Request For Public Input B CREEK LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECT PROPOSALa123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic... · 2016-01-11 · Please review the proposal and provide

United States Department of Agriculture

Forest Service

Swan Lake Ranger District (406) 837-7500 Fax (406) 837-7503

200 Ranger Station Road Bigfork, MT 59911

File Code: 1950

Date: March 15 , 2014

Request For Public Input

BEAVER CREEK LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECT PROPOSAL

In 2012, personnel on the Swan Lake Ranger District began working with the public to identify the need for change in the Beaver Creek Area. Since that time, District personnel and members of the public have met and worked together to identify the need for change in the Beaver Creek Project Area and develop the Purpose and Need for this project. I am pleased to enclose the Beaver Creek Proposed Action, the results of that effort, for your review and comment. This proposed action is the beginning management option for the Beaver Creek Area on National Forest System (NFS) lands. The enclosed maps and description of activities proposed identify the types and locations of the vegetation treatments, road management, road improvements, and aquatic restoration projects proposed. We anticipate that the Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project will be completed in November 2014. At that time, we will send a copy of the EA to those who requested to be on our mailing list. We will publish the Notice of Availability for the EA in the Daily Inter Lake, and you will have another opportunity to comment on the specific management activities at that time. Please review the proposal and provide us with your comments. Your comments will be very helpful by providing additional information or activities for consideration in the development of alternatives for management of this area. Site-specific comments are most useful. To be considered as we develop alternatives to the proposed action, we need to receive your comments by April 16, 2014. Electronic comments should be submitted in MS Word, Word Perfect, or RTF format. This comment period provides those interested in or affected by this proposal an opportunity to make their concerns known prior to a decision being made by the Responsible Official. Only those who provide timely and substantive comments will be eligible to object to the decision pursuant to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record, and will be available for public inspection. Please submit your written comments to:

Rich Kehr, District Ranger Beaver Creek Landscape Restoration Project

Swan Lake Ranger District 200 Ranger Station Road

Bigfork, MT 59911 Office hours, for those wishing to hand deliver their comments, are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday (except Federal holidays). E-mail comments may be sent to [email protected]. The subject line must contain the name of the project for which you are submitting comments. For electronically-mailed comments, the sender should normally receive an automated electronic acknowledgement from the agency as confirmation of

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mailto:[email protected]

receipt. If the sender does not receive an automated acknowledgement of the receipt of comments, it is the sender’s responsibility to ensure timely receipt by other means. If you wish to remain on the mailing list for this project, please let us know either by filling in your name and address on the enclosed Comment Sheet and returning it via the USPS or e-mailing us at [email protected]. If we do not hear from you, your name will be removed. Please feel free to share this letter with neighbors or other interested parties in the event we have missed someone. If you need more information, please contact me or the Project Leader Sue Tebay at Swan Lake Ranger District, 200 Ranger Station Road, Bigfork, MT 59911; or call her at (406) 837-7521. We welcome your involvement with this project. Sincerely,

RICHARD H. KEHR, JR. District Ranger Enclosures (Beaver Creek Project Vicinity Map, Proposed Action Maps, and Management Area Map)

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mailto:[email protected]

COMMENT SHEET

Beaver Creek Project Your comments and recommendations will help us identify issues associated with the Beaver Creek Project and focus our efforts during the analysis process. Please fill out and return this form by April 16, 2014. Additional comments may be made on a separate sheet of paper and included as well.

NAME: ORGANIZATION / ADDRESS:

COMMENTS & RECOMMENDATIONS:

Your Comments are Important!

This comment period provides those interested in or affected by this proposal an opportunity to make their concerns known prior to a decision being made by the Responsible Official. Only those who provide timely and substantive comments will be eligible to object the decision pursuant to the 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record, and will be available for public inspection.

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FOLD HERE AND MAIL BY April 16, 2014 FROM: ___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

District Ranger Swan Lake Ranger District 200 Ranger Station Road Bigfork, MT 59911

Postage Required

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BEAVER CREEK LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECT Purpose, Need for Action and Proposed Activities

The Swan Lake District of the Flathead National Forest proposes activities in approximately 11,743 acres of National Forest Lands in the Beaver Creek Grizzly Bear Subunit, specifically the Beaver Creek Project Area (See Map 1 −Vicinity).

PURPOSE The purpose of this project is to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire and promote ecological restoration by reducing hazardous fuel conditions in the project area; improving habitat conditions for threatened, endangered, or sensitive species; improving forest health; improving watershed conditions; remediating or controlling invasions of exotic species; and contributing to the local economy by providing commercial and personal-use wood products. Specifically:

1) Reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire by: a. Implementing the Seeley-Swan Community Wildfire Protection Plan to reduce fuels near

and adjacent to private land and residences within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). b. Using fire for ecological restoration and to modify fire behavior. c. Using prescribed fire as a tool to reduce potential threats of natural fire, originating in the

Mission Mountains Wilderness, affecting resources outside the wilderness in areas where natural fires cannot currently be allowed to burn due to fuel conditions.

d. Modifying fire behavior by promoting fire resistant stands appropriate for the fire regimes found in the Beaver Creek Project Area.

e. Reducing stocking in forest stands within the WUI and along strategic fuel breaks where modeling shows flame lengths greater than 4 feet based upon existing fuel conditions. Objective is to protect private property and provide for firefighter safety.

f. Maximizing retention of large fire resistant and legacy trees, as appropriate to the forest type, to promote fire resilient stands.

g. Maintaining and re-establishing natural fire regimes, where appropriate; h. Thin densely stocked young stands of small diameter trees (precommercial thin),

commercial thin, and creating strategic fuel breaks to protect Lindbergh Lake homes and other private property;

i. Monitoring and modeling fire behavior to determine if goals were met. 2) Improve fish and wildlife habitat, including that for endangered, threatened, and sensitive species

by: a. Protecting and creating lynx habitat by treating stem exclusion stands to recruit dense

patches of understory vegetation; b. Protecting and enhancing wildlife connectivity along ridges, waterways and other

appropriate geologic features across the watershed; c. Enhancing or restoring whitebark pine stands; d. Managing the transportation system in order to reduce total road density and increase the

percentage of the area in Grizzly Bear Core habitat;

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e. Designing management activities such as Thin or burning to increase shrub and huckleberry production;

f. Designing management activities such as planting or burning to increase aspen presence on appropriate sites;

g. Protecting and enhancing forest diversity suitable for a variety of species; h. Protecting a Westslope cutthroat trout population in the outlet stream of Beaver Lake, by

preventing non-native species invasion; i. Protecting sensitive and threatened plant species; j. Preventing new invasions of non-native fish into wetlands.

