Dixie-Comstock Community Protection Project

COMMUNITYMEETING

Dixie, Idaho September 28, 2017

NEZ PERCE – CLEARWATER NATIONAL FORESTSRED RIVER RANGER DISTRICT

AGENDA Welcome and Introductions

Meeting Objectives

Purpose and Need for the project

Existing Conditions and Potential Treatments

Discussion, Questions & Answers

How to stay involved and get more information

Objectives of the Meeting• Project Introduction:

Dixie-Comstock Community Protection Project

• Identify who wishes to participate in the collaborative process to develop and implement this project

• Describe project area and goals, and how you can engage to collaboratively develop and implement the project

• Gain feedback from you on potential treatment opportunities and types

COLLABORATIVE PROCESSObjectives and roles of the collaborative process?• Focused, results-oriented process• Transparent, non-exclusive, and includes multiple interested

parties representing diverse interests• Open and respectful sharing by participants• Responsible Official values insights from each participating

individual and organization• Provide input for the Responsible Official to consider regarding

development of the purpose and need, and the proposed action.• Provide the rationale and reasoning behind suggestions or

options presented.• Assist with monitoring, based on needs identified during project

development and analysis.

Project Purpose and Need

Reduce wildfire risk to the local communities and surrounding federal lands

Propose actions to enhance wildfire suppression capability and provide for:

1) public and firefighter safety by reducing the amount of available fuel

2) provide safety zones and escape routes through vegetation treatments

PROJECT AREA OVERVIEW• Dixie-Comstock Project Area is

approximately 29,914 acres.

• In a Designated Landscape Treatment Area identified by the Governor or Idaho.

• 81% of area is in WUI Rural Lands

• In tributaries to the Lower Salmon River

Why here, why now?

Existing Vegetation Conditions

• Long time since last wildfires.• Increasing risk of ladder fuels in some

areas• Insect and disease induced mortality is

contributing to increased surface fuels

HAZARDOUS FUELS

Existing Vegetation ConditionsPresence of Insect & Disease• Dwarf mistletoe• Bark beetles• Armiliaria root disease

Existing Conditions

• Watersheds are considered to be providing for beneficial uses • Designated Critical Habitat for Bull

Trout• TMDL (total maximum daily load)

for temperature – Crooked Creek• Aspen stands and meadows

• encroachment by conifer species, and lack of disturbance.

STREAMS AND WETLANDS

Crooked Creek

North Star Meadows

Existing Conditions

• Primary Forest Service roads are in good condition• Secondary roads could be improved as required to implement

proposed project activities

ROADS

PRELIMINARY TREATMENT Constraints

Identifying areas feasible for treatment• Forest Plan Management Areas

• Areas defined as suitable for vegetation management• Topography

• Ground-based equipment (Tractor/Cable)• Potentially some limited helicopter use

• Idaho Roadless Areas, direction for:• vegetation treatment in Community Protection Zones• road management

• Roads and Trail• Visual concerns along roads and trails

• HFRA requirements for EISs: Purpose and need may include other restoration

actions. Collaboration. Hold public meeting during project

development. Opportunity for public comments. Defines how alternatives are developed. Defines how many alternatives are to be considered.May treat more than 3,000 acres.May establish permanent roads.No deadline to decommission temporary roads.May amend the Land and Resource Management Plan. Follows Pre-decisional Administrative Review process

(36 CFR 218).

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

PRELIMINARY Fuels Treatments

Hand thinning ~ 394 acres Roadside Fuel Break ~ 564 acres Fuel Break ~ 109 acre Prescribed burning ~ 2,200 acres Aspen enhancement

PRELIMINARY Vegetation Treatments Types

Intermediate Harvest• Commercial Thinning• Variable Density Thinning• Pre-Commercial Thinning

Regeneration Harvest• Irregular Shelterwood• Seed Tree• Clearcut with Reserve Trees

PRELIMINARY Vegetation Treatments

Proposed timber harvest/Fuels treatment on 8,669 acres

Plus, activity fuels treatments following timber harvest

Road Treatments• Temporary Road Construction

~34 miles• Reconstruction• Road Improvement• Road Maintenance• Road DecommissioningCulvert Treatments• Replace, Resize, Remove

PRELIMINARY Road and Watershed Treatments

PRELIMINARY TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Things that could change the potential treatment areas or types: • Findings during field work that identify areas in need

of buffer or exclusion • Wildlife, rare plants, heritage sites, etc. • Ability of areas to meet Forest Plan Standards such as big

game habitat, soil disturbance, visuals, etc. • Feedback from landowners and interested parties

• Design features or mitigation measures for activities that could be included in the proposed action

Timeline*

• Project Development: July-October 2017 • Refine Proposed Action: November -January 2017• Scoping and Public Input: February 2018 (45-days)• Draft EIS: May 2018 (45-days)• Final EIS and Draft Decision: August 2018 (60-days)

Pre-Decisional Review, aka Objection Process• Decision Signature: December 2018• Project Implementation: 2019, plus

*Subject to change based on needs and issues that arise

Questions about the collaboration process?

Questions about our goals here today?

Discussion about potential treatments

• Project maps are available around the room

• Forest Service Resource Specialists are available today

• Please visit the project web page for more information:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=52079

Or look for Dixie-Comstock Community Protection Project at:http://data.ecosystem-management.org/nepaweb/project_list.php?forest=110117

For more information contact: Jennie Fischer at 208-983-4048 or jfischer02@fs.fed.us