Dear Interested Party,

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1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Gunnison Ranger District 216 N Colorado St. Gunnison, CO Voice: TDD: File Code: /2430 Date: June 8, 2010 Dear Interested Party, The U.S. Forest Service is planning vegetation management activities in the Cochetopa Hills area of the Gunnison Ranger District, GMUG National Forests. We are requesting your input regarding this proposal. This letter provides summary information about the purpose and need, the proposed action, project design elements, decisions to be made, and the preliminary key issues that have been identified by U.S. Forest Service personnel. Any specific, substantive comments will be utilized by an interdisciplinary team of resource specialists to identify significant issues concerning the proposed action, develop measures to mitigate potential negative effects, and develop alternatives to the proposed action that meet the stated purpose and need and address key issues. The Public Involvement section of this letter contains additional information about submitting comments. Background The Gunnison District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests is planning multiple forest vegetation management projects in the Cochetopa Hills portion of the district. The 61,252 acre planning area includes all Gunnison National Forest lands adjacent to Colorado State Highway 114 and extends north to the Cochetopa Hills IRA (Inventoried Roadless Area) boundary. The south and east boundary extends to the administrative forest boundary along the continental divide, and the western boundary extends to the Middle Fork IRA (see Map 1, Appendix A). Within this broad planning area, the district will evaluate and design commercial and noncommercial forest vegetation treatments to meet the goals of the 1991 Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests Amended Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) in areas where it is appropriate. A large planning area will be used to facilitate a comprehensive, landscape level approach to planning forest vegetation treatments and to increase planning efficiency to better utilize limited agency resources and the public involvement process. Within the planning area there are seven major forested cover types (aspen, lodgepole pine, spruce-fir, cool moist mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and bristlecone pine), and a large component of open parks and meadows. Opportunities, and needs exist within each of these vegetative cover types to achieve forest plan goals. Treatment needs have been identified by comparing the desired condition to the existing condition within the landscape. A high proportion of the forested stands within the Cochetopa Hills landscape have a mature structural stage - across all the vegetation types. This condition lacks biological diversity, and makes stands more vulnerable to insect, disease and fire damage. Vegetation types that contain less shade tolerant species (aspen, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir) are also at risk of displacement from more shade tolerant species due to ecological succession. Loss of the aspen species is of particular concern in all its vegetative associations (aspen, spruce-fir/aspen, Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper

2 and cool moist mixed conifer). Silvicultural treatment can be used in these forested cover types to regenerate trees, introduce disturbance and control density levels. Due to lack of fire, the ponderosa pine and Douglas-for cover types within the Cochetopa Hills planning area are dense and overstocked. These stands are at the lower elevation zones within the planning area, and have historically experienced a high frequency, low severity, surface fire disturbance regime. Many of these stands will need mechanical fuel reduction treatments before fire can be re-introduced to perform its ecological role on the landscape. Opportunities exist to under thin these stands to create the more natural and fire resistant stand structure. There are portions of the ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir cover types where these under thinning treatments have been accomplished in the past. In these stands, opportunities exist to use prescribed burning to maintain open stand structures and reduce fuel loadings. There are pure stands of bristlecone pine within the Cochetopa Hills landscape. These stands are at risk of mountain pine beetle attack, and the potential invasion of White Pine Blister Rust (WPBR). Silvicultural treatments can be used within the bristecone pine cover type to decrease stand densities, and promote age class diversity. Creating these condition within bristlecone pine stands will reduce vulnerability to damage from bark beetles and WPBR. The majority of the land area within the Cochetopa Hills landscape is identified in the Forest Plan as the 7A - Timber Management on Slopes Under 40 Percent management area. There has been a long history of timber management, and wood product harvesting within the planning area. Within most of the spruce-fir and lodgepole pine forest types, a suitable road system exists to allow the removal of wood products. In these areas, the efficient and economical production of wood products can continue. There is a need to design and invest in a suitable transportation network where it does not currently exist in suitable timber lands (as identified in the Forest Plan). Opportunities exist within the landscape to apply density control, regeneration and sanitation silvicultural methods to increase stand productivity, resiliency and to provide wood products to society, both now and in the future. The open parks, meadows and riparian areas within the Cochetopa Hills landscape provide wildlife habitat to many species, especially forage for large game animals (elk, deer, antelope). Additionally, cattle grazing and range management is an important use within the planning area. Lack of disturbance has created conditions in the rangelands where forbs and grasses are being displaced by less palatable shrubs and conifer trees. Opportunities exist to use prescribed burning and mechanical treatments to stop conifer encroachment into meadows and stimulate greater production of grasses and forbs within the rangelands of the Cochetopa Hills landscape. Purpose and Need for Action The purpose of the proposed action is to restore the vegetation within the planning area to a more healthy condition, and provide social and economic benefits, by performing a variety of vegetation treatments. The project is needed in order to: 1) create/maintain forest age class and species diversity within the landscape, 2) protect forests from insects, diseases, and wildfire, 3) provide wood products now and in the future, and 4) protect and enhance range resources. The Cochetopa Hills Vegetation Management Project is designed to achieve Regional and Forest wide objectives, as stated in Chapter II and III of the Forest Plan. These objectives will be met by identifying opportunities and needs within the planning area, and prescribing treatments to capitalize on these opportunities. The project objectives and their relationship to specific needs and opportunities are displayed in Table 1.

