3.0 Affected Environment 3.1 Soil and...

Davy Crockett NF Groveton Fuels Reduction Project – C-90 & 99

Environmental Assessment

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences

Page 3-1

This section summarizes the key

environmental impacts of the two alternatives.

It provides the necessary information to

determine whether or not to prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement. The

analysis that follows has considered the best

available science when evaluating the impacts

of the proposed project on the forest resources

through a review of scientific literature, a

consideration of responsible opposing views,

and the acknowledgement of incomplete or

unavailable information, scientific

uncertainty, and risk. This includes reports

submitted by Forest Service Specialists that

are in the project file.

3.1 Soil

3.1.1 Affected Environment The Groveton Fuels Reduction Project in C-

90 and 99 is located within the Sandy

Uplands Landtype Association (LTA).

This LTA occurs on the Manning and

Wellborn formations. These formations

consist of littoral sands and sandy clays on

undulating to moderatly sloping landscapes.

Soils consist of loamy, somwhat poorly to

moderately drained surface soils over clay to

sandy clay loam subsoils (Van Kley et. al.

2007).

The Order II Soil Resource Inventory

completed through contracting with the

Natural Resouces Conservation Service

(NRCS) for the Davy Crockett NF shows that

several soil series can be found in C-90 and

99. Those soil series and their characteristics

are displayed in Table 3-1. All suitability

ratings can be mitigated to acceptable levels

by implementation of the Plan’s standards

and guidelines (USDA 2009a). Maps

showing soil locations are in Appendix A.

Table 3-1. Soils characteristics in C-90 & 99 Map Unit

Soil Name

Potential Erosion Hazard (Roads/Trails)

1 Harvest Equipment

Operability2

Potential Fire Damage Hazard

3

FuA Fuller fine sandy loam, 0-1% slopes

Slight* Moderately suited** Low*

FuB Fuller fine sandy loam, 1-3% slopes

Slight Moderately suited Low

HeB Herty loam, 1-3% slopes Slight Moderately suited Moderate

KeB Keltys find sandy loam, 1-3% slopes

Slight Moderately suited Moderate

KoA Koury silt loam, 0-1% slopes, frequently flooded

Slight Moderately suited Moderate

KuB Kurth fine sandy loam, 1-3% slopes

Slight Well suited* Moderate

KuD Kurth fine sandy loam, 5-8% slopes

Moderate** Well suited Low

LnB Lovelady loamy fine sand, 1-5% slopes

Slight Well suited High***

LnD Lovelady loamy fine sand, 5-8% slopes

Moderate Well suited High

3.0 Affected Environment

and Environmental

Consequences




Page 3-2

Table 3-1 (continued) Map Unit

Soil Name

Potential Erosion Hazard (Roads/Trails)

1 Harvest Equipment

Operability2

Potential Fire Damage Hazard

3

MxA Moten-Multey complex, 0-2% slopes


PeB Penning very fine sandy loam, 0-2% slopes


PoA Pophers silty clay loam, 0-1% slopes, frequently flooded


1. The hazard or risk of loss from unsurfaced roads/trails. Ratings assessment: the force that natural precipitation

events have to dislodge and move soil materials on roads/trails and firebreaks.

2. The suitability for operating harvesting equipment. Ratings assessment: the off-road transport or harvest of

logs and/or wood products by ground-based wheeled or tracked equipment. The use of standard rubber-tire

skidders and bulldozers used for ground-based harvesting and transport.

3. The potential hazard of damage to soil nutrient, physical, and biotic characteristics from fire. Ratings

assessment: the impact of fires (prescribed or wildfire) of moderate fireline intensity (116-520 btu’s/sec/ft) that

provide the necessary heat to remove the duff layer and consume soil organic matter in the surface layer.

Slight, low, or well-suited - Presents, at most, minor problems for the specified use. The soil gives satisfactory

performance with little or no modification. Modifications or operations dictated by the use are simple and relatively

inexpensive. With normal maintenance, performance should be satisfactory for a period of time generally considered

acceptable for the use.

Moderate or moderately suited - Does not result in exceptional risk or cost for the specified use, but the soil does

have certain undesirable properties or features. Some modification of the soil itself, special designs, or maintenance

are required for satisfactory performance over an acceptable period of time. The needed measures usually increase

the cost of establishing or maintaining the use, but the added cost is generally not prohibitive.

Severe or high – Results in unacceptable risk to use the soil if not appreciably modified. Special design, a

significant increase in construction cost, or an appreciably higher maintenance cost is required for satisfactory

performance over an acceptable period of time. A limitation that requires removal and replacement of the soil would

be rated severe. The rating does not imply that the soil cannot be adapted to a particular use, but rather that the cost

of overcoming the limitation would be high (http://soils.usda.gov/technical/manual/print_version/chapter6.html;

accessed March 20, 2008)

Cumulative Effects

The boundary for C-90 and 99 defines the

cumulative effects area for soils. If any

activities had occurred in these compartments

in the years (2007-2009), they would be

considered, since it takes three years for an

area to recover from erosion due to

disturbances such as timber harvesting. The

most intensive site preparation methods

expose the most soil and require three years to

recover from the disturbance (USDA 1989).

Activities planned for the next ten years

(2010-2020) in these two compartments will

also be considered, as projects included in this

document may be implemented over the

course of ten years. In the last three years in

C-90, mulching occurred on 151 acres in

2007 and prescribe burning occurred on 300

acres in 2010. In C-99, 200 acres were

prescribe burned in 2010.

Occasional road maintenance is the only other

activity that has taken place during the last

three years.

3.1.2 Environmental Consequences

3.1.2.1 Alternative 1 (No Action) In implementing this alternative, no additional

impacts to soil properties would occur.

Conditions would generally remain the same.

Changes to soil properties would be the result

of natural disturbances, such as windstorms or

wildfire. A windstorm could uproot trees and

expose soils. Similarly, wildfire could kill

overstory vegetation, expose soil, and result

http://soils.usda.gov/technical/manual/print_version/chapter6.html




Page 3-3

in soil nutrient losses and erosion. These

events, however, are rare and the overall risk

to soil resources from natural events is low.

The NRCS Soil Inventory discloses the

potential fire damage hazard, which reflects

the potential for damage to soil nutrients,

physical, and biotic characteristics from fire.

Ratings assess the impact of fires, prescribed

or wildfire, of moderate intensity (116-520

btus/sec/ft) that provide the necessary heat to

remove the duff layer and consume soil

organic matter in the surface layer.

Portions of C-90 and 99 have a high potential

fire damage hazard. Most likely, the no

action alternative would result in a greater

probability of soil damage to these areas,

assuming that this area could eventually be

burned by a wildfire under moderate to

extreme weather conditions.

Cumulative Effects

Under this alternative, the biggest cumulative

impact to soils in C-90 and 99 would be the

continued erosion along roads. Poor road

drainage would allow existing road-generated

erosion to contribute to soil loss.

