WEED LAKE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECT Purpose, Need for Action and Proposed Activities for Scoping

Transcription

1 WEED LAKE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECT Purpose, Need for Action and Proposed for Scoping

2 WEED LAKE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECT Purpose, Need for Action and Proposed The Swan Lake District of the Flathead National Forest proposes activities in approximately 2,100 acres of National Forest System Lands in the Swan Lake sub-watershed, specifically the Weed Lake Project Area. The proposed project area is on the east side of Swan Lake, approximately 14 miles southeast of Bigfork, MT (See Map 1 Vicinity). PROJECT DEVELOPMENT Reconnaissance The project area was selected for potential treatment after several years observation of extensive insect and disease attack accompanied by declining forest health and increased fuel loading. The silviculturist surveyed the project area beginning in the summer of 2016 during which detailed stand diagnoses were conducted and potential stands identified for treatment. Common stand exam plots were located in potential old growth stands which gathered detailed information about the stand and fuels conditions. All potential stands were reviewed by other specialists on the interdisciplinary team to identify resourcespecific concerns. Following discussion of the potential treatment pool by the interdisciplinary team (IDT) and District Ranger, some stands or portions of stands were dropped from the potential treatment pool because they met desired conditions or because of various constraints. Some stands that ranked high priority for treatment from a forest health or wildfire perspective were dropped due to other resource concerns, such as impacts to wildlife, aquatics, hydrology, or archaeology/heritage. The District Ranger decided to constrain the project area to coincide within the boundaries of a Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) designated area (see below). The selected project area is also entirely within the wildland-urban interface boundary (WUI) with no portion more than 1.5 miles from a community at risk (Swan Lake). The District Ranger asked the IDT to develop a project that focused primarily on insects, disease, and wildfire hazard. Emphasis should be placed on correcting disturbance regimes that have emerged from a century of fire exclusion and which are largely responsible for present insect, disease and fuel issues. An important goal of the project would be restoration of more natural landscape patterns (structure) that support ecologically important processes (functions) and impart resiliency. Pursuant to this goal, a landscape departure analysis was conducted comparing present conditions of significant landscape spatial parameters to reference conditions (both historic and those expected under climate change). The IDT identified needs for change within the project area based on existing insect, disease, and fuel conditions and that also addressed landscape patterns and process to attain desired conditions as specified in the Flathead National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). PROJECT AUTHORITY The Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project will be conducted under provisions of the Agriculture Act (Farm Bill) of Section 8204, Insect and Disease Infestation amends Title VI of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003 (16 U.S.C et seq.) by adding section 602 (Designation of Treatment Areas) and section 603 (Administrative Review) to address qualifying insect and disease infestations on Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 2 Proposed Action

3 National Forest System lands. The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture delegated authority to implement the provisions of the Farm Bill to the Chief of the Forest Service on March 6, Section 602 provides, in part, the opportunity for Governors to request designation to areas in their State that are experiencing, or at risk of, an insect or disease epidemic. The Forest Service received letters from 35 states requesting designations. These requests were reviewed to ensure they met at least one of the following eligibility criteria outlined in the Farm Bill: experiencing forest health decline based on annual forest health surveys; at risk of experiencing substantially increased tree mortality based on the most recent Forest Health Protection Insect and Disease Risk Map; or contains hazard trees that pose an imminent risk to public infrastructure, health, or safety. Upon reviewing the States requests, the Chief designated approximately 45.6 million acres of National Forest System lands across 94 national forests in 35 States. Over 6.6 million acres were designated in the Northern Region (4,955,159 million acres in Montana). Included in the designation is more than 559,000 acres on the Flathead National Forest, including the Weed Lake Project area. These areas will be further evaluated to identify potential projects that reduce the risk or extent of, or increase resilience to, insect and disease infestations. Information on the request and designation process, by state, can be found at The Weed Lake Project area is within an area designated as part of an insect and disease treatment program in accordance with Title VI, Section 602, HFRA, as amended by Section 8204 of the Agriculture Act (Farm Bill) of To be designated, areas must be: 1. Experiencing declining forest health, based on annual forest health surveys conducted by the Secretary; 2. At risk of experiencing substantially increased tree mortality over the next 15 years due to insect or disease infestation based on the most recent National Insect and Disease Risk Map published by the Forest Service; or 3. In an area in which the risk of hazard trees poses an imminent risk to public infrastructure, health or safety. Under section 602(d), priority projects that reduce the risk or extent of, or increase the resilience to, insect or disease infestation may be carried out in designated areas in accordance with sections 102(b)(c)(d), 104, 105 and 106 of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, which provides for expedited NEPA reviews, predecisional objection review, and guidance on judicial review. This authority is available for projects for which scoping has been initiated by September 30, Requirements and Limitations for Use of the Environmental Assessment under HFRA. The project is in an area designated in accordance with section 602(b) of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act The purpose and need statement for a Title VI project should include a need to reduce the risk or extent of, or increase the resilience to, insect or disease infestation in a designated landscape area. The project is not located: in congressionally designated Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas; in areas where the removal of vegetation is restricted or prohibited by statute or by Presidential proclamation; or in areas where the activities described above would be inconsistent with the applicable Land and Resource Management Plan. The project is being developed through a process that facilitates collaboration among State and local governments and Indian tribes, and participation of interested persons. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 3 Proposed Action

4 The project maximizes the retention of old growth and large trees, as appropriate for the forest type, to the extent that the trees promote stands that are resilient to insect and disease. Public notice and scoping will be conducted. An opportunity for public comment shall be provided during the preparation of any HFRA EA or EIS. Scoping satisfies this requirement for the EA; no additional comment period is required for the EA. HFRA, Title I, Section 104. Projects in WUI and no further than 1.5 miles from boundary of an at-risk community: Study, develop or describe the proposed agency action only. Agency is not required to study, develop or describe any alternative to the proposed agency action unless the at-risk community has adopted a community wildfire protection plan and the proposed agency action doesn t implement the recommendations in the plan. If this is the case, the recommendations in the plan shall be evaluated as an alternative to the proposed agency action. The Weed Lake Project is no further than 1.5 miles from an at-risk community (see Map 6) and is consistent with the recommendations from the Lake County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Consequently, only the proposed agency action will be analyzed for this project. Collaborative Efforts The Swan Lake District Ranger sent a letter by U.S mail to property owners and other parties that have expressed interest in District projects on June 5, 2017 announcing commencement of a collaborative planning effort for the Weed Lake Project. Aims and restoration objectives were briefly outlined and the public invited to help collaboratively develop the project by engaging with U.S. Forest Service personnel during public meetings scheduled for later in June. Information concerning these collaborative meetings and workshop were posted on the Flathead National Forest web site and on Facebook and Twitter. A public information meeting was held at the Swan Lake District offices in Bigfork on the evening of June 21, Thirteen members of the public attended as well as the Swan Lake District Ranger and eight Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) members, the District administration assistant plus two additional Forest Service staff from the Blackfoot Swan Landscape Restoration Project (BSLRP). During the meeting staff outlined desired outcomes of the meeting, introduced the Weed Lake project area and needs for change, described the 2014 Farm Bill authority under which the project would be developed and the collaborative process for developing and implementing this project. During the presentation, staff addressed questions from the public and provided additional details about conditions in the project area. Staff explained that public input was being sought ahead of developing a proposed action in the interest of taking a collaborative approach to project development. Three members of the public provided written comments on forms provided and left these upon exiting the meeting. Two additional people submitted multi-page written comments within a week of the meeting. A public field trip to the project area was scheduled for the morning of June 24, The itinerary included three stops designed to highlight needs for change in the project area. There was no public participation in the field trip which was conducted by six Forest Service staff. During the afternoon, a workshop was conducted to take input on possible actions to be taken in the project area to address the needs for change presented during the previous public information meeting. Only one person from the public attended. Staff presented their ideas about a proposed action and addressed some brief questions from the person in attendance who seemed otherwise satisfied with the Forest Service proposal. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 4 Proposed Action

5 Concerns Raised During the Collaborative Process Prior to Scoping Size of trees to be removed smaller undergrowth or large trees? Ladder fuels should be removed Fuel loads on National Forest System lands bordering private property Control of invasive (noxious) weeds Illegal motorized access from unauthorized ATV/UTV trails Slash not properly disposed as was the case for the adjacent Sixmile Fuels Reduction Project Participation by local logging contractors Meeting Amendment 19 requirements from the Forest Plan Avoiding wetlands, seeps, and springs north of Swan Lake Campground and within the campground Connecting patches of old growth forest No temporary roads should be built Remove many of the diseased trees Avoid spraying of weeds near riparian areas Retain visual qualities Encourage more western larch No prescribed burns close to highway and urban housing Response to Collaborative process In response to issues/concerns raised during the collaborative process up to this point (prior to scoping), the IDT has already taken or is taking the following actions: Where feasible, fuel loads would be reduced along private property and other areas in the WUI within the project area. Large and old trees will be retained throughout the project area, as appropriate for the forest type, to the extent the trees promote stands that are resilient to insect and disease. Treatments will target ladder fuels as appropriate to the vegetation type, while also maintaining some vertical structure for wildlife species. Provisions for control of invasive (noxious) weeds are included as standard operating procedures. Illegal access and use by ATVs will be reported to law enforcement; barriers for road storage will be constructed to the degree possible that will discourage unauthorized access. Slash disposal will be treated per developed brush disposal plans and monitored for proper implementation. Follow-up treatments will be applied as appropriate. Progress toward meeting Amendment 19 provisions for this subunit will be made by decommissioning 0.14 miles of road and placing into storage (ISS) an additional 4.71 miles of roads (see below). Areas of known wetlands and seeps have been removed from treatment and provisions will be made to do the same for areas currently not mapped but encountered during project implementation. Vegetation treatments will be designed to increase patch connectivity and reduce fragmentation on the landscape. Old growth patches will be treated to remove encroachment and protect existing large trees by reducing stress and enhancing resiliency. Thinning and burning treatments in areas near old growth will encourage development of large thrifty trees that can be recruited for future old growth. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 5 Proposed Action

6 Some temporary roads will be constructed to accomplish project objectives, but these will be kept to a minimum. Many of the diseased trees will be removed as part of treatments, with conversion to diseaseresistant species as appropriate. Standard operating procedures already prohibit introducing herbicides into wetlands or waterways and these procedures will be applied during project implementation. Visual quality objectives (VQOs) will be met as specified by Management Area direction. Proposed harvest treatments will be designed to meet or exceed VQOs. The project will be designed to encourage more western larch and ponderosa pine, and reduce Douglas-fir as is consistent with reference conditions for the sites involved. Prescribed burns will be conducted in a manner that minimizes impacts to adjacent private property and the Highway 83 corridor. PURPOSE The purpose of the Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project (hereafter Weed Lake Project) is to restore ecosystem functionality and improve landscape resiliency within the project area, taking into account potential climate change impacts. This will be accomplished by: Reducing the risk or extent of, or increasing the resilience to, insect and disease infestations in the Weed Lake Project area; Reducing fuel conditions that promote uncharacteristic wildfire and which allow for safe and effective fire management; generally flame lengths less than four feet and reduced crown fire potential. Re-establishing inherent disturbance regimes; Restoration of more natural landscape patterns (structure) that support ecologically important processes (function); Re-establishing the natural distribution of patch sizes, tree clump and gap patterns within patches; Promoting large/old trees and post-disturbance large snags and down logs; Enhanced public safety within the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area Control spread and reduce potential spread of invasive (noxious) weeds This project will seek to balance ecological objectives with economic viability, produce commercial timber products where possible, and minimize impacts on recreational opportunities. DESIRED CONDITIONS The Flathead National Forest Plan (hereafter Forest Plan) provides general management direction through Resource Goals (pp. II-4 to II-5) and Objectives (pp. II-6 to II-14) (USDA Forest Service 2001). The Forest Plan (as amended) provides forest-wide desired conditions, objectives, standards, and guidelines (pages 15-95). Management areas further define desired conditions. See Table 1 below for descriptions and distribution within the project area. The Weed Lake Project will adhere to this direction. VEGETATION AND FUELS (Forest Plan Amendment #21, pp 9-15) Maintain or actively restore landscape composition, structure and patterns to a condition similar to that expected under natural disturbance and succession regimes. Manage landscape patterns to develop larger old growth patch sizes where needed to satisfy wildlife habitat requirements. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 6 Proposed Action

