ATTACHMENT Purpose and Need and Proposed Action for Proposed Georgia Aster and Shortleaf Pine Management Project

Transcription

1 ATTACHMENT Purpose and Need and Proposed Action for Proposed Georgia Aster and Shortleaf Pine Management Project Purpose and Need The purpose of this project is to improve habitat conditions for existing Georgia aster (Symphyotrichum georgianum) populations and to expand the distribution of the species on national forest system land. Georgia aster is a flowering perennial plant designated as a sensitive species by the US Forest Service since 1994, and by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a candidate for federal listing in 1999 (Federal Register 1999). A relict species of the woodland plant community 1, Georgia aster requires full sun for successful flowering and sexual reproduction. Although a good competitor among early-successional species, Georgia aster tends to decline when shaded by woody plants. Individuals can persist for an undetermined length of time in the shade, but plants in this condition rarely flower and usually reproduce asexually by rhizomes. Based on 2011 monitoring data, over 7,000 plants from thirteen populations are known to occur on the Sumter National Forest. On the Enoree Ranger District, there are seven populations with a total of approximately 3,000 plants. Currently, all known populations of Georgia aster on the national forest are located along roadsides and utility rights-of-way (ROWs) where current land management practices mimic natural disturbance regimes. At these locations the species is vulnerable to road shoulder grading, mowing during seed set, woody succession, competition by non-native invasive species, unauthorized herbicide application, and other incompatible vegetation management practices. By expanding the distribution of Georgia aster into forestinterior sites, threats associated with road and utility ROWs would be reduced. This purpose of this project is also to increase the amount of shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) on national forest system land. In the southeastern United States, shortleaf pine is the most prevalent of the southern pines (Lawson and Kitchens 1983). However, during the 1960s, loblolly pne (P. taeda) largely replaced native shortleaf pine in the piedmont because of the species susceptibility to littleleaf disease, which is prevalent on severely eroded clay soils. There are approximately 2,600 acres of shortleaf pine forest types 2 on the Enoree Ranger District; this represents less than two percent of the Sumter National Forest. Restoring shortleaf pine would increase the occurrence of this uncommon species. Woodland management to benefit Georgia aster and the restoration of shortleaf pine would result in enhanced habitat conditions for many species of wildlife. Many wildlife species associated with woodlands such as northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus), wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), and prairie warbler (Dendroica discolor) are experiencing population declines across their range and on the Sumter National Forest. From 1992 to 2004, northern bobwhite 1 Woodlands are open forests with relatively low tree densities of 25 to 60% forest cover and an understory dominated by native grasses and forbs. Frequent fire is an essential feature of woodlands, as it creates, shapes, and maintains the open conditions and stimulates the growth of herbaceous vegetation. 2 Shortleaf Pine forest types = 12 (Shortleaf Pine-Oak) and 32 (Shortleaf pine)

2 quail and prairie warbler populations on the Francis Marion-Sumter National Forest experienced annual declines of 10.0% and 8.1%, respectively (La Sorte et al., 2007). Populations of wild turkey suffered dramatic declines in the early 1900s. Aggressive stocking programs successfully reintroduced this species to most of its eastern range where populations continue to increase. Because open habitats and early-successional conditions are one of the most limited habitat types on the District, this project would improve habitat quantity and quality for wildlife species associated with woodlands. Proposed Action The proposed action is designed to (1) enhance existing Georgia aster populations, (2) expand Georgia aster at new sites, and (3) restore shortleaf pine communities on sites that are currently dominated by loblolly pine. The proposed action would also improve habitat for wildlife species. Following is a detailed description of the proposed actions to meet the Purpose and Need. See Table 1 for a summary of proposed treatment stands. Select removal of individual trees to enhance existing woodland conditions, natural openings, and canopy gaps (1,253 acres) Individual trees would be felled or girdled with chainsaws or with hand tools. This activity is not intended to result in commercial timber sales, but is rather a means to improve habitat conditions at sites where Georgia aster and other woodland plants would be planted. Tree removal would be limited to patches no greater than one acre in size and would not exceed more than one patch per ten acres. Planting Georgia aster and other native herbaceous plants to supplement existing understory (1,348 acres) Containerized Georgia aster plants would be hand-planted within expansion areas. Planting would require hand-digging planting holes approximately 6 to one foot deep. Georgia aster would be planted in patches within project stands, as opposed to evenly distributing plants across an entire stand. Patches would vary in size from several dozen plants to hundreds of plants. All Georgia aster planted within the project area would come from local ecotypes. Native grasses (such as Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Sorghastrum nutans) and forbs (such as Asclepias spp., Liatris spp., and Baptisia spp.) may also be established to enhance native plant diversity. Native grasses and forbs would be hand-sown (seeds), no-till planted (seeds), or hand-planted (containerized plants). All native grasses and forbs planted within the project area would come from local ecotypes. Controlling understory and midstory woody species such as pines, sweetgum, and maples using manual and mechanical methods (1,563 acres) Manual methods (e.g., handtools and chainsaws) and mechanical methods (e.g., mowing and masticating) would be used to control the sprouts, seedlings, and saplings of woody species (such as pines, sweetgum, maples, elms) to restore and maintain open understories and midstories in project stands. Controlling understory and midstory woody species such as pines, sweetgum, and maples using herbicides (imazapyr and triclopyr) (1,563 acres) Imazapyr and triclopyr would be used to control woody species (such as pines, sweetgum, maples, elms) in the understory and midstory

