JAMES CREEK FUEL REDUCTION PROJECT Alternative A with Modifications Appendix A Mitigation Measures & Project Design Criteria

Transcription

1 JAMES CREEK FUEL REDUCTION PROJECT Alternative A with Modifications Appendix A Mitigation Measures & Project Design Criteria Mitigation Measures The following mitigation measures and project design criteria have been carried forward from the James Creek Fuel Reduction Project Environmental Assessment and are to be applied to the selected alternative. Some measures and criteria have been edited or modified as a result of further analysis and public input. These elements are necessary to ensure that implementation of the James Creek Fuel Reduction Project complies with the laws, policies and the Forest Plan standards and guidelines. Their intent is to reduce or minimize environmental impacts related to project implementation. Botany If populations of any Forest Service sensitive species are found, they will be documented and, where feasible, avoided by project activities. If populations are found for which anticipated project impacts will change the determination of impacts made, the determination will be revisited and appropriate additional documentation will be prepared and/or project activities will be adjusted. Noxious Weeds Ground based equipment operation on the north side of county road 52 within unit M1601 will only be conducted when the north side of the unit has at least six inches of snow to minimize the potential for weed spread. If conditions change where ground disturbance may result in the potential for weed spread, operations will be stopped until the required snow cover conditions are met. The highest priority weed infestations will be treated prior to project implementation. The highest priority infestations will be identified by the District Weed Coordinator based on the risk assessment in the Invasive Plants Specialist Report located in the project file. Fuel treatment units planned for mechanical operations will have the highest priority for weed treatment over manual fuel treatment units. Locate skid roads, landings, staging areas, and other areas of severe soil disturbance away from high priority weed infestations, and where feasible, in weed-free areas. In treatment units where weeds exist, ground based equipment belonging to the contractor, cooperator, and the Forest Service (not including service trucks that remain on roadways) is to be cleaned, (i.e. free of mud, dirt, and plant parts) prior to entering the National Forest. Determine the need for cleaning between treatment units and before 1

2 leaving the project site based on species, locations, and sizes of weed infestations and risk of spread, which are detailed by unit in the project file. Fisheries and Watershed Resources No ground based equipment operation will occur in riparian buffer zones except at designated locations (approved by hydrologist or fish biologist or soils scientist) for crossings. The riparian buffer zones also called the water influence zone are 100 ft. on both sides of the creek or water body. Additionally, James Creek will have a riparian buffer zone of 200 ft. on both sides of the creek beginning at the top of the streambank. See the Watershed Specialist s Report in the project file for locations of riparian buffer zones around the streams and water bodies in the James Creek Project Area. For the riparian management units, Units #M1601b, M1701m, and M3401f there will be hand crews doing the fuels reduction work with selective tree removal occurring to facilitate aspen release in riparian areas. These crews may use ATVs to help haul tree biomass into piles and any ATV tracks will be raked over after the ATV use is complete in the units. The hydrologist or botanist will approve the marking of the trees to remove prior to any cutting activity. No primary fire ignition activities will occur in riparian buffer zones except at designated locations (approved by hydrologist or fisheries biologist). Prescribed fire may be allowed to back down into the riparian buffer zones, but fire ignition in riparian areas should be avoided. If wetlands are identified within treatment units during project layout, they will be excluded from treatment. A 100 ft. buffer will be provided to minimize blowdown of surrounding trees. If water levels are low during implementation measure the 100 ft. distance from the edge of the hydrophytic vegetation along the edge of the wetland. The botanist or hydrologist will work with the layout crew to designate these buffers. Scenery In patch cuts, mechanical and/or manual thinning units, tree stumps should be flush cut or cut as low as possible (maximum height of 6 ) in foreground Retention and Partial Retention areas if treatment areas are visible from the system roads and trails, including the Peak-to-Peak Highway, Lefthand Canyon Drive, and the Switzerland Trail. The District Landscape Architect will field verify visible areas (forground), and train, if needed, Forest Service implementation crews on stump cutting technique on flat and sloping ground. In patch cut units and mechanical and hand thinning units in foreground and middleground Retention and Partial Retention areas, unit boundary edges will blend with the natural landscape. Unit boundary edges will not be straight lines, but will mimic naturalappearing edges that are commonly found in the surrounding landscape (this affect may be achieved through prescription design in most cases.) Applied techniques include feathering and/or creating small openings where there are none. The District Landscape Architect will work with implementation personnel to achieve this affect. 2