7 Manage landscape composition and patterns to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic fire, insect and pathogen disturbances. Where fuel conditions and potential fire regimes have been significantly affected by fire exclusion and timber management, manage landscape fuel conditions (amounts and spatial arrangement) to restore the historical fire regime and reduce the risk of uncharacteristic fire events. Emphasize this objective in areas where wildland interface with urban and rural areas of private property. Manage mid-seral stands to maintain the composition and structure expected under native succession and disturbance regimes. In all potential vegetation groups (PVGs; groupings of similar habitat types), maintain sufficient mid-seral stands to allow for recruitment of old-growth within the historical range of variability. Emphasize old growth development in stands that are most likely to persist under native disturbance regimes, and those that provide a patch size and pattern most advantageous to old growth associated wildlife species. In warm moist, cool moist, and cold moist PVGs, manage mixed-confer stands to reduce tree density where needed, to increase the proportion of shade intolerant species, such as western larch, western white pine, Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine, and to promote development toward old growth. Manage mid-seral lodgepole pine (LP) dominated stands to reduce the risk of epidemic levels of mountain pine beetle and large-scale stand replacement fires, especially where wildlands interface with urban and rural areas. WILDLIFE RESOURCES The Forest Plan framework provides guidance for managing terrestrial and aquatic wildlife species on the Flathead NF. Desired Conditions for this project would maintain wildlife (terrestrial and aquatic) and fish species habitat, while improving habitat in areas that is not currently suitable. The Northern Rockies Lynx Management Direction (NRLMD) provides parameters for conservation and recovery of Canada Lynx. The project is located in the Bond and Schmidt Lynx analysis unit. The Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project will be consistent with Standards and Guidelines identified in the NRLMD. Lynx Critical Habitat occurs within the Project Area. Desired conditions include developing vegetative treatments that promote the recovery of Lynx and Lynx Critical Habitat (See Design Criteria). The Weed Lake Restoration Project occurs in Swan Lake Grizzly Bear subunit. The project occurs outside of core grizzly bear habitat and in habitat that is actively managed under Forest Plan Amendment 19. This Amendment provides objectives for managing open motorized route density (OMRD), total motorized route density (TMRD) and security core for Grizzly Bears. Existing conditions for OMRD, TMRD, and Core in the Swan Lake Subunit are 39%, 26%, and 45%, respectively, as reported in the 2015 annual Flathead National Forest Plan, Amendment 19 Implementation Monitoring Report. Desired conditions are to move the subunit towards meeting Amendment 19 objectives of 19% OMRD, 19% TMRD, and 68% core. Throughout the project area, limited understory shrub and herbaceous species exist for big game. Desired conditions for big game would include opening up dense forest structural stages and promoting preferred forage. Amendment 21 of the FNF Plan establishes a Forest-wide goal to provide appropriate habitat and adopted the guidelines included in Coordinating Elk and Timber Management, Final Report of the Cooperative Elk-Logging Study, as part of management direction. The proposed action of the Weed Lake Restoration Project will incorporate these guidelines (See Design Criteria). Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 7 Proposed Action

8 AQUATIC RESOURCES Westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) and bull trout (Salvelinus malma) are aquatic species of management concern that occur within and immediately downstream of the Weed Lake Project area, respectively. The Forest Plan Amendment 3 further seeks opportunities to recover Westslope cutthroat trout in streams without non-native trout. The Memorandum of Understanding and Conservation Agreement (2007) for Westslope cutthroat trout management in Montana also seeks to secure pure or nearly pure cutthroat trout populations from future invasions (the Northern Region signed this MOU). Providing adequate passage for all aquatic organisms (where ecologically desirable) is a regional standard. The Inland Native Fish Strategy (INFISH; 1998) amendment to the FNF Forest Plan seeks to maintain natural instream flows and habitat that supports native fish populations including bull trout. In general, INFISH also provides interim standards, objectives, and guidelines for aquatic and riparian habitat management. Aquatic and riparian habitat indicators being used to evaluate the attainment of Interim Riparian Management Objectives include, but are not limited to, goals for pool frequency and residual depth, large woody debris frequency, substrate composition (e.g., percent fines), stream channel and bankshape morphology, and water temperature, and the riparian vegetation community composition. INVASIVE (NOXIOUS) WEEDS Invasive plants are a pernicious problem throughout the Flathead National Forest as a consequence of human activities. Desired conditions for invasive weeds in the Weed Lake Project area are for a net reduction of existing infestations and no new weed spread due to project activities. VISUAL RESOURCES The scenic character (physical, biological, and cultural images) provides the scenic identity and influences the sense of place for a project area within the context of the larger landscape. It provides a framework to determine the degree of scenery modification acceptable and design criteria to reduce or limit that modification. The Swan Valley geographic area scenic character is characterized by the outstanding scenic beauty of the rugged Mission Mountains contrasted with the lush green of Swan Valley and interrupted by lakes such as Swan Lake. The variety of vegetation through Swan Valley increases the texture and pattern in the landscape. In order to meet Forest Plan direction, management activities must be consistent with the mapped visual quality objectives (VQO) of the applicable Management Areas (MA) within the project boundary. The following are the MAs in the project area: MA5 (high scenic value along Swan Valley Highway SR83, retention VQO with visual absorption capability requirements), MA7 (visually sensitive areas, partial retention VQO with visual absorption capability requirements), MA9 (white-tailed winter habitat, partial retention VQO), MA13 (mule deer and elk winter habitat, modification VQO), MA15 (timber productivity, modification or maximum modification). The bulk of the project area is within partial retention (PR) or retention (R) VQO. These VQOs require that the scenic character be dominate to any management activities. Furthermore management activities must not be evident in retention VQO and in partial retention VQO, when evident they must be subordinate to the scenic character expression. The remainder of the project area is within modification (M) or maximum modification (MM) where the management activities may dominate the scenic character. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 8 Proposed Action

9 TRANSPORTATION The Forest Plan and transportation analysis directs development and implementation of a road management program, with road use restrictions and closures that is responsive to resource protection needs and public concerns. Miles of road left open to public use will be that amount necessary to meet public needs and resource management objectives (FNF Forest Plan pg. II 5, II 11-12, II 29-30, II 50-53, II 59-64; FSH Travel Planning Handbook, Ch. 20 Travel Analysis). Best Management Practices (BMPs) are to be implemented on the National Forest Road system. MANAGEMENT AREA DESCRIPTIONS The Forest Plan divides the Flathead National Forest into subunits called management areas (MAs). Each of these MAs also has resource desired conditions, standards, guidelines, and suitabilities. The project area is not located within inventoried roadless areas. Table 1 provides a brief overview of the MAs in Weed Lake Project area. Map 2 shows MAs in the Weed Lake Project area. TABLE 1. WEED LAKE PROJECT MANAGEMENT AREAS MA Description Treatment Acres MA 2b MA 5c Unroaded lands suited for dispersed recreation that meet the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum of semi-primitive motorized. A primary goal for MA2 is to provide a variety of primitive and semiprimitive recreation opportunities. This MA will provide wildlife and fish habitat, including security from human disturbance. The VQO will be retention; use of prescribed fire may depart from this VQO. Use prescribed fire to improve habitat for wildlife. Lands are classified as unsuitable for timber management. Prescribed fire may be used to enhance resource values and reduce hazardous fuels accumulation. Unplanned ignition prescribed fire procedures may be implemented on site-specific plans to enhance designated resource values and to allow fire to assume its natural ecological role. Roaded timberlands in areas of high scenic value. One of the primary management objectives consists of maintaining a pleasing, natural-appearing landscape in which management activities are not evident. Management activities may only repeat form, line, color, and texture that are frequently found in the characteristic landscape. Changes in their qualities of size, amount, intensity, direction, pattern, etc. should not be evident. The timber resource will be managed with roads in a manner which compliments and protects high scenic values, and, where applicable, complies with the Swan Valley Highway Landscape Management Plan. Where possible, minimize insect, disease, and fuel buildups that reduce other resource values. Total Acres in Project Area Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 9 Proposed Action

10 MA Description Treatment Acres The VQO is retention; use appropriate mitigation measures to achieve and/or maintain the Retention VQO based on visual absorption capability. Lands are classified as suitable for timber management and timber harvest will be scheduled. Size of units and types of harvest constrained by visual absorption capability (even-aged unit openings <5 acres to 15 acres in size). Design and construct roads that are in harmony with the Retention VQO. Fire may be prescribed to reduce activity fuel accumulations to Retention VQO levels or maintain the Retention VQO. Total Acres in Project Area MA 7a Roaded timberlands in visually sensitive areas. A primary management goal consists of maintaining a pleasing, naturalappearing landscape in which management activities are not dominant. The timber resource will be managed with roads in a manner that compliments and protects high scenic values. Where possible minimize insect, disease, and fuel build-ups that reduce resource values. Maintain or create natural-appearing diverse patterns of vegetation using various silvicultural systems. To be accomplished by limiting application of even-aged timber management practices. Treatment areas will be designed to reflect the form, line, color or texture common to the characteristic landscape in a particular viewing area. All resources will be managed consistent with the Partial Retention VQO; use appropriate mitigation measures to achieve and/or maintain the Partial Retention VQO based on visual absorption capability. Size of units and types of harvest constrained by visual absorption capability (even-aged unit openings <10 acres to 255 acres in size). Lands are classified as suitable for timber management, and timber harvests will be scheduled. Project design will determine the most cost effective logging and transportation system that meets the VQO. Design and construct roads that are in harmony with the Partial Retention VQO. The timber resource should be managed in such a manner as to prevent insect and disease buildups that reduce resource values. Prescribed fire will utilize tactics that will least alter the landscape MA 9 Timberlands capable of providing white-tailed deer winter habitat. Goal is to provide the size, age, diversity, and distribution of habitat units (both cover and forage areas) suitable for white-tailed deer winter habitat. Timber harvests can be used to improve or maintain the optimum relationships of cover to forage. Prescribed burning is also a habitat improvement method. Manage to achieve at least 50% of the area in winter thermal cover Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 10 Proposed Action

11 MA Description Treatment Acres Each habitat unit (cover or forage) will generally be less than 10 acres and shaped to ensure optimum use of forage produced. Regeneration will include diverse tree species but will feature Douglasfir (40% of the trees by number) if the site is capable of growing Douglasfir. VQO is Partial Retention. Lands are classified as suitable for timber management and timber harvest will be scheduled. Total Acres in Project Area MA 13 MA 15 Roaded and unroaded lands capable of providing mule deer and elk winter habitat. Goal is to provide the size, age, diversity, and distribution of habitat units (both cover and forage) suitable for mule deer and elk winter habitat. Timber harvests can be used to improve or maintain the optimum relationships of cover to forage. Prescribed burning is also a habitat improvement method. Each separate winter range area must have 30% of the area in winter thermal cover (minimum average height of trees is 60 feet and minimum crown canopy of 70%). The VQO will generally be modification. Lands are classified as suitable for timber management and timber harvest will be scheduled. Cost-effective application of prescribed fire should be planned on a periodic basis that maintains and enhances habitat components. Timberlands where timber management with roads is economical and feasible. Goal is to emphasize cost-efficient production of timber while protecting the productive capacity of the land and timber resource. Lands are classified as suitable for timber management and timber harvest will be scheduled. Maintain or create diverse patterns of vegetation using primarily evenaged silviculture systems. Include pre-commercial thinning and intermediate harvest for stocking and species composition control. Use timber stand improvement practices to maintain horizontal stand diversity. The VQO will generally be modification or maximum modification. Planned ignition prescribed fire may be utilized to reduce hazards from activity caused fuel concentrations and to maintain or enhance vegetative components or wildlife habitat Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 11 Proposed Action

