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United States Department of Agriculture
Porkey Heights Project
De Young Project
Pine Bear Project
Supplemental Environmental Assessments
Scoping Document
Forest Service Allegheny National Forest
Elk and Forest Counties, Pennsylvania
September 2016
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities
on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status,
familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs,
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(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative
means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination,
write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer.
Cover photo: Black cherry dieback in stand 648015 in Porkey Heights project, photo taken by Edward Baker, Forester, Forest Service
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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Who is proposing the projects? The Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Allegheny National Forest (Forest), is initiating
supplemental environmental analyses for the Porkey Heights, De Young, and Pine Bear projects pursuant
to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The Forest Service is scoping these projects together
due to their similarity, but will be separating them into individual supplemental environmental
assessments.
What are we proposing to do? The Porkey Heights, De Young, and Pine Bear Project Decision Notices were signed in 2009, in 2011,
and in 2012 respectively. These three projects proposed a combined total of nearly 3,200 acres of
intermediate thinning treatments based upon expectations that the residual overstory of these stands
would remain healthy through the next cycle of project planning for each respective area. However,
mortality and crown dieback of black cherry and other species has been noticed in many of the stands that
were originally proposed for intermediate thinning treatments. All of the stands proposed for thinning in
these projects were field reviewed this past summer by the Marienville silvicultural staff. Based on the
results of this review, stand examination data was collected in 103 of the stands (2,053 acres) to verify
field observations and forest health concerns. Ninety-four of these stands (1,935 acres) are being carried
forward in this proposal. The deteriorated condition of these stands is similar to that shown in the attached
images. In addition to the mortality and crown dieback that is ongoing in these stands, a recent windstorm
caused severe damage to some stands in the Pine Bear project
Photos taken by Edward Baker, Forester, Forest Service.
This mortality and crown dieback of black cherry, white ash, and American beech are reducing healthy
tree stocking levels to the point where reforestation activities are needed to ensure that a new cohort of
desirable tree seedlings can be established and successfully become the next generation of healthy forest.
We are concerned that seed tree abundance and distribution is declining within these project areas to the
point that it will become more difficult to successfully regenerate these forest stands to desirable tree
species that include red maple, black cherry, yellow-poplar, cucumber tree, sugar maple and other
species. Regeneration of these areas should occur now. In some areas, few to no seed trees exist within
these hardwood stands. Deferring regeneration of these stands will very likely increase the difficulty of
successfully restocking them with diverse naturally established tree seedlings that would result in a
resilient future forest.
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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Additionally, as noted in the 2008-2013 Allegheny National Forest Monitoring and Evaluation Report,
only 3.8 percent of the Allegheny National Forest consisted of early structural forest in 2015 (USDA-FS
2014, p. 120). This amount is less than half of the desired 2020 condition of 8 percent (USDA-FS 2007,
p. 19). The Allegheny National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) desired
conditions include a diversity of healthy vegetative structural stages, age classes and forest types across
the landscape within the context of multiple use management.
Modified treatments are now being proposed in these three projects in order to address this changed
condition and shortfall in early structural vegetation. We are proposing to regenerate these previously
thinned stands or stands that were proposed for thinning now, before natural regeneration opportunities
are lost as stand health and stocking continues to decline. These activities are being proposed to improve
ecosystem resilience and sustain biological diversity on the Allegheny National Forest, by regenerating
declining or poorly stocked stands to vigorous well-stocked stands using a variety of reforestation and
timber harvest treatments that are described later in this document. This project will help achieve Forest
Plan goals and objectives by sustaining a desirable mix of tree species in areas impacted by forest health
stressors including native and non-native insects and diseases to provide a healthy, diverse, and resilient
forest in treated areas. In some areas, regeneration harvests combined with past and other previously
approved regeneration harvests will create temporary openings that will exceed 40 acres in size. None of
the projects approved any temporary openings greater than 40 acres in the original project decisions. Our
analysis will examine the effects to vegetation and other resources from the proposed temporary openings
greater than 40 acres. As with all proposed activities, Forest Plan standards and guidelines will be
followed for temporary openings created by the application of even-aged silviculture (USDA-FS 2007,
p.68).
Where are the projects located? The Porkey Heights project area includes 5,319 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands and is
located in Warrants 5104, 5105 and 5267 in Kingsley Township and Warrants 3188, 3192, 3194, 4790,
4791, 4823, 5101, 5104, 5267 and 5282 in Howe Township, Forest County, Pennsylvania, approximately
6 miles north of Marienville, Pennsylvania (see attached map).
The De Young project area includes 16,672 acres on NFS lands and is located in Warrants 2018, 2019,
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2032, 2033, 2463, 2464, 2808, 2882, 2916, 2977, 3662, 3663, 3664,
3667, 3668, 3669, 3753, 3761, 3779, and 3783 in Howe and Jenks Townships, Forest County and in
Highland Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Russell City, Pennsylvania (see attached
map).
The Pine Bear project area includes 10,055 acres of NFS lands and is located in Warrants 1464, 1465,
1776, 1778, 1783, 1799, 1831, 1858, 1863, 2032, 2033, 2034, 3655, 3656, 3657, and 3776, Highland
Township; Warrants 3252 and 4846, Jones Township; and Warrant 4846, Ridgway Township, Elk
County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Russell City, Pennsylvania (see attached map).