3.1.2.2 Alternative 2

Approximately 1,100 acres would be

disturbed by harvest activities. Thinning

could cause compaction in the skid trails,

landings, and on the temporary roads. The

amount of compaction that would occur is a

function of the volume being removed per

acre, the number of acres being harvested, the

logging equipment used by the timber

purchaser, and soil moisture conditions.

Eighty percent of soil compaction occurs after

one pass by heavy equipment, and no

differences can be found after four passes

(Scott et. al. 2004). Recovery from

compaction depends on the soils, degree of

compaction, and type of vegetation present.

The removal of trees could increase the

potential for erosion from an increase in run

off caused by reducing the soil cover.

Limiting operations to dry seasons and the

relatively infrequent entries into the stands

provide adequate protection of soil, limiting

soil movement and compaction. Harvested

stands would maintain a tree canopy, resulting

in a moderate potential from soil movement.

The soils would have time to recover from the

effects of compaction prior to the next timber

harvest (USDA 1989).

The Plan contains coefficients to estimate

potential soil erosion for the general soil types

in the areas where activities are planned.

Thinning would potentially increase erosion

to 0.07 tons per acre per year, also well under

the tolerance level of 4.8 tons per acre per

year. Tolerance levels provide an estimate of

the total soil loss that can be allowed from

accelerated erosion without substantially or

permanently lowering soil productivity (The

Plan, Appendix F).

Prescribe burning on the proposed cycle

would allow litter-duff biota to fully recover

between burns. Soil physical properties

would not be affected. Underburns (prescribe

burns that occur under the timber canopy) do

not cause significant leaching losses because

nutrients would be retained through the

uptake by unburned plants. Loss of organic

matter would be about five percent.

Underburns are usually light to moderate in

severity and expose little or no soil, so their

effect on erosion is generally negligble.

Overall risks to soil productivity from

underburns are minimal (USDA 1989).

Existing barriers such as roads, streams, and

permanent fire lines are used whenever

possible to minimize fire line construction.

Bladed lines are constructed/reconstructed as

opposed to plowed, in order to minimize soil

resource damage. Water diversion structures




Page 3-4

and prompt revegetation on constructed

control lines would prevent soil loss. Post-

burn monitoring determines the need for

follow-up implementation of additional

erosion control measures. The same firelines

are used for repeated burns.

Prescribe burning under Alternative 2 would

be within acceptable limits to areas with

severe potential fire damage hazard, because

weather and fuels would be optimum,

minimizing damage.

It is generally accepted that the majority of

sediment produced by forest management

practices comes from forest roads (Gucinski,

et. al. 2001). Although road improvements

would disturb soil, the work that would be

done is designed to improve the stability of

road surfaces and improve drainage of the

roads. These activities would, in the long

term, decrease the amount of sediment

produced by the road system.

The use of temporary roads would create the

potential for soil movement. Initial ground

disturbance produces the greatest sediment

yield (Blackburn et. al. 1989). Following the

timber sale, temporary roads will be

decommissioned, roads will be seeded, water

bars installed and entrances blocked. The

closing of most low standard system roads

will promote vegetative cover and reduce

surface runoff.

Removing fill from built up portions of FDR

583 will loosen soil while the work is going

on but would result in a more natural drainage

flow.

The effects of NNIPS control on soil are

described in the NNIPS EA for the National

Forests and Grasslands in Texas (USDA

2008).

Cumulative Effects

The cumulative effects to soils from activities

proposed in Alternative 2, would result in

some risks to soil productivity, mainly

through nutrient displacement and erosion.

Road construction and improvements needed

to access the harvest areas present the greatest

potential for both nutrient displacement and

soil erosion in the cumulative effects area.

All roads would be constructed or improved

to the Plan’s standards and guidelines. These

measures minimize the potential for erosion.

The timber harvest activities would be

implemented over a period of several years.

Not all of the area would be harvested in any

one year and it is probable that timber

harvesting would be spread over the next five

to seven years under Alternative 2. Ground

disturbance would not be concentrated in any

one area during any time period at levels that

would result in significant cumulative effects.

3.2 Water

3.2.1 Affected Environment

Two stream systems drain Compartments 90

and 99: Caney Creek and Piney Creek.

Kemper Creek, a tributary of Caney Creek,

flows through the southeastern part of C-90,

across private land and joins Caney Creek in

C-99 Stand 24. Caney and Piney Creeks

originate on national forest land north of the

project area, flow across private land, through

C-99 and merge east of C-99, in C-98.

Beneficial uses for these creeks consist

mainly of fisheries. Properties and

characteristics for jurisdictional wetlands are

not present within the project area.

Compartment 99 contains Ritter Lake, an

oxbow lake located at the north end of Stand

8.




Page 3-5

Cumulative Effects The cumulative effects area for water consists

of two watersheds for Caney Creek and Piney

Creek, totaling 61,613 acres. A map of these

watersheds is located in Appendix A.

Table 3-2. Watersheds in the Cumulative Effects

Area for water

Watershed FS ac Pvt ac Total ac

Caney Creek 14,341 12,773 27,114

Piney Creek 12,561 21,938 34,499

Totals 26,902 34,711 61,613

Activities that have occurred or will occur in

these watersheds between 2007 and 2020 will

be considered in the cumulative effects to

water for this project.

Table 3-3. Activities that have occurred in the

Cumulative Effects Area for water

Compt. Action

Piney Creek Watershed

79 499 acres thinned in 2007 181 acres seedtree cut in 2007

94 2,415 ac. P. burned in 2009

Caney Creek Wateshed

82 170 ac. thinned in 2007

84 195 ac. thinned in 2007

87 100 ac. thinned in 2008 1,318 ac. p. burned in 2009

88 1,532 ac. p. burned in 2009

89 286 ac. mech. fuel reduction in 2007

90 151 ac. mech. fuel reduction in 2007 300 ac. P. burned in 2010

91 197 ac. mech. fuel reduction in 2008 897 ac. p. burned in 2009

99 200 ac. P. burned in 2010

Private land – As displayed in Table 3-2, over

half of the cumulative effects area for water is

privately owned, primarily north of C-90 and

99. About half of the private land in the

cumulative effects area for water is forested;

the other half is mostly pasture, scattered

homes and farms. Part of the Groveton

community lies within the southern part of the

Caney Creek watershed.

Caney and Piney Creeks are not on Texas’

most recent list of Impaired Streams, so there

is no indication that anything is occurring in

these watersheds that would be causing

damage to the creeks (Texas Commission on

Environmental Quality 2008). The amount of

sedimentation occurring due to roads in these

two watersheds has not been quantified.


3.2.2.1 Alternative 1 (No Action)

No additional management-initiated impacts

to water would occur under this alternative.

Conditions would generally remain the same.

Changes to water properties would result

mainly from natural disturbances,

such as windstorms or wildlfire. These

events, however, are rare and the overall risk

to water resources from natural events is low.

Cumulative Effects

While no activities would take place in Phase

1 of the Groveton Fuels Reduction Project

under this alternative, actions in other

proposed projects in these two watersheds

could still go forward. Phases 2-4 of the

Groveton Fuels Reduction Project propose to

thin about 5,980 acres and prescribe burn

approximately 8,500 acres on a 3-7 year

rotation. The timber harvest activities would

be implemented over a period of several

years. It is probable that timber harvesting

would be spread over the next 6 to 10 years.