12 EXISTING CONDITIONS VEGETATION AND FUELS The Weed Lake Project area is part of a larger landscape over which human settlement, development, and management have altered ecological patterns and processes. In the northern Rocky Mountains, fire has historically been the most important form of natural disturbance (see Bassman et al and literature cited). Effective wildfire suppression and exclusion over the past century has significantly altered inherent disturbance regimes. Fire exclusion has promoted a greater abundance of late-seral, shade-tolerant species, which in turn has resulted in more multi-storied stand structures and higher stand densities. Higher densities in turn result in greater stress on individual trees as competition intensifies for limited resources (Keane and others 2002). Stress increases susceptibility to insect and disease. As a consequence, current disturbance regimes are dominated to a much greater degree by insect and disease than inherent disturbance regimes, resulting in declining forest health. The departure of current fire regimes from natural fire regimes is responsible for fuel accumulations that support wildfires with uncharacteristically severe effects. Fire exclusion has resulted in homogeneous landscapes with reduced capacity to support biodiversity. The homogeneous landscapes comprised of shade-tolerant, late-seral species increase patch contagion and therefore may amplify the severity of insect and pathogen outbreaks and increase the size of wildfires (Keane and others 2002; Peterson 2002). The mean fire return interval over most of the project area varies between 21 and 80 years (LANDFIRE data)(hann and others 2010; Ryan and Opperman 2013). The last significant wildfire within the Weed Lake project area was in the late 1800 s. However, since 1970, there has been eight small wildfires in the project area, all of which were human caused. Most of the area is in fire regime condition class (FRCC) II; moderately departed from historical fire regimes. Much of the project area has missed two or more fire returns. Consequently, fuel conditions are departed from reference conditions contributing to a high probability for wildfire in this area; just when cannot be predicted. Modeled fire behavior suggests there is also some considerable risk for fire being propagated into the area from the adjacent subwatersheds, for which vegetation and fuel conditions are similarly deteriorated. Extant fuel conditions would support uncharacteristically severe wildfire (Hardy 2005) 1. Fire exclusion in the Weed Lake Project area has also resulted in hazardous conditions that pose substantial risk to values both within and outside of the wildland urban interface (WUI). The community of Swan Lake is in close proximity to the project area and there are many permanent and vacation residences along the shore of Swan Lake. In addition, the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area are within the project area and are at risk from wildfire. Departures from Desired Conditions Major findings from analysis and interpretation of collected field data include: Extensive areas of insect and disease infestation occur throughout the project area (Jackson and Sturdevant 2017a). o Caused by abnormally high tree densities which, in turn, have resulted in high levels of stress and increased susceptibility to insect and disease attack. o Large scale mortality is occurring as a consequence of high densities and insect and disease attack. 1 When a wildland fire occurs outside of the time, space, and severity parameters of the historical natural fire regime, the fire can be called uncharacteristic. Uncharacteristic wildfire is measured by the departure of fire frequencies and subsequent fire behavior characteristics and fire severity on vegetation communities. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 12 Proposed Action

13 Fire exclusion has changed fire regimes in the Weed Lake Project area. o Many ponderosa pine and western larch stands that were historically more open have been invaded by shade-tolerant species which has resulted in higher densities, greater stress, and in some cases, multi-storied stands with high potential to support development of crown fires. o The latter is an especially significant problem in the few remaining old growth stands within the Weed Lake Project area. There are extensive areas of high surface fuel loading which in combination with overstocked stands have created fuel conditions that are more favorable for high intensity, stand replacing fires. o Fire behavior models show extensive areas with potential for flame lengths exceeding four feet, the limit for ground fire suppression forces. o Models also indicate potential for crown fire within the project area. o There are substantial wildfire risks to the community of Swan Lake, residences along Swan Lake, and the Highway 83 corridor. The Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area contains considerable numbers of trees in declining health that may pose a public hazard (Jackson and Sturdevant 2017b). Climate change is likely to further adversely affect these attributes. Landscape departure analyses indicate the following (Bassman 2017): Overall, vegetation patches are overly fragmented with regard to several landscape attributes compared to the natural range of variation (NRV) 2 and future range of variation (FRV) 3. Cover of Douglas-fir is far overabundant compared to NRV and FRV while the cover of western larch is on the low end of NRV. The amount of late successional forest are underrepresented compared to NRV and FRV. The amount of the landscape in a high hazard condition for western spruce budworm far exceeds NRV and is on the upper end of FRV. The amount of the landscape with a Douglas-fir beetle hazard rating in the moderate and high categories exceeds both NRV and FRV. Mean patch sizes for all categories are low compared to NRV and FRV. A large portion of the project area is in fire regime condition class (FRCC) II; fire regimes are moderately departed from historic fire regimes. Risk of losing key ecosystem components is moderate. Fire frequencies have departed (decreased) by one or more return intervals. WILDLIFE RESOURCES More than half of the project area proposed for treatment is in Stem Exclusion Stage a vegetation type that does not currently provide Lynx foraging or denning habitat, due to the limited understory development that would provide adequate snowshoe hare habitat or down wood debris piles. This type of structural stage would benefit from restoration treatments provided by the proposed action. In addition, approximately one quarter of the project area proposed for treatment is considered non-habitat 2 Natural range of variation, sometimes referred to as historic range of variability (HRV), is defined as the ecological conditions, and the spatial and temporal variation in these conditions, that occurred prior to significant Euromerican influence. See Bassman (2017) for more detailed explanation. 3 Future range of variation (FRV) is defined as the ecological conditions, and the spatial and temporal variation in these conditions, that would be expected under a climate change scenario of slightly warmer and drier conditions. See Bassman (2017) for more detailed explanation. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 13 Proposed Action

14 for Lynx. The remainder of the project area proposed for treatment consists of a mix of Early Stand Initiation, Stand Initiation and Multi-story habitat for Lynx. These structural stages are considered Lynx habitat and therefore, the proposed action will be designed to follow Standards and Guidelines in the NRLMD (See Design Criteria Table 5). AQUATIC RESOURCES There is no known occupied bull trout habitat or critical habitat designations for bull trout within the project area. However, Swan Lake is designated as critical habitat and is located immediately downstream of the project area. Riparian Habitat Conservation Area (RHCA) buffers as per INFISH guidelines will be maintained to protect aquatic habitats (see Design Criteria Table 5). VISUAL RESOURCES The analysis area for visual resources is the Weed Lake project area and immediate surrounding areas within Swan Valley. This area includes viewing opportunities within and outside the project area on both forest and non-forest lands. Landscape Visibility addresses the relative importance and sensitivity of what is seen and perceived in the landscape (USDA Forest Service 1995). It is affected by a number of factors including context of viewers; duration of view; degree of discernable detail; and number of viewers. In general, the greater the number of people likely to view a landscape and the longer the viewing duration, the more sensitive the landscape is to modification. This sensitivity can be ranked by concern levels: Concern Level 1 routes and sites are those that are nationally or regionally important locations associated with recreation and tourism use, where there is high interest in scenic resources. Within this project area those locations are: Swan Valley Highway (SR83), Swan Lake Campground, Swan Lake, Mission Lookout Rental Cabin and Swan River National Wildlife Refuge. Concern Level 2 routes and sites are those that are locally important and are associated with recreation, where there is high to moderate interest in scenic resources such as: private properties on Swan Lake, community of Swan Lake, Sixmile Road (9508), Sixmile Lookout Trail (10), Sixmile Sidehill Trail (27). Swan Lake Campground is on the southern edge of the project area. Treatments proposed within the campground proper would be visible in the immediate foreground but there are limited other views from the campground into the remainder of the project area because of topographic features screening views. Two trails, Sixmile Sidehill (27) and Sixmile Lookout (10) are within the project area. These trails are not considered high concern level trails and they have limited views into the project area beyond the immediate foreground along the trails. However, proposed harvest activities would occur along portions of the trails and within the campground, which could create more openings and more visual access into other parts of the project area. Four representative observation points have been identified based on their high concern levels for visual resources: Swan Lake, Mission Lookout Rental Cabin, Swan River National Wildlife Refuge and Highway 83. Visual Simulations using field photos and GIS analysis will be conducted for these observation points to assess the impacts of the proposed action to the visual resource from these points. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 14 Proposed Action

15 Figure 1. Project Area with associated VQOs and visibility analysis based on four high concern level observation points. Those areas in purple (not visible) are topographically screened from the four observation points. All other areas are visible from these points. NEED FOR CHANGE 1) There is a need to reduce the risk or extent of, or increase the resilience to, insect and disease infestations in the Weed Lake Project area. a) Insects and disease have reduced the overall health and productivity of the stands in this area for some time. b) Douglas-fir, subalpine fir and grand fir are being impacted by bark beetles, western spruce budworm, dwarf mistletoe, and root disease. c) Hazardous fuels are increasing due to the general decline of the stands. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 15 Proposed Action

16 2) There is a need for vegetation treatments that will reduce stand densities, alter species composition, reduce high fuel loadings, modify fuel arrangements and, thereby, reduce potential for uncharacteristic, high-intensity, stand-replacing fires. a) Forests are generally overstocked, causing low vigor, increased susceptibility to insect and disease, and, in some cases, substantial mortality. b) Fire exclusion has resulted in a shift in species composition to a greater proportion of late-seral, shade-tolerant species that have exacerbated fuel conditions and reduced tree vigor. 3) There is a need to move existing disturbance regimes towards inherent disturbance regimes. a) Fire exclusion has resulted in fuel conditions that support uncharacteristic wildfire and these need to be re-aligned with reference conditions. i) This will reduce potential for high-intensity fire, provide for a higher level of firefighter safety, and reduce risk to the public and adjacent private property. ii) Fire behavior models show high potential for flame lengths exceeding four feet and crown fire potential within and adjacent to the WUI. 4) There is a need to move toward restoring natural fire regimes and the variation in successional patterns that supported them so that other processes may follow (P.F. Hessburg and others 2015). a) Fire suppression in the past has changed pattern and ecological processes within the project area landscape resulting in a more densely vegetated landscape and reduced patch diversity across the landscape. b) Restoring inherent disturbance regimes will reduce incidence, severity and spread of insect and disease problems. 5) There is a need to restore integrity 4 of pattern and processes conditions within and across spatial scales in the Weed Lake Project area in order to assure sustainability of native species, ecosystem services, and ecological function (P.F. Hessburg and others 2013). 6) There is a need to move toward restoring size distributions of historical successional patches and allow changing climate and disturbance regimes to adapt to them (P.F. Hessburg and others 2015). a) Moving toward inherent landscape variation in successional patch structural stage and species composition will reduce contagion effects. This will impart resiliency by providing barriers to both fire growth and spread of insect and disease (Peterson 2002). 7) There is a need to restore characteristic tree clump and gap variation within successional patches. a) Restoring historical mosaics of individual trees, tree clumps, and openings, that is, within-patch heterogeneity, is important in imparting resilience to disturbances, rates of succession, stand dynamic processes, wildlife characteristics, fine-scale processes, and biodiversity (Larson and Churchill 2012). 8) There is a need to retain and expand on existing relict trees, old forests, and post-disturbance large snags and down logs (P.F. Hessburg and others 2015). a) Especially early seral, fire-resistant species (ponderosa pine, western larch, Douglas-fir) that are also drought-resistant but cannot regenerate under the shade of existing canopies. 4 A landscape has integrity when its ecosystems are fully functional, with all of their biotic and abiotic processes intact. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 16 Proposed Action