When would the project be implemented? The decisions on these supplemental proposals are expected by the end of 2017. Following the decisions,
implementation would begin in 2018 and activities are anticipated to occur over the next 5 to 15 years.
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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Why here and why now?
Purpose and Need
The proposed actions for the Porkey Heights, De Young, and Pine Bear projects has been designed to
meet Forest Plan goals and objectives. These proposed activities are needed to create a diversity of
vegetation patterns across the landscape that would:
Represent well distributed habitats and a range of forest age classes and vegetative stages.
Provide a variety of healthy functioning vegetation layers including moderate to well stocked
forest cover.
Create the variety of species or forest types necessary to achieve multiple resource objectives and
sustain ecosystem health (USDA-FS 2007, p. 14).
Specific to Forest Plan Management Area 3.0 direction, these proposed activities would contribute to
Forest Plan desired conditions by providing a mix of vegetative conditions and quality timber products
that would contribute to the local and regional economy. Regeneration harvests, along with reforestation
treatments would allow for the establishment of an early structural forest, which is characteristic of this
management area and helps achieve the desired condition of a diversity of healthy vegetation patterns
across the landscape (USDA-FS 2007, pp. 113-116).
Changed Condition The following section discusses the conditions in the Porkey Heights, De Young, and Pine Bear project
areas since the original project decisions were signed.
Black Cherry Declining Health
Monitoring Data
Recent monitoring on the Allegheny National Forest indicates that the proportion of standing dead cherry
basal area on 97 intensive forest health monitoring plots has increased from 8.3 percent in the 1998–2001
measurement cycle to 15.7 percent in the 2014-2015 measurement cycle (Long and others 2015,
unpublished). In other words, we are finding a much higher rate of mortality in black cherry across the
Forest. In contrast, the overall proportion of dead basal area for all other species combined has fluctuated
around 8.8 to 12.0 percent since 1998. In addition, other research indicates that the crown condition of
black cherry is worsening, resulting in smaller live-crown ratios and reduced crown densities. The lack of
consistent seed production and other factors are indeed affecting the regeneration potential of black cherry
(Long 2016, personal communication).
The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Continuous Forest Inventory for 2009-2013 also noted increased
levels of standing dead black cherry (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry 2015, unpublished internal report).
In the High Plateau ecoregion that includes the Allegheny National Forest, the report noted an increase
from 3.4 percent dead black cherry stems in the 1997-2000 measurement cycle to 30.7 percent in the
2009-2013 measurement cycle. Standing dead for all other species combined was 17.3 percent in 2009-
2013 cycle.
These observed mortality rates are substantially higher than typical or normal mortality rates observed on
the Allegheny National Forest and Pennsylvania. Based on Forest Inventory and Analysis data analysis
(website accessed 7/28/2016 http://apps.fs.fed.us/Evalidator/evalidator.jsp), the “background” or normal
mortality rate for all tree species averages around 0.9 percent mortality per year (9 percent per decade)
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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across Pennsylvania. Similarly, these background mortality rates have averaged around one percent
mortality per year (10 percent per decade) for all tree species on the Forest.
Defoliation Events
Cherry scallop shell moth is a defoliator of black cherry, and occasionally other native cherries. Cherry
scallop shell moth is a native insect to Pennsylvania and the eastern United States. Damage to black
cherry trees range from a loss of radial growth, partial crown mortality to total tree mortality, depending
upon the severity (percentage of the crown) of the defoliation and the duration (how many years) of
defoliation. In most cases, tree mortality associated with cherry scallop shell moth occurs when
defoliation is combined with other tree stressors, i.e. drought or other defoliators (Allen 1993). Cherry
scallop shell moth defoliations have occurred on the Forest in 2014, 2015, and 2016 and each year the
outbreak area has increased in size. These outbreaks typically last about 3 years. Short and long term
implications of this most recent stressor to black cherry health are somewhat uncertain, given other
factors affecting black cherry health.
Another known health stressor is fall webworm defoliations that occurred on portions of the Forest in
2011 and 2012. Fall webworm is another native pest that favors black cherry, thought to cause primarily
aesthetic damage to black cherry.
Although these defoliations may have accelerated the dieback and mortality of black cherry, the early
stages of this decline in health of many black cherry trees began several years in advance of these events.
Other Forest Health Influences
A number of other factors threaten the overall health of forest ecosystems on the Allegheny National
Forest. As of 2009, black cherry comprised an estimated 25 percent of the tree species composition in
inventoried areas across the Forest. When considered in conjunction with other major pests and pathogens
impacting the Allegheny National Forest, such as beech bark disease, emerald ash borer, and hemlock
woolly adelgid, a decline in black cherry crown health exacerbates the overall effect on forest stocking,
health, and resilience to other forest disturbances, threatening the future productivity, biodiversity, and
resilience of the Forest.
Structural Imbalance
The Forest Plan identified desired vegetation structural class distribution for the Forest for the year 2020.
As shown in the Forest’s 2008–2013 monitoring report, there is a vegetation structural imbalance across
the Forest and Forest Plan desired structural class distribution is not present (USDA-FS 2014, p. 120).