Ground disturbance would not be

concentrated in any one area during any time

period at levels that would result in adverse

cumulative effects to soil productivity. The

biggest cumulative impact to water in the

Caney and Piney Creek watersheds would be

the continued sedimentation from the roads.

Private Land – Private land to the north of C-

90 and 99 has been managed for timber

production. Based on ground observations,

interpretation of aerial photographs, the prior

history of this area, the current conditions of




Page 3-6

the stands, and past management, it is likely

that additional timber management would

occur in the near future. The cumulative

effects of these activities to water would

include an increase in water yields after

timber harvesting activities and some erosion

from surface runoff.

3.2.2.2 Alternative 2 Water yields would increase temporarily in

thinned areas after harvesting is implemented.

This effect is more related to reduced water

use by vegetation than effects on soil

properties (USDA 1989 and Blackburn et. al.

1989). Surface runoff could cause erosion

where water becomes channeled and mineral

soils are exposed. Skid trail and temporary

roads would produce most of the soil

movement. Establishment of stream

protection zones, waterbarring, seeding, and

fertilizing of bare soil areas would mitigate

the potential for sediment delivery to streams.

Underburns (prescribe burns that occur under

the timber canopy) have a negligible effect on

stream nutrients, water yields, and stream

sediment loads (USDA 1989). Water

diversion structures and prompt revegetation

would prevent soil loss and sedimentation in

stream courses.

Road improvements would disturb soil, but

they are designed to improve the stability of

road surfaces and improve drainage of the

roads. In the long-term, the amount of

sediment produced by the road system would

be reduced. System road and temporary road

construction would create the potential for

soil movement. Skid trails and temporary

roads will produce most of the sediment

resulting from logging activities. Initial

ground disturbance produces the greatest

sediment yield (Blackburn et. al. 1989).

Following the timber sale, temporary roads

will be seeded, water bars installed and

entrances blocked. The closing of low

standard system roads will promote vegetative

cover and reduce surface runoff.

Some roads have altered drainage patterns in

the project area. These roads were originally

designed to minimize potential erosion

through the installation of wing ditches and

cross drain culverts. However, wing ditches

direct water away from roads, resulting in

runoff reaching stream channels. Site specific

ways to improve the roads, such as

constructing additional wing ditches and

adding surfacing where needed (including in

pre-haul maintenance proposed with this

project) will decrease erosion and

sedimentation.


583 will loosen soil while the work is going

on but would result in a more natural drainage

flow.

The effects of NNIPS control on water are

described in the NNIPS EA for the National


2008).

Cumulative Effects

Prescribed burning, understory mulching, and

road maintenance are the activities that have

occurred on national forest in the two

watersheds in the last three years. These

activities, combined with those of this

alternative and reasonable foreseeable future

actions (5,980 acres of thinning in phases 2-4

of the Groveton Fuels Reduction Project and

8,500 acres of prescribe burning), would not

be expected to result in measureable adverse

cumulative effects on water quality. This is

based on the small area affected by the

project, the expected implementation of the

activities over several years, the measures

incorporated to reduce soil movement

following thinning and hurricane recovery

and the improvements to be made to the roads

needed to implement the project.




Page 3-7

Table 3-4 illustrates the relatively minor area

of the two watersheds that would be affected

by this alternative.

Table 3-4. Percentage of watersheds affected by

Alternative 2 Watershed Total

Acres Ac of

Thinning %

Caney Creek 27,114 1,065 4

Piney Creek 34,499 35 0.1

The timber harvest activities would be

implemented over a period of several years.

Not all of the area would be harvested in any

one year and it is probable that timber

harvesting would be spread over the next 6 to

10 years. Ground disturbance would not be

concentrated in any one area during any time

period at levels that would result in significant

cumulative effects. Areas would have time to

recover, reducing the potential for any

cumulative effects.

Private Land – As mentioned under

Alternative 1, some of the private land to the

north of Compartments 90 and 99 has been

managed for timber production. The

likelihood of additional timber management

in this area, in the near future, is possible.

However, the harvested areas have recovered.

The cumulative effects of these activities to

water would include an increase in water

yields after timber harvesting activities and

some erosion from surface runoff.

The type of cutting, the design and location of

the road work, the streamcourse protection

techniques employed in timber harvesting and

road improvement on national forest land, the

temporal distribution of the future projects,

and the quick recovery period in the Texas

Gulf Coastal Plain, would minimize the

contribution of this project to cumulative

effects on water quantity or quality.

3.3 Air


The Forest Objective is to meet the National

Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as

defined by the amended Clean Air Act. The

Davy Crockett NF is considered to be in

attainment of the National Ambient Air

Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Class II air

sheds. The nearest non-attainment area is in

Montgomery County, approximately 60 miles

south of C-90 and 99. Montgomery County

lies within the Houston/Galveston, TX non-

attainment area. The air quality within

Trinity County, where the project is located,

is generally good, but regional haze affects

visibility in the area year-round, especially

during the summer months.

Cumulative Effects

The Cumulative Effects Area for air includes

Trinity County, in which C-90 and 99 lie.

Most states monitor air quality in this manner,

on a county basis. Since prescribed fire is the

only vegetation management method that

emits substantial amounts of gases and

particulates to the atmosphere, prescribed

burning that has occurred in 2009 will be the

main activity to be considered for cumulative

effects (USDA 1989). The Davy Crockett NF

completed about 19,180 acres of prescribed

burning in 2009, in Trinity County.



Under this alternative, impacts to air quality

would be limited to naturally occurring

processes.

Cumulative Effects

Cumulative effects to air would be negligible

under this alternative.




Page 3-8


Prescribed fire generates several pollutants,

two of which are of the biggest concern to

Forest Service fire managers: particulate

matter and ozone. State air quality

monitoring data indicates that Trinity County

is in attainment for fine particulate matter at

this time. Monitoring data for ozone

collected near the Davy Crockett NF indicates

that current conditions of ozone pollution are

acceptable in terms of NAAQS. Prescribed

fire should be considered only as a small

source of particulate matter or ozone

pollution. Weather and climate in Texas

preclude prescribed fire from becoming a

contributor to ozone non-attainment (USDA

2003).

The major local effects of prescribed burning

are visibility reduction and respiratory

impairment. These effects are expected to be

brief, intermittant, and confined to time of

burning (USDA 1989).

The Forest Service mitigates prescribed

burning air quality effects by conducting

burns during appropriate weather conditions

and using proper ignition and smoke

management tools. Because of this, no effects

regarding attainment of state air quality

standards should be expected. The Air

Quality Report includes a more detailed

discussion of prescribed burning and its

effects on air (included in the Project File).