3) Improve forest health, forest composition, spatial arrangement, structure, and ecological resilience by:

a. Reducing stocking in stands where densities are high to promote tree vigor, alter species composition, and to reduce susceptibility of loss due to insect attack and disease;

b. Modifying stand structure to reduce risk of loss to White Pine Blister Rust and Mountain Pine Beetle;

c. Reducing densities and promoting diversity in young stands regenerating after prior regeneration harvests;

d. Replacing (regenerating) stands heavily affected by current and past mountain pine beetle infestations with fire adapted early seral species;

e. Replacing (regenerating) stands heavily infested with and badly degraded by root disease using species resistant to the extant disease;

f. Maintaining and enhancing biodiversity in the project area by employing innovative prescriptions that enhance or maintain spatial heterogeneity within individual stands and across the landscape;

g. Controlling invasive plants; h. Reducing understory ingrowth in stands containing large, healthy legacy trees, especially

western larch and to a lesser extent, ponderosa pine; i. Restoring health and vigor of western white pine and whitebark pine through strict stocking

control (“daylighting”); re-establishing both species on suitable sites using rust-resistant planting stock;

j. Maintaining large legacy trees where they occur on the landscape; k. Promoting structure and composition of stands containing old trees to place them on a

better trajectory toward old growth conditions characteristic of the forest type, taking into account the contribution of the stand to landscape fire adaptation and watershed health;

4) Maintain or improve water quality and watershed hydrologic function by: a. Restoring wetland areas drained for hay production; b. Decommissioning, rehabilitating, or maintaining roads with Best Management Practices,

consistent with management needs, 5) Prevent and/or control invasions of non-native plants by:

a. Aggressively treating along roads where invasive plants are present; b. Aggressively treating areas disturbed by prescribed fire or logging where invasive plants are

present; c. Preventing new infestations of invasive plants; d. Preventing aquatic invasive species; e. Remediating and controlling infestations of invasive plant species in wetlands and riparian

areas by restoring natural water levels.

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6) Benefit the local economy by: a. Providing local employment or training opportunities through contracts, grants, or

agreements; b. Utilizing local contractors to support economic sustainability; c. Utilizing woody biomass and small-diameter trees produced from the project; d. Capturing the value of convertible products resulting from forest health and fuels

treatments, especially those declining in value due to forest health issues.

NEED FOR ACTION The need for action derives from significant differences between desired and existing conditions on this landscape. Existing conditions were compiled from findings of the Upper Swan Valley Landscape Assessment (SEC 2004), stand diagnoses, field assessments, and assessment input received from the public. These evaluations show extensive areas of high fuel loadings, root disease, high potential for active and passive crown fire within and adjacent to the WUI and opportunities for various aquatic resources restoration.

Field surveys found that a great number of stands are outside their normal or historic range of variability and are in risk of either falling apart from insect/pathogen attack or succumbing to intense wildfire. Many or most of the existing large diameter old trees (20+ inches Diameter at Breast Height [DBH] and 180+ years old) may not survive the next 50 years. Many of these trees (primarily western larch) are in a stressed condition from competition for moisture and nutrients by abundant, younger fir trees. Such stressed conditions are conducive for insect and pathogen attacks. These stands are also in danger of being lost to intensive wildfire as a consequence of ingrowth of shade-tolerant fir trees that now form abundant ladder fuels and increase the likelihood of destructive crown fires.

Many acres in the Beaver Creek Drainage have missed one or more fire cycles due to past fire suppression. The accumulated fuels, their size, and arrangement have created conditions conducive to dangerous wildfires with extreme fire behavior. Both public and firefighter safety are in jeopardy, and the potential for loss of critical wildlife habitat, ecosystem services, and landscape values is high. Areas within the WUI are of paramount importance and require fuel treatments that will reduce predicted flame lengths and crown fire potential. Treating areas adjacent to the WUI are necessary to reduce the potential for extreme fires that could move unchecked into the WUI. Additionally, there is a need to modify fuel conditions within the Mission Mountains Wilderness to reduce, to an acceptable level, the risks and consequences of wildfire escaping from that area and to allow future lightning-caused wildfires to play a natural role on the landscape.

The Beaver Creek Watershed was also identified in a recent, nation-wide Watershed Condition Framework evaluation as “Functioning, at Risk”. This watershed has good water quality but restoration is needed to reduce road density, restore wetlands, address forest health concerns and reduce terrestrial weed infestation.

Needs for change in the Beaver Creek Drainage include:

1) Fire regimes in the Beaver Creek Area have changed from historical conditions. In addition, the warming climate is causing the size and severity of wildfires to increase. Extensive areas of high surface fuel loading, in combination with overstocked stands, create fuel conditions that are favorable for high intensity, stand-replacing fires. There is a need to reduce hazardous fuel loading by treating a significant number of acres within and adjacent to the WUI to reduce potential for high-intensity fire, provide for a higher level of firefighter safety, and reduce risk to the public and

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adjacent private property. There is also a need to re-establish fuel conditions and fire regimes consistent with resilient landscapes. a) Fire behavior models show significant potential for passive and active crown fire within and

adjacent to the WUI that, in the event of a fire start, would have significant potential to threaten residences along Lindbergh Lake, as well as the Montana Highway 83 corridor.

b) Fuel buildups within the Mission Mountains Wilderness need to be reduced. Lightning-caused wildfires currently cannot be allowed to burn because they have a high potential to move outside the wilderness and pose a serious threat to property and natural resources in adjacent areas.

2) Fish and wildlife habitat conditions need improvement in the Beaver Creek Area. a) Canada lynx foraging habitat can be increased and improved. Many acres in the project area

exist in the stem exclusion condition and will likely not provide for multi-story forage habitat for the foreseeable future without treatment. Foraging habitat does not appear to be well distributed in the north portion of the project area.

b) Opportunities exist for reducing motorized access density and increasing grizzly bear security core habitat. Reducing motorized access would also improve security for Canada lynx, big game and other wildlife species.

c) Fire regimes have changed in the project area reducing shrub production and big game foraging production. Shrub and huckleberry production can also be increased to improve grizzly bear habitat and increase forage for big game.

d) Aspen stands are scarce in the project area and their size and extent need to be increased for the benefit of big game and migratory bird species.

e) Fisheries surveys have found the majority of the Beaver Creek Watershed is dominated by non-native fish. However, the outlet stream of Beaver Lake has a small population of 99 percent pure Westslope cutthroat trout that has not yet been invaded by non-native fish. A small debris jam seems to have stymied invasion for now. This small population needs a barrier to prevent a future invasion when the debris jam collapses. The remainder of the project area (above Lindbergh Lake) offers bull trout critical habitat and also hosts a 99 percent pure cutthroat trout population. No restoration is needed in this area.

f) Habitat surveys show that Beaver Creek has sufficient large woody debris. Most locations also have sufficient numbers of pools, and there is no indication of excessive sedimentation, but trend data suggests the depths of the pools are decreasing and the channel is widening. Beaver Creek also has a warmer than ideal temperature and, thus, will become especially vulnerable to climate change. It would be desirable if Beaver Creek trends towards deeper pools and narrow channels, allowing fish to escape thermal stress.

g) The culvert on National Forest System (NFS) Road #9658 at the outlet of Beaver Lake provides only marginal fish passage. It blocks all fish at high flows and blocks juvenile fish the rest of the year. Fish passage is desirable in this location. This culvert is located in the reach of stream exclusively occupied by cutthroat trout.

3) Many stands in the Beaver Creek Project Area are overstocked causing low vigor, increased susceptibility to insect and disease, and in some cases significant mortality. There is a critical need for vegetation treatments that will reduce stand densities, alter species composition, reduce high fuel loadings, modify fuel arrangements, and thereby reduce potential for high intensity, stand-replacing fires. a) Stands with high numbers of dead and dying trees already attacked need replacement. b) Extensive areas containing large, older trees of late seral species are in a condition of

overstocking with in-growth of late seral, shade tolerant species. These latter are creating significant ladder fuels that jeopardize the large-tree component on the landscape. Ladder fuels

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need to be reduced in order to reduce potential loss of the large tree component across the landscape.

c) Whitebark pine and western white pine in the project area are being negatively impacted by a combination of white pine blister rust (an introduced disease) and mountain pine beetle. Both of these pests are exacerbated by high stand stocking levels that reduce tree vigor. Both whitebark pine and western white pine have been substantially reduced over their native range by these pests and they now form a small component of mixed conifer stands on the Flathead National Forest compared to historical averages. There is need to preserve and restore both species in the Beaver Creek Area.

d) Extensive areas of young stands, not lynx habitat or that are within the WUI, are overstocked and declining in vigor. These stands are growing slowly, are at risk from fire and provide dense areas of flashy fuels.

