Final Decision Memo. Murphy Meadow Restoration Project. USDA Forest Service Willamette National Forest McKenzie River Ranger District

Transcription

1 Final Decision Memo Murphy Meadow Restoration Project USDA Forest Service Willamette National Forest McKenzie River Ranger District T19S, R5E, Sec. 23, 24. Lane County Oregon BACKGROUND The Murphy Meadow Restoration Project is part of the larger scale Grasshopper/Chucksney Project to restore meadows along a ridgetop using conifer cutting and prescribed fire. The purpose of this project is to restore native meadow habitat in which one of various natural disturbance mechanisms, fire, has been excluded. Lack of fire has led to encroachment of conifers. While fire is only one of several natural mechanisms that may be maintaining this meadow, it is a part of the ecosystem. Fire will help maintain the meadow, create important dead wood habitat, and invigorate the grass and forb meadow vegetation. DECISION I have decided to implement the Murphy Meadow Restoration Project which will cut small conifers <10 dbh or <12 stump diameter, followed by prescribed fire after one or more years. This project will maintain approximately 46 acres of mid-elevation meadow habitat. An approximately 84-acre burn buffer area has also been identified into which the prescribed fire may creep into. The total project area is ~130 acres. Implementation of this decision will provide the best opportunity to maintain Murphy Meadow in a healthy, vigorous condition. This project will benefit wildlife species, including Roosevelt elk, pollinators, and other species which prefer or use meadow vegetation. Overall vegetative quality in the meadow is expected to benefit from the fire, and additional dead wood snag and log habitat will also be created. DESIGN CRITERIA 1. Cutting and leaving trees up to 10 dbh or 12 stump diameter to reduce conifer encroachment. No snags will be cut. 2. No treatment within 30 feet of perennially wet areas and streams. There are two Class 4 streams within Murphy Meadow. An adjacent moist area dominated by willow/tag alder is being excluded from the project boundary. The two intermittent streams in the lower

2 meadow will be buffered from cutting by 30 feet on both sides, and for both the upper and lower meadow, all cut vegetation would be felled away from the streams to protect streamside vegetation. While fire would be allowed to creep into these small streamside areas, they will not be intentionally burned. 3. No petroleum products will be allowed to be stored within 60 feet of any water course. Direct ignition with drip torches adjacent to stream channels will be avoided. 4. There will be no mineral soil fire lines. To protect the perennially wet areas a fire line will be mowed or pre-wetted prior to burning. 5. Waterbar any trails created in the meadow during implementation. 6. Move cut trees away from bare soil in the upper portion of the meadow before burning. After burning, spread trees/boughs over bare soil to minimize erosion. 7. Prescribed burning will meet 20 40% duff retention levels where may creep into Forest areas. 8. Follow up work may consist of hand-pulling of conifer seedlings within meadows and along edges to prevent ongoing encroachment. 9. Post project information to allow hunters and recreational users time to make alternative plans during the burn period. Place these signs at trailhead access points. 10. Native seed may be spread in the areas of most need following the burn, if necessary, to prevent weed encroachment. SCOPING AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT A scoping letter was sent to the Klamath Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Spings, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, and Confederated Tribes of the Siletz in July A scoping letter was also sent to the interested public in July CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION CRITERIA Decisions may be categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment when they are within one of the categories identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 7 CFR part 1b.3 or one of the categories identified by the Chief of the Forest Service in Forest Service Handbook (FSH) sections or 32.2, and there are no extraordinary circumstances related to the decision that may result in a significant individual or cumulative environmental effect. The specific category for this proposed action is found in 36 CFR 220.6(e) (6) and described in Forest Service Handbook (FSH) , Chapter 30, Section 32.2 (6): Timber stand and/or wildlife habitat improvement activities that do not include the use of herbicides or do not require Final Murphy Meadow Restoration Project DM 2