Parameters that will be followed to mitigate

the impacts of smoke:

Wind speed > 6 mph, < 20

Relative humidity > 20 %

Transport winds > 4 m/s

10-hour fuel moisture > 7 % for open canopy > 9 % for closed canopy

Mixing height > 500 m

Wind direction Carry smoke away from sensitive target

Cumulative Effects

Cumulative effects to air quality under this

alternative would be negligible. State air

quality monitoring data shows that most of

the Davy Crockett NF is in attainment at this

time. Weather and climate conditions in

Texas preclude prescribed fire from becoming

a contributor to ozone non-attainment (USDA

2003).

Since it is likely that the Texas Commission

on Environmental Quality will allow the

Forest Service to use prescribed fire

elsewhere on the Davy Crockett NF,

essentially no differences exist between the

current conditions and Alternative 2 in terms

of expected annual emissions.

3.4 Recreation and Scenic Resources


Recreation

The Davy Crockett Ranger District lies about

120 miles north of the Houston metropolitan

area. Recreation use in C-90 and 99 consists

primarily of hunting. Dispersed camping,

hiking, and bird-watching are other possible

activities that could take place in these

compartments.

Scenic Resources

Most of C-90 and 99 have a visual quality

objective (VQO) of maximum modification.

Maximum modification allows management

activities, such as vegetative and landform

alterations, to dominate the landscape.

Due Road, Rainey Road, and Lacy 3 Road

have a VQO of modification. Management

activities in modification may also be

dominant features, but are of an appropriate

scale and form so as to appear as a natural

occurrence within the surrounding area.




Page 3-9

Steamside zones (MA-4) and other more

sensitive areas, including State Highway (SH)

94, Farm to Market Roads (FM) 2262 and

3317 have a VQO of Partial Retention.

Management activities in partial retention

may be visible but should remain subordinate

to the character of the surrounding landscape.

SH 94 is adjacent to the Forest Service

boundary in C-90 for three short sections; the

longest section of frontage on SH 94 is

approximately 1,000 feet. These areas are

very distinct as they are surrounded by

pasture. The views into the forest are short

distance foreground. Due Road bounds C-90,

Stands 3 and 5 to the north. Rainey Road

forms the eastern boundary of C-90, Stands 1,

2, 3, and 13. Along these roads, the national

forest land has short distance foreground

views, while the privately owned land along

those roads has generally open long distance

views.

The remaining blocks in C-90, with the

exception of Stand 9, are all surrounded by

private pastures and forested lands. Stand 9 is

bisected by FM 3317. Part of Stand 9 is

bordered by Lacy 3 Road on the east and

divided by Lacey 2 Road on the west. FDR

5407 parallels the southern boundary of the

stand. Most of the views in Stand 9 are very

tight short distance foreground with canopy

overhanging the roadways.

C-99 is a single block of land and the majority

of the boundary is next to private forested

lands and some open pasture. Most of C-99 is

not viewed by the general public; this

compartment has about 300 feet of road

frontage along FM 2262. This view begins as

short distance foreground at the southern

boundary where the national forest boundary

line and FM 2262 meet. As FM 2262 departs

from the boundary line the view eventually

becomes background.

Both compartments contain additional interior

forest roads, which are currently not open to

vehicle use by the public. Members of the

public may walk down the travelways as they

would in any interior portion of the general

forest area (USDA 2009b).

Cumulative Effects Area

The cumulative effects area for scenic

resources is defined by the compartments’

boundaries.



Under the no action alternative, the views

along the roads would remain as they are for

some time. As pine stands within C-90 and

99 decline with age, the understory will

become denser and middle ground views will

revert to primarily foreground. With a lack of

management activities, the possibility of rapid

change is increased due to natural events such

as wildfire, straight-line winds and insects

(such as the SPB outbreak in the 1980’s).

These events can have devastating effects on

the quality of the scenery. The pine

plantations will have difficulty developing

into quality trees and will be more susceptible

to insects.

Cumulative Effects

The cumulative effects to the quality of the

visual landscape and recreation would be

negligible. The compartments would retain

their overall forested character. Views into

the compartments from the two subdivisions

would remain primarily short distant

foreground views (USDA 2009b).


The proposed management activities would

have an effect on the scenery. They would

continue to keep existing middleground and

background views open and, with time, the

existing foreground views would become




Page 3-10

more open, creating visual depth into the

forested land.

Thinning pine plantations will begin the

process of opening the stands and will help to

release the trees allowing them to become

larger and healthier with better shaped

canopy. Thinning in the mature pine stands

will create a more majestic canopy as the pine

fills in. To obtain the desired future

conditions, and therefore middleground

views, continued burning is necessary.

The greatest scenic change would occur in the

youngest pine stands (C-90, Stands 1, 5; and

C-99, Stands 17 and 18). Thinning and

burning would begin to create openings in the

tight foreground views and eventually provide

middleground views. Thinning and burning

would also change the predominantly mature

pine stands by reducing the number of pines

allowing for larger canopy and longer

distance views by reducing the understory.

Initially, there will be locations where the

difference between existing views and the

views after management activities will be

dramatic. To provide a transition between

travel ways and management activities, a

design criterion has been developed (see

design criterion 13 in Chapter 2). Current

logging techniques would create some

openings along the roads and trails in the

thinned stands, but the longer middleground

views will be created when the stands are

regularly burned. When burned, scorch and

bark char would be visible for sometime;

however, this is a natural part of fire. After

several rotations of fire have reduced the

fuels, fire will be less intense and scorch and

bark char will be reduced.


583 will be a highly visible operation but will

take place in the interior of the compartment.

However it will be temporary and will result

in a more natural drainage flow.

NNIPS treatment would follow the NNIPS

EA and Management Plan for the National


2008). In general, the dead and dying

vegetation will be spots among live

vegetation and have short term visual effects.

As the leaves fall off the dead plants they will

be less noticeable and native materials will fill

in the voids.

Cumulative Effects

The cumulative effects to recreation and

scenic quality would be negligible. Both

compartments would retain its overall

forested character and management activities

would be temporary or mitigated to reduce

their effects on recreation and scenic

resources. The actions proposed would result

in changes to the scenery by opening the

many layers of the forest (understory,

midstory, overstory). VQOs would be met

(USDA 2009b).

3.5 Heritage Resources


The Heritage staff reviewed the proposed

activities for the Groveton Fuels Reduction

Project and found that the proposed activities,

such as thinning and prescribe burning, would

not adversely affect any Historic Properties as

defined in 36 CFR 800. A Heritage

Management Summary detailing this finding

of “no adverse effect” has been submitted to

the Texas Historic Preservation Office

(SHPO) and other interested parties.

Documentation certifying SHPO concurrence

with the findings of the Heritage Management

Summary has been received.

Cumulative Effects

The cumulative effects area for heritage

resources consists of C-90 and 99.




Page 3-11


3.5.2.1 Alternative 1 (No Action) No potential exists for damage to significant

archaeological or historical resources.

Cumulative Effects

No cumulative effects to archaeological or

historical resources would occur under this

alternative.