17 b) Large trees contribute an important structural component to landscapes, contribute substantially to biodiversity, and following death provide important snag and cavity habitats as well as structural components for stream habitats. 9) Past vegetation harvests within the project area have resulted in some areas that do not currently meet their assigned VQOs. There is a need to bring these areas into alignment with Forest Plan direction and areas previously untreated but now ingrown with dense vegetation that were historically more open. 10) Forest stands in and around the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area are declining in vigor and may create a threat to public safety. Trees in poor health are at risk of breakage and windthrow which jeopardizes users. There is a need to treat these areas to improve forest health and reduce hazard to public safety (Jackson and Sturdevant 2017b). PROPOSAL The proposal includes management activities on approximately 2,100 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands within the Project area (Table 2; Map 3). All acres of proposed activities are located within the Wildland Urban Interface and within a HFRA insect and disease designated landscape Approximately 2,040 acres would receive vegetation treatments including thinning, regeneration, or a combination of both. In addition, the 69 acres comprising the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area will receive vegetation treatment to remove unhealthy and hazard trees as per the Swan Lake Campground-Day Use Vegetation Plan (project file). Approximately 2,040 acres that will be or have already received vegetation treatment will receive prescribed fire treatment including broadcast or pile burning. A total of 57 acres treated with only with broadcast burning will also be planted. ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS OF THE PROPOSAL Vegetation treatments will vary to incorporate management area guidelines as specified in Table 1 above. Treatments are designed to increase successional patch size, structural connectivity, and mimic shape and topographic aspect of natural fire disturbances. Some openings may be created that exceed 40 acres in size. Regional Forester policy (FSM ) directs the size of harvest openings created by even-aged silvicultural practices would be normally 40 acres or less, to support NFMA s general intent to limit the size of harvest openings. Creation of larger openings requires Regional Forester approval. Harvest activities would be implemented using ground-based mechanized and skyline-logging systems. Slash would be treated through a combination of the following: o Whole tree yarding, lop and scatter, masticating, excavator piling and/or burning. o Fuel accumulations at landings would be removed by burning, chipping/masticating, and/or removal from NFS lands. o Prescribed fire treatment could include broadcast burning, pile burning, underburning, and/or jackpot burning. Approximately 4.9 miles of temporary roads may be built in order to access some of the vegetation treatments. Approximately 14.0 miles of Forest Service System roads being used for haul routes will receive road maintenance in accordance with Best Management Practices (BMPs) prior to use. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 17 Proposed Action

18 Approximately 10.7 miles of private jurisdictional roads would be needed for access to the north half of the project area. A road use agreement would be put in place prior to hauling operations. Approximately 4.7 miles of road storage is proposed following project activities. These roads will be classified as maintenance level 1 intermittent stored service (ISS) roads. Approximately.1 miles of road decommissioning is proposed at the end of road The road would be fully re-contoured to the original ground slope. The proposed action for this project will follow Amendment 19 direction in moving the Swan Lake Grizzly Bear subunit towards Amendment 19 objectives by reducing TMRD by more than 1%. To protect wildlife species and associated habitat, treatments would follow Standards and Guidelines for those species occurring in the project area or where habitat for associated species exists in the project area. See Design Criteria section. To protect aquatic habitat and conserve water quality, untreated areas would be retained within and around mapped or unmapped seeps, intermittent and perennial streams, ponds, lakes, wetlands, and landslide prone areas (outside of the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area). These areas will be buffered in compliance with the Forest Plan, INFISH, and relevant state standards and guidelines as follows: No treatments will occur within the Riparian Habitat Conservation Area (RHCA) buffers placed around mapped or unmapped seeps, intermittent and perennial streams, ponds, lakes, wetlands, and landslide prone areas. The minimum RHCA buffer widths around water features will be: 300 feet distance from fish bearing streams (a total of 600 feet including both sides of the stream channel). 150 feet distance from perennial non-fish bearing streams and seeps (a total of 300 feet including both sides of the seep or stream channel). 50 feet from intermittent streams 100 feet distance from edge of landslide prone areas. 150 feet from edge of lakes or wetlands greater than 1 acre (edge is defined as ordinary high water mark). 50 feet from wetlands less than one acre 150 feet from Highway 83 Prevent and/or control invasions of non-native plants in project area by: o Aggressively treating along roads where invasive plants are present. o Aggressively treating areas disturbed by prescribed fire or logging where invasive plants are present. o Preventing new infestations of invasive plants to the extent practicable. PROPOSED ACTION ACTIVITIES Table 2 summarizes the management activities proposed. Specific unit information is provided in Table 3. Map 3 shows the locations of these activities. Map 4 shows proposed activities for the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area. Refer to the Descriptions of Proposed Management located after Table 3 for more specific information on these proposed activities. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 18 Proposed Action

19 PROJECT ACTIVITY TABLE 2. SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSAL UNIT OF MEASUREMENT VEGETATION TREATMENT ACTIVITIES ACRES Variable Density Regeneration 440 Variable Retention Harvesting 666 Variable Density Thinning 865 Swan Lake CG-DU Veg Plan 69 Total Vegetation Treatments: 2,040 PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIVITIES ACRES Broadcast Burn and Plant 57 Broadcast & Pile Burning associated with vegetation treatments 2,040 Total Prescribed Fire Treatments: 2,097 ROAD MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS MILES Road Maintenance BMPs to meet Vegetation Management Requirements 14.0 Private Roads Requiring a Road Use Agreement 10.0 Total Temporary Road Construction Needs 4.9 Subtotal: New Temporary Road Construction 4.8 Subtotal: Temporary Road on Existing Template 0.1 Total Road Decommissioning Roads Storage (ISS) 4.71 TABLE 3. UNIT INFORMATION UNIT NO. ACRES* TREATMENT ACTIVITY PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIVITY METHOD SLASH TREATMENT MANAGEMENT AREA * Variable Density Regeneration Variable Density Thinning 3 80 Variable Density Regeneration Pile burning and broadcast burning Pile burning and jackpot burning Pile burning and broadcast burning Tractor Tractor/Skyline Tractor Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or broadcast burning Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or jackpot burning Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or MA13 80 acres MA15 65 acres MA acres MA13 29 acres MA15 51 acres Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 19 Proposed Action

20 TABLE 3. UNIT INFORMATION UNIT NO. ACRES* TREATMENT ACTIVITY PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIVITY METHOD SLASH TREATMENT MANAGEMENT AREA * broadcast burning 4 70 Variable Density Thinning 5 94 Variable Density Thinning Variable Retention Harvesting Variable Density Regeneration Variable Density Thinning 9 8 Variable Density Thinning Pile burning and jackpot burning Pile burning and jackpot burning Pile burning, or jackpot burning Broadcast burning Pile burning and jackpot burning Pile burning and jackpot burning Tractor/Hand Tractor/Skyline/ Hand Tractor/Skyline/ Hand Tractor/Skyline Tractor/Skyline/ Hand Hand Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or jackpot burning Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or jackpot burning Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or jackpot burning Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or broadcast burning Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or jackpot burning Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or jackpot burning MA9 70 acres MA13 5 acres MA15 89 acres MA5 283 acres MA7 63 acres MA9 211 acres MA acres MA7 195 acres MA9 19 acres MA5 5 acres MA7 541 acres MA9 <1 acres MA15 27 acres MA5 <1 acres MA9 8 acres Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 20 Proposed Action

21 TABLE 3. UNIT INFORMATION UNIT NO. ACRES* TREATMENT ACTIVITY PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIVITY METHOD SLASH TREATMENT MANAGEMENT AREA * Broadcast Burn/Plant Broadcast Burning Hand Variable Density Thinning Pile burning and jackpot burning Hand Swan Lake CG-DU Veg Plan Broadcast Burn Tractor/Hand Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or jackpot burning Piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering MA5 43 acres MA7 2 acres MA9 13 acres MA5 <1 acres MA9 7 acres MA5 62 acres MA7 4 acres DESCRIPTIONS OF PROPOSED MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES VEGETATION MANAGEMENT Variable Density Retention At the landscape scale, historical fire regimes created variable mosaics of patches, processes and habitats. The mosaics consisted of burned and recovering vegetation in various successional stages (P.F. Hessburg and others 2015). This mosaic of successional patches instilled resilience to the landscape by limiting the spread of contagious disturbance (Peterson 2002). Consequently, one aim of landscape restoration is to move toward restoring natural fire regimes and the variation in successional patterns that supported them. And although successional patches define landscape heterogeneity, within-patch heterogeneity is also important for supporting native biodiversity. Historical landscapes were comprised of patches that demonstrated fine-scale mosaics of individual trees, tree clumps, and openings (gaps) of various sizes (Figure 2)(P.F. Hessburg and others 2015; Larson and Churchill 2012). These spatial patterns influence patch-level resilience to disturbances, rates of succession, stand dynamic processes, and wildlife habitat characteristics. Figure 2 Transect of a mixed-conifer forest which has experienced three understory burns within the last 50 years. Note that the stand has both horizontal and vertical heterogeneity but that trees in different canopy strata tend to be spatially separated. From North et al. (2009). Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 21 Proposed Action

22 The Weed Lake Project proposes to use variable density retention (VDR) as a technique for restoration of both landscape and within-patch spatial heterogeneity. VDR retains trees as individuals, clumps of various sizes, and openings typical in pine and mixed conifer forests that have intact, frequent-fire regimes (Larson and Churchill 2012). Target distributions of individual trees, tree clumps and gaps would be based on current characteristics of the stand, the treatment objectives, and findings from research previously conducted in the nearby Bob Marshall Wilderness (Larson and Churchill 2012). Not all acres would have treatment. Some areas will be left intact as skips in order to contribute to both horizontal and vertical spatial heterogeneity. Table 4. Fire regime groups with associated frequency and severity (Hann and others 2010). Group Frequency Severity Severity Description I 0 35 years Low / mixed Generally low-severity fires replacing less than 25% of the dominant overstory vegetation; can include mixed-severity fires that replace up to 75% of the overstory II 0 35 years Replacement High-severity fires replacing greater than 75% of the dominant overstory vegetation III years Mixed/low Generally mixed-severity; can also include low severity fires IV years Replacement High-severity fires V 200 years+ Replacement/ Any severity Generally replacement severity; can include any severity type in this frequency range Low Severity Mixed Severity Replacement Severity Low severity area Moderate severity area High severity area Figure 3. Landscape patterns of fire regimes. Black dots in low-severity fire regimes are very old patches of trees likely killed by insects and decomposed by fire, and gray dots are emerging small-sized stands with less defined edge next to mature stands. The moderate-severity fire regime is a complex mix of larger patches of the three severity levels, while the high-severity fire regime has large, stand replacement patches (from Agee 1998). Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 22 Proposed Action