3 Table 1, Purpose and Need s as Related to Opportunities, Goals, and Objectives Purpose and Need Opportunity, Forest Plan Goals, and Objectives opportunity: Utilize silvicultural treatments to regenerate trees within the aspen, lodgepole pine, spruce-fir, spruce-fir/aspen, mixed conifer and bristlecone pine forest types. opportunity: Utilize silvicultural treatments (including prescribed burning) to reduce stand densities and promote large, remnant ponderosa and Douglas-fir tree retention in the Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine forest type. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Increase and improve wildlife habitat diversity. 1. Create/maintain forest age class and species diversity within the landscape Increase and improve vertical and horizontal diversity. (Forest Plan Goal III-3) SRLA, Objective VEG O1: Manage vegetation to mimic or approximate natural succession and disturbance processes while maintaining habitat components necessary for the conservation of lynx. SRLA, Objective VEG O2: Provide a mosaic of habitat conditions through time that support dense horizontal cover, and high densities of snowshoe hare. Provide winter snowshoe hare habitat in both the stand initiation structural stage and in mature, multi-story conifer vegetation. SRLA, Objective VEG O4: Focus vegetation management in areas that have potential to improve winter snowshoe hare habitat but presently have poorly developed understories that lack dense horizontal cove) opportunity: Reduce basal area and increase species diversity within the forested cover types. opportunity: Maintain species and age class diversity on the landscape. 2. Protect forests from insects, diseases, and wildfire Forest Plan Goal III-4: Prevent and control insect and disease infestation. Forest Plan Goal III-4: Provide a cost-efficient fire management program. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Utilize the commercial timber sales program to help decrease the risk of insect and disease infestations both now and in the future. Purpose and Need Opportunity, Forest Plan Goals, and Objectives opportunity: Offer commercial timber sales and other public harvesting opportunities where it is feasible. opportunity: Maintain productive, well stocked stands to enhance future opportunities for wood utilization. 3. Provide wood products now and in the future opportunity: Maintain, or improve an adequate road system to facilitate wood product transport and other management activities in suitable areas. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Provide commercial forest products to local dependent industries at a level commensurate with adhering to the Forest Management Area Direction and in harmony with other Plan goals. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Provide the opportunity to supply the local residents with fuelwood. Meet the demand for personal-use fuelwood. opportunity: Utilize silvicultural treatments (including prescribed burning) to maintain open parks and meadows by reducing or interrupting conifer encroachment. 4. Protect and enhance range resources opportunity: Utilize silvicultural treatments that reduce stand densities, and create openings to increase forage production in forested areas within the 4B, 5B and 6B management areas. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Provide livestock forage commensurate with the needs of the resource and In harmony with direction in this Plan. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Increase Investments in structural and non-structural range Improvements