3.5.2.2 Alternative 2 The only effect that activities proposed under

Alternative 2 could have on heritage

resources is encroachment, which is mitigated

by protection. Timber harvest, prescribe

burning, system and temporary road

construction, road improvement activities,

and tram erosion control have the potential to

damage unknown heritage resources. If any

archaeological or historical resources are

discovered during project implementation, the

project work will stop until an archaeologist

evaluates the site’s significance and

protection measures are undertaken.

Cumulative Effects

Cumulative effects to archaeological or

historical resources are mitigated by

avoidance.

3.6 Vegetation and Fuels


Vegetation

Compartments 90 and 99 contain 3,048 acres,

of which 2,827 acres are suitable for timber

production (MA-1). About 220 acres are in

streamside management zones (MA-4) and

are not suitable for timber production.

Table 3-5. Forest types in C-90 & 99

Forest Type Acres Area

percent

Shortleaf pine 232 8

Loblolly pine 1,985 65

Loblolly pine-Hardwood 229 7

Forest Type Acres Area

percent

Bottomland hardwood-Yellow pine

324 11

Swamp chestnut oak-Cherrybark oak

278 9

Total 3,048 100.0

The acreage in the suitable classification

consists of a mosaic of even-aged stands

ranging from 17 to 102 years of age. Loblolly

pine (Pinus taeda) dominates most stands in

the Groveton Fuels Reduction Project in C-90

and 99, interspersed with various amounts of

shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata), some longleaf

pine (Pinus palustris), and a mixture of

hardwoods. Several stands are dominated by

shortleaf pine. Hardwood tree species

common to the overstory in these stands

include white oak (Quercus alba), southern

red oak (Q. falcata), post oak (Q. stellata),

sweetgum (Liquidambar styracuflua), hickory

(Carya sp.), and ash (Fraxinus sp.).

Approximately 15 percent (446 acres) of the

forest land is less than twenty years of age.

About 44 percent (1,346 acres) is at rotation

age set in the Plan (loblolly pine and shortleaf

pine-80 years (SPB option) (p. 122).

The midstory and understory vegetation and

densities are typical of those found in the East

Texas Pineywoods and consist primarily of

oaks, pines, hickories, elms, (Ulmus sp.),

ironwood (Ostrya virginiana), blackgum

(Nyssa sylvatica), sweetgum (Liquidambar

styracuflua), dogwood (Cornus florida),

cherry (Prunus sp.), red maple (Acer rubrum),

magnolia (Magnolia sp.), mulberry (Morus

rubra), hawthorn (Crataegus sp.), chinquapin

(Castanea pumila), and associated species.

The understory consists of yaupon (Ilex

vomitoria), Carolina buckthorn (Rhamnus

caroliniana), vines, seedlings and saplings of

the species found in the midstory and

overstory, and grasses and other herbaceous

vegetation.

Species found in C-90 and 99, along

intermittent and/or unnamed tributaries of




Page 3-12

Caney and Piney Creeks include sweetgum,

water oak, blackgum, Southern red oak,

loblolly pine, red maple, elm, and holly.

ECS

According to the Ecological Classification

System (ECS) for the National Forests and

Adjacent Areas of the West Gulf Coastal

Plain 2nd

Approximation, the Groveton Fuels

Reduction Project in C-90 and 99 lies within

the Sandy Uplands Landtype Association.

Several Landtype Phases occur in this

Landtype Association and the project area:

1. Longleaf Pine (Shortleaf Pine)-Blackjack

Oak/Schizachyrium Arenic Dry Uplands

2. Shortleaf Pine (Longleaf Pine)-Post

Oak/Callicarpa-Chasmanthium Loamy

Dry-Mesic Uplands

3. Shortleaf Pine-Post Oak/Chasmanthium

Clayey Dry-Mesic Uplands

4. White Oak-Loblolly Pine/Callicarpa

Loamy Mesic Lower Slopes and Terraces

5. Willow Oak-Laurel Oak/Bignonia Loamy

Wet-Mesic Stream Bottoms (Van Kley et.

al. 2007).

These Landtype Phases have an overstory that

is highly variable, but usually consist of

mixed pine and hardwood species. The

desired future condition for most of these

compartments is open pine forest, mixed with

some hardwood species, managed to provide

environmentally sensitive commodity

production while providing quality wildlife

habitat and dispersed recreation opportunities.

Old Growth

No virgin stands occur within C-90 or 99.

Stands proposed for treatment currently

exhibit no unique old growth characteristics,

other than natural succession associated with

second growth forests as they mature. To

protect possible old growth in MA-1, the Plan

requires an evaluation of all stands 95 years

and older before entry. District data for C-90

and 99, shows that several stands are 95 years

old, or older. A list of these stands and their

evaluations is included in the project file.

Field evaluations showed that no stand in the

two compartments currently meets the

minimum criteria for old-growth (the Plan,

Appendix I, Supplement #1, 6/99).

Stands designated to provide old-growth

values would need to experience the aging,

natural processes, and management

techniques necessary to develop old-growth

characteristics. While age is not the sole

criterion used to designate old growth, older

stands are priority candidates for

consideration since they may provide old-

growth character sooner than younger stands.

Within C-90 and 99, the Plan designates MA-

4 (Streamside Management Zones) as

potential old growth.

Fuels

As mentioned above, loblolly pine dominates

most of C-90 and 99, interspersed with

varying amounts of shortleaf pine. The two

compartments have a significant understory

shrub and hardwood component.

The dense shrub component contributes to

fire behavior in a number of ways. Fire

intensity, flame length, and rate of spread can

be increased when dense understory

vegetation provides “fuel ladders,” in which

dead pine needles and leaf litter can carry

flames into the tops of the understory

vegetation or into the crowns of the overstory.

Dense understories also limit visibility and

impede access of firefighters and equipment.

Most researchers agree that loblolly pine sites

probably burned at fire return intervals of 3 to

10 years and that fire intervals for shortleaf

pine typically ranged from 2 to 6 years (Wade

et al. 2000). Recent prescribed fire intervals

are non-existent. District records show that

until 2010 when C-90 and 99 received

prescribe burning on 300 and 200 acres

respectively, no prescribe burning has




Page 3-13

occurred in this area for at least nineteen

years. As a result, the two compartments fall

within Fire Regime Condition Class 2 or 3,

where vegetation structure, fuel levels, and

fire severity are outside the normal range and

there are moderate to high risks of losing key

ecosystem components.

Condition Class is a measure of the amount of

departure from the natural fire regime. The

desired condition, Condition Class 1, is

considered a low departure from natural

conditions where vegetation characteristics,

fuel composition, and fire behavior is within

the historical range of variability and there is

a low risk to key ecosystem components

(Schmidt et. al. 2002).

The USDA Forest Service developed fuel

models that rate fire danger and predict fire

behavior. Fuel load and depth are significant

fuel properties for predicting ignition, rate of

spread, and intensity (Anderson 1982).

According to the district Fire staff, fuels

conditions in C-90 and 99 most closely

resemble Fuel Model 7, Southern Rough. In

Fuel Model 7, fires burn through the surface

and shrub strata with equal ease and can occur

at higher dead fuel moisture contents due to

the flammability of live foliage (Anderson

1982). Characteristics of this fuel model are

shown in the table below.