23 VDR simulates results that might be expected from the native fire regimes for the Weed Lake Project area. Most of the Weed Lake Project area is in Fire Regime Groups I & III (Table 4). Mixed severity fire regimes can vary depending on the proportion of the area with low, moderate, and high severity fires (Table 4; Figure 3) (Agee 1998). Three VDR treatments are proposed for the Weed Lake Project that represent a gradient in mixed-severity conditions. These are illustrated in Figure 4 and described below. All will utilize prescribed fire and all are intended to restore the natural role of fire on the landscape. All may have both commercial and non-commercial harvesting. Variable Density Thinning Variable density thinning (VDT) is intended primarily as a tool for adjusting density and species composition while also creating mosaics of individual trees, tree clumps and small openings. The intent is to generally retain full stocking in a pattern consistent with the natural disturbance regimes. Resilience would be accomplished through spatial heterogeneity 5 and adjusting composition in favor of early seral, fire resistant species (ponderosa pine, western larch). Reduced density will increase vigor in remaining trees, increasing growth and resiliency to forest insects and disease. Sites to be treated are dense, single to mixed-age, but of sufficient vigor and containing components suitable for retention. These are generally mixed conifer stands containing ponderosa pine (PP), western larch (WL), Douglas-fir (DF), lodgepole pine (LP) and other shade-tolerant conifers (grand fir, subalpine fir), and are low to mid-elevation forests. VDT embeds varying densities of thinned patches, patches of no treatment, patches where trees are retained as individuals, and small openings across the larger treatment area (Figure 3). The most open areas would be located where insects or active root disease centers have caused mortality or in existing openings. The resulting openings would be variable in size ranging from ¼ acre up to 4 acres in size. Target residual density for the matrix would range from 40 to 100 square feet of basal area per acre or approximately 50 to 150 trees per acre depending on tree age, species and site variables. Longlived, fire-resistant, shade-intolerant species (typically WL, PP, WP, and occasionally DF) would be favored for retention. On the continuum of disturbance, VDT would have the least impact on the forest matrix. Where necessary, fuels treatments such as piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or jackpot burning would take place. Variable Retention Harvesting Variable retention harvesting (VRH) was first proposed by Franklin et al. (1997) as a tool for the creation and maintenance of structurally complex managed stands. VRH is useful for restoring the type of spatial heterogeneity occasioned by inherent disturbance regimes. Preparing this area for prescribed fire is another primary objective along with retaining the largest and oldest trees, reducing susceptibility to large scale stand-replacing fire, creating suitable openings for regeneration of preferred species, adjusting species composition, and capturing the value of forest products. Reduced density will increase vigor in remaining trees increasing resiliency to forest insects. These sites are predominantly mature, dense, overstocked, and single to mixed-age. Species composition varies though but is generally mixed conifer (PP, WL, DF, and other shade-tolerant conifers) low to mid-elevation forests. 5 Spatial heterogeneity is defined as the horizontal and vertical variation in structural units across a landscape. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 23 Proposed Action

24 Figure 4. Variable density retention treatments. Top: Untreated; Middle: post treatment; Bottom: post treatment showing openings created. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 24 Proposed Action

25 As with VDT, VRH embeds varying densities of thinned patches, patches of no treatment, patches where trees are retained as individuals, and small openings across the larger treatment area (Figure 3). The main difference is that the range in size of openings is greater, varying from very small ¼ to 4 acre openings to larger openings of 5 to 15 acres in size where regeneration to preferred species such as WL and PP would be assured. The most open areas would be located where insects or active root disease centers have caused mortality or in existing openings. Target residual density for the matrix would range from 40 to 100 square feet of basal area per acre or approximately 50 to 150 trees per acre depending on tree age, species and site variables. Long-lived, fire-resistant, shade-intolerant species (typically WL, PP, WP, and occasionally DF) would be favored for retention. Of the three treatments proposed for the Weed Lake Project, this is intermediate in disturbance effects on the overall forest matrix. Where necessary, fuels treatments such as piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or jackpot burning would take place. Variable Density Regeneration Regeneration harvests are proposed in areas where recent field data and stand diagnoses indicate substantial current or potential mortality from insects and/or disease. Variable Density Regeneration (VDR) system is designed to treat stands or portions of stands to initiate the regeneration of a new cohort while maintaining a heterogeneous spatial pattern (Figure 3). Creating suitable openings for the regeneration of preferred species is the primary objective, while retaining trees needed for natural seeding and the largest and oldest trees, as well as scattered dense patches throughout the treatment areas while reducing fuels hazards, adjusting species composition, and capturing the value of forest products. Adjusted species composition will address insect and disease issues on these sites by removing susceptible species and replacing with young and vigorous trees of preferred species such as PP, WL, white pine (WP), and others. These sites currently have low vigor with significant insect and disease attack and increasing mortality with few components suitable for retention. Stands are generally mixed conifer containing PP, WL, DF, LP and other shade-tolerant conifers (grand fir, subalpine fir), and are low to midelevation forests. VDR is primarily a treatment aimed at regeneration and resulting in open conditions, but embeds patches of no treatment, varying densities of thinned patches, and patches where trees are retained as individuals Figure 4). The most open areas would be located where insects or active root disease centers have caused mortality and stand conditions are deteriorating. The resulting openings would be variable in size ranging from 5 acres up to 100+ acre openings. Where necessary to establish regeneration, prescribed fire and fuels treatments such as piling and burning, yarding and removing, slashing and lop and scattering, or broadcast burning would take place. Post-establishment of regeneration, stocking control measures may be taken to reduce competition from natural regeneration of undesired species. Old Growth Seven areas meeting old-growth criteria 6 for the dry site cover types in project area would be treated to reduce encroaching shade-tolerant species and reduce ladder fuels (Map 5). Such understory is uncharacteristic of dry site old forests of PP, WL, and DF in western Montana, adds significant stress to old trees, and increases likelihood of crown fires that could result in stand replacement (Fischer and Bradley 1987)(Figure 5). Treatment would be comprised of slashing understory trees and designed to prepare these stands for the eventual re-introduction of fire and inherent disturbance regimes. Slash 6 Old growth criteria are those specified in Green et al. (1992). Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 25 Proposed Action

26 would be broadcast burned where practicable, otherwise piled and burned. Old-growth structural attributes such as large snags and coarse woody debris would be preserved. Figure 5. Spruce and fir encroachment in old-growth western larch, Swan Valley, MT. Broadcast Burn and Plant This treatment will be applied to approximately 57 acres previously harvested during the Six Mile Fuels Reduction Project. Except for some scattered birch, this area is not stocked. For this treatment broadcast burning will be followed by planting a mixture of PP, WL, and WP at variable spacing. Monitoring for and treatment of invasive weeds would be conducted in the year of treatment and each year after for five years. After that, monitoring would continue on a regular basis followed by weed treatment as necessary. Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area Vegetation treatments at this developed recreation site will be consistent with the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area Vegetation Plan (on file at the Swan Lake Ranger Station). Primary activities will be: 1. Some thinning along the north edge of the campground to reduce competition and increase resiliency of residual trees to insect and disease. 2. Regenerate the aspen stand southeast of the group site loop. Clearing of encroaching conifers and prescribed burning to stimulate aspen sprouting. This will require deer fencing around the regeneration plot. 3. Hand thinning around existing white pine to improve vigor. Pruning of white pine to minimize blister rust infection. 4. Thinning of ponderosa pine that was planted in the past to reduce density and risk of beetle infestation. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 26 Proposed Action

27 5. Hazard tree removal along Hall Creek in the Campground and within the center of the Day Use area, mostly cottonwoods. Removal of other hazard trees when identified. 6. Spraying for invasive species. 7. Maintaining screening along Highway 83 and between campsites and picnic sites. Hazard tree identification and mitigation will be done using protocols similar to those outlined in Cleaver et al. (2017). LANDSCAPE PATTERNS Vegetation treatments are designed to address identified landscape spatial departures (Bassman 2017). Specifically, treatments will increase average patch size, provide better structural connectivity between similar patch types, and move toward restoring size distributions of historical successional patches. These actions will contribute towards restoring natural fire regimes by allowing fire to be reintroduced to the landscape and assume its natural role. Vegetation treatments are designed to also restore characteristic tree clump and gap variation within successional patches. REFORESTATION Where regeneration treatments are proposed, a combination of natural and artificial reforestation would be planned (specifically, hand planting of desired species). Where planting occurs, species selection would be based on management direction and site characteristics. Emphasis would be placed on establishing long-lived shade-intolerant species, such as WL, PP, WP, and occasionally DF. It would be expected that some level of natural regeneration would occur in all regeneration units. PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIVITIES Prescribed fire would target and reduce existing dead and down fuels, activity generated fuels, as well as reduce competing understory trees while maintaining or increasing forage and browse. Overstory large tree mortality would be held to a minimum and would be expected to be less than 20 percent. Hand ignition would occur over most of the area. However, aerial ignition could be utilized in areas that are favorable and would provide desirable results. To reduce the potential for adverse impacts, all prescribed burns will follow a burn plan and associated prescription which describes favorable weather conditions and fuel moistures to meet objectives. Also, all burning operations will be scheduled in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding for air quality protection between the State of Montana Air Quality Bureau and the Forest Service, which allows burning only when adequate smoke dispersal will occur. Prior to conducting prescribed burns, the Swan Lake Ranger District will conduct the following activities to notify the local public of burning activities. These include but are not limited to: posting media releases via social media websites, providing information at the local Forest Service office, and preparing a list of contacts for each prescribed burn to be notified by phone, site visit, or mail. VISUAL RESOURCES The bulk of the project area falls into the Retention and Partial Retention VQOs. All Weed Lake treatments will contribute to meeting or exceeding their assigned VQOs as well as fully express the scenic character of the Swan Valley geographic unit. This will be achieved by implementing design criteria to reduce or eliminate visual evidence of management activities and ensure these activities remain subordinate the scenic character. Past vegetation harvests within the project area have resulted in areas that do not currently meet their assigned VQOs and forest plan direction. Therefore adjacent thinning units as part of the proposed action would improve the scenic integrity for those locations (Figures 6-8). Management activities off forest on Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 27 Proposed Action

28 adjacent lands also influence the scenic character of the landscape. Some of these activities have also contributed to a diminished scenic character when the entire landscape is viewed holistically. Treatment units within this project area may also improve the visual quality and scenic character of these locations by diminishing the discernable boundary between ownerships and creating a cohesive scenic landscape (Figure 9). Preliminary simulations suggest that proposed treatments will result in a landscape that meets VQOs and Forest Plan direction (Figure 10). Does not meet PR Does not meet PR Figure 6. View from Swan Lake as swan lake narrows looking northeast. Figure 7. View from Swan Lake as swan lake narrows looking southeast. Does not meet R or PR Figure 8. View from Swan Lake just east of boat launch. Off forest management activity Treatment opportunity Figure 9. View from Swan Lake and private properties at north end of project area. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 28 Proposed Action

29 Current view (Pre- Treatment) Proposed Action Summer Proposed Action Winter Figure 10. View from Swan River National Wildlife Refuge. ROAD MANAGEMENT Road Maintenance (BMPS): The objectives of road maintenance would be to reduce the concentration of subsurface and surface water runoff, minimize road surface erosion, filter ditch water before entering streams, and decrease the risk of culvert failures during peak runoff events. Maintenance work could include culvert installation, replacement of existing culverts with larger culverts, installation of drainage dips and surface water deflectors, placement of rip-rap to armor drainage structures, aggregate surface replacement, aggregate placement to reinforce wet surface areas, ditch construction and cleaning where needed, and surface blading to restore drainage efficiency of the road surface. These actions would bring the roads up to current BMP standards, better accommodate traffic and reduce deferred maintenance. Best Management Practices are required under Timber Sale Contracts prior to hauling of timber over these roads. Temporary Road Construction: Temporary roads would be constructed to the minimum standards necessary for log hauling on NFS roads. Temporary road surface width would be limited to truck bunk width plus 4 feet. Temporary roads would be rehabilitated following their use, such that they would cease to function as roads. Road Decommissioning: Decommissioning would remove NFS roads from the landscape that are no longer needed for current or future resource management, which pose a threat to water quality, or reduce wildlife security. The end of road would be fully re-contoured to the original ground slope and the disturbed soil would be seeded and fertilized. Intermittent Stored Service (ISS)/Waterproofing: Following project activities, roads placed in ISS will be thoroughly treated so that they are in a hydrologically inert state and are completely impassable to motorized vehicles. They will meet the minimum criteria for a reclaimed road as defined by Forest Plan Amendment 19, yet these ISS roads will retain a road number and stay on the road system. The proposed decommissioning and ISS decrease total motorized route density (TMRD) for the Swan Lake subunit from 26.18% to 24.27% moving toward the Forest Plan standard of 19% of the area is greater than 2.0 miles/square mile TMRD. Road decommissioning and intermittent stored service would both benefit streams in the project area and reduce TMRD in the Swan Lake Grizzly Bear Subunit. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 29 Proposed Action