3 more than 1 mile of low standard road construction to include thinning or brush control to reduce fire hazard. I have determined there are no extraordinary circumstances, based on the following information: 1. There are no adverse effects to any federally listed threatened or endangered species; designated critical habitat; to any species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or to any Forest Service sensitive species. Fisheries: Biological evaluations for fish, plants and wildlife species have been completed and documentation is available in the project files. The project will have no effect on Columbia River bull trout or upper Willamette spring Chinook salmon, and will not adversely modify designated critical habitat for these species. There will be no effect to Essential Fish Habitat designated under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The project will have no impact on three Forest Service special status species (caddisflies). Wildlife: Formal consultation for effects from proposed activities was submitted to USFWS in a programmatic Biological Assessment for LAA Projects (Willamette Planning Province 2012). A Biological Opinion was received from the USFWS in October 2012 (FWS Reference Number 01EOFW F-0158) (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2012). These documents and the wildlife biological evaluation are available in the project file. 2. This project does not affect flood plains, wetlands or municipal watersheds. 3. This project is not within congressionally designated areas, such as wilderness, wilderness study areas or national recreation areas. 4. The Murphy Meadow Project area does fall within an Inventoried Roadless Area, however, this project will maintain its character. Maintaining the meadows in a healthy condition is expected to benefit the resources of the Roadless Area. There are no road activities associated with the project. The project will not affect any Potential Wilderness Areas. 5. This project does not affect any Research Natural Areas. 6. This project does not affect American Indian religious or cultural sites. 7. This project will not affect any known archeological sites or historic properties or areas. Cultural resource surveys were performed at Murphy Meadow in 2012, and no eligible or potential sites were found. DECISION AND RATIONALE FOR DECISION Based on my review of the information presented in this document and the supporting documents in the project record, I have decided to implement the proposed action as described above. The action addresses the purpose for the project and the need to implement treatments that will Final Murphy Meadow Restoration Project DM 3

4 consist of 57 acres of treecutting and handpulling in one meadow and along its edges with tree cut not exceeding 10 dbh or 12 stump diameter. Through past experience and review of similar projects, I have concluded that this project is not a major Federal action. It will have limited context and intensity (40 CFR ), individually or cumulatively, to the biological, physical, social, or economic components of the human environment. It does not pose a violation of Federal, State, or local law requirements imposed for the protection of the environment. The action that I have selected falls within a category established by the Forest Service that normally does not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment and no extraordinary circumstances exist that would cause the proposed action to have any significant environmental effects. Therefore this action is excluded from documentation in an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment, so neither will be prepared. FINDINGS REQUIRED BY OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS I have determined that the proposed action is consistent with the 1990 Willamette National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended by the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan. The project complies with the Standards and Guidelines for the following Land Allocations and Management areas: Dispersed Recreation Management Area (10E) Matrix (14A), Riparian Reserve (15) and Administratively Withdrawn Area. The project is also consistent with Forestwide Standards and Guidelines. APPEAL RIGHTS A 30-day comment period was provided pursuant to the March 19, 2012 judicial ruling in Sequoia Forest Keeper v. Tidwell., order issued by the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Case Civ. No. CV F LJO DLB. Only persons submitting comments or other expression of interest during the 30-day period will have standing to appeal the project decision pursuant to Forest Service regulations at 36 CFR 215. A legal ad was posted in the Register-Guard in Eugene, Oregon on June 24, No comments were received IMPLEMENTATION DATE Plans are to begin implementation of this project starting in August Final Murphy Meadow Restoration Project DM 4

5 CONTACT INFORMATION For further information please contact Ruby Seitz, Wildlife Biologist at the McKenzie River Ranger District, McKenzie Hwy, McKenzie Bridge, OR 97413; or at or (541) Approved by: /s/ Terry Baker 8/04/13 Terry Baker District Ranger McKenzie River Ranger District Willamette National Forest Date The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (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 (202) (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C , or call (800) (voice) or (202) (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Final Murphy Meadow Restoration Project DM 5

6 2013/2014 Murphy Meadow Project McKenzie River Ranger District - Willamette National Forest L Lower Murphy Meadow Upper Murphy Meadow Legend 10 Murphy Meadow Project Area 11 Potential Burn Buffer Area Miles