Table 3-6. Fuel Model 7 characteristics

Fuel Loading (tons/ac)

1 hour 1.1

10 hour 1.9

100 hour 1.5

Live woody 0.4

Live herbs 0.5

Fuel bed depth (feet) 2.5

Cumulative Effects

The boundary between private land and C-90

and 99 shall define the area considered for

cumulative effects to vegetation and fuels.

The reason this area will be considered for

cumulative effects is because these two

compartments are somewhat detached from

most of the Davy Crockett NF.

Table 3-7 shows ages and forest types found

in the cumulative effects area.




Page 3-14

Table 3-7. Forest Types in Cumulative Effects Area

for vegetation

Forest Type Age Acres

Shortleaf pine 11-20 yrs 91

91-100 141

232

Loblolly pine 11-20 yrs 219

21-30 30

31-40 223

51-60 106

61-70 193

71-80 52

81-90 355

91-100 675

101-110 132

1,985

Loblolly-Hdwd 11-20 yrs 78

61-70 106

91-100 45

229

Bottomland Hdwd-Pine 61-70 yrs 238

100-110 86

324

Swamp chestnut oak-Cherrybark oak

0-10 yrs 46

11-20 12

41-50 97

51-60 37

91-100 86

278

Total 3,048



This alternative will allow the vegetation to

continue to grow. Species composition and

age-class distribution in C-90 and 99 would

change due to natural succession and from

natural occurrences such as insect and disease

outbreaks, wildfires, floods, and tornadoes.

Tree mortality would increase as stands

mature and become more predisposed to

insect infestation and disease. The incidence

of diseases such as red-heart, butt-rot, and

root-rot would rise.

Increasing rates of tree mortality can be

expected as loblolly pine stands exced 80

years of age. SPB hazard and the potential

for the loss of large areas to SPB infestation

would remain high in areas with high basal

areas. Should SPB infestations occur, the

species composition of the stands would

change to more tolerant hardwood species as

the pine trees die. The hardwoods already

exist in these stands in both the overstory and

understory. Hardwoods in the understory

would have a competitive advantage over

pine regeneration because their root systems

are well-established and they can quickly

grow if the overstory is removed by SPB or

other natural events. In the future, this area

will likely become a hardwood forest with

scattered distributions of pine.

Alternative 1 would not provide for

prescribed burning, which will affect the

midstory and ground vegetation. As time

passes and fire is kept out of the project area,

the fire intolerant species will increase in

diameter and height; the fire dependent

species will decrease in quantity and may

cease to exist. Also, lack of prescribed

burning would result in an accumulation of

fuels, which in turn increases the risk to the

overstory should a wildfire occur.

ECS

This alternative would allow vegetation to

continue to grow. Natural succession and

occurrences would slowly alter the species

composition of the forest.

SPB could kill pine trees in both mature and

younger stands, and hardwoods could quickly

dominate. Lack of fire will help to increase

fire intolerant species and fire dependent




Page 3-15

species such as shortleaf pine could cease to

exist. Long-term changes, such as species

extirpation would not be considered

consistent with ECS.

Old-Growth

Older forest conditions will develop in

numerous areas throughout C-90 and 99, but

no allocations for old growth are to be

provided (the Plan, p. 90).

Fuels

The proposed prescribed burning will not be

conducted under this alternative. Fuel loads

in all stands will continue to increase in the

future. Increasing dead fuels, ladder fuels and

closer canopies increase the potential for

overstory mortality. Fuel loads will continue

to move toward high intensity, stand

replacement type fire regime. Condition

Class 2 (moderate risk of losing key

ecosystem characteristics due to wildland fire)

will be replaced by Condition Class 3 (high

risk of losing key ecosystem characteristics

due to wildland fire). The potential for a fire

to move off the forest and into the urban

interface (or vice versa) will increase as the

rate of spread of the fires increase, and as

fires burn with greater intensity, have larger

flame lengths, and become more difficult to

suppress; as potential flame lengths and

fireline intensities increase, resistance to

control increases. Private land, residences,

and improvements will continue to be

adjacent to federal lands which have high fuel

loads. Firefighter safety will continue to be

jeopardized by intense fires with fast rates of

spread.

Cumulative Effects

Vegetation management activities have taken

place in the cumulative effects area. Timber

cutting and insect control have occurred at

regular intervals. As a result, the cumulative

effects area contains a mosaic of young and

old forest communities.

Lack of thinning, prescribed burning, and

other management activities would result in a

stagnated, declining, over-mature forest in C-

90 and 99, predisposed to accelerated losses

to insects, disease, and wildfire. The

understory would continue to grow, and

would become impenetrable, particularly

where the overstory has ceased to exist.

Young forest communities in these two

compartments would continue to grow also,

and mortality would continue to increase.

Insect and disease would likely destroy these

stands.

From a fuels standpoint, the overall fuel load

in the project area will not be reduced and

resources in the area will continue to be at

risk for intense, difficult to control fires. Fuel

Model 7, with the potential for extreme fire

behavior, will continue to dominate the

project area.


Thinning will provide several benefits,

including: increased residual tree growth;

improved vigor of residual trees; improved

stand quality, as damaged and poorly formed

trees are removed; increased diversity within

stands; and improved ability of the stands to

withstand stresses such as drought and pests

(Smith, et. al. 1997). High tree and stand

vigor provide the best resistance to bark

beetles in southeastern North America

(Nyland 1996).

Thinning would decrease the density of the

dominant cover and result in an increase in

herbaceous plants, such as grasses,

brackenfern, and partridge pea. It will also

stimulate new woody growth in the

understory.

Some residual trees, both pine and

hardwoods, could receive some damage from

logging operations. Skidders can crush or

wound some ground vegetation and




Page 3-16

understory species. Protecting mast

producing hardwoods in the overstory and

midstory of pine stands during thinning

operations will ensure retention and

development of this component in the pine

stands. No more than 30 square feet per acre

of basal area will be removed from the

dominant or co-dominant trees. An exception

would be in pine plantations being thinned for

the first time where more than 30 square feet

of basal area may need to be removed to

facilitate equipment used during thinning

operations.

Thinning will remove many of the smaller

and poorly formed stems from the stands,

which will allow the residual trees to attain a

larger average size and above average quality.

The SPB hazard will be reduced in the

thinned areas in the long term; however,

during the first year after thinning, the

disturbance of thinning may increase the risk

of pine beetle attack.

Currently, about 643 acres of the pine-

dominated forest communities in which

thinning is proposed, have basal areas

exceeding 96 square feet per acre, which is

considered high hazard for SPB susceptiblity

(Hicks, et. al. 1980). Several of the pine

stands in C-90 and 99 fall within the moderate

SPB hazard rating. Left alone, these stands

will quickly grow into the higher risk

category.

Thinning will not affect species composition

in the overstory, and will have minimal

effects on species composition in the midstory

and understory. Thinning will alter structure

somwhat, encouraging development of

herbaceous plants and also stimulative new

woody growth.