30 PROJECT DESIGN CRITERIA Preliminary consideration of design features to be applied includes, but is not limited to, those detailed in Table 4. Design criteria serve to further reduce impacts to the specific resources identified. These will be subject to revision in the Environmental Assessment as needed. Abbreviations used in the responsibility section of Table 5. ARCH Archeologist HYD Hydrologist SILV Silviculturist BT Botanist IDT Interdisciplinary Team SP Sale Prep DR District Ranger LA Landscape Architect SS Soils Scientist DRC District Road Coordinator LEO Law Enforcement Officer TMC Timber Marking Crew ENG Engineer NWM Noxious Weed Manager ENT Entomologist PATH Pathologist TP Timber Sale Purchaser AFMO Assistant Fire Mgmt Officer RA Range Administrator WB Wildlife Biologist FISH Fisheries Biologist RF Resource Forester FMO Fire Management Officer SA Sale Administrator TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE GRIZZLY BEAR SECURITY Most project activities would not occur between April 1 and June 30, to minimize effects to grizzly bears during the critical spring use period. Exceptions to this restriction include prescribed burning, sale preparation, planting, and noxious weed spraying activities. Road treatments (including BMPs), slash burning and pile burning may occur during the spring period if located along open or seasonal roads. WB, SA, SP Pre & Post Sale GRIZZLY BEAR SECURITY GRIZZLY BEAR SECURITY GRIZZLY BEAR SECURITY GRIZZLY BEAR SECURITY Provisions will be included in the contract to cease activity or otherwise protect populations and individuals of threatened, endangered or sensitive species. This allows for modification of the project should an unforeseen issue(s) be identified during operations. Standard contractual requirements used in all contracts provide for modification or termination of the contract to avoid impacts and protect threatened, endangered, and sensitive species. Purchaser shall comply with the Northern Continental Divide Grizzly Bear Food Storage and Sanitation Order. BMP activities may occur during the spring season on open and seasonal roads. BMP activities on restricted roads would occur after July 1 to minimize displacement effects on grizzly bears. Exceptions to this BMP activity restriction on closed or temporary roads may be granted, in consultation with the wildlife biologist, if deemed necessary to reduce potential soil erosion and protect water quality or other resource values. If berms are removed for access to treatment units, temporary gates will be installed. Berms will be reinstalled at the conclusion of project activities. Vegetation and/or rock barriers will be retained around berms and gates, where needed, to maintain closure effectiveness. SP, SA, TMC, WB SA, WB ENG, SP, SA, WB ENG, SA, WB Pre & Post Sale Pre & Post Sale Pre & Post Sale Pre & Post Sale Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 30 Proposed Action

31 TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE Intermittent stored service roads will be thoroughly treated so that they are completely impassable to motorized vehicles and meet the minimum criteria for a reclaimed road as defined by forest plan amendment 19. ISS roads 9508B, 9508A, 10529, and decommissioning end of will all meet the reclaimed definition under A19. GRIZZLY BEAR SECURITY The intent will be that intermittent stored service treatments will no longer function as roads, yet these roads will retain a road number and stay on the road system. Intermittent stored service roads will continue to have a legal closure order. Intermittent stored service roads will receive the following treatments: The entire road will receive treatment such that maintenance or entries to maintain road drainage is not needed. Culverts aligned with stream channels will be removed. Road related sediment sources will be repaired and road reworked to eliminate ditch water flow without the aid of cross drain culverts. Typically this is achieved by cutting waterbars into the ditch line every 200 feet. Waterbars can be placed closer or further apart depending on site specific conditions and are typically installed 50 feet above grade or near existing cross drains. The first portion of the road (200 to 600 feet) will be recontoured to the original hillslope. In level topography where recontouring is not feasible, rock barriers or berms and placement of natural debris will be used to make the road junction unattractive as a travel way and preclude motorized or nonmotorized use on the remainder of the first portion of road (first 200 to 600 feet). Beyond the first portion of the road (200 to 600 feet), the roadway will be treated to discourage use including sporadic placement of natural debris where available and seeding or planting to encourage re-vegetation. ENG, SA, WB Pre & Post Sale GRIZZLY BEAR SECURITY; GENERAL WILDLIFE SECURITY GRIZZLY BEAR SECURITY; GENERAL WILDLIFE SECURITY WILDLIFE, FISH, AND PLANTS TES Regeneration units will be designed so that no point in the unit is more than 600 feet from cover; in other words, an animal in the unit would be able to find cover anywhere in the unit within 600 feet or less. When harvest units are located adjacent to natural or manmade openings, hiding cover will be maintained on approximately 75 percent of the openings perimeter. Visual screening will be retained adjacent to open roads in proposed cutting units. Provisions will be included in the contract to cease activity or otherwise protect populations and individuals of threatened, endangered or sensitive species. This allows for modification of the project should an unforeseen issue(s) be identified during operations. Standard contractual requirements used in all contracts provide for modification or termination of the contract to avoid impacts and protect TE and sensitive species. SP, WB SP, SA, TMC, WB WB, SA, SILV, BT, FISH Pre & Post Sale Pre & Post Sale Contract Prep & During Harvest Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 31 Proposed Action

32 LYNX HABITAT The following objectives, standards and guidelines apply to management projects in lynx habitat: Standard All S1 Vegetation management projects must maintain habitat connectivity in a Lynx Analysis Unit (LAU). Standard VEG S1 Stand Initiation Structural Stage Limits Projects within WUI, as defined by HFRA with a fuels treatment component are subject to the following limitations: Fuels Treatment projects with WUI that do not meet Standards VEG S1, VEG S2, VEG S5 and VEG S6 may occur on no more than 6 percent (cumulatively) of lynx habitat on each Administrative Unit (National Forest). Standard VEG S2 Limits on Regeneration From Timber Management Projects - Projects within WUI, as defined by HFRA with a fuels treatment component are subject to the following limitations: Fuels Treatment projects with WUI that do not meet Standards VEG S1, VEG S2, VEG S5 and VEG S6 may occur on no more than 6 percent (cumulatively) of lynx habitat on each Administrative Unit (National Forest). In addition, Timber management projects shall not generate more than 15 percent of lynx habitat on NFS lands in an LAU in a 10 year period. Standard VEG S5 Precommercial Thinning Limits - Fuels Treatment projects with WUI that do not meet Standards VEG S1, VEG S2, VEG S5 and VEG S6 may occur on no more than 6 percent (cumulatively) of lynx habitat on each Administrative Unit (National Forest). In addition, proposed activities that reduce snowshoe hare habitat, may occur from the stand initiation structural stage until the stands no longer provide winter snowshoe hare habitat only if: Within 200 feet of administration sites. If a project is not likely to adversely affect lynx or: If a project is likely to have short-term adverse effects on lynx or its habitat, but would result in long-term benefits to lynx and its habitat. For daylight thinning of planted rust-resistant white pine where 80% of the winter snowshoe hare habitat is retained or: To restore whitebark pine. Standard VEG S6 Multi-storied Stands and Snowshoe Hare Horizontal Cover - Fuels Treatment projects with WUI that do not meet Standards VEG S1, VEG S2, VEG S5 and VEG S6 may occur on no more than 6 percent (cumulatively) of lynx habitat on each Administrative Unit (National Forest). In addition, In addition, proposed activities that reduce snowshoe hare habitat, may occur in multi-story mature or late successional forests only if: Within 200 feet of administration sites. Harvest has the potential to improve winter snowshoe hare habitat but presently have poorly developed understories that lack the dense horizontal cover. Guidelines VEG G1 Lynx Habitat Improvement Vegetation management projects should be planned to recruit a high density of conifers, hardwoods and shrubs where such habitat is scarce or not available. Priority should be given to Stem-Exclusion, closed canopy structural stage stands for lynx and their prey (e.g. mesic, monotypic lodgepole stands) Guideline VEG G10 Fuel Treatments in WUI Fuel treatment projects in WUI as defined by HFRA, should be designed considering standards VEG S1, S2, S5, and S6 to promote lynx conservation. SP, SA, TMC, WB Contract Prep, During Harvest, Pre & Post Sale Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 32 Proposed Action

33 TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE Guideline VEG G11 Denning habitat should be distributed in each LAU in the form of pockets of large amounts of large woody debris. Proposed activities will be designed to retain some coarse woody debris and piles. WILDLIFE TES WILDLIFE TES WILDLIFE - SECURITY WILDLIFE - SECURITY WILDLIFE SECURITY SNAG RETENTION FOR SNAG ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE SPECIES AND FOR FOREST VEGETATION RETENTION OF DOWN WOODY MATERIAL FOR DOWN WOODY HABITAT ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE SPECIES AND FOR FOREST VEGETATION HARDWOOD RETENTION FOR ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE SPECIES AND FOR FOREST VEGETATION PROTECT SITE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY PROTECT SITE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY Public motorized access will be prohibited on roads and skid trails currently closed to public motorized use. Contractors working under contract on Forest Service lands are prohibited from hunting, transporting hunters, or transporting game on roads closed to public motorized use. Where available within commercial thinning and improvement cut units, retain and protect live submerchantable trees in patches/clumps on approximately 10% of unit acreage and all hardwoods. Favor subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce or Douglas fir. Patches should be evenly distributed across the unit. Vegetation and/or rock barriers will be retained around berms and gates, where needed, to maintain closure effectiveness. If berms are removed for access to treatment units, temporary gates will be installed. Berms will be re-installed at the conclusion of project activities. In treatment units, where available, a minimum average of six snags per acre that are 12 to 20 inches d.b.h. would be left, and all snags greater than 20 inches would be left. If existing snag densities are below these densities, substitute live trees would be left. If existing large snag (greater than 20 inches d.b.h.) are below two per acre, substitute five live replacement trees (greater or equal to12 inches d.b.h.) for each large snag. All standing dead western larch, ponderosa pine, and Douglas-fir trees 16 inches d.b.h. or greater would be retained. Generally, snags to be left would be further than 150 feet from open roads and private land boundaries. Snags that pose a safety hazard to the contractor s operation would be felled and left on site. The minimum retention for down woody material will be approximately 10 tons per acre, where available. To achieve the tonnage required, retain (where it exists) down woody material in the longest material available (e.g., 16 feet long or longer) and retain the woody debris in the largest diameters available (e.g., 15 inches DBH or greater), sufficient to achieve the tons per acre. All hardwood trees will be reserved where feasible. Except that aspen in the Swan Lake Campground will be coppiced to revitalize these stands as specified in the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area Vegetation Management Plan. All mechanized units that remove commercial products would be logged using designated skid trails. Equipment would occasionally leave the trails to access trees or accomplish other activities. Skid trail spacing must average at least 75 feet in all tractor harvest units. If a cut-to-length system is used, with a harvester and forwarder, 50 feet spacing of skid trails will be specified. The goal is to occupy less than 15 percent of the treatment area including soil disturbance from skid trails, temporary roads and landings associated with past and proposed activities. WB, SA, DRC SA, LEO, WB WB, SA, TMC, SP DRC, SA, WB SB, SA, DRC SILV, WB, SP, SA, TP SILV, WB, SP, SA, TP SILV, SA, TP, SP Pre & Post Sale, During Harvest Pre & Post Sale, During Harvest Pre & Post Sale Pre & Post Sale, During Harvest Pre & Post Sale, During Harvest Pre & Post Sale, During Harvest Pre & Post Sale, During Harvest Pre & Post Sale, During Harvest During Harvest Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 33 Proposed Action SA SA, SP, SS Pre & Post Sale, During Harvest