4) Areas of wetlands and riparian zones within the Beaver Creek Project Area have been negatively impacted by human activities and need remediation or restoration. a) Several wetlands have been drained in the past and converted to hay production. These need

to be restored to their historical condition in order to improve hydrologic and ecosystem functions.

b) Many wetlands and riparian areas have been invaded by non-native species that are displacing indigenous species and negatively impacting these habitats. These invasive species need to be reduced or eliminated from native habitats to the extent practicable.

c) Some roads are contributing undesirable runoff and sedimentation into stream channels and wetland areas. These conditions need to be remediated through a combination of road decommissioning, rehabilitation, and implementation of Best Management Practices.

5) Invasive plants exist in the project area from past management activities and may be transported into new areas due to public use and/or management activities. There is a need to reduce existing infestations and prevent the spread of new weeds into the area as a result of project activities.

DESIRED CONDITIONS The Flathead National Forest Plan provides general management direction through Resource Goals (pp. II-4 to II-5) and Objectives (pp. II-6 to II-14). Amongst these are the following (FNF 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.

• Manage landscape composition and patterns to reduce the risk of undesirable 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 undesirable fire events. Emphasize this objective in areas where wildland interface with urban and rural areas of private property.

• Restore fire dependent ecosystems to meet wilderness fire management objectives set forth in the Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2324.21. One of the wilderness fire management objectives is to reduce to an acceptable level, the risks and consequences of wildfire within the wilderness or escaping from the wilderness.

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• Manage mid-seral stands to maintain the composition and structure expected under native succession and disturbance regimes. In all potential vegetation groups (PVGs are 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 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 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.

• Management areas further define desired conditions. See Table 4 below for descriptions and distribution within the project area.

The Northern Rockies Lynx Management Direction (NRLMD) provides parameters for conservation and recovery of Canada Lynx. The Beaver Creek project will be consistent with the NRLMD. Snowshoe hare select dense sapling or multistory stands for hiding cover. The NRLMD does not include any required direction for creating lynx multistory forage, however reducing density stem exclusion stands to promote dense understories may increase lynx multistory forage over time. The desired future multistory lynx foraging habitat in the Lower Beaver Lynx Analysis Unit (LAU) is 32%.

Grizzly bear populations are currently above the recovery goals and appear to be growing at an annual rate of 3%. However, human access poses a mortality risk to grizzly bears. Roads serve as a proxy for human access. Reducing road densities can minimize grizzly bear displacement from motorized activity and decrease mortality risk from human conflict. The Forest Plan Amendment 19 provides direction to manage Open Motorized Route Density, Total Motorized Route Density and Security Core for grizzly bear security. The Beaver Creek Project occurs on Grizzly Bear Management Situation 1 lands which provide direction to favor the needs of the grizzly bear. Desired project area values for grizzly bear security are: 6% of subunit contains open road density (ORD) >1 mi/mi2; 19% of the subunit contains total road density (TRD) >2 mi/mi2; 68% of the subunit contains security core in blocks at least 2500 acres in size.

As a result of nearly a century of fire suppression in the Beaver Creek Area, fire regimes have changed compared to historical conditions. Shrub production has likely decreased as stands have become overstocked. 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, 1970-1985” as part of management direction. Based on these, huckleberry and shrub production are both likely below desired levels.

The Flathead National Forest Plan seeks to maintain the viability of native species (II-5). Amendment #3 further seeks opportunities to recover Westslope cutthroat trout in streams without non-native trout. The Memorandum of Understanding for 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 desirable) is a regional standard.

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The Inland Fish Strategy (INFISH) amendment to the FNF Forest Plan seeks to maintain natural instream flows and habitat that supports native populations. INFISH also provides riparian management goals for pool frequency, large woody debris frequency, stream channel shape and water temperature.

Invasive plants are a pernicious problem throughout the Flathead National Forest as a consequence human activities. Desired conditions for noxious weeds in the Beaver Creek Area are for a net reduction of existing infestations and no new weed spread due to project activities.

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 Plan pg. II 5, II 11-12, II 29-30, II 50-53, II 59-64; FSH 7709.55 – Travel Planning Handbook, Ch. 20 Travel Analysis). Best Management Practices (BMPs) are to be implemented on the National Forest Road system.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Fuel conditions within the Beaver Creek Project Area have fuel accumulations that are conducive to creating high-severity wildfire. Surface fuels, standing dead, and standing live fuels (including ladder fuels) are moderate to high (or extreme) over much of the Beaver Creek Project Area. Under 97th percentile weather conditions (extreme fire danger conditions), models show the potential for an unplanned ignition to quickly transition to a passive or active crown fire, which would pose a significant risk to residences adjacent to Lindbergh Lake and surrounding area, as well as residences along Highway 83 on the northeast side of the project area. Fire regimes in the Beaver Creek Project Area have changed from historical conditions. There is a need to re-establish fuel conditions and fire regimes consistent with fire resilient landscapes. Current fuel conditions within the project area threaten improvements within the WUI as well as large-diameter western larch and Douglas-fir trees that are found throughout the project area.

Current fuel conditions within the Mission Mountains Wilderness also show fuel accumulations that are responsible for creating high-severity wildfire. An unplanned ignition within the wilderness would have the potential to quickly burn into the WUI area. Lightning-caused wildfires cannot be allowed to burn because they have the potential to pose a serious threat to property and natural resources outside the wilderness.

Extensive areas of high surface fuel loading in combination with overstocked stands create fuel conditions that are favorable for high intensity, stand-replacing fires. The proximity of private property within and adjacent to the project area are possibly compromised by extreme fire behavior during a wildfire event. Presently, there are approximately 14 acres of dead or dying trees or so badly damaged, mostly by pathogens, that they require regeneration and conversion to pathogen-resistant species. An additional 2725 acres requires density reduction and/or adjustment in species composition to improve or maintain tree vigor and enhance resistance to insect and disease attack, or they require changes in fuel conditions (fuel loading, arrangement). There are approximately 972 acres of young stands that are severely overstocked which need precommercial Thin to improve vigor and reduce fuel hazard. Surface

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fuels, standing dead, and standing live fuels (including ladder fuels) are moderate to high (or extreme) over much of the Beaver Creek Project Area. Fire modeling, considering existing conditions of fuel loading and arrangement indicates a significant risk to the private property in the project area and the residential portion of Lindbergh Lake.

Reducing road densities can minimize grizzly bear displacement from motorized activity and decrease mortality risk from human conflict. Forest Plan Amendment 19 sets road density and security objectives for the Beaver Creek Bear Subunit. Presently, values for grizzly bear security in the Beaver Creek Grizzly Bear Subunit are: 6% of subunit contains open road density (ORD) >1 mi/mi2; 26% of the subunit contains total road density (TRD) >2 mi/mi2; 66% of the subunit contains security core in blocks greater than 2500 acres in size. Total road density needs to be decreased by 7% and security core increased by 2% of the subunit. This can be accomplished by decommissioning approximately 4.1 miles of road and road storage.

Multistory Canada Lynx habitat is at 30% in the Lower Beaver LAU. At present, 400 stem exclusion acres (± 2%) can be put on a trajectory toward becoming multistory lynx forage habitat.

