect on vegetative conditions in the shortgrass vegetation type. It is expected that where prairie dogs increase, vegetative conditions would become a lower seral stage and possibly exhibit less than satisfactory soil conditions. It is possible that this could provide disturbed sites that are conducive to noxious/invasive species establishment. However, prairie dogs would be expected to control invasive colonization before the plants develop seeding capability. Cumulative Environmental Consequences The analysis area is the entire grasslands area including a one-half mile weed treatment zone adjacent to the grassland units. Attainment of the desired condition for noxious/invasive species will hinge upon the adjacent lands of other ownership being treated so that seed sources for re-infestation are eliminated. Adjacent lands have been undergoing mechanical, manual and herbicide treatment for noxious invasive species for many years. This has been done to maintain the agriculture value and other property values associated with the adjacent lands. The Mills Canyon/Canadian River area has recently underwent such a treatment for salt cedar that involved state, private and federal lands. Some private ownership agriculture lands adjacent to the grasslands have been undergoing mechanical, manual, and herbicide treatment for noxious invasive species for many years. This has been done to maintain the agriculture value and other property values. The grasslands have a one-half mile weed treatment zone adjacent to the grassland units as well. Some private landholdings within the administrative boundary of BK have invasive species and tree encroachment issues that may not have the same eradication emphasis as does the grasslands. Common to All Alternatives. There would be less areal extent of invasive plant species on the grasslands due to control efforts on private lands. Feral hog control, or lack thereof, would have commensurate consequences on the grasslands. Printed on recycled paper Month Year 6

7 7 As part of the interagency Canadian River saltcedar control program, efforts up and downstream of the Mill Canyon MA to eradicate saltcedar positively affect the riparian area by reducing seed sources of saltcedar. Alternative A. Lack of invasive tree control on private lands would result in further degradation of potential and suitable habitat for the LPC. Alternatives B and C. Lack of invasive tree control on private lands would further isolate and fragment grasslands habitat. The mutual benefit of concurrent invasive species control on the national grasslands and adjacent non- Federal land would be best realized under alternative B and least realized under alternative A in consideration of the environmental consequences of alternatives. Unavoidable Adverse impacts The land management plan provides a programmatic framework that guides site-specific actions but does not authorize, fund, or carryout any project or activity. Before any ground-disturbing actions take place, they must be authorized in a subsequent environmental analysis. Therefore none of the alternatives cause unavoidable adverse impacts. The treatments of noxious/invasive species that are carried out in an effort to attain the desired condition are done in an Integrated Pest Management approach. The treatment methods have been analyzed in separate NEPA analyses and found to not have unavoidable adverse impacts. Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources The land management plan provides a programmatic framework that guides site-specific actions but does not authorize, fund, or carry out any project or activity. Because the land management plan does not authorize or mandate any ground-disturbing actions, none of the alternatives cause an irreversible or irretrievable commitment of resources. Adaptive Management All alternatives assume the use of adaptive management principles. Forest Service decisions are made as part of an on-going process, including, planning, implementing projects, and monitoring and evaluation. The land management plan identifies a monitoring program. Monitoring the results of actions will provide a flow of information that may indicate the need to change a course of action or the land management plan. Scientific findings and the needs of society may also indicate the need to adapt resource management to new information. The Forest Supervisor annually evaluates the monitoring information displayed in the evaluation reports through a management review and determines if any changes are needed in management actions or the plan itself. In general, annual evaluations of the monitoring information consider the following questions: What are the effects of resource management activities on the productivity of the land? To what degree are resource management activities maintaining or making progress toward the desired conditions and objectives for the plan? What changes are needed to account for unanticipated changes in conditions? Printed on recycled paper Month Year 7

8 8 In addition to annual monitoring and evaluation, the Forest Supervisor reviews the conditions on the land covered by the plan at least every 5 years to determine whether conditions or demands of the public have changed significantly. The forest plan is ordinarily revised on a 10-year cycle and the Forest Supervisor may amend the plan at any time. The adaptive management philosophy will be used in the treatment of noxious/invasive species. Integrated Pest Management techniques are available for use that make it possible to treat species according to the individual plant growth characteristics. Follow up monitoring will occur so that effectiveness can be determined and adjustments made, if needed. Consistency with Law, Regulation, and Policy All alternatives are designed to guide the Kiowa, Rita Blanca, Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands management activities in meeting federal law, regulations, and policy. Other Planning efforts There is not a conflict between the desired condition for noxious/invasive species and the objectives of Federal, regional, State, local, or Tribal land use plans, policies, and controls for the area concerned. Preparer: Rick Newmon, Range Program Manager; B.S. Range Science Printed on recycled paper Month Year 8