White Spruce Assessment Public Scoping Package

Transcription

1 White Spruce Assessment Public Scoping Package Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace Ranger Districts Hiawatha National Forest

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3 Introduction The Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace Ranger Districts of the Hiawatha National Forest (HIF) are proposing salvage operations on approximately 910 acres of dead and dying white spruce plantations, located within Chippewa and Mackinac Counties, Michigan. This document contains information about the proposed project, which is provided to the public to allow for specific comments about the proposed activities. Information contained in this package includes background information, the purpose and need, the proposed action, known mitigation measures, and maps of the proposed action. The Forest Service will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to analyze and disclose the environmental impacts of proposed activities and corresponding alternatives within the project area that may be developed as a result of the scoping process. More detailed information about the environmental effects will be provided, and aspects of the proposed action may change as part of EA development. The primary purpose of the project is to salvage dead and dying white spruce plantations that have been, or are currently being, severely impacted by the ongoing spruce budworm outbreak. This outbreak began around 2009 and has continued to naturally spread causing die back and mortality in many areas that contain white spruce and balsam fir. Stands proposed for treatment are dense white spruce plantations that are generally outside normal stocking parameters. This has led to an increase in susceptibility and subsequent mortality from spruce budworm attacks. Areas proposed for treatment are white spruce plantations that, if catastrophically impacted by insect infestation, would likely not regenerate to minimal stocking requirements naturally. Other impacted areas will be left for natural succession to take place because their diversity would allow them to recover naturally to minimal stocking requirements. Photo of a dead and dying white spruce plantation taken November 2015, Compartment 71 stand 39 3

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5 Specifically, the purpose and need for this project includes: Salvage Dead and Dying White Spruce from plantations: Wood products need to be provided to the regional economy. Dead and dying spruce can be salvaged in order to provide commercial wood products to the regional economy. Harvesting should take place quickly as spruce deteriorates fast and rapidly loses salvage value (FP pg.2-10 Forest Products: goal 1). Improve the diversity, health and resiliency of stands: Diseased white spruce plantations need to be converted into diverse stands of native timber species that are at appropriate stocking levels. These stands are in decline due to spruce budworm defoliation and mortality. Conversion will optimize growth, help provide resiliency for future forest health issues, and contribute toward overall ecosystem sustainability. This is needed to ensure that stands are fully stocked for the future, to meet NFMA requirements, and to move the area towards Forest Plan vegetation composition goals (FP pg Vegetation Management: Goals 1, 2, 3). Fuels Management: Hazardous fuels conditions occur and will continue to develop as a result of widespread mortality in dense white spruce plantations. Surface fuel loading may also increase on sites where whole tree harvesting is not implemented. These conditions around buildings, utility corridors and roads need to be modified in order to maintain public safety and reduce the risk of loss due to wildfire. Approximately 455 acres of this project occur within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). Fuel loading on sites with high mortality and where whole tree harvesting does not occur needs to be modified to allow for successful regeneration activities to take place (FP pg Fuel Management: Goals 1, 2, 4). Transportation System: Access to the stands outlined in the proposed action needs to be improved or developed to provide a structurally adequate, safe, and environmentally sound system to meet management needs. This will include: temporary road building and decommissioning, road maintenance, and reconstruction of existing roads (FP pg Transportation System: Goal 1). Proposed Action An Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) has developed a proposed action that would conduct salvage operations and associated activities on approximately 910 acres (31 stands) of dead and dying white spruce plantations. Proposed commercial treatments include approximately: 714 acres of even-aged regeneration (clearcutting & shelterwood) and 193 acres of variable retention harvesting. Reforestation activities will occur on approximately 900 acres of the 940 acres harvested, with 875 acres being planted and natural regeneration occurring on 25 acres. The following species will be emphasized during planting: jack pine (67 acres), red pine (400 acres), white pine (341 acres), mixed white pine/red pine (117 acres). Hemlock will be planted as a minor component in stands receiving shelterwood treatments. Site preparation, if needed, will generally consist of mechanical site preparation using a bracke mechanical scarifier or furrow plowing. Prescribed burning may be used prior to site preparation to reduce fuel loading and aid in reforestation. Whole tree harvesting of spruce will be proposed in stands where soil conditions allow. An emphasis will be made to harvest these stands immediately due to current and worsening stand conditions. Road reconstruction is proposed where work is necessary to repair or restore a road to its management objective. This work could include clearing and grubbing, roadbed reshaping, placing aggregate, 5