Prescribed fire would be used to help achieve

the open upland pine-dominated forests

described as the DFC for C-90 and 99.

Relatively frequent fires, during both the

dormant and growing seasons, would be used

to restore fire dependent ecosystems.

Prescribed burning would temporarily reduce

the number of young hardwood trees and

other shrubby plant species within the

understory and midstory. The burning would

partially reduce the structural diversity of the

understory by the reduction or elimination of

some smaller midstory and understory

hardwoods and shrubs. Burning would

encourage herbaceous growth, grasses, and

forbs in the understory, at the expense of

woody growth (USDA 1989).

Prescribed burning is considered a natural

distrubance for the upland landtype phases. It

was an important environmental factor in

determining the structure and distribution of

upland communities on the pre-settlement

landscape (Van Kley et. al. 2007). Similarly,

prescribed burning planned in Alternative 2

will result in a mosaic of understory

conditions, since not all areas will burn and

some will burn with different intensity. Fire

will back into riparian areas and extinguish

naturally. This mosaic effect is not

inconsistent with ECS, which describes

variable intervals for landtype phases (Van

Kley et. al. 2007). In addition, the Plan

guides prescribed burning on a 3-7 year

rotation to manage various components of the

ecosystems (p. 91).

The effects of NNIPS control on vegetation

are described in the NNIPS EA for the

National Forests and Grasslands in Texas

(USDA 2008).

ECS

Thinning would not affect species

composition in the overstory, and would have

minimal effects on species composition in the

midstory and understory. Thinning will alter

structure somewhat, encouraging

development of herbaceous plants and also




Page 3-17

stimulating new woody growth. None of

these effects are inconsistent with the ECS.

Prescribed burning is considered a natural

disturbance for the upland landtype phases. It

was an important environmental factor in

determining the structure and distribution of

upland communities on the pre-settlement

landscape (Van Kley et. al. 2007). Similarly,

prescribed burning planned under Alternative

2 will result in a mosaic of understory

conditions, since not all areas will burn and

some will burn with different intensity. Fire

will back into riparian areas and extinguish

naturally. This mosaic effect is not

inconsistent with ECS, which describes

variable intervals for landtype phases (Van

Kley et. al. 2007). In addition, the Plan

guides prescribed burning on a 3-7 year

rotation to manage various components of the

ecosystems (p. 91).

Old Growth

In accordance with the Plan, older forest

conditions will develop in numerous areas

throughout C-90 and 99 (p. 90). Vegetation

management activities such as thinning and

prescribed fire maintain characteristics

consistent with old growth (the Plan,

Appendix I).

Fuels

In the short term, direct effects to the fuels

profile will be seen in the reduced fuel loads,

fireline intensities, flame lengths, and rates of

spread. In the long term as a consistent

prescribed fire program is applied, Fuel

Model 7 will be replaced by Fuel Model 2 and

grass/forb type understories will become more

common. As fuel loads decrease, fire

behavior will also decrease.

Table 3-8. Fuel Models 2 and 7 characteristics

Fuel Loading (tons/ac)

Fuel Model 2 (DFC)

Fuel Model 7 (existing)

1 hour 2 1.1

10 hour 1 1.9

100 hour 0.5 1.5

Live woody 0.3 0.4

Live herbs 0.5 0.5

Fuel bed depth (feet)

1 2.5

As fuel loads decrease and Fuel Model 2

becomes more common, the indirect effects of

the Proposed Action will address the priorities

of fuels management for the project area (as

summarized on page 1). Protection of health

and safety for the firefighter, the local

community, and the general public will be

significantly improved through the reduction

of fuel loads and fire behavior. Acres of Fuel

Model 2, which closely resembles the DFC

for MA-1, Upland Forest Ecosystems, will be

increased. The Proposed Action will restore

Condition Class 1 fuel conditions (low risk of

losing key ecosystem components due to

intense wildland fires).

Cumulative Effects

Vegetation management activities have taken

place in the cumulative effects area. Timber

cutting and insect control have occurred at

regular intervals. As a result, the cumulative

effects area contains a mosaic of young and

old forest communities.

The thinning and prescribe burning proposed

in the Groveton Fuels Reduction Project

would result in the development of open

forest conditions in the uplands, as overstory

density (thinning) and the woody understory

vegetation (prescribed burning) are reduced.

The actions proposed in this project are

similar to those that have taken place in the

last several years in Davy Crockett NF. The

end result is an open forest that moves the

Davy Crockett NF towards the desired future




Page 3-18

condition for MA-1. Cumulatively, MA-4

would not be affected.

From a fuels standpoint, the proposed

activities will be instrumental in fuel

reduction and progressing the project area

toward Condition Class 1 (low risk of losing

key ecosystem characteristics due to wildland

fire). Alternative 2 ensures that all acres in

need of fuels treatment will be prescribed

burned on a consistent basis in order to

develop a Fuel Model 2 in the pine and

pine/hardwood forest types. Models of Fuel

Model 2 have shown significant decreases in

fire behavior over the existing Fuel Model 7.

Thinning will be utilized in much of the

project area; thinning will allow sunlight to

the forest floor to encourage an herbaceous

groundcover to develop and be maintained by

prescribed fire.

Climate Change

Ongoing research suggests that climate is

already changing, and impacts include

increases in air temperature, sea level, and

frequency of extreme weather, such as

hurricanes and droughts. These conditions

could eventually result in more stressful forest

environments, which could in turn lead to

reduced growth and productivity. Declines in

vigor may make forests more susceptible to

large-scale pest attacks and other disturbances

(Anderson 2008).

The proposed thinning will help to improve

the forest’s resistance and resilience to

climate changes (Anderson 2008). According

to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change, forest management can be used to

mitigate climate change, by maintaining

stand-level carbon density through reduction

of forest degradation, planting, site

preparation, and other management practices

(Nabuurs et. al. 2007).

The proposed prescribe burning would help to

reduce fuel loadings (Ryan 2008). The

amount of carbon dioxide released by a low-

intensity fire is small and the store of carbon

on the forest floor is rapidly replaced as fine

fuels re-accumulate and low shrubs regrow

(Underwood et. al. 2008).

Cumulatively, improving forest health and

reducing fuel loadings are considered

sustainable forest management strategies that

provide long-term benefits that mitigate

climate change (Nabuurs et.al. 2007).

3.7 Management Indicator Species

(MIS)

The management indicator species approach

is designed to help indicate the effects of

management on biological resources. The

analysis of MIS represents a broad evaluation

of biological resources and effects of

management at the level of the entire NFGT,

and is intended to guide decisions about the

need to change management direction at this

broad level, while providing useful context

for project development and effects analyses

(USDA 2007, Appendix A, p.1).

MIS are identified in the Plan (pages 306-

307) and are addressed in order to implement

National Forest Management Act (NFMA)

regulations. MIS are selected because their

population changes are believed to indicate

the effects of management activities. MIS

include: species with special habitat needs;

species commonly hunted, fished or trapped;

non-game species of special interest; and

plant and animal species whose population

changes are believed to indicate the effects of

management activities on other species,

groups of species, or selected communities.