3 Recreation In prescribe burn units in foreground Retention and Partial Retention areas; if visible from roads and trails, hand line and/or mechanical line construction will be rehabilitated within one year following treatment so hand lines are not visible. In middle-ground Retention and Partial Retention areas rehabilitate hand line construction within three years following treatment. Rehabilitation in these areas will blend with the undisturbed soil contours. Scatter branches, wood, rock and other materials to naturalize appearances. Landings and/or log decks, and equipment staging areas will not be visible from Peak-to- Peak Highway, the Switzerland Trail and the Ceran Saint Vrain Trail and trailhead. Slash piles visible from roads and trails in foreground Retention areas (except those remaining for wildlife objectives) will be burned before piles in partial retention areas and within one year following treatment or as soon as burning requirements are met (smoke permits, weather conditions and available resources). Slash piles visible from roads and trails in foreground Partial Retention areas (except those remaining for wildlife objectives) will be burned within three years following treatment or when burning requirements are met (smoke permits, weather conditions and available resources). Residual slash pile material that is not consumed during pile burning will be scattered to meet soil rehabilitation or ground cover requirements and scenic integrity objectives in the treatment area. In all treatment areas where leave trees are marked w/ tree marking paint, marking will occur on the backside of the tree if trees are visible from adjacent roads or trail, excluding boundary trees. When practical, fuel treatment activities will be curtailed during permitted recreation and guided events in project areas, contact the District Special Use Permit Coordinator prior to the start of treatment activities. Warning signs and public announcements will be used to notify recreationists and residents of thinning and burning activities. Truck traffic through Glacier View Camp will require operations warning signs, speed limit signs and may include traffic control during the high-use season. In all treatment units operations will not be conducted on the Memorial Day, 4 th of July, and Labor Day holiday weekends and Sundays, and operating times for heavy equipment and chainsaws are limited to the hours of 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Operations for prescribed fire are excluded for this mitigation measure. 3

4 Cultural Resources Wildlife Sites 5BL9296 and 5BL9309 will be avoided until a complete evaluation of their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places has been made. Previously undiscovered cultural sites encountered during the course of a prescribed fire will be protected through the use of natural topographic features, previously constructed roads, fuel breaks, and non ground-disturbing techniques such as wet lines and black lines. If affected properties are discovered after the burn, the Forest Service will document any damage and consult with the appropriate SHPO and Council pursuant to (b). The removal of vegetation along the 300-foot corridor of the Switzerland Trail National Historic District (5BL358.1) will be conducted by hand crews to avoid causing damage by heavy equipment to the grade of the historic trail. The Johnson Homestead site (5BL9296) is located on the periphery of a treatment unit. Heavy equipment involved in mechanical treatment will avoid using the site for access to the treatment unit. Directional felling will be used in order to avoid the possibility of timber impact to the remaining structures. Site 5BL9484 is located at the edge of an existing road be that will be used to access proposed treatment units on Burnt Mountain. A 50-foot buffer zone will be established around the cabin for use of heavy equipment. The access road intersection to Burnt Mountain will be moved no less than 50 feet from the cabin to ensure that vehicles do not impact the building and to minimize potential damage from equipment vibrations. Directional felling of trees away from the cabin site will be done to avoid the possibility of damage to the remains of the cabin. No treatment will occur within ¼ mile of any known or discovered goshawk nest(s) while site is active. The restricted distance may be determined to be less by a Forest Service Biologist if terrain or other factors adequately buffer nesting goshawks from disturbance. Known nest sites will continue to be monitored for occupancy and reproductive success. Treatment areas with suitable nest habitat will also be resurveyed for new nest locations prior to implementation. If a new active nest is detected, appropriate mitigations will be implemented. Meet the minimum Forest Plan standards and guides for snags and woody debris retention (A-1). 4