Existing conditions for big game shrub and forage, and huckleberry production are unknown, however, based on past fire suppression tactics and stand data indicating “a great number of stands are outside their normal or historic range of variability”, shrub production is likely lower than what was historically present. Huckleberry production can be increased over an estimated 500 acres and big game forage over an estimated 700 acres in the project area.

Extensive areas are overstocked with high numbers of dead and dying trees; overstocking in many stands is causing low vigor and increased susceptibility to insect and disease; both contributing to high fuel loadings and potential for high intensity, stand-replacing fires. Extensive areas containing large, older trees of late seral species are in a condition of overstocking with in-growth of late seral, shade tolerant species. These latter are creating significant ladder fuels that jeopardize the large-tree component on the landscape. There are extensive areas of young stands, not lynx habitat or within the WUI that are overstocked and declining in vigor. There are also poor quality stands past the sapling stage needing alterations in species composition, residual tree species, and/or stocking resulting from past management practices.

Fisheries surveys have found the majority of Beaver Creek Watershed is dominated by non-native fish. However the outlet stream of Beaver Lake has a small population of 99% pure Westslope cutthroat trout that has not yet been invaded by non-native fish. This small population needs a barrier to prevent a future invasion when the debris jam collapses. The remainder of the project area (above Lindbergh Lake) offers bull trout critical habitat and also hosts a 99% pure cutthroat trout population. Non-native species are a threat in this area as well but there are no realistic opportunities to address the concern.

Habitat surveys have found Beaver Creek has sufficient large woody debris, most locations also have sufficient number of pools and there is no indication of excessive sedimentation. But trend data suggests the depths of the pools are decreasing and the channel is widening. Beaver Creek also has warmer temperature than ideal (probably natural) thus will become especially vulnerable to climate change. Therefore it is desirable for Beaver Creek to trend towards deeper pools and narrow channel,

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which allows fish to escape thermal stress. The culvert on FSR #9658 at the outlet of Beaver Lake provides only passage to adult trout at base flows. It blocks all ages at high flows and blocks juvenile fish all the time (note: this culvert is located in the reach of stream exclusively occupied by cutthroat trout). Fish passage is desirable in this location.

PROPOSAL The proposal includes management activities on approximately 11,743 acres of National Forest lands within the Project Area (See enclosed Maps 2 –East Half; and Map 3 –West Half). An estimated 2,906 acres of proposed activities are located within the Wildland Urban Interface.

Prescribed Fire Activities: Reduce hazardous fuel loading by treating a significant number of acres within and adjacent to the WUI to reduce potential for high intensity fire, provide for higher level of fire fighter safety, and reduce risk of catastrophic fire in the interface. Fuel loading would be reduced through forest thinning or harvest activities that also promote forest health. All activity-generated fuels would be treated. Stands within the WUI would be mechanically thinned to increase tree spacing, reduce ladder fuels, and reduce canopy cover. Prescribed burning would be conducted for fuel reduction and site preparation where appropriate.

Prescribed fire activities are also proposed within the Mission Mountains Wilderness to reduce potential threats of natural fire, originating in the Mission Mountains Wilderness, affecting resources outside the wilderness in areas where natural fires cannot currently be allowed to burn due to existing fuel conditions. See Table 1 for specific activity and associated acreage.

Lynx Habitat Improvement: Many acres in the project area exist in the stem exclusion condition and will likely not provide for multi-story habitat for the foreseeable future without treatment. Improvements in lynx habitat would occur by decreasing stand densities and allowing for understory regeneration on approximately 400 acres. Patches of understory would be retained in vegetation treatment units to provide for additional lynx habitat.

Grizzly Bear Habitat: Move the Beaver Creek Grizzly Bear Subunit toward compliance with Forest Plan Amendment 19 while maintaining compliance with the Swan Valley Grizzly Bear Agreement. Decommission 4.1 miles of National Forest System Road (NFSR), and place into intermittent stored service (Maintenance Level 1, strong entrance closure, drainage pipes removed) 11.6 miles of NFSR will help meet this goal. See attached Table 1 for proposed road work.

Forest Health: Improve forest health by addressing root disease, low vigor and susceptibility to insect and disease, and improving forest resilience to disturbance events. This would be accomplished through a combination of cultural activities that include regeneration and intermediate treatments (precommercial thin, commercial thin, daylighting and pruning, and overstory removal). See attached Table 1 for specific activity and associated acreage.

Shrub Production: Shrub production associated with grizzly bear food sources and big game foraging production will be increased through cultural measures designed to improve habitat conditions.

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Huckleberry production will be increased on an estimated 1,000 acres and big game forage on 2,000 acres through a combination of timber stand thinning, shelterwood treatments and prescribed fire.

Whitebark Pine: Improve health and vigor of remaining whitebark pine in the Beaver Creek area by daylighting (82 acres) and creating small openings for planting rust-resistant stock (165 acres). See Table 1.

Water Quality: Reduce the impact of the National Forest Road System in the project area on stream channels and lakes in the project area, specifically sediment transport. A recent inventory of forest roads identified several roads that had either point sources of erosion or poor culvert installation or have impact to hillslope hydrology (collecting water in ditches or unstable slopes). It is proposed to address all of these problem roads in a variety of means. If the road has near-term utilization, the problem would be addressed with BMP improvement, regardless if they are haul routes. NFSR #9570Y and #10742 have some aquatic concerns and the road is not needed in the near-term, therefore it will be placed into ‘storage’ with culverts removed if not already done so. Several roads are proposed for decommissioning since they are no longer needed. NFSR #9656 and #91162 were identified as negatively impacting hillslope hydrology; therefore these roads will be either partially or full re-contoured when they are decommissioned. These actions may greatly speed up watershed recovery. The other roads proposed for decommissioning are unnecessary roads but re-contouring is not needed to restore the watershed.

Wetlands: Three wetlands within the Beaver Creek Project Area have been drained. This proposal would take appropriate measures to restore these wetlands to historic conditions, thus restore valuable wetland habitat for aquatic species. Restoring natural water levels may reduce the infestation of non-native plants. See Table 1.

Native Fish Restoration: There is an opportunity to block non-native brook trout from invading a remnant cutthroat trout population in the outlet stream of Beaver Lake. This proposal would block upstream migration of non-native fish by constructing a small wall of gabion-baskets filled with riprap. The structure would be built with hand crews and does not require road construction. Gabions would slow or stop brook trout invasion but this type of barrier does not last forever. The stream could move around the barrier during a flood event, rendering it useless. This is proposed as an acceptable risk due to reluctance to construct a road into this inaccessible location and the small cutthroat trout population size at stake.

The culvert on NFS road #9658 at the outlet of Beaver Lake provides passage only to adult trout at base flows. It blocks all ages at high flows and blocks juvenile fish the rest of the year. Proposal is to replace culvert with larger culvert or bridge with fish passage or remove the culvert and reconstruct historic stream channel. This area has only cutthroat trout and there is no risk of non-native species moving upstream. This is not a desirable barrier location to isolate cutthroat trout since there is insufficient habitat upstream.

Invasive Fish in Wetlands: Central mudminnow, brook stickleback and fathead minnows are three fish species that have been illegally introduced and spread to many wetlands. The fish spread during high

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water when small channels connect the wetlands. Ecological impacts are uncertain but they have probably altered macro-invertebrate communities and possibly impacted salamanders. Once established, there is no known way to remove them. Proposal is to modify road culverts so that water exiting the culvert drops approximately 10 to 12 inches. This should prevent the species from moving into more wetlands during most flood conditions. See Table 1 for details.