While mid and late structural stages are well-represented and meeting desired conditions, stands in early
structural stages (young forest) are falling far short of desired conditions. Only 3.8 percent of the
Allegheny National Forest consisted of early structural forest in 2015. This amount is less than half of the
desired 2020 condition of 8 percent (USDA-FS 2007, p. 19). The proposed silvicultural prescription
changes would help move the overall age class distribution toward the Forest Plan desired condition. The
uniformity of second growth forest across the Forest increases vulnerability to damage from repeated
natural stresses and exotic insects and diseases.
In the absence of further silvicultural treatment, forest stocking levels may continue declining, which
would potentially result in areas with few seed trees, with forest understories dominated by interfering
vegetation, including thickets of beech, striped maple, and ferns. In some areas, few to no seed trees
would remain. Non-native invasive plants may invade areas with reduced trees stocking levels, where
they are present or nearby. Where American beech succumbs to beech bark disease, dense understories of
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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beech root suckers will become established, forming thickets that prevent the establishment of other tree
seedlings and creates a virtual monoculture that lacks the benefits of natural forest biodiversity (Forrester
and others. 2003; Hane 2003; Latty and others 2003). Stands with reduced stocking due to insects and
diseases are more vulnerable to damage from windthrow, storms, and other general injury to tree crowns.
Windstorm Damage
There is a need to regenerate stands that were severely damaged by a windstorm that struck the Allegheny
National Forest region on July 27, 2012. Within the Pine Bear project area, heavy damage occurred on
110 acres, moderate damage, on 275 acres, and light damage, on 60 acres. In a letter to the file dated
September 10, 2013, Robert T. Fallon, Marienville District Ranger (Responsible Official) allowed the
removal of damaged timber having commercial value from several stands in the Pine Bear project area as
part of the North FR 339 Salvage, South FR 339 Salvage, and Twin Pine Salvage Sales. Now that the
damaged timber has been removed it is evident that these stands were severely damaged during the
windstorm and are no longer functioning as healthy forest stands. Stands 872041, 881016, 881017,
881020, 881021, and 881050 need to be regenerated to healthy fully stocked stands. Reforestation
treatments are being proposed and additional timber harvest, where needed, to establish tree seedlings that
will result in a more resilient future forest.
Delayed Shelterwood Seed Cuts in Pine Bear Project
In the Pine Bear Environmental Assessment, delayed shelterwood seeds cuts (shelterwood starts) and
associated reforestation activities were proposed for the following stands: 872020, 872035, 872036,
873034, 880002, 887001, and 890003, which total about 130 acres. With the supplemental environmental
assessment for Pine Bear, the shelterwood removal cuts for these stands are being proposed at this time to
ensure timely removal of the overstory when these stands have adequate regeneration. Four of these
stands, 873034, 880002, 887001, and 890003, that are proposed to be treated in this proposal would result
in or are part of temporary openings greater than 40 acres.
How are we proposing to take action?
Proposed Action Modified treatments are proposed to regenerate declining or poorly stocked stands to vigorous, well
stocked forest stands in order to increase the long-term resilience of these forests. This is proposed to
occur through a combination of timber harvest and reforestation treatments. Managing and regenerating
declining stands now would promote natural regeneration of a diversity of desired trees and help meet
Forest Plan early structural (young forest) vegetation objectives. It would sustain healthy, well-stocked
forested stands over the long-term.
Deferring silvicultural action in these stands would very likely increase the difficulty of successfully
restocking them with diverse naturally established tree seedlings that will would produce a resilient future
forest. All seed sources would be utilized on these sites, which include red maple, cucumbertree, yellow
poplar, black cherry, sugar maple and other species, while canopies are still moderately healthy in order
to manage regeneration conditions.
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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Proposed Treatments
A silvicultural system is a planned series of treatments by which we establish, grow, manage, and
regenerate a forest stand for a specific purpose. This process includes all practices necessary for
replacement and development of the forest stand.
Even-aged silvicultural systems are being proposed in this project to meet the overall objectives and the
desired future condition of the management area. Under an even-aged silvicultural system, stands are
managed with harvest methods and associated reforestation treatments that regenerate trees of a single age
class at the time of regeneration harvest. In all cases, areas managed using even-aged systems retain trees
that provide ecological function and structure inherited from past ecosystems and are important in
recovery of the biological community. All of the stands that are being proposed for an even-aged
treatments have understory vegetation that interferes with the establishment of new seedlings; therefore,
reforestation treatments are often required to provide adequate conditions for seedlings to germinate and
grow.
The Allegheny National Forest is divided into geographic subdivisions known as compartments and then
further divided into smaller units known as stands. The silvicultural methods and reforestation activities
proposed for this project are summarized in the table below. Successful regeneration of the forested
stands identified in this project typically involves a combination of the proposed treatments implemented
over a 6 to 20 year time period.
The Forest Service is proposing to change the previous thinning prescriptions of the stands listed in the
tables below to shelterwood regeneration harvests or overstory removal harvests, both with associated
reforestation activities. If the thinning has already occurred or is currently under contract, an overstory
removal will be implemented once advance regeneration is established. If the thinning has not occurred
yet, then a shelterwood seed cut will be implemented instead of the originally proposed thinning followed
by a shelterwood removal cut once advance regeneration is established.