5 Table A-1: Forest Minimum Requirements for Snag and Woody Debris Retention a Forest Type Minimum Diameter (inches) Snags Retention Density (number/acre) Minimum Snag Height (feet) Woody Debris Retention Density (linear feet/acre) Spruce-fir Lodgepole Pine Aspen Mixed Conifer Douglas-fir Ponderosa Pine a These amounts calculated as per-acre averages over project area. The appropriate distribution of down wood and snags will be prescribed during project development. If slash is piled, mark and leave 3-6 slash piles per acre approximately 5 ft diameter by 3 ft high. Marking should be visible (e.g. flag pole) in the winter during snow conditions when piles will be burned. No treatment will occur from May 15 th to June 30 th within the portions of units PBFB3 and RFB14 that are located in key elk calving areas. No treatment will occur from December 1 st to March 30 th within the portions of units PBFB3 and RFB14 that are located in key winter range. No ground based equipment operation would occur in riparian buffer zones except at designated locations (approved by hydrologist or fish biologist or soils scientist) for crossings. The riparian buffer zones also called the water influence zone are 100 ft. on both sides of the creek and James Creek would have a riparian buffer zone of 200 ft. on both sides of the creek beginning at the top of the stream bank (as described in Watershed /Fisheries Resources). If wetlands are located within harvest units during sale layout, they would be excluded. A sufficient buffer would be provided to minimize blowdown of surrounding vegetation (as described in Watershed /Fisheries Resources). If wetlands below 7,600 feet in elevation are identified within treatment units during project layout, they will be buffered by 300 feet to protect Prebles Jumping Mouse habitat. A Forest Service Biologist will work with the layout crew to designate these buffers. Soils Applicable Watershed Conservation Practices Handbook standards will be followed during project implementation as defined in the Soils Resource Specialist Report and by the Forest Service Soil Scientist. If disturbance exceeds 15% of any unit, mitigate by treating at least the main arterial skids and landings, preferably with a winged subsoiler or tillage implement (a rock ripper shanks with winged teeth may be sufficient, although a subsoiler is the preferred method & equipment). Use tillage only where necessary to alleviate compaction or where A 5

6 horizons are sufficiently thick to not be detrimentally impacted by surface mixing. Follow tillage treatment with erosion control measures such as installing water bars or covering the area with slash. Scatter slash and large downed logs on burn pile sites to provide organic material for decomposition. Skid trails and landings should be designated prior to treatment, reuse existing skids as much as practicable to minimize new disturbance. Maintain effective ground cover to meet the following standard: Within the first year following project implementation effective ground cover should be at least 30% on high potential erosion soils, 40% on moderate erosion potential soils, and 50% on low potential erosion soils. Within the second year following project implementation effective ground cover should be at least 50 % on high potential erosion soils, 60 % on moderate erosion potential soils, and 70 % on low potential erosion soils. (Soil Quality Standards R2, supplement FSH ). If machine piling of slash is done, conduct piling to leave topsoil in place and to avoid displacing soil into piles or windrows (Soil Quality Standards R2, supplement FSH ). On soils with a severe limitation rating for total tree harvest (topsoil thinner than 1 inch, topsoil organic matter less than 2%, or effective rooting depth less than 15 cm), retain 90% of the fine logging slash (less than 3 in diameter) in patch cuts less than 5 acres. Slash should be scattered and slash height should not exceed 12 inches. To meet fuels concerns, total fuel bed depth shall not exceed 12 inches. In patch cut units, slash material outside of landing areas will be piled with a grapple type machine (one that minimizes soil disturbance) and not with a tractor blade. General Measures Related to Rx Burn Treatments and Hand Burn Piles On units or portions of units with soils identified as high erosion hazard (generally most of the project area where slopes exceed 40%), effective ground cover remaining after the burn should be about 30-50% of the burn unit. Effective ground cover for remaining units (mostly moderate and some low erosion hazard areas) should be 40-70% of the burn unit. Effective ground cover includes live vegetation, duff and litter (>1/2 inch), and rock fragments less than ¾ inch. In areas where there is potential needle cast from burned vegetation, this can be counted towards the effective ground cover. If more than 15% of soils in any burn unit do not meet minimum effective ground cover requirements or have evidence of severe burning (duff and litter is completely consumed down to bare mineral soil, and fine roots and organic matter are charred in the upper ½ inch of mineral soil), then the area will be evaluated for the need of additional erosion control measures. 6