Invasive Plants: The potential to introduce and spread noxious weeds in the project area will be reduced through a combination of vehicle inspections for commercial operators prior to operating in the area, management practices that reduce spread, and active spraying of infested areas. Stewardship contract tools will be used to accomplish these measures.

ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS OF THE PROPOSAL An estimated 2,906 acres of proposed activity is located within the WUI.

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, and/or excavator piling.

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, and/or jackpot burning.

Units would be accessed with an estimated 10.0 miles of temporary road construction, a mix of using existing road templates and new road templates. National Forest System (NFS) roads would be used for haul.

Best Management Practices (BMPs) would be implemented on approximately 47.7 miles of National Forest System Roads that will be utilized as haul routes.

To protect fish habitat and conserve water quality, unharvested buffers would be retained around most streams and wetlands following INFISH guidance. However in some areas, forest health restoration activities are proposed. Maintaining riparian objectives such as cool water temperature, large woody debris, pools and channel shape could be met along with forest restoration.

The Beaver Grizzly Bear Subunit is “Active” from 2015 to 2017. All activities would comply with the Swan Valley Grizzly Bear Conservation Agreement (SVGBCA). Harvest operations are expected to begin in 2015 and may be completed by 2018.

Proposed Action Activities The following table summarizes the management activities proposed. Please see Maps 2 and 3 for the locations of these activities. Please also refer to the Descriptions of Proposed Management Activities located after Tables 1 and 2 for more specific information on these proposed activities.

TABLE 1. SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSAL

11

PROJECT ACTIVITY UNIT OF MEASUREMENT

VEGETATION TREATMENT ACTIVITIES ACRES Clearcut with Reserves 14 Commercial and Precommercial Thin 294 Commercial Thin 742 Commercial Thin and Daylighting 263 Commercial Thin, Sanitation, and Salvage 180 Daylighting 82 Group Selection 165 Group Selection and Commercial Thin 51 Group Selection and Daylighting 74 Group Selection and Improvement Cut 9 Group Selection, Improvement Cut, and Commercial Thin 53 Improvement Cut 174 Improvement Cut and Commercial Thin 64 Improvement Cut and Precommercial Thin 416 Improvement Cut, Commercial and Precommercial Thin 81 Improvement Cut, Commercial Thin, and Sanitation Salvage 46 Improvement Cut, Precommercial Thin, and Fill plant 20 Improvement Cut, Precommercial Thin, and Salvage 11 Fill plant 261 Precommercial Thin 591 Precommercial Thin and Fill plant 343 Precommercial Thin, Fill plant, and Sanitation 38 Sanitation and Salvage 3

Total Vegetation Treatments: 3,975 PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIVITIES ACRES Maximum Management Area (Wilderness) 5,121 Broadcast Burning (Wilderness) 2,269 Burn Area (Not Planned for Ignition) 108 Broadcast Burning (Non-Wilderness) 1,048

Total Prescribed Fire Treatments 8,546* *(Of this 8,546 acres 821 acres are included in vegetation treatment activities listed above) TOTAL TREATMENT ACRES 11,743 AQUATICS ACTIVITIES ACRES Restoration of Wetlands 43* *(Restoration acres totaling 43 acres is included in the total treatment acres above)

Fish habitat improvement structures

1 Barrier to Protect Western Cutthroat

trout; 4 Barriers to protect

Wetlands ROAD MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS MILES

12

TABLE 1. SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSAL

PROJECT ACTIVITY UNIT OF MEASUREMENT

Road Maintenance BMPs to meet Vegetation Management Requirements 47.7 Total Temporary Road Construction Needs 10.0

Subtotal: New Temporary Road Construction 4.9 Subtotal: Temporary Road on Existing Template 5.1

Road Realignment 0.15 Total Road Decommissioning 4.1

Subtotal: Active or Passive Decommissioning Subtotal: Partial or Full Re-contour (NFSR #9656 and #91162)

2.1 2.0

Roads Storage (ISS) 11.6

TABLE 2. UNIT INFORMATION

UN

IT N

O.

ACRE

S

TREATMENT ACTIVITY PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIVITY METHOD SLASH

TREATMENT MANAGEMENT

AREA

1 4 Commercial Thin --- Ground Based, Mechanized

Whole Tree Yarding/Masti

cate 5

2 1 Commercial and Precommercial Thin --- Ground Based,

Mechanized


cate 5

3 24 Commercial Thin Broadcast Burning Ground Based, Mechanized


cate 5


Mechanized


cate 5

5 14 Commercial and Precommercial Thin Broadcast Burning Ground Based,

Mechanized Whole Tree

Yarding 11C


Whole Tree Yarding 5

7 3 Sanitation and Salvage Broadcast Burning Ground Based, Mechanized

Whole Tree Yarding 5

8 6 Improvement Cut and Commercial Thin --- Ground Based,

Mechanized Masticate, Pile 11C



10 7 Commercial Thin, Sanitation, and Salvage --- Ground Based,

Mechanized

Whole Tree Yarding/Pile/

Masticate 11C

13

TABLE 2. UNIT INFORMATION U

NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA


Mechanized


Masticate 11C


Mechanized


Masticate 11C


Whole Tree Yarding 11C






Mechanized


Masticate 11C





19 48 Commercial Thin and Daylighting --- Ground Based,

Mechanized


Masticate 15C






Whole Tree Yarding/Pile 15C



cate 15C

24 5 Commercial Thin and Daylighting Broadcast Burning Ground Based,

Mechanized Whole Tree Yarding/Pile 15C





14


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA




Mechanized


Masticate 15C


Mechanized


Masticate 15C




Mechanized


cate 15C


Mechanized


cate 15C


Mechanized


cate 15C




Mechanized


cate 15C


Mechanized


cate 15C



Yarding 15C



Yarding 15C



Yarding 11C




Mechanized


Masticate 11C



15


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA




Mechanized


Masticate 11C

45 8 Clearcut with Reserves --- Ground Based, Mechanized




Yarding 11C





Yarding 11C





Yarding 11C



52 11 Improvement Cut,

Commercial Thin , and Sanitation Salvage

--- Ground Based, Mechanized






54 8 Improvement Cut, Commercial and

Precommercial Thin --- Ground Based,

Mechanized


cate 11C





Yarding 11C

57 3 Commercial Thin , Sanitation, and Salvage --- Ground Based,

Mechanized


cate 15C



Yarding 11C

16


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA



Yarding 11C





Yarding 11C






Mechanized


cate 15C





Masticate 15C



Yarding 15C



Yarding 15C

69 4 Commercial Thin Burn Area (Not Planned for Ignition)