The following silvicultural treatments and associated reforestation activities are proposed:
Overstory removal cut is a regeneration harvest in which nearly all of the overstory trees are removed
after adequate trees seedlings develop allowing full sunlight to reach the established seedlings
Shelterwood seed cut/shelterwood removal cut is a multiple-step regeneration harvest in which
approximately one-third of the overstory is removed in the initial (shelterwood) seed cut to provide
sunlight on the ground to encourage tree seedling development. After adequate tree seedlings
develop, the shelterwood removal cut follows, in which nearly all of the overstory trees are removed,
allowing full sunlight to reach the established seedlings.
Herbicide treatments remove or reduce undesired understory vegetation in stands contain a dense
ground cover of grasses, fern, beech root suckers and striped maple that interfere with desired tree
seedling establishment and growth. Herbicides approved for use by the Forest Plan include the active
ingredient glyphosate in the form of Rodeo® and the active ingredient sulfometuron methyl in the
form of Oust®.
Manual site preparation is used when mid-story trees and brush cast shade that interferes with the
development of tree seedlings. Chainsaws or brush saws would be used to remove or reduce
competing vegetation by felling mid-story non-preferred species in order to increase sunlight levels to
the forest floor.
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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Fertilization is used to accelerate the growth of natural seedling regeneration. Fertilization generally
involves the aerial or ground application of nutrients on existing seedlings, usually during the month
of May or June.
Where deer browsing impacts are high, area fencing and/or tree shelters are installed and maintained
to exclude deer and reduce browsing on desired seedlings. This promotes tree seedling growth and
understory plant diversity. Fences and tree shelters are removed when objectives have been met.
Tree planting is prescribed in areas where planned natural regeneration has failed, or where it is
desirable to supplement natural tree seedling establishment in order to improve species diversity.
Release involves the non-commercial, manual cutting of tall-growing woody vegetation that
interferes with the growth and survival of desired tree seedlings, saplings, or shrubs in young stands
(age class 20 years or less). Release promotes tree species diversity.
About 541 acres of regeneration harvests were proposed (about 10 percent) on the National Forest System
lands in the Porkey Heights project area for the original analysis and decision. We are proposing an
additional 721 acres of regeneration harvests (shelterwood and overstory removal harvests; about 13.5
percent) in the Porkey Heights project area, which would result in 1,262 acres of regeneration harvests (or
23.7 percent) on National Forest System lands in the Porkey Heights project area.
About 542 acres of regeneration harvests were previously proposed (about 3 percent) on the National
Forest System lands in the De Young project area. We are proposing an additional 263 acres of
regeneration harvests (about 1.6 percent) in the De Young project area, which would result in 805 acres of
regeneration harvests (or about 5 percent) on National Forest System lands) in the De Young project area.
Combined with previously approved regeneration harvests, this would result in about 12 percent early
structural habitat (young forest) in the project area.
About 1,316 acres of regeneration harvests were previously proposed (about 13 percent) on the National
Forest System lands in the Pine Bear project area. We are proposing an additional 1,155 acres of
regeneration harvests (about 11.6 percent) in the Pine Bear project area, which would result in 2,471 acres
of regeneration harvests on about 25 percent of the National Forest System lands within the project area.
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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Porkey Heights Project
Summary of Proposed Activities for Porkey Heights Project
Even-aged Vegetation Management (acres) Original Revised
Intermediate Thinning Harvests 1,050 1,038
Intermediate Thinning Harvests (non-commercial) 157 157
Shelterwood Seed Cut Harvests/Shelterwood Removal Harvests 532 544
Shelterwood Removal Harvests (Removal Cut with Reserves) 9 9
Overstory Removals (Removal Cut with Reserves) 0 709
Understory Vegetation Treatments (acres) Original Revised
Herbicide–Reforestation 696 1,417
Site Preparation 663 1,384
Fertilization 302 1,023
Fencing 642 1,363
Install Tree Shelters 0 72
Tree Planting for Species Diversity 248 320
Release for Species Diversity 1,140 1,861
Prescribed Burning 54 54
(same, no new proposal)
NNIP Species Treatments 5 to 10 5 to 10
(same, no new proposal)
All but one stand (632049) in the Porkey Heights decision that were originally proposed for commercial
thinning have already been thinned (the actual acres treated are reduced because of stand adjustments in
the field to protect other resources). Twenty-eight (28) stands (about 69 percent of the acres originally
proposed for thinning) that were thinned or proposed for thinning in this project are now being proposed
for regeneration once adequate advanced regeneration is established in each stand. The specific stands to
be treated are listed in the next table.