34 TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE PROTECT SITE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVE SOIL CONDITION, PROTECT FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT,REDUCE THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES, AND PROTECT WATER QUALITY PROTECT SITE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY PROTECT SITE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY PROTECT SITE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY PROTECT SITE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY PROTECT SITE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY PROTECT SITE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY FOREST VEGETATION FOREST VEGETATION FOREST VEGETATION (LEAVE TREE PROTECTION) Winter logging requires that there be enough snow to prevent muddy water from mixing into the snow where equipment operates. This would require about 10 inches of snow. The depth of snow varies with the snow conditions. It takes more dry powder snow than wet dense snow to protect the soil surface. All temporary roads constructed and used for project activities would be rehabilitated by any siteappropriate combination of the following: Treating for noxious weeds two weeks prior to road rehabilitation activities. Removing any installed culverts or temporary bridges. Recontouring the entire template to natural ground contour, Where recontouring is not appropriate because of potential resource impacts, scarify with excavator teeth to a depth equal sufficient to ameliorate the presence of detrimental soil compaction (usually between 2 and 12 inches), Seeding with the native plant mix as specified by the Forest Botanist, Placing woody material and soil inoculum on template Planting native shrubs/trees to augment natural vegetation. Following rehabilitation activities these roads will cease to function as roads. All existing roads and skid trails would be reused to the extent feasible unless doing so would adversely affect soil, water or other resources. If roads or trails cannot be reused, their extent and location must be considered when laying out additional skid trails. Logging would occur when soils are dry as determined by the hand feel method. Sale administrators would monitor soil moisture conditions prior to allowing equipment to begin operations in summer. This monitoring must be documented in the Timber Sale Daily Report. All mechanical fuel reduction will be accomplished with excavators or similar track based mastication equipment. Excavators will, to the extent feasible, remain on skid trails. Prescribed burning prescriptions would be prepared and implemented to not exceed moderate burn severity conditions. Decommission the end of by removing all installed culverts and recontouring the entire template to natural ground contour. Seed with native plant mix as specified by the forest botanist and place woody material and soil inoculum on the road template. Prepare detailed site-specific silvicultural prescription for all treatment areas requiring vegetation manipulation Consult with Project Silviculturist where treatment deviations are required during contract execution, as a result of changed or unidentified conditions that materially affect the intended treatment as described in the detailed site specific silvicultural prescription. As needed, the silvicultural prescription will be modified and re-approved by a certified silviculturist. Contractor will take all reasonable care to avoid damage to the roots, bole, and crown of trees to be reserved from cutting. No more than 5 percent of the trees designated to be reserved should be damaged beyond recovery by the Contractor s operations. Any tree damaged beyond recovery, (will die within 1 year due to damage), can be removed or otherwise treated by the Contractor as instructed by the Forest Service. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 34 Proposed Action SA, SS SA, SS, TP, BT, NWM SA, SP, SS SA SA SA FMO, AFMO ENG, SA SILV SILV, TSA, SP, FMO TP, TSA, SILV During Harvest Post-Sale Pre & Post Sale, During Harvest During Harvest Pre-Sale During Harvest Post Sale Post Sale Prior to presale activities Pre, During, and Post-Harvest Pre, During, and Post -Harvest

35 TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE CONTROL SPREAD AND REDUCE POTENTIAL SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS Re-establish vegetation on bare ground created by road decommissioning or timber harvest activity. Seed landings, decommissioned roads and ISS roads, temporary roads, and disturbed roadsides with a certified grass ground cover (seed mix of native plants will be specified by the Forest Botanist), either in the spring or the late fall (to enable the best chance of success) after disturbance to provide for site protection until native species are established. SA, BT, DRC Post-Sale CONTROL SPREAD AND REDUCE POTENTIAL SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS Intermittent stored service and decommissioned roads not used as haul routes will require treatment of noxious weeds two weeks prior to ground disturbing activities and disturbed areas will be seeded following active work. ENG, BOT Pre-ISS CONTROL SPREAD AND REDUCE POTENTIAL SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS Intermittent stored service of impassible roads should be seeded with native mix prior to barrier installation if funding is available. BOT Pre-ISS CONTROL SPREAD AND REDUCE POTENTIAL SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS Equipment use associated with timber harvest and road maintenance (excluding pickups and trucks used to remove forest products) would be power scrubbed or steam cleaned on the undercarriage and chassis before transport to the project area. This cleaning shall remove all soil, plant parts, seeds, vegetative matter, or other debris that could contain or hold seeds. All subsequent entries of equipment to the project area shall be treated in the same manner as the initial entry. Off-road equipment includes all logging and construction machinery, except for log trucks, chip vans, service vehicles, water trucks, pickup trucks, cars, and similar vehicles. SA, TP Pre-Harvest CONTROL SPREAD AND REDUCE POTENTIAL SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS CONTROL SPREAD AND REDUCE POTENTIAL SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS CONTROL SPREAD AND REDUCE POTENTIAL SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS PUBLIC SAFETY As funding allows, survey and monitor for weeds in all ground-disturbed areas in treatment units (slash piles, exposed soil from excavator tracks, skid trails), roads, and temporary roads. Monitoring would occur for at least 3 years following proposed action. Spray weeds along designated Forest Road haul routes (prism) and disturbed areas. Existing roads within the project boundary would be identified for noxious weed treatment. Specific roads and mileage to be treated would be prepared in consultation with the Forest Weeds Coordinator. Road prism is the road and associated toe of the fill to the top of the cut slope, including the running surface and turnouts. However, when a contiguous patch of weeds extends beyond the road prism, the area beyond the road prism shall be treated via force account or other means. Spraying of appropriate herbicides would occur pre- and post-haul, during the periods from June 1 to July 15 or September 1 to September 30. Roads would be monitored after initial treatment, and additional treatments would be the responsibility of the Forest. Treatment of invasive plants would be consistent with the strategy outlined in the Noxious and Invasive Weed Control Environmental Assessment (March 2001). The Noxious Weeds Manager or Forest Botanist will, if necessary, provide noxious weed material to sale administrators and contractors identifying the Forest s target species and recommended control measures. Appropriate signing or other cautionary measures will be implemented in conjunction with prescribed burning and commercial harvest operations to ensure public safety. Public notice will be given prior to prescribed burning and commercial harvest activities. BT, NWM SA, TP NWM, BT SA, FMO Post-Sale Post-Sale Post Sale Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 35 Proposed Action

36 TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE Temporary closure of Trail #27 would be implemented during felling and skidding operations. Temporary closure of Trail #10 from the Six Mile Trailhead to the Junction with Trail #27 would be PUBLIC SAFETY implemented during felling and skidding operations. SA, TP, ENG, During Project Temporary closure encompassing Trail #27 would be implemented during construction of temporary RF Implementation roads and during decommissioning activities. Temporary closure of Trail #10 from the Six Mile Trailhead to the junction with Trail #27 would be implemented during construction of temporary roads and during decommissioning activities. PROTECT TRAIL INTEGRITY Non-motorized trails would be shown as protected improvements on timber sale maps. Project administrators would ensure protection of trails during project implementation. Skid trails crossing Trail #10 and Trail #27 would cross the trails in a perpendicular manner to the extent feasible. In all treatment units encompassing or adjacent to Trail #10 and Trail #27, all slash and debris would be removed from within 20 ft. of the trail tread post-operations. Any damage done to the trails would be repaired, thus returning the trails as near as possible to their original condition. The Forest Landscape Architect or designee will work with the district personnel, primarily silviculturist, presale forester, and fuels manager on treatment prescriptions and marking guides, specifically in areas where proposed treatments fall within viewing areas that are sensitive for scenic objectives. SA, RF, TP During Project Implementation ENSURE FOREST PLAN MA AND VQOS ARE MET Shape individual units, to the extent feasible (economically and technically), to create a natural appearing unit. Treatment units should avoid symmetrical shapes, straight lines and angles, disproportionate (to surrounding untreated units) opening and cluster sizes, and artificial lines and patterns. Additionally treatments should follow natural topographic breaks, natural changes in vegetation and treat the entire landform as much as possible. In created openings, to the extent feasible (economically and technically), use irregular shaped openings with grouped leave tree islands to reduce visual contrast to untreated areas. Feather edges to minimize introducing straight lines or corners within treatment units and between treated untreated areas. LA, SILV, SA, SP Pre-Sale Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 36 Proposed Action

37 TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE Mask any boundary or otherwise reduce impacts of leave tree marking clearly visible from sensitive viewing locations (Highway 83, private properties, Swan Lake, Swan Lake Campground). It would generally not be necessary to extend this treatment further than about 100 feet from the boundary edge. REDUCE IMMEDIATE FOREGROUND AND FOREGROUND VISUAL IMPACTS TO VISUALLY SENSITIVE AREAS REDUCE MIDDLEGROUND VISUAL IMPACTS TO VISUALLY SENSITIVE AREAS MEET REQUIREMENTS OF MA5 AND MA7 FOR REGENERATION HARVEST UNITS MEET RETENTION VQO FOR UNITS IN MA5 AND PARTIAL RETENTION VQO FOR UNITS IN MA7 AND MA9 To the extent feasible (technically and economically) do not locate landings immediately adjacent to sensitive viewsheds, Highway 83, private properties, Swan Lake, Swan Lake campground. If sited within the viewshed, landing clean up should be more thorough than may ordinarily occur, specifically the burning of the debris in landing piles should be nearly complete, with repiling/reburning occurring if it burned poorly the first time and left unsightly "bones". Slash piles visible from roadside shall be removed or burned upon unit completion. Maintain 12-inch or less stumps (flush cut if feasible) within 100 feet of Highway 83, private properties, Swan Lake, Swan Lake campground. Reduced slash impacts visible from Highway 83, private properties, Swan Lake, Swan Lake campground (generally within 100 feet of the aforementioned). Slash, root wads, and other debris will be removed, buried, burned, chipped or lopped to a height of 2 feet or less. In units directly adjacent to Highway 83, private properties, Swan Lake, Swan Lake campground progressively increase the leave tree density in this zone from the center of the unit out towards these sensitive locations. To reduce the visual contrast, where feasible (technically and economically) minimize the number of skyline corridors and keep them as narrow as possible. Align corridors so they are less visible. Where feasible select skyline systems with lateral yarding capabilities. Where feasible designate skyline corridors after felling trees (avoid regular spaced widths between corridors) and/or, avoid skyline corridors on alignments perpendicular to Highway 83, private properties, Swan Lake, Swan Lake campground. Use irregular clumping to create mosaic landscape character on edges of skyline corridors, use open areas adjacent to corridors. This may mean progressively increasing the leave tree density moving out and away from the corridor. During tree marking, if openings greater than a half-acre are created, feather the edges. If feasible, retain leave trees in denser groups where the crown of trees would screen the access road and landings as seen from below. The Forest Landscape Architect will complete a visual analysis of all units within MA7 before implementation of the project. Units may change as a result of this analysis. Even-aged regeneration harvest units will generally not exceed 10 acres in size. Match the scale, shape, edges and texture of the surrounding landscape. The landscape architect shall work with the silviculturist and presale forester to design these units. SP, SA, LA. FMO SP, SA, LA SP, SA, SILV, LA SP, SA, SILV, LA Pre and Post Sale, During Harvest Pre and Post Sale, During Harvest Pre-Sale, During Harvest Pre-Sale, During Harvest Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 37 Proposed Action