Ground Based, Mechanized










17


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA





Mechanized


cate 15C


Mechanized


cate 15C









79 10 Commercial Thin , Sanitation, and Salvage Broadcast Burning Ground Based,

Mechanized


cate 15C



81 13 Commercial Thin --- Skyline Whole Tree Yarding 15C



83 34 Commercial Thin --- Skyline Whole Tree Yarding/Pile 15C

84 6 Clearcut with Reserves --- Ground Based, Mechanized Piling 15C



Mechanized


cate 11C



Mechanized


cate 11C





18


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA






Mechanized


cate 15C





Precommercial Thin --- Skyline Whole Tree

Yarding/Pile 11C











100 14 Commercial Thin Broadcast Burning Skyline Whole Tree Yarding 15C









105 27 Commercial Thin --- Skyline Whole Tree Yarding/Pile 15C



19


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA






111 26 Group Selection and Commercial Thin --- Ground Based,


112 28 Improvement Cut and Commercial Thin Broadcast Burning Ground Based,


Yarding 11C

113 8 Improvement Cut and Commercial Thin Broadcast Burning Skyline Whole Tree

Yarding 11C






Mechanized

Whole Tree Yarding/Lop

Scatter 11C

116 53 Group Selection,

Improvement Cut, and Commercial Thin



117 9 Group Selection and Improvement Cut --- Ground Based,




119 26 Group Selection and Commercial Thin --- Ground Based,


Yarding 11C



Yarding 11C

200 7 Precommercial Thin --- Hand Lop Scatter 15C

201 4 Improvement Cut and Precommercial Thin --- Ground Based,





20


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA




Mechanized


cate 11C



207 19 Improvement Cut --- Ground Based, Mechanized


Masticate 11C


209 13 Precommercial Thin --- Ground Based, Mechanized Masticate, Pile 11C






Mechanized


Masticate 15C






219 7 Daylighting --- Hand Lop Scatter 12



Mechanized Masticate 11C

21


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA

222 1 Fill plant --- Hand --- 11C


Mechanized


Masticate 11C


Mechanized


cate 11C



226 10 Precommercial Thin --- Ground Based, Mechanized Masticate 11C


Precommercial Thin , and Salvage




Precommercial Thin , and Salvage





231 313 Precommercial Thin and Fill plant Broadcast Burning Ground Based,



233 24 Fill plant Broadcast Burning Hand --- 15C

234 24 Precommercial Thin Broadcast Burning Ground Based, Mechanized Masticate 15C

235 26 Improvement Cut Broadcast Burning Ground Based, Mechanized


236 52 Improvement Cut and Precommercial Thin Broadcast Burning Ground Based,

Mechanized


cate 15C


Mechanized


cate 15C


22


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA



240 21 Improvement Cut and Precommercial Thin Broadcast Burning Ground Based,


241 30 Precommercial Thin and Fill plant --- Ground Based,



243 38 Precommercial Thin , Fill plant, and Sanitation --- Ground Based,









Mechanized


cate 15C




Scatter 15C


Mechanized


Scatter 15C



Scatter 15C



23


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA

257 11 Improvement Cut --- Skyline Whole Tree Yarding 11C


259 22 Group Selection and Daylighting --- Skyline Whole Tree

Yarding/Pile 11C

260 52 Group Selection and Daylighting --- Ground Based,


261 30 Group Selection --- Ground Based, Mechanized


262 20 Daylighting --- Hand Lop Scatter 11C

263 117 Group Selection --- Ground Based, Mechanized


Masticate 11C

264 32 Improvement Cut --- Hand Lop Scatter 11C

265 20 Daylighting --- Ground Based, Mechanized Masticate 11C

266 18 Group Selection --- Ground Based, Mechanized Masticate, Pile 11C

267 19 Daylighting --- Hand Lop Scatter 1


Precommercial Thin , and Fill plant

--- Hand Lop Scatter 11C





300 211 Prescribed Burning Only Broadcast Burning Hand --- 11C

301 23 Prescribed Burning Only Burn Area (Not Planned for Ignition) NA --- 11C



24


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA




307 50 Prescribed Burning Only Broadcast Burning Hand --- 15C

308 (Swan River

Ignition Area

520 Prescribed Burning Only Broadcast Burning (Wilderness) Helicopter --- 22

309 (Sleeping

Elk Ignition Area)


310 107 Prescribed Burning Only Maximum

Management Area (MMA)

NA --- 2



NA --- 22

312 (Upper Beaver Ignition Area)




NA --- 22



NA --- 22

400 33 Wetland Restoration --- --- --- 12




Mechanized


Masticate 11C


Mechanized


Masticate 11C


Mechanized


Masticate 11C

25


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA


Mechanized


Masticate 15C


Mechanized


Masticate 15C


Mechanized


Masticate 15C




Mechanized


cate 15C


Mechanized


cate 15C


Mechanized


cate 15C





Yarding 11C



Yarding 11C






Yarding/Pile 11C








26


NIT

NO

.

ACRE

S



AREA





4225 3 Improvement Cut and Precommercial Thin --- Hand Lop Scatter 11C




DESCRIPTIONS OF PROPOSED MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

Regeneration Treatments

Regeneration harvests are proposed in Forest Stands where recent inventory data (2011, 2012 & 2013) and stand diagnoses indicate substantial current or potential mortality from insects and/or disease.

• Clearcut with Reserves (CC/R): This treatment would remove nearly all trees from the site to facilitate regeneration of a new age class and increase species diversity. Although limited, all long-lived, fire-resistant, shade-intolerant species (western larch, ponderosa pine, western white pine, and occasionally Douglas-fir) would be retained, where feasible and where not acting as an insect or disease vector. Reserve trees would be retained to provide long term structural diversity. These treatment areas consist of: (a) even-aged lodgepole pine with little species or structural diversity and are either experiencing mountain pine beetle mortality or are at risk of being affected; (b) stands substantially infected by dwarf mistletoe; (c) stands with significant root disease attack needing replacement with disease-resistant species. Regeneration of trees would result from natural seeding, planted seedlings, or a combination of both. Mechanical treatments and/or prescribed fire could be used to reduce fuels, recycle nutrients and prepare the site for regeneration. • Group Selection: This treatment would establish small openings (typically 2 to 5 acres) in

stands with the primary purpose of establishing new cohorts of trees. Uneven-aged stands

27

result from this treatment and add considerable spatial heterogeneity to the existing stand. Consequently they typically result in increased biological diversity o Group Selection/Commercial Thin (GS/CT): These regeneration treatments would be

combined with commercial Thin in the remaining matrix to reduce stand density and fuel loading and promote fire resistant species, where available. The principle purpose is to create openings for establishment of whitebark pine seedlings, either from planted rust-resistant stock, or natural regeneration, or both. Consequently these treatments will generally be applied to stands at elevations greater than 5,500 feet.

o Group Selection/Daylighting (GS/D): These treatments would be conducted in stands that contain older, more mature whitebark pine with the primary purpose of freeing growing space in the vicinity of these trees to improve growth and vigor.

o Group Selection/Improvement Cut (GS/IC): Improvement cuts (IC) are treatments conducted in stands past the sapling stage to remove trees of undesirable species, form, age, or condition from the main canopy. Treatments remove the less desirable trees of any species with the primary purpose of improving composition and quality of the remaining stand. This treatment sets the stage for simultaneous or later thinnings or reproduction cuttings. In this case, IC is applied to the remaining matrix in stands subject to GS for the primary purpose of initiating whitebark pine regeneration.

o Group Selection/Improvement Cut/Commercial Thin (GS/IC/CT): Similar to the above treatment except that simultaneous commercial Thin will be conducted in the remaining matrix.

• Fill Plant (FP): Trees are planted in areas previous subject to regeneration harvest where regeneration was not completely successful. Typically these would be inclusions in stands that otherwise have sufficient stocking or even stocking exceeding desired levels and which may require some precommercial thinning.