3 that compete with Georgia aster, shortleaf pine, and other desirable vegetation with project stands. Directed foliar spray or stem injection methods would be used. Up to three applications would be done over a five-year period. Directed foliar spray would be applied using backpack sprayers. The application would be a low volume direct spray where foliage of target species is sprayed to speckle the leaf surface. Per gallon of mix water, the herbicide mixture for this application is 0.5 ounce Arsenal AC or equivalent (imazapyr), 2 ounces of Garlon 4 or equivalent (triclopyr ester), 0.5 ounce surfactant and spray pattern indicator. Stem injections would be applied with hatchets and squirt bottles, or similar application devices, using a mixture of 64 ounces water, 6 ounces Arsenal AC or equivalent (imazapyr) and 64 ounces Garlon 3A or equivalent (triclopyr amine). Stem injection would be applied to target vegetation too large to treat with a foliar spray. Shortleaf pine restoration Approximately 284 acres of loblolly pine stands (compartment 9, stands 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10) would be converted to shortleaf pine. The selection of these stands is based on the Campbell and Copeland s numerical system for field rating sites for littleleaf disease hazard based on soil characteristics (1954). Shortleaf pine would be restored within these stands using the clearcutting with reserves method. This is a silvicultural method in which a varying number of reserve trees are not harvested to attain goals other than regeneration. In this case, the long-term goal is to manage the area as a shortleaf pine woodland. All merchantable loblolly pine trees would be removed. Healthy shortleaf pine and desirable mast-producing hardwoods (such as oaks and hickories) would also be retained. Following the timber harvest, the shortleaf pine restoration stands would be treated with herbicides (chemical site preparation) during the growing season (June through September). After the chemical site prep, burning (March-June) would be used to eliminate loblolly pine seedlings. Once the loblolly pine seedlings have been controlled (through burning and or manual treatments), shortleaf pine seedlings would be hand-planted on a 12 foot by 12 foot spacing. Planting of shortleaf pine seedlings would take advantage of gaps created during timber harvest since desirable overstory trees would be left as reserves. This would result in a two-aged structure in most of the stands. Herbicides and manual treatments would be used after loblolly pine harvest to prepare the site for shortleaf pine regeneration. A second herbicide treatment known as a chemical release would be done about three to five years after trees are planted. The release treatment would be used to reduce competition to the desired understory trees so they could become dominant in the stands.

4 Table 1. Summary of Proposed Project Compartments and Stands, Georgia Aster and Shortleaf Pine Management, Enoree Ranger District, Sumter National Forest Comp Stand Acres Comment 1 Proposed Action ;

5 Table 1. Summary of Proposed Project Compartments and Stands, Georgia Aster and Shortleaf Pine Management, Enoree Ranger District, Sumter National Forest Comp Stand Acres Comment 1 Proposed Action

6 Table 1. Summary of Proposed Project Compartments and Stands, Georgia Aster and Shortleaf Pine Management, Enoree Ranger District, Sumter National Forest Comp Stand Acres Comment 1 Proposed Action , Plant Georgia Aster and other species to supplement existing understory; use manual/mechanical methods and herbicides to control woody species; prescribe burn on a 2- to 3-year interval under separate NEPA decision Total 1,563 1 Comment: 1 = Stand is suitable for Georgia aster management in current condition; 2 = Existing vegetation management project (under separate NEPA) will occur in this stand, making it suitable for Georgia aster management; 3 = Georgia aster currently occurs in this stand; 4 = soil conditions are suitable for shortleaf pine restoration References Campbell, WA and OL Copeland Littleleaf disease of shortleaf and loblolly pines. Circ US Department of Agriculture. Federal Register Review of plant and animal taxa that are candidates or proposed for listing as endangered or threatened. 64(205):

7 La Sorte, FA, FR Thompson, MK Tranni, and TJ Mersmann Population trends and habitat occurrence of forest birds on Southern National Forests, US Forest Service, Northern Research Station, General Technical Report NRS-9. Lawson, ER and RN Kitchens Shortleaf pine in Burns, RM, technical compiler: Silvicultural systems for the major forest types of the United States. Agriculture Handbook 445.