4 Purpose and Need Opportunity, Forest Plan Goals, and Objectives opportunity: Utilize silvicultural treatments to regenerate trees within the aspen, lodgepole pine, spruce-fir, spruce-fir/aspen, mixed conifer and bristlecone pine forest types. opportunity: Utilize silvicultural treatments (including prescribed burning) to reduce stand densities and promote large, remnant ponderosa and Douglas-fir tree retention in the Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine forest type. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Increase and improve wildlife habitat diversity. 1. Create/maintain forest age class and species diversity within the landscape Increase and improve vertical and horizontal diversity. (Forest Plan Goal III-3) SRLA, Objective VEG O1: Manage vegetation to mimic or approximate natural succession and disturbance processes while maintaining habitat components necessary for the conservation of lynx. SRLA, Objective VEG O2: Provide a mosaic of habitat conditions through time that support dense horizontal cover, and high densities of snowshoe hare. Provide winter snowshoe hare habitat in both the stand initiation structural stage and in mature, multi-story conifer vegetation. SRLA, Objective VEG O4: Focus vegetation management in areas that have potential to improve winter snowshoe hare habitat but presently have poorly developed understories that lack dense horizontal cove) opportunity: Reduce basal area and increase species diversity within the forested cover types. opportunity: Maintain species and age class diversity on the landscape. 2. Protect forests from insects, diseases, and wildfire Forest Plan Goal III-4: Prevent and control insect and disease infestation. Forest Plan Goal III-4: Provide a cost-efficient fire management program. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Utilize the commercial timber sales program to help decrease the risk of insect and disease infestations both now and in the future. Purpose and Need Opportunity, Forest Plan Goals, and Objectives opportunity: Offer commercial timber sales and other public harvesting opportunities where it is feasible. opportunity: Maintain productive, well stocked stands to enhance future opportunities for wood utilization. 3. Provide wood products now and in the future opportunity: Maintain, or improve an adequate road system to facilitate wood product transport and other management activities in suitable areas. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Provide commercial forest products to local dependent industries at a level commensurate with adhering to the Forest Management Area Direction and in harmony with other Plan goals. Forest Plan Goal III-3: Provide the opportunity to supply the local residents with fuelwood. Meet the demand for personal-use fuelwood. on range with high potential for improvement. Proposed Action Table 2 lists the acreage and type of proposed treatments within the Cochetopa Hills planning area. A detailed description of each silvicultural treatment is contained in Appendix B of this document. All vegetation treatments will be designed to minimize environmental impacts and meet all relevant standards, direction and policy. A copy of the most current project design features is available upon request.

5 Table 2, Proposed Silvicultural Treatment Units within the Cochetopa Hills Planning Area Treatment Acres Estimated Harvest Volume (CCF) mechanical treatments Aspen coppice (clear cut) 218 6,222 Bristlecone pine thinning 31 0 Clearcut 40 1,365 Fuel break -group selection Fuelbreak - patch cuts Group Selection 3,915 24,021 Mistletoe control strip cut 49 1,572 Overstory removal 278 5,834 Patch cut (old strips) 110 1,519 Pine & Douglas-fir thinning (restoration) 668 5,424 Pole thinning Poles - clearcut 265 2,315 Poles thinning with Aspen patch cuts Shelterwood seed step - Douglas-fir 143 1,216 Shelterwood seed step - lodgepole pine 142 1,288 Uniform Selection Total 6,127 52,321 prescribed burn treatments Low intensity underburn 5,421 0 Aspen Burn 13 0 Total 5,434 Potential wood products that could be generated from treatment activities include: saw timber, fuelwood, posts, poles, mine props, house logs and woody biomass. It is estimated that 33,197 CCF of sawtimber, 2,985 CCF of posts, poles and mine props, and 32,278 green tons of woody biomass will be produced through implementation of the proposed action. In addition to the silvicultual activities listed above, mechanical treatment of conifer encroachment into riparian areas and meadows will occur. These treatments will involve cutting or girdling small trees with hand tools, and will not include wood removal. The proposed action may also include road re-routing (3.2 miles closure, 3.5 mile new route), 0.3 mile of new road construction, and the development of a gravel pit. Map 2 in Appendix A displays the location of proposed treatments. Decision Framework At this time the Forest Service plans to document the effects of this proposal in an Environmental Assessment. A Decision Notice documenting the Responsible Official s decision