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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Acronyms and abbreviations used in proposed silvicultural treatments tables below Silvicultural Treatments (1
st Entry, 2
nd Entry, 3
rd Entry Timber Harvests)
SWSC Shelterwood Seed Cut SWR Shelterwood Removal OR Overstory Removal
Note: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636. For the majority of the stands that are now being proposed for regeneration using an overstory removal cut (OR), the original proposed thinning has occurred or is being implemented. For those stands where the proposed thinning has not occurred yet, these stands are being proposed for shelterwood sequence with a shelterwood seed cut (SWSC) in the first entry and a shelterwood removal cut (SWR) in the second entry. For those stands with previous timber harvests completed or under contract, the actual acres treated is listed for each stand in the “Treated Acres” column. Treated Acres may be different than Planned Acres due to changes that were made during treatment area layout in the field. Typically changes are made during layout for stand changes, sensitive features encountered during layout, and operational considerations. A dash “-“ in the Treated Acres column means that proposed timber harvest has not occurred yet and actual acres treated will be determined during implementation. These actual treated acres should be close to the Planned Acres. In all cases, where a treatment in shown (SWSC, SWR) in the columns for 2nd Entry or 3rd Entry, these treatments are yet to be completed and are included in this project analysis. A dash under the 3rd Entry column implies that all treatments will be completed through 2nd Entry and no 3rd Entry treatment is needed.
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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Proposed silvicultural treatments for Porkey Heights Project
Stand MA Planned Acres
Treated Acres
1st Entry
2nd Entry
Herbicide Site Prep
Fertilize Fence Tree
Shelter Plant Release
632049 3.0 12 - SWSC SWR 12 12 12 12 1 1 12
636007 3.0 38 38 Completed OR 38 38 38 38 4 4 38
636012 3.0 23 23 Completed OR 23 23 23 23 2 2 23
636013 3.0 30 28 Completed OR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30
636014 3.0 40 40 Completed OR 40 40 40 40 4 4 40
636055 3.0 41 32 Completed OR 41 41 41 41 4 4 41
637014 3.0 21 21 Completed OR 21 21 21 21 2 2 21
637015 3.0 54 49 Completed OR 54 54 54 54 5 5 54
637033 3.0 39 35 Completed OR 39 39 39 39 4 4 39
645058 3.0 8 8 Completed OR 8 8 8 8 1 1 8
645059 3.0 10 10 Completed OR 10 10 10 10 1 1 10
646002 3.0 27 27 Completed OR 27 27 27 27 3 3 27
646005 3.0 14 14 Completed OR 14 14 14 14 2 2 14
646006 3.0 35 35 Completed OR 35 35 35 35 4 4 35
646010 3.0 17 17 Completed OR 17 17 17 17 2 2 17
646016 3.0 7 7 Completed OR 7 7 7 7 1 1 7
646019 3.0 29 29 Completed OR 29 29 29 29 3 3 29
646020 3.0 22 22 Completed OR 22 22 22 22 2 2 22
646021 3.0 32 32 Completed OR 32 32 32 32 3 3 32
646022 3.0 8 8 Completed OR 8 8 8 8 1 1 8
646037 3.0 11 11 Completed OR 11 11 11 11 1 1 11
647011 3.0 12 12 Completed OR 12 12 12 12 1 1 12
647029 3.0 31 31 Completed OR 31 31 31 31 3 3 31
647030 3.0 17 10 Completed OR 17 17 17 17 1 1 17
648006 3.0 22 19 Completed OR 19 19 19 19 2 2 19
648015 3.0 41 39 Completed OR 41 41 41 41 4 4 41
648016 3.0 50 42 Completed OR 50 50 50 50 5 5 50
648017 3.0 30 30 Completed OR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30
Note: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636.
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Temporary opening blocks over 40 acres in size in Porkey Heights project area
Block Stands Total Acres
1 632049, (632032) 52 acres
2 637014, 637015 74 acres
3 636007, 636012, 636013, 636014, 636055, (636008), (636010), (636018), (636053), (636064)
292 acres
4 648006, 648015, 648016, 648017, (648014), (648049) 192 acres
5 646006, 646010, 646019, 646020, 646021, 646022, 646037, 647011, 647029, 647030, (646008), (647008), (647037)
316 acres
6 645058, 645059, (645004) 58 acres
7 646002, 646005, 646016 48 acres
Note: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636.
Stands with parenthesis are recent regeneration harvests or previously approved regeneration harvests.
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De Young Project
Summary of Proposed Activities for De Young Project
Even-aged Vegetation Management (acres) Original Revised
Intermediate Thinning (commercial timber harvest) 657 644
Intermediate Thinning (non-commercial) 112 112
Shelterwood Seed Cut Harvests/Regeneration Harvests (Shelterwood Removal with Reserves) (1
st and 2
nd entries))
441 454
Salvage Shelterwood Seed Cut Harvests/Regeneration Harvests (shelterwood removal with reserves) (1
st and 2
nd entries)
101 101
Overstory Removal 0 250
Understory Vegetation Treatments (acres)
Herbicide–Reforestation 548 811
Fertilization 276 539
Fencing Option 548 811
Install Tree Shelters 0 28
Site Preparation 542 805
Tree Planting for Species Diversity 136 164
Release for Species Diversity 552 815
Non-native invasive plant species treatments (chemical/mechanical/manual)
50 50
(same, no new proposal)
Most of the stands in the De Young decision that were originally proposed for commercial thinning have
already been thinned (the actual acres treated are reduced because of stand adjustments in the field to
protect other resources). Eleven (11) stands (about 40 percent of the acres originally proposed for
thinning) that were thinned or proposed for thinning in this project are now being proposed for
regeneration once adequate advanced regeneration is established in the stand. The specific stands to be
treated are listed in the next table.