6 replacing culverts, and providing adequate intersections and turnarounds. Reconstruction may also include horizontal and vertical realignment to improve sight distance and construction of turnouts. Temporary road construction would occur where permanent roads are not needed for future management. All temporary roads would be obliterated upon completion of vegetative management activities. Portions of Forest System Roads 3083, 3144E and 3159I may be used during project implementation then decommissioned after use. Road decommissioning may include removing culverts, eliminating ditches, outsloping the roadbed, removing ruts and berms, seeding, tree planting, and stabilizing the roadbed and slopes. Road decommissioning may also include piling slash and stumps on the abandoned roadbed to further discourage motor vehicle use. Table 1 Proposed Action Summary Approximate Acres (ac) or Miles (mi) or Structures (stru)* Treatment Comment 574 ac Clearcut with reserve trees 22 stands 138 ac Shelterwood Establishment 7 stands 193 ac Variable Retention harvest 6 stands 0.88 mi Road Decommissioning Portions of 3 system roads to be decommissioned after use 0.47 mi Road reconstruction Portions of FR-3081 and FR mi Temporary Road Construction Two temporary roads 0.38 mi Temporary Landings 10 temporary landings * These are preliminary estimates and may change as the proposed action is refined further as part of the EA. 6

7 Table 2- MAs, acres of Forest Service land, and primary purpose within the White Spruce Assessment project area. See Management Areas map. MA Acres Hiawatha Forest Plan Management Area Emphasis Summary Older forest management for uneven-age hardwoods and high quality sawlogs. Dispersed and developed recreation Conifer management for sawlog production and non-game wildlife Older forest management for conifer sawlogs, wetland plant communities, deeryards and upland and lowland wildlife habitat. Dispersed recreation Game and non-game wildlife habitat; waterfowl and wetland habitat. Semi-primitive motorized (SPM) recreation and access to hunting and fishing areas. Even and uneven-aged timber management East Branch Tahquamenon Congressionally-designated Wild & Scenic River Corridors Design Criteria In addition to Forest Plan standards and guidelines, the following general design criteria would be applied to all action alternatives. These design criteria are intended to improve the quality of or reduce the impacts of the actions and address issues resulting from internal scoping. Additional design criteria may be added as the EA is further developed and as new information becomes available. Terrestrial Wildlife Threatened, Endangered, or Sensitive (TES) species would be protected using appropriate reserve areas, seasonal restrictions, or other measures. Protection measures for new TES occurrences would be reviewed on a site-specific basis. Implement current northern goshawk and red-shouldered hawk conservation measures (Piehler 2006) and bald eagle management guidelines (USDI 2007) when and if necessary. Follow Forest Plan structural guidelines (p and 2-17) for proposed stands. Within stands greater than 20 acres, follow Forest Plan lynx habitat guideline (retain 10% of salvage area - p. 2-18). Avoid cutting or destroying known TES bat maternity roost trees unless they are an immediate safety hazard. Avoid cutting or destroying known, occupied TES bat maternity roost trees, or other trees within a 150-foot (45-m) radius around a maternity roost tree, during the pup season (June 1 through July 31). Avoid tree removal within 0.25 mile (0.4 km) of a known TES bat hibernacula. Avoid smoke entering hibernacula any time of the year when TES bats are present. Fisheries For all streams on the unit, establish a 100 foot buffer from the top of the stream bank wherein timber may be harvested, leave a minimum of basal area, minimize ground disturbance. Do 7