Intermediate Treatments • Commercial Thin (CT): Existing tree density would be reduced from current levels to a target

residual density ranging from 60 to 120 square feet of basal area per acre. This equates to approximately 50 to 150 trees per acre depending on tree species and site variables. Long-lived, fire-resistant, shade-intolerant species (typically western larch, ponderosa pine, western white pine, and occasionally Douglas-fir) would be favored for retention. The purpose of this treatment is to enlarge the growing space for desirable trees and reduce tree competition for limited site resources thus promoting improved tree growth, vigor, and resilience to insect and disease. This treatment is also targeted to reduce fuel quantities and disrupt fuel continuity. Mechanical treatments and/or prescribed fire would be used to treat fuels and recycle nutrients. o Commercial Thin/Daylighting (CT/D): This treatment combines commercial Thin with

daylighting, typically aimed at preserving large, old legacy trees of early-seral, fire-resistant species (western larch, ponderosa pine, western white pine, and occasionally Douglas-fir). Smaller, younger trees are removed in a 20 to 30 foot radius surrounding large trees designated for retention in order to improve vigor, remove ladder fuels, and increase resistance to insect attack (e.g., bark beetles).

o Commercial Thin/Precommercial Thin (CT/PCT): A commercial Thin is combined with pre-commercial Thin (see below) in stands containing two or more age classes in which stand densities exceed those desirable for optimal tree growth, vigor and resilience to insect and disease.

o Commercial Thin/Sanitation Salvage (CT/SS): A commercial Thin is combined with Sanitation/Salvage (see below). These are stands which have a significant component of

28

mortality or potential mortality, but also contain healthy trees at densities that exceed those desirable for optimal tree growth, vigor and resilience to insect and disease.

• Daylighting (D): Daylighting treatments are applied on an individual tree basis and involve clearing vegetation within a specified distance (~20 to 30 feet) of a target tree. Daylighting would be applied in three situations: (1) to release living whitebark pine and improve microclimate with the objective of discouraging attack by mountain pine beetle; (2) releasing large, old legacy trees –especially important for ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir where bark beetle attack is encouraged by shaded boles; and (3) release of living western white pine and discourage attack by both mountain pine beetle and white pine blister rust. Typically pruning of the lower eight feet of bole would be done in conjunction with daylighting western white pine. Daylighting would also remove hazardous ladder fuels from beneath the daylighted trees. Ponderosa pine, western white pine, western larch and Douglas-fir would be favored for retention and daylighting.

• Sanitation and Salvage (SS): In these treatments, the existing stand structure would generally remain intact following treatment. They are intended to remove dead, dying, or damaged trees. Primarily this includes lodgepole pine trees affected by mountain pine beetle and areas of significant root disease (especially in Douglas-fir). Where concentrations of affected trees exist, stand structure would be more significantly modified. The primary purpose of this treatment is to improve stand health, recover economic value, and manipulate fuel loadings and continuity. A secondary purpose is to prevent spread of damaging agencies to adjacent healthy stands. Mechanical treatments would be used to reduce fuels and recycle nutrients. o Salvage (SAL): The primary purpose is to remove trees that have been or probably will be

killed or damaged by injurious agents other than competition (disease, insects, fire, and wind). Primarily these are stands with significant mortality from past mountain pine beetle attack or root disease.

o Sanitation (S): This treatment is intended to reduce spread of damaging organisms to residual stand or adjacent stands. Relatively few trees are cut to safeguard the large numbers that remain. Stands receiving this treatment fall into three categories: (1) stands with large numbers of lodgepole pine in a size, age, and density range susceptible to attack by mountain pine beetle; (2) stands with a significant component of overstory trees with dwarf mistletoe; (3) stands with a significant component of larger Douglas-fir and a high probability of root disease where conversion to non-susceptible species is the only reasonable course of action.

• Improvement Cut (IC): Treatments conducted in stands past the sapling stage to remove trees of undesirable species, form, age, or condition from the main canopy. Treatments remove the less desirable trees of any species with the primary purpose of improving composition and quality of the remaining stand. This treatment sets the stage for simultaneous or later thinnings or reproduction cuttings. Stands subject to prior cutting which retained poor phenotypes or trees injured by insect and disease, but which still have promising trees of desired species are the main target of this treatment. The purpose is to find and release the best trees. Ponderosa pine, western white pine, western larch and Douglas-fir would be favored for retention. In addition to the Thin of live trees, dead trees and pine trees currently infested with MPB would be salvaged from these areas if encountered. Trees with significant dwarf mistletoe and apparent root disease would also be targeted for removal as would late-seral, shade-tolerant species and poor phenotypes of any species.

o Improvement Cut/Commercial Thin (IC/CT): In addition to removing poor quality trees of any species, improvement cutting is combined with commercial Thin to reduce stand

29

densities and improve growth and vigor of the residual stand and reduce hazardous fuel loading and arrangement. Ponderosa pine, western white pine, western larch and Douglas-fir would be favored for retention.

o Improvement Cut/Commercial Thin/Precommercial Thin (IC/CT/PCT): Stands designated for this treatment combination would have multiple age classes with many of the trees to be removed smaller than the minimum Forest Service sawlog specifications of 7” inches DBH; however larger trees would also be removed. Mechanical treatments would be used to reduce fuels and recycle nutrients.

o Improvement Cut/Commercial Thin/Sanitation-Salvage (IC/CT/SS): These stands, in addition to meeting the above criteria for improvement cut and commercial thin, also have a significant component of dead or dying trees. The objective is to improve composition and quality, vigor, and reduce fuel hazard.

o Improvement Cut/Precommercial Thin (IC/PCT): These stands, in addition to meeting the objective for improvement cuts, also have a dense understory representing a significant ladder fuel hazard. Tree density would be reduced from current levels to a target residual density ranging from 150 to 300 trees per acre.

o Improvement Cut/Precommercial Thin/Fill Plant (IC/PCT/FP): These stands have typically been cut over in the past with poor quality trees (typically diseased, have insect attack, or undesirable phenotypes) retained in the overstory and with areas where regeneration is both abundant and poorly established. Areas understocked need fill planting to bring stocking up to a target of 150 to 300 trees per acre.

o Improvement Cut/Precommercial Thin/Salvage (IC/PCT/SAL): Stands designated for this treatment have poor quality trees in the overstory, a dense understory, and significant mortality in the larger size classes resulting from past insect and/or disease attack.

• Precommercial Thin (PCT): This treatment is applied to young stands generally not past the sapling stage with objective of reducing densities and improving species composition. Residual tree density would be reduced to a target of 150 to 300 trees per acre. The primary purpose is to adjust species composition and concentrate growth on the most desirable trees while reducing fuel continuity and modifying fuel arrangement. This treatment will focus on the removal of young trees generally less than 5 inches DBH. Mechanical treatments and/or pile burning would be used to reduce fuels and recycle nutrients. This treatment is typically accomplished through hand Thin methods or through mechanized chipping/mastication.

o Precommercial Thin/Fill Plant (PCT/FP): Stands designated for this treatment have been harvested in the past, have some regeneration established, but also contain significant areas that are understocked. Areas with established regeneration are frequently too dense for optimal tree growth, vigor and resilience to insect and disease. Areas understocked need fill planting to bring stocking up to a target of 150 to 300 trees per acre.

o Precommercial Thin/Fill Plant/Sanitation (PCT/FP/S): This treatment is applied to young stands generally not past the sapling stage that were previously subject to regeneration harvest and now have highly variable stocking. These stands need precommercial Thin in some areas, fill planting in others to meet density requirements. Additionally, some remnant reserve trees are actual or potential hosts for insect or disease (usually mountain pine beetle or dwarf mistletoe) that could spread to adjacent healthy trees. These trees need to be removed.

30

PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIVITIES Broadcast Burning (Wilderness): Prescribed fire would target and reduce dead and down fuels,

as well as cause mortality in understory trees and patches of overstory trees. It would also kill the above-ground portion of shrubs and forbs. The resulting vegetation in the timber dominated areas should be in a more open condition with fewer ladder fuels and surface fuels.