7 The prescribed fire should be conducted when soils, humus, and 1000 hr. fuels contain enough moisture to prevent severe soil heating and reduce soil organic matter consumption. This may also help minimize fire-induced hydrophobicity. Construction of fire line should include installation of water bars on slopes over 15% to dissipate water energy and prevent erosion. Additionally, where possible, rake litter and other material or scatter slash over the line, once it is safe to do so. This is to provide erosion control and minimize trail creation via OHV use on fire lines. Mitigate hand burn piles by scarifying the surface with a hand tool to break up the hydrophobic layer and raking in live topsoil, litter/duff and slash to provide erosion control and material for decomposition. Slash Treatments Chipped, masticated or lopped and scattered material may be distributed along skid trails, temporary roads, landings, fire lines, and in unit MPB2 to help rehabilitate the area after treatment. Chipped material will be distributed to avoid continuous ground coverage. The desired pattern is patchy, mosaic, and discontinuous. Chips will cover no more than 25% of the treatment area for any given acre of land. Chips must be scattered so they are not in contact with residual trees. Chip depth will typically not exceed 3 inches, slightly deeper or shallower accumulations may result depending on terrain or wind. Masticated wood chunks will be distributed to avoid continuous ground coverage. The desired pattern is patchy, mosaic, and discontinuous. Chunks will cover no more than 25% of the area for any given acre of land. Maximum chunk depth shall not exceed 12 inches. Slash that is lopped and scattered will be distributed to avoid continuous ground cover. The desired pattern is patchy, mosaic and discontinuous. Slash in these units will cover no more than 25% of the area for any given acre of land. Slash depth will not exceed 12 inches. Public outreach and notification will occur prior to prescribed burning activities to raise public awareness. Local agency cooperators will be notified before ignition. Project Design Criteria Prescribed Fire Fire lines may be constructed and chain saws or light motorized equipment such as ATVs may be used within prescribed fire units during any phase of implementation to create containment lines, thin or prune vegetation or to facilitate desired and safe burning conditions. Botany Activities in Table A-2 are recommended prior to or during project implementation. 7

8 Table A-2: Recommended mitigations by treatment unit Treatment Unit Possible occurrences Mitigations Carex diandra Maintain the standard 100 ft. wetland buffer M0801,M1401, around kettle ponds. If water level is low M1403, M02801, during implementation, measure the buffer MPB1 from the outer edge of the hydric M2201 M2201 MPB1a RFB 6/7 RFB8 Botrychium lineare, Lilium philadelphicum* Mimulus gemmiparus Carex diandra Aletes humilis Aletes humilis vegetation. Aspen stand may be wet in spring. To avoid disturbing hydrology treat when ground is dry. Flag and avoid Maintain the standard 100 ft. wetland buffer around kettle ponds. If water level is low during implementation, measure the buffer from the outer edge of the hydric vegetation. Flag and avoid Flag and avoid *Rare species not analyzed in report but having potential habitat in treatment unit or occurring in habitat similar to that of analyzed species. Noxious Weeds Where areas are determined to be at high risk for weed establishment or spread due to project activities, minimize risks by a combination of: o o designating high priority infestations for avoidance on the ground adjusting treatment unit boundaries and/or timing of mechanical and prescribed fire treatments as needed to reduce the risk of spread. Where possible, begin project operations in uninfested or less infested areas before operating in weed-infested areas. This applies when the same equipment will be used in multiple project units. Where heavy equipment will be used for road decommissioning, coordinate with the District Noxious Weed Coordinator to minimize weed seed spread. Cultural Resources Roads All hand or machine constructed fire lines will be intensively surveyed for cultural resources. Handlines will be located in areas of low cultural resource probability. All temporary roads will be closed to motorized use during project implementation. Gates or barriers will be used to discourage use if needed. Road closure signs may be used to discourage motorized use. For temporary roads constructed with this project, the road prism will be rehabilitated when use ends on that road, except for roads A and OO (see the Decision Notice for further explanation). Reclamation work may include the following actions as needed: o Pulling culverts and restoring stream crossings to natural grade. o Reestablishing natural drainage patterns with permanent rolling dips. 8

9 Scenery o Ripping or subsoiling along the entire disturbed length, except where vegetation has already been established. o Seeding or planting along the ripped or recontoured sections with native vegetation. o Recontouring the road prism to the original land contours for the entire disturbed length. In Units H1803 and H1804 maintain variable clumps of trees adjacent to Saw Mill Road to minimize the potential for visible cut and/or fill slopes as viewed from Lefthand Canyon Drive and the town of Ward. The District Landscape Architect will field verify clumps of trees to remain prior to project implementation. In unit H0401, maintain irregular and random spacing of trees and/or openings adjacent to Gold Lake Road. A variable vegetative buffer should be maintained in Unit M0801 as seen from Peak-to- Peak Highway. The District Landscape Architect will field verify. In units M0501b, M0502, M3401a and O0401 maintain irregular and random spacing of trees and/or openings adjacent to Forest Service Road #102. Where applicable, integrate patch cut openings with adjacent existing ponderosa pine stand openings and/or other natural appearing openings, and natural rock outcrops. Recreation Thinning units along system roads where motorized access is a concern will receive a 50- foot lighter treatment buffer leaving the largest trees to minimize the potential for usercreated road development. 9