6 will be issued after the environmental assessment is completed. A Legal Notice of Decision will be published at that time in the Gunnison Country Times newspaper. The Environmental Assessment (EA) will document the anticipated environmental impact of site-specific, on-the-ground activities. It will not be a general management plan for the Cochetopa Hills planning area. The analysis documented in the EA will be tiered to the Forest Plan. It will not reanalyze management area allocations already specified in the Forest Plan nor will it seek to reexamine federal regulations or Forest Service policy regarding timber harvest on National Forest lands. The responsible official will decide which actions, if any, to implement. This decision will be based on: Whether the proposed activities and alternatives address the issues, are responsive to national policy or guidance and direction in the Forest Plan, and meet the purpose of and need for action in the Cochetopa Hills Vegetation Management Project; and Whether the information in this analysis is sufficient to implement the proposed activities. If an action alternative is selected, project implementation could begin in the spring of Most actions would be accomplished within a decade. Key Issues An issue is defined as a point of discussion, debate or dispute about effects of a proposed action on physical, biological, social, or economic resource. An issue is not an activity in itself; instead, it is the projected effects of the activity that create the issue. For example, timber harvesting is an activity, but its effects on a resource can form an issue. Some issues are considered Key because of the extent of their geographic distribution, the duration of their effects, or the intensity of interest or resource conflict. Key issues are used to develop and compare alternatives, prescribe mitigation measures, and analyze the environmental effects. For an issue to be considered key, it must be relevant to the specific project and appropriately addressed at that level. The Forest Service identifies key issues through internal/external contact and discussion (scoping). External scoping involves the general public, tribal governments, State, and other Federal Agencies. External scoping had not been completed for this project, however the Interdisciplinary team has preliminarily identified three key issues through the internal scoping process. These issues are: Key Issue 1- Forest Condition Continued loss of tree species and age class diversity on the landscape, and the resulting increase in insect and disease susceptibility could create unacceptable declines in forest health and bio-diversity, and increased fuel loading and tree mortality. Key Issue 2-Wildlife Canada Lynx linkage corridor function and sustainability could be degraded as a result of poorly placed forest treatments. Negative impacts to wildlife habitat/tes species could result from forest treatments Key Issue 3-CDNST Negative impacts to recreational values could result from forest treatments and timber hauling, especially near or on the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDNST).

7 These preliminary set of key issues, identified by the interdisciplinary team for this project, along with any key issues discovered through public scoping will be analyzed and used to develop alternatives to the proposed action - including a No Action alternative. Public Involvement External scoping for this project will be conducted through the traditional comment solicitation method, and a field tour. U.S. Forest Service personnel will host a tour to visit some of the potential treatment sites within the Cochetopa Hills planning area to allow an opportunity for interested members of the public to understand better our proposed treatments and provide the opportunity for interactive discussions. This field tour is scheduled for Wednesday June 30, Interested parties are requested to contact Matt Etzenhouser at (970) or at: metzenhouser@fs.fed.us. Scoping is a flexible process, and there are no strict time periods for providing comments. However, to ensure that your input is addressed effectively within the interdisciplinary team process, we ask that all comments be provided by August 31 st, Comments can be submitted to: Gunnison Ranger District Cochetopa Hills Vegetation Management EA Attention: Matt Etzenhouser 216 N. Colorado Gunnison, CO This opportunity to comment will serve as scoping for this project. An additional comment period in accordance with 36 CFR will be offered once the Environmental Assessment document has been drafted and before a Decision Notice is issued (early spring 2011). If you require additional information concerning this proposal then please contact Matt Etzenhouser at (970) , or metzenhouser@fs.fed.us. Sincerely, /s/ John R. Muprhy JOHN R. MUPRHY District Ranger