38 TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE No treatments will occur within the Riparian Habitat Conservation Area (RHCA) buffers placed around mapped or unmapped seeps, intermittent and perennial streams, ponds, lakes, wetlands, and landslide prone areas. The minimum RHCA buffer widths around water features will be: 300 feet distance from fish bearing streams (a total of 600 feet including both sides of the stream channel). 150 feet distance from perennial non-fish bearing streams and seeps (a total of 300 feet AQUATICS PROTECT FISH including both sides of the seep or stream channel). Pre & Post Sale, SA, SP, FISH, HABITAT, WATER QUALITY AND During Harvest 50 feet from intermittent streams AFMO SENSITIVE PLANT SPECIES. 100 feet distance from edge of landslide prone areas. 150 feet from edge of lakes or wetlands greater than 1 acre (edge is defined as ordinary high water mark). 50 feet from wetlands less than one acre 150 feet from Highway 83 AQUATICS PROTECT FISH HABITAT AND PROTECT WATER QUALITY AQUATICS PROTECT FISH HABITAT AND PROTECT WATER QUALITY Best Management Practices will be installed on all NFS roads identified for haul prior to timber harvest. Best management practices are defined by Soil & Water Conservation Practices in FSH Best Management Practices for temporary roads shall follow the National Core BMP Technical Guide Volume 1: Standard Road-5. This does not require advanced engineering design prior to construction. Temporary roads shall be built with erosion and storm water controls as necessary. Roads shall be regularly inspected to be sure erosion and storm water controls are functional and properly maintained. Temporary stream crossings will be installed as needed. Unless otherwise approved by the designated soil scientist, engineer and/or hydrologist, construction activities shall avoid winter operations and periods of substantial precipitation. FISH, HYD, ENG, DRC FISH, HYD, ENG, DRC Pre-Sale Pre and Post Sale, During Harvest PROTECT AIR QUALITY PRESCRIBED FIRE All prescribed burning would comply with the Smoke Management Plan prepared by the Montana Air Quality Bureau and administered by the Montana State Airshed Group through a Memorandum of Understanding. The USDA Forest Service is a member of the Montana/Idaho State Airshed Group. This coordination ensures that during project implementation burning only occurs under conditions that would protect air quality and meet state and national standards. All prescribed burning requires a permit from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the burn must be implemented within the regulatory framework. AFMO, FMO AFMO, FMO During Burning Prior to Burning Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 38 Proposed Action

39 TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE Appropriate signing or other cautionary measures will be implemented in conjunction with prescribed burning and commercial harvest operations to ensure public safety. Public notice will be given prior to prescribed burning and commercial harvest activities. PRESCRIBED FIRE (PUBLIC SAFETY) PRESCRIBED FIRE (VISUALS) PRESCRIBED FIRE (AQUATICS) PRESCRIBED FIRE (PROTECT OLD TREES) PRESCRIBED FIRE (PROTECT SITE PRODUCTIVITY) ENSURE LARGE TREE RETENTION AND/OR PROTECT OLD GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS PROTECT OLD TREES, LATE SUCCESSION OLD FORESTS AND OLD GROWTH RECRUITMENT PROTECT LATE SUCCESSION OLD FORESTS AND OLD GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS Burn plans will be prepared prior to the use of prescribed fire. These plans will determine the environmental conditions and resources necessary to control fire intensity to minimize the possibility of escape. Prior to conducting prescribed burns, the Swan Lake Ranger District will conduct the following activities to notify the local public of burning activities. These include but are not limited to: posting news releases on social media sites, displaying maps and burn information at the local Forest Service office, and prepare a list of contacts for each prescribed burn to be notified by phone, site visit, or mail. If sited within the viewshed, landing clean up should be more thorough than may ordinarily occur, specifically the burning of the debris in landing piles should be nearly complete, with repiling/reburning occurring if it burned poorly the first time and left unsightly "bones". Slash piles visible from open roadsides shall be removed or burned upon unit completion. Broadcast burn Ignition will not occur within the RHCAs in the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area or the Broadcast Burn and Plant Treatment Unit (#11), but fire may be allowed to back through these areas. Pile burning may occur in the Swan Lake Campground and Day Use Area. In understory slashing treatments, directionally fell trees <7 inches diameter at breast height away from large diameter relict trees and snags. Prescribed burning prescriptions will be prepared to determine the limits of weather conditions and fuel moistures to minimize overstory and large tree mortality to less than 20 percent. When needed to achieve fuel reduction objectives and limit mortality, raking duff, slash rearrangement, or other measures should be undertaken prior to burning. Where deemed necessary by a Silviculturist, measures will be taken to protect at-risk and/or large diameter (e.g., 18 + dbh) trees from excessive crown and bole scorch to the extent feasible to avoid unintentional mortality. This may include: leave tree protection, delayed burning, hand pile and burning or no burning. Silvicultural prescriptions will favor the retention of the largest, healthiest dominant/codominant trees to the degree possible to meet unit objectives. To ensure this, a Certified Silviculturist will prepare or review site-specific prescriptions, marking guides and approve on-the-ground tree marking. Sitespecific silvicultural prescriptions and/or marking guides may include terminology that further define this specification in order to meet this objective. This will retain large, healthy trees to the degree the practice is consistent with the objective of maintaining old growth, recruiting old growth, or restoring a given stand. In Douglas-fir old growth, the presence of root disease would be evaluated before treatment by a Silviculturist and/or Pathologist. Any type of partial cutting in root diseased stands can increase root disease severity, spread, and tree mortality. Treatments that would exacerbate root disease and AFMO, FMO AFMO, FMO AFMO, FMO AFMO, FMO AFMO, FMO SILV, AFMO SILV SILV, PATH Prior to Burning After Burning During Burning Prior to, during, following Burning activities Prior to Burning Prior to Burning Pre-Sale Pre-Sale Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 39 Proposed Action

40 TABLE 5. MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CRITERIA. OBJECTIVE TASK RESPONSIBILITY DUE DATE likely result in greater than incidental large tree mortality, windthrow, or breakage would be omitted or modified. ENSURE LARGE TREE RETENTION AND/OR PROTECT LATE SUCCESSION OLD FORESTS AND OLD GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS ENSURE LARGE TREE RETENTION AND/OR PROTECT LATE SUCCESSION OLD FORESTS AND OLD GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS ENSURE LARGE TREE RETENTION AND/OR PROTECT LATE SUCCESSION OLD FORESTS AND OLD GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS PROTECT OLD GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS Avoid removal of relic large diameter ponderosa pine and western larch (Ie.g, >20 dbh) to the extent possible when locating landings, skid trails and skyline corridors. In old growth, prescribed burning silvicultural prescriptions would be developed following a stand exam by a Silviculturist and/or entomologist/pathologist and designed to avoid unintended consequences due to pathogens (root disease, bark beetles). Douglas-fir beetle outbreaks are usually triggered by a disturbance such as windthrow, fire scorch, or defoliation. MCH (an anti-aggregate pheromone) may be used to protect individual trees and stands from Douglas-fir beetle that would adversely impact the objective of large tree retention. It can be used for short term protection (resistance) but is a temporary approach and should not applied until stand conditions are less susceptible. MCH application is the only way to ensure stands with root disease, large Douglas-fir trees, and fire scorch are resistant to bark beetle attack. SILV, SA, SP SILV, PATH, ENT, AFMO SILV, PATH, ENT, AFMO Pre and Post Sale, During Harvest Prior to Burning Prior to Burning Old-growth criteria per Green and others (1992, errata 2011) will be monitored post-treatment. SILV Post-treatment Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 40 Proposed Action

41 REFERENCES Agee, J.K The landscape ecology of western forest fire regimes. Northwest Science 72 (special issue): Agee, J.K.; Lehmkuhl, J.F Dry forests of the Northeastern Cascades fire and fire surrogate project site, Mission Creek, Okanagan-Wenatchee National Forest. Research Paper PNW-RP-577. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, Oregon. 158 pp. Bassman, J.H Spatial and reference condition departure analysis for the Weed Lake Project Area. USDA Forest Service, Flathead National Forest, Bigfork, Montana. 81 pp. Bassman, J.H.; Johnson, J.D.; Fins, L.; Dobrowolski, J.P Rocky Mountain Ecosystems: Diversity, complexity and interactions. Tree Physiology 23: Cleaver, C.; Guyon, J.; Jackson, M.B. [and others] A Guide to Identifying, Assessing, and Managing Hazard Trees in Recreational Settings in the Northern and Intermountain Regions, U.S.D.A. Forest Service. R1-17- xx. USDA Forest Service, Northern and Intermountain Regions, Missoula, Montana. 75 pp. Fischer, W.C.; Bradley, A.F Fire ecology of western Montana forest habitat types. General Technical Report INT-223. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. 95 pp. Franklin, J.F.; Berg, D.R.; Thornburgh, D.A.; Tappeiner, J.C Alternative silvicultural approaches to timber harvesting: Variable Rention Harvest Systems. Pp In: Kohm, K.A.; Franklin, J.F., eds. Creating Forestry for the 21st Century. The Science of Ecosystem Management. Washington, D.C.: The Island Press. pp. Green, P.; Joy, J.; Sirucek, D. [and others] Old-growth forest types of the Northern Region. R-1 SES. USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, Missoula, MT. 62 pp. Hann, W.J.; Shlisky, A.; Havlina, D. [and others] Interagency Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) Guidebook. Version 3.0. USDA Forest Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, The Nature Conservancy, and Systems for Environmental Management, pp. Hardy, C.C Wildland fire hazardand risk: Problems, definition, and context. Forest Eccology and Management 211: Hessburg, P.F.; Churchill, D.J.; Larson, A.J. [and others] Restoring fire-prone Inland Pacific landscapes: seven core principles. Landscape Ecology 30: Hessburg, P.F.; Reynolds, K.M.; Salter, R.B. [and others] Landscape evaluation for restoration planning on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, USA. Sustainability 5: Jackson, M.B.; Sturdevant, N. 2017a. Evaluation of Diseases and Insects in the Weed Lake Restoration Area (Flathead NF). Report Number MFO-TR USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Missoula, Montana. 12 pp. Jackson, M.B.; Sturdevant, N. 2017b. Swan Lake Campground (Flathead National Forest). Report Number MFO-TR USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Missoula, Montana. 5 pp. Keane, R.E.; Ryan, K.C.; Veblen, T.T. [and others] Cascading effects of fire exclusion in Rocky Mountain ecosystems: A literature review. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-91. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, Colorado. 24 pp. Larson, A.J.; Churchill, D Tree spatial patterns in fire-frequent forests of western North America, including mechanisms of pattern formation and implications for designing fuel reduction and restoration treatments. Forest Ecology and Management 267: Peterson, G.D Contagious disturbance, ecological memory, and the emergence of landscape pattern. Ecosystems 5: Ryan, K.C.; Opperman, T.S LANDFIRE - A national vegetation/fuels data base for use in fuels treatment, restoration, and supression planning. Forest Eccology and Management 294: USDA Forest Service Landscape Aesthetics: A Handbook for Scenery Management. AGriculture Handbook 701. United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. pp. USDA Forest Service Flathead National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Amended). USDA Forest Service, Flathead National Forest, Kalispell, Montana pp. Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 41 Purpose, Need, and Proposed Action

42 Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 42 Purpose, Need, and Proposed Action

43 Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 43 Purpose, Need, and Proposed Action

44 Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 44 Purpose, Need, and Proposed Action

45 Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 45 Purpose, Need, and Proposed Action

46 Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 46 Purpose, Need, and Proposed Action

47 Weed Lake Landscape Restoration Project 47 Purpose, Need, and Proposed Action