8 not cut trees growing on the immediate stream bank or normal high water mark. Establish the buffer on both sides of the drainage if it runs through the unit. For all HIF high priority streams, establish a 500 foot wide buffer from the top of the stream bank wherein timber may be harvested. Do not cut trees growing on the immediate stream bank or normal high water mark. Establish the buffer on both sides of the drainage if it runs through the unit For MDNR Designated Trout Streams, do not cut trees or disturb the soil within 50 feet of the stream bank or normal high water mark. Applies to both sides of the drainage if it runs through the unit. Soil/Watershed Recreation Incorporate within the analysis and decision the National BMP for Water Quality on National Forest System Lands, Volume 1: National Core BMP Technical Guide (FS-990a), USDA-FS, April Specifically, incorporate BMPs from Mechanical Vegetation Management Activities pages Implement under Sustainable Soil and Water Quality Practice on Forest Land, Michigan DEQ, 02/24/2009. Portions of Compartment 59 Stand 70 fall within the East Branch Tahquamenon River Wild and Scenic River corridor and Forest Plan stream buffer. To mitigate this, the southern finger that falls within the 500 foot buffer of Creek # 8 will be excluded. Treatments proposed for the remainder of the stand meet Forest Plan guidelines for MA The McNearney Ski Trail should be clearly marked by standard trail markings before sale area preparation begins to adequately protect the trail tread during and after harvest activities. Remove slash for a distance of 25 feet on either side of the McNearney Ski Trail to make it less visible to skiers and avoid obstruction of the trail. Equipment crossings on the McNearney Ski Trail will be designated by the Timber Sale Administrator in logical locations that will limit the number of crossings required and their impacts. Crossings would be rehabilitated after use to the normal ski trail tread, unless the crossings are existing roads. Avoid log decking along the trails, unless they are also system roads. Avoid winter implementation on or adjacent to snowmobile and cross country ski trails. If winter harvesting is needed, post safety signs in stands the trails pass through. Timber sale contracts would require loggers using, crossing, or operating adjacent to the trail systems in the winter to post warning signs as defined in their traffic control plan to alert users of these activities. Contractors should also be required to slope snowbanks where a designated trail crosses a plowed road. Where winter access cannot be avoided along the McNearney Ski Trail, those portions will be temporarily closed or rerouted to avoid user conflict. Where winter access cannot be avoided along snowmobile trails: (A) where the trail permits, reduce conflict by plowing a separate haul lane OR (B) temporarily reroute the trail to avoid equipment and trail users from sharing one plowed surface. 8

9 Botany Non-Native Invasive Plants (NNIP) Shade would be maintained along permanent roads by retaining trees (except spruce) that provide canopy cover over the roads. Shade retention would apply to all roads within harvest units and roads used to access harvest units, unless particular trees need to be cut for safety reasons or road construction. This will not apply to stands receiving even-aged regeneration treatments. Areas with ground disturbance resulting from project activities would initially be allowed to regenerate naturally. Where natural regeneration is not adequate, areas would be revegetated with native or desirable non-native plant species; preference would be given to locally native plant materials. Gravel, mulch, topsoil, or seed used at project sites would be obtained, to the greatest extent practical, from a source that implements a NNIP management program. TES Plants TES plant locations found before or during project implementation would be protected using appropriate reserves areas, seasonal restrictions, or other measures. Protection measures for new TES plant occurrences would be reviewed on a site-specific basis. Archeology All heritage resources determined to be eligible for the National Historic Register or whose eligibility remains unevaluated would be protected through the implementation of site avoidance measures. This includes the establishment of protection zones extending up to 100ft beyond the boundary of each site, wherein no earth disturbing activities would be permitted. Silviculture Retained live trees, except spruce, should be free from insects and disease. Protect overstory reserve trees from damage in shelterwood and partial retention units,. Fire/Fuels Treatments such as, mastication, broadcast burning, pile and burn, fuels compaction or whole tree removal should be employed to mitigate the risk of the resulting hazardous activities fuels. Transportation Various road closure devices could be used. Where frequent access would be required for administrative or vegetative management activities, a gate would typically be used. Where frequent access would not be required, the road would be closed with boulders, earth mound with stumps incorporated, or other techniques. Signs explaining the status of the road would be placed in visible locations. Location, design, monitoring, and law enforcement would make road closures effective. When new roads are identified, whether temporary or system, an effort would be made to identify any existing corridors that could be used. Caution signs would be used on roads with active timber sales to decrease the risk to public safety. Existing snowmobile trails and roads used for winter log truck hauling would be signed, and if necessary, roads or trails re-routed to avoid safety conflicts. 9

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