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Proposed silvicultural treatments for De Young Project
Stand MA Stand Acres
Treated Acres
1st Entry
2nd Entry
Herbicide Site Prep
Fertilize Fence Plant Tree
Shelters Release
700140 3.0 11 10 Completed OR 11 11 11 11 1 1 11
703028 3.0 40 40 Completed OR 40 40 40 40 4 4 40
709029 3.0 13 13 SWSC SWR 13 13 13 13 1 1 13
710014 3.0 35 35 Completed OR 35 35 35 35 4 4 35
710015 3.0 30 30 Completed OR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30
710045 3.0 30 30 Completed OR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30
711003 3.0 26 26 Completed OR 26 26 26 26 3 3 26
711014 3.0 37 37 Completed OR 37 37 37 37 4 4 37
876020 3.0 9 9 Completed OR 9 9 9 9 1 1 9
876028 3.0 18 10 Completed OR 18 18 18 18 2 2 18
877030 3.0 14 14 Completed OR 14 14 14 14 2 2 14
Note: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636.
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
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Temporary opening blocks over 40 acres in size in De Young project area
Block Stands Total Acres
1 703028, (700008), (703041), (703042) 111 acres
2 711003, 711014, (711052), (711053), (711054) 97 acres
3 710045, (710037) 69 acres
4 709029, (699053), (709003), (709028), (709038), (709041), (709042)
103 acres
Notes: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636.
Stands with parenthesis are recent regeneration harvests or previously approved regeneration harvests.
Pine Bear Project
Summary of Proposed Activities for Pine Bear Project
Even-aged Vegetation Management (acres) Original Revised
Intermediate thinning (commercial) 1,550 1,506
Salvage Harvests (1st entry) 0 74
Shelterwood seed cut/shelterwood removal (regeneration harvests) (1
st and 2
nd entries)
970 1,014
Overstory removals (2nd
entry) 0 907
Delayed shelterwood seed cut (2nd
entry) 130 130
Delayed shelterwood removal (regeneration harvest (2nd
entry) 164 164
Delayed shelterwood removal (regeneration harvest (3rd
entry) 0 130
Understory Vegetation Treatments (acres) Original Revised
Herbicide–reforestation 1,404 2,429
Site preparation 1,349 2,374
Fertilization 621 1,668
Fence construction (optional) 449 1,569
Tree shelter installation 266 372
Tree planting for species diversity 248 361
Release for species diversity 2,215 3,240
Prescribed burning 609 609
(same, no new proposal)
Non-native invasive plant species treatments (herbicide and manual)
23 to 35 23 to 35
(same, no new proposal)
Travel Management Original Revised
Road Construction (new corridor) (miles) 0 0.23
Most of the stands in the Pine Bear decision that were originally proposed for commercial thinning have
already been thinned or are under contract to be thinned (the actual acres treated are reduced because of
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
15
stand adjustments in the field to protect other resources). Sixty-two (62) stands (about 59 percent of the
acres originally proposed for thinning) that were thinned or proposed for thinning in this project are now
being proposed for regeneration once adequate advanced regeneration is established in the stand. The
specific stands to be treated are listed in the next table.
Black cherry dieback in stand 887036 in Pine Bear project, photo taken by Edward Baker, Forester,
Forest Service
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
16
Proposed silvicultural treatments for Pine Bear Project
Stand MA Planned Acres
Treated Acres
1st Entry
2nd Entry
3rd Entry
Herbicide Site Prep
Fertilize Fence Tree
Shelter Plant Release
864036 3.0 37 30 Completed OR - 37 37 37 37 4 4 37
864042 3.0 29 22 Completed OR - 29 29 29 29 3 3 29
8640431
3.0 12 12 Completed OR - 12 12 12 12 1 1 12
864044 3.0 13 15 Completed OR - 13 13 13 13 1 1 13
864045 3.0 11 12 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11
864056 3.0 50 50 Completed OR - 50 50 50 50 5 5 50
864057 3.0 18 18 Completed OR - 18 18 18 18 2 2 18
865005 3.0 14 14 Completed OR - 14 14 14 14 2 2 14
865065 3.0 4 4 Completed OR - 4 4 4 4 1 1 4
865075 3.0 2 1 Completed OR - 2 2 2 2 0 0 2
871024 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20
871041 3.0 33 31 Completed OR - 33 33 33 33 3 3 33
871057 3.0 33 27 Completed OR - 33 33 33 33 3 3 33
871080 3.0 12 6 Completed OR - 12 12 12 12 1 1 12
872003 3.0 12 12 Completed OR - 12 12 12 12 1 1 12
872020 3.0 13 - - SWSC SWR 13 13 13 13 1 1 13
872030 3.0 19 - SWSC OR - 19 19 19 19 2 2 19
872031 3.0 10 - SWSC OR - 10 10 10 10 1 1 10
872035 3.0 9 - - SWSC SWR 9 9 9 9 1 1 9
872036 3.0 18 - - SWSC SWR 18 18 18 18 2 2 18
872041 3.0 6 - SWSC OR - 6 6 6 6 1 1 6
872049 3.0 8 8 Completed OR 8 8 8 8 1 1 8
873025 3.0 29 24 Completed OR - 29 29 29 29 3 3 29
873026 3.0 32 30 Completed OR - 32 32 32 32 3 3 32
873029 3.0 31 21 Completed OR - 31 31 31 31 3 3 31