Ignition would be completed when conditions are favorable (likely late fall). While some scorching and mortality of larger trees could occur, large tree mortality would be minimized and would be expected to be between 20 and 30 percent. Mortality would vary due to the mosaic and variable nature typical of this type of vegetation.

The proposed wilderness burns would be mostly conducted using aerial ignition methods, which would consist of helicopter with a heli-torch or plastic sphere dispenser (PSD) machine (dispenses plastic spheres containing potassium permanganate for remote ignition). Portions of the burn could be conducted by hand-ignition methods where the prescribed fire burn boss deems it necessary. These areas would mostly consist of holding areas outside of the wilderness boundaries.

Broadcast Burning (Non-Wilderness): Much like the wilderness burns, prescribed fire would target and reduce dead and down fuels, as well as cause mortality in understory grass, trees, and shrubs. Due to the lighter fuels in the area, combined with previous fuels treatments, overstory and 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. Aerial ignition could be utilized in areas that are favorable and would provide desirable results.

Maximum Management Area (MMA)(Wilderness): Associated with the wilderness burn area boundary is an area designated as the MMA. The MMA is not targeted for treatment; however, suppression actions would normally not be taken to keep prescribed fire from spreading into it from the burn area. The MMA is designated as an area bounded by topographic or fuel conditions that make fire leaving the MMA unlikely. The purpose of this is to allow for incidental fire spread outside the target burn unit without being required to take suppression actions (generally ground disturbing actions, such as fire line, etc.). The MMA allows for flexibility to continue meeting the objectives of the prescribed burn in the project boundary area without placing firefighters at risk or causing impacts from suppression actions.

Burn Area (Not Planned for Ignition)(Non-Wilderness): Much like the MMA, the areas within this designation are not targeted for treatment; however, suppression actions would normally not be taken to keep prescribed fire from spreading into them from the burn areas. No ignition would take place within these areas, but incidental fire spread could occur and would not require suppression actions (generally ground-disturbing actions, such as fire line, etc.) to take place. The burn areas would provide flexibility during the implementation phase for prescribed fire managers to reduce the amount of suppression actions needed to accomplish objectives. Objectives within these areas would be similar to those found within the adjacent burn units if incidental fire spread were to occur. If at any time incidental fire spread into the area was not meeting objectives, suppression actions would be taken.

SITE PREPARATION

Depending on existing vegetation and ground conditions, site preparation could be prescribed to create favorable conditions to help ensure adequate regeneration. These treatments are often prescribed in

31

both artificial and natural regeneration situations and typically address competing vegetation, seed bed preparation, fuel accumulations, and duff reduction. Site preparation can be accomplished through hand, mechanical, or prescribed fire methods. Hand methods would usually involve scalping with hoedad or mattock to create favorable conditions at the time of planting. Mechanical treatments would often be accomplished during harvest operations or shortly afterwards and involve scarification, using excavators or other mechanized equipment. Prescribed fire could also be used to recycle nutrients, consume excess fuels, reduce competing vegetation, and create a favorable seedbed.

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 western larch, ponderosa pine, western white pine, and occasionally Douglas-fir. It would be expected that some level of natural regeneration would occur in all regeneration units.

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. Approximately half of the 10 miles of temporary road construction are located on existing templates while the remaining miles would require new construction. Some existing templates are from former Plum Creek Timber Company roads that were decommissioned but not re-contoured and still useable with little investment. Others are discovered old roads with no records. Newly constructed temporary roads would be obliterated following their use by recontouring, while temporary roads located on existing templates would be reclaimed by removing culverts, outsloping, scarifying, seeding, and any other site appropriate erosion control measures.

Road Decommissioning: Decommissioning would remove National Forest System 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. Methods for decommissioning include partial or full re-contouring, passive decommissioning and active decommissioning. Full re-contouring would restore the original ground slope and partial re-contouring would fill ditches or remove unstable road shoulders. Passive treatment would not involve any ground disturbing work. The methods that would be used for active decommissioning could include:

Full re-contouring

Partial re-contouring,

32

Removing culverts and other drainage structures,

Ripping the roadbed to reduce compaction,

Installing water bars and out-sloping the road prism,

Seeding and fertilizing disturbed soil, and/or

Blocking the entrance and abandoning the road to allow re-vegetation.

The resulting long-term reduction in the impacts produced by these roads would benefit streams in the analysis area. Road decommissioning would lower the total road density.

Intermittent Stored Service (ISS)/Waterproofing: Intermittent Stored Service (ISS) Roads are Maintenance Level 1 roads closed to motorized traffic that are placed in a self-maintaining condition. Hence, they are in a condition that there is little resource risk if maintenance is not performed. Treatment activities can include removing culverts, restoring stream crossings and natural drainage patterns, out-sloping the road surface, installing water bars, and seeding and fertilizing the roadbed. The road prism remains on the landscape and on the National Forest Road System for future use.

33

MANAGEMENT AREA DESCRIPTIONS The Forest Plan sets management direction for this project area. The Forest Plan provides forest-wide goals and objectives (pages II-1 through II-57). The Forest Plan also divides the Flathead National Forest into subunits called management areas (MAs). Each of these MAs has resource or activity goals and management standards (Forest Plan, pages III-1 through III-126). In keeping with Forest Service Policy on multiple use, the Forest Plan established goals to strike a balance among different resources (Forest Plan, page II-5).

The Flathead National Forest acquired lands at various times in the Beaver Creek Drainage through the Legacy Lands acquisition and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Assignment of management areas on acquired lands was done using the adjacency concept described in 36 CFR 254.3 (f). This direction provides for assigning MA direction considering MA direction on surrounding lands and the characteristics of the acquired parcel.

Table 4 provides a brief overview of the management areas in this project. The attached map (Map 4) displays management areas from the Forest Plan and their assignment on acquired lands.

TABLE 4. BEAVER CREEK PROJECT MANAGEMENT AREAS

MA Description Treatment Acres

Total Acres in Project

Area

MA 1 Maintain present conditions with minimal investment for resource activities while protecting soil, water, and wildlife resources and while generally retaining natural appearance;

18.6 515

MA 2 Provide for a variety of primitive and semi-primitive dispersed recreation opportunities. 106.6 856.5

MA 5 Maintain a pleasing, natural appearing landscape in which management activities, including timber management with roads, are not evident; 55.1 80.6

MA 11C Provide secure grizzly bear travel route with desired forage and cover through vegetative manipulation including timber harvest and prescribed burning;

1989.0 6423.4

MA 12 Enhance riparian, vegetative, and wildlife diversity and maintain or enhance water quality and fisheries; 47.5 64.6

MA 15 Emphasize cost-efficient production of timber while protecting the productive capacity of the land and timber resources using roads; 1374.0 2668.8

MA 15C Special consideration is given to the white-tailed deer summer range; 868.6 1479.0

MA 17 Protect and maintain this riparian zone, including fish and wildlife habitat, while maintaining a sustained yield of timber harvest; 0 622.1

MA 22

Mission Mountains Wilderness - Maintain a highly quality wilderness; perpetuate the wilderness resource for future generations; and provide opportunities for public use, enjoyment, and understanding of wilderness and its unique experiences

7283.4 20025.8

The project is expected to meet the Forest-wide standards and guidelines and the MA direction as described in the Forest Plan.

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Documents

Request For Public Input B CREEK LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECT PROPOSALa123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic... · 2016-01-11 · Please review the proposal and provide