873034 3.0 22 - - SWSC SWR 22 22 22 22 2 2 22
873039 3.0 11 11 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11
873041 3.0 28 9 Completed OR - 28 28 28 28 3 3 28
8730582
3.0 39 39 Completed OR - 39 39 39 39 4 4 39
874048 3.0 30 22 Completed OR - 30 30 30 30 2 2 30
879018 3.0 7 5 Completed OR - 7 7 7 7 1 1 7
880002 3.0 27 - - SWSC SWR 27 27 27 27 2 2 27
880004 3.0 17 17 Completed OR - 17 17 17 17 2 2 17
880007 3.0 10 10 Completed OR - 10 10 10 10 1 1 10
880010 3.0 23 23 Completed OR - 23 23 23 23 3 3 23
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
17
Stand MA Planned Acres
Treated Acres
1st Entry
2nd Entry
3rd Entry
Herbicide Site Prep
Fertilize Fence Tree
Shelter Plant Release
880019 3.0 11 11 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11
880024 3.0 24 24 Completed OR - 24 24 24 24 2 2 24
880028 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20
880043 3.0 17 17 Completed OR - 17 17 17 17 2 2 17
880044 3.0 10 10 Completed OR - 10 10 10 10 1 1 10
880045 3.0 11 11 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11
880051 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20
880058 3.0 12 12 Completed OR - 12 12 12 12 1 1 12
880064 3.0 41 41 Completed OR - 41 41 41 41 4 4 41
881016 3.0 19 4 Completed OR - 19 19 19 19 2 2 19
881017 3.0 9 8 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9
881018 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20
881020 3.0 20 19 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20
881021 3.0 11 7 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11
881049 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20
881050 3.0 9 9 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9
881051 3.0 9 9 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9
882104 3.0 15 - SWSC SWR - 15 15 15 15 2 2 15
887001 3.0 11 - - SWSC SWR 11 11 11 11 1 1 11
887004 3.0 35 24 Completed OR - 35 35 35 35 4 11 35
887034 3.0 7 7 Completed OR - 7 7 7 7 1 1 7
887035 3.0 9 9 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9
887036 3.0 9 9 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9
889014 3.0 22 22 Completed OR - 22 22 22 22 2 2 22
889021 3.0 19 17 Completed OR - 19 19 19 19 2 2 19
889025 3.0 26 26 Completed OR - 26 26 26 26 3 3 26
890003 3.0 30 - - SWSC SWR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30
Note: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636. 1 Since the original Pine Bear decision, stand 864043 has been combined with stand 864042..
2. Stand 873058 was stand 873038 in the original Pine Bear decision.
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
18
Temporary opening blocks over 40 acres in size in Pine Bear project area
Block Stands Total Acres
1 874048, (874005), (874047), (874051), (875008), (875009) 100 acres
2 864044, 864045, (864010) 49 acres
3 864056, 864057, (864007), (864055), (864064), (872014) 121 acres
4 871024, 871041, 871057, 872003, 872049, (871083), (871085) 171 acres
5 873039, 873041, (873040), (873055) 105 acres
6 873025, 873026, 873029, 873038, (873024), (873034) 175 acres
7 880019, 880024, 880028, 880043, 880044, 880051, 880064, (880029), (880039), (880041), (880042), (880059)
235 acres
8 889025, 889037 46 acres
9 889021, (890003) 49 acres
10 880004, 880010, 880058, (880002), (880005) 92 acres
11
872030, 872031, 887035, 887036, 872041, 881016, 881017, 881018, 881020, 881021, 881049, 881050, 881051, 887001, 887004, 887034, (887005), (887007), (881015) (881022), (887051)
324 acres
Note: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636.
Stands with parenthesis are recent regeneration harvests or previously approved regeneration harvests.
Transportation Management No additional road construction is being proposed for the Porkey Heights or De Young supplemental
analysis. Forest Road (FR) 339E was proposed and analyzed for 0.42 miles of road construction using a
new corridor as part of Alternative 1–Proposed Action for the Pine Bear project. Alternative 3–No New
Roads was selected by the responsible official for the Pine Bear project. Stands 881015, 881018, 881049,
and 881051 were harvested with the North FR 339 Salvage Sale. We are proposing to construct 0.42
miles of FR339E to access these and other stands as part of the supplemental analysis for Pine Bear.
Constructing 0.42 miles of FR339E would shorten the distance needed to skid/forward logs from these
stands, would minimize disturbance to the hydrologic functions, and protect soil productivity.
Constructing FR339E would result in shorter overall skidding distances. The proposed location of
FR339E is show on the Temporary Openings Greater Than 40 Acres Pine Bear scoping map and is
located in Block 11.
Due to refinements in mapping, the present size of the Pine Run #40 Unroaded Area is 750 acres.
Constructing 0.42 miles of FR339E will reduce the size of this unroaded area. Proposed road construction in Pine Bear project area
Location Length (miles)
Road Management Remarks
FR339E 0.42 Closed New corridor
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
19
How does supplementing these projects implement the Forest Plan?
Management Direction The Forest Plan provides a programmatic framework regarding allocation of National Forest System
lands and the measures necessary to protect resources. It describes how the Allegheny National Forest
should be managed and what resources should be provided by these lands now and into the future. The
Forest Plan provides a vision (USDA-FS 2007, pp. 7–16) that includes sustaining or improving forest
ecosystem health, enhancing the resiliency of the Allegheny National Forest ecosystems, and providing a
diversity of vegetation patterns across the landscape.
Proposed activities are consistent with management direction in the Forest Plan. Specifically, the
proposed action addresses the following Forest Plan goals and objectives (USDA-FS 2007, pp. 12–21):
Develop and enhance the seedling, shrub, and herbaceous diversity to improve structural conditions
(USDA-FS 2007, pp. 14, 19, A-1, A-2, and A-14). Provide a diversity of vegetation patterns across
the landscape that represents well distributed habitats, a range of forest age classes and vegetative
stages, a variety of healthy functioning vegetation layers, moderate to well-stocked forest cover, and
the variety of vegetation species or forest types necessary to achieve multiple resource objectives and
sustain ecosystem health (USDA-FS 2007, p. 14).
Continue to implement and monitor a range of silvicultural and reforestation practices in order to be
responsive to emerging issues and regenerate stands to a diversity of tree seedlings of good quality,
form, and health (USDA-FS 2007, p. 14).
Improve the overall health and sustainability of Allegheny National Forest ecosystems by reducing
understory dominance of native invasive species such as beech brush, ferns, grass and striped maple,
and non-native invasive species on 3,000 to 6,200 acres annually. Do this through direct treatments:
site preparation, herbicide application, scarification, mechanical treatment, or fencing to encourage
greater species diversity with a wider variety of herbaceous and woody plants or tree seedlings
(USDA-FS 2007, p. 21).
Provide a safe, efficient and economical transportation system that is responsive to public and
administrative needs, while having minimal adverse effects on the natural forest ecosystem (USDA-
FS 2007, p.16).
Provide a sustainable flow of commercial timber products that will contribute to the local and
regional economy, contribute to the annual forest-wide allowable sale quantity, and maintain 10 to 12
percent of MA 3.0 in early structural habitat (0 to 20 years old) over time (USDA-FS 2007, pp. 8, 14,
and 113).
Proposed activities will follow Forest Plan standards and guidelines.
Management Area Direction Lands managed by the Allegheny National Forest are assigned a management area designation. This
designation identified the suitable uses, desired conditions, and standards and guidelines for forest
management. The project includes the following management areas:
Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document
20
Management Area 2.2 Late Structural Linkages emphasizes older, late structural forests that link
relatively large areas of older forest (core areas) across the landscape. Vegetation management is directed
to restoring late structural forest conditions with an emphasis on sustaining forest structure and forest
continuity. Management Area direction can be found on pages 109–112 of the Forest Plan.
Management Area 3.0 –Even-aged Management emphasizes even-aged management to provide a
forest that is a mix of predominantly shade intolerant and mid-tolerant hardwood stands of various ages
and associated understories and habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species. Management Area
direction can be found on pages 113-115 of the Forest Plan.
The acres within each management area (MA) in each project can be found in the original environmental
assessments for each project on the Allegheny National Forest website at:
For original Porkey Heights Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=16602
For supplemental Porkey Heights Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50629
For original De Young Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=30697
For supplemental De Young Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50267
For original Pine Bear Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=30846
For supplemental Pine Bear Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50628
References Cited Forrester, J.A., G.G. McGee, and M.J. Mitchell. 2003. Effects of beech bark disease on aboveground
biomass and species composition in a mature northern hardwood forest, 1985 to 2000. J. Torrey
Bot. Soc. 130: 70–78.
Hane, E.N. 2003. Indirect effects of beech bark disease on sugar maple seedling survival. Canadian
Journal of Forest Research. 33: 806-813.
Horsley, Stephen B., Susan L. Stout, and David S. deCalesta. 2003. White-tailed deer impact on the
vegetation dynamics of a northern hardwood forest. USDA Forest Service Northeastern Research
Station, Warren, Pennsylvania 16365
Latty, E.F., C.D. Canham, and P.L. Marks. Beech bark disease in northern hardwood forests: the
importance of nitrogen dynamics and forest history for disease severity. Can. J. Forest. Res., 33
(2003), pp. 257–268.
Long, R., A. Hille, A. Stottlemyer, and R. Turcotte. FHM Evaluation Monitoring Progress Report
FY2015: Evaluating and monitoring black cherry health trends in response to multi-year
stressors in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Unpublished (September 2015), 4 pp.
Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry. Continuous Forest Inventory, PA BOF Resources, Volume 2, Issue 1:
Black Cherry. Unpublished (2015), 4 pp.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 2007. Allegheny National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan and Record of Decision. Warren, PA.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 2014. Allegheny National Forest FY 2008 – FY 2013
Monitoring and Evaluation Report. Warren, PA: USDA Forest Service, Allegheny National
Forest. 294 pp.