For this project, a subset of the NFGT-wide

list of MIS was selected. Three species

(Eastern wild turkey, yellow-breasted chat,




Page 3-19

and pileated woodpecker) were selected based

upon their associations with the habitat

present in the analysis area and their

suitability as indicators of habitat changes

brought about by the proposed alternatives

(See Appendix B for an attached list of those

MIS considered and those that were

eliminated from further consideration and the

rationale therein).

3.7.1 Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris

gallopavo)

3.7.1.1 Background and Current Status

Eastern wild turkeys require a diversity of

habitats in order to thrive, and use different

habitats during different life cycle stages.

Nesting habitat typically has dense

herbaceous vegetation, with some shrubs and

some type of structure concealing the nest.

Nest sites are often placed near openings or

edges such as roads, pastures, young

plantations, or similar sites (Hurst and

Dickson 1992). Brood habitat, particularly

for young broods up to 10 days old, is

especially important. Young poults forage

heavily on insects, and need open areas with

abundant herbaceous vegetation and

associated insects (Healy and Nenno 1983;

Healy 1985; Campo et al. 1989; Hurst and

Dickson 1992; Porter 1992). Wintering

flocks make heavy use of hardwood stands,

particularly bottomland areas (Sisson et al.

1990; Hurst and Dickson 1992).

Openings are an important habitat component

year around, and are used as strutting areas by

gobblers (Hurst and Dickson 1992), as

bugging areas by hens with broods (Healy

1985; Campo et al. 1989; Hurst and Dickson

1992), and as foraging areas by turkeys of all

ages throughout the year (Hurst and Dickson

1992). A study in Louisiana found that areas

with a larger percentage of acreage in

openings usually had higher turkey

populations (Dickson et al. 1978).

Turkeys have a varied diet. Young poults are

heavily dependent on insects, transitioning to

a more plant-dominated diet by four weeks of

age (Healy and Nenno 1983; Healy 1985;

Hurst 1992). Adult turkeys feed primarily on

plant foods, including seeds, hard mast such

as acorns and nuts, soft mast such as fruits

and berries, and green vegetation. They also

consume animal matter, primarily insects

(Hurst 1992). Good turkey habitat provides a

diversity of foods and habitats to satisfy the

needs of turkeys during their different life

stages.

The Eastern wild turkey was selected as a

management indicator because it is in demand

by hunters and because it responds well to

changes in habitat quality. The objective is to

increase turkey populations on the National

Forests and Grasslands in Texas.

Turkey numbers were tracked by Texas Parks

& Wildlife Department (TPWD) through

brood surveys, but this technique was

discontinued in 2005. New monitoring

techniques are being evaluated, and will be

implemented on a larger scale if they provide

adequate population information (USDA

2007, Appendix A, pp. 8 & 10). Prior to

being discontinued, brood surveys showed a

general declining trend through 2002 (Fig. 3-

1; USDA 2002).

Fig. 3-1. Number of Eastern wild turkeys counted

during annual brood surveys by Texas Parks and

Wildlife Department in counties where National

Forest lands are located

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

Turkeys




Page 3-20

NFT-wide (National Forests in Texas) turkey

population trends are presently tracked in part

through spring hunter harvest data. Figure 3-

2 (USDA 2007, Appendix A, p. 9) shows the

number of turkeys harvested in 12 counties

containing National Forest lands, and suggest

a fairly stable trend NFT-wide.

Fig. 3-2. Spring turkey harvest (# of turkeys) in

Angelina, Houston, Jasper, Nacogdoches, Newton,

Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, San Jacinto, Trinity,

Montgomery, and Walker Counties, 1997 – 2006

Harvest on the Davy Crockett NF has

increased in recent years (Fig. 3-3), perhaps

suggesting that turkey numbers may be

increasing in parts of the forest (TPWD

2007).

Fig. 3-3. Turkey harvest on the Davy Crockett National

Forest, 1997 – 2008

Declines on the NFT are likely due to habitat

deterioration from lack of adequate prescribed

burning, particularly from 2000-2003. The

loblolly pine forest type rapidly becomes

choked with woody understory species such

as yaupon, wax myrtle, and sapling

hardwoods in the absence of frequent fire,

quickly rendering it unsuitable for turkeys.

However, the burning program increased in

2004, and continued increases are planned.

This should help the turkey population across

the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas.

Habitat in C-90 and 99 is primarily closed

canopy forest, with little herbaceous

vegetation present in the ground cover layer.

There have been no turkey sightings in or

near the two compartments on National Forest

land in recent years. The poor habitat quality

in these compartments likely precludes turkey

use of the area.

Large mast producing hardwoods are

distributed throughout much of C-90 and 99,

but are concentrated in or near the

Cumulative Effects

The cumulative effects area for turkeys is C-

90, 99, adjacent compartments, and

surrounding private lands.

3.7.1.2 Effects of Alternatives

3.7.1.2.1 Alternative 1 (No Action)

There would be no direct effects on the

Eastern wild turkey, because no actions would

be taken under this alternative.

Alternative 1 could indirectly affect habitat

suitability and foraging quality and quantity

for the Eastern wild turkey. Neither

compartment presently provides suitable

habitat for turkeys due to the dense woody

understory. In addition, the dense pine stands

restrict sunlight from reaching the forest floor

in many areas, thus inhibiting growth of

herbaceous vegetation. The continued

exclusion of fire would allow continued

growth of dense woody understory

vegetation. Failure to manage these

compartments would limit, and likely

preclude, turkey use of these areas, and would

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1997 1999 2001 2003 2005

Harvest

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

1997 2000 2003 2006

Harvest




Page 3-21

not contribute to growth of the Davy Crockett

turkey population.

Cumulative Effects

Turkey habitat in the analysis area would

remain marginal or poor without management

actions. Habitat on private lands is limited for

this species. Most surrounding private land is

in pasture. This land does provide some open

areas for turkeys immediately adjacent to the

Forest, but turkeys are not likely to use

pastures distant from the Forest. Private

forested land is not being managed to provide

the open, grassy understories that turkeys

need. Management practices on these lands

are unlikely to produce good quality habitat

that would sustain this species in the future.

3.7.1.2.2 Alternative 2

Potential direct effects of this alternative

include the displacement of individual

turkeys, death or injury of poults, and the loss

of nests from the proposed activities, should

any turkeys be present in the compartments.

Hens with nests damaged or destroyed will

often re-nest. Although these actions may

impact individuals, the thinning and

prescribed fire offers the greatest opportunity

for improving habitat for turkeys in C-90 and

99.

Indirect effects would be beneficial to the

turkey. The pine thinning would create more

open stand conditions. Prescribed fire would

reduce the amount of woody understory

vegetation. The more open canopy resulting

from thinning would increase available light

to the forest floor, which would promote the

establishment or expansion of herbaceous

ground cover. The resulting habitat could be

used as cover by nesting hens and for

foraging by poults. The proposed 3-7 year

burning interval would likely maintain

moderately open understories.

Prescribed burning is unlikely to harm large,

upland hardwoods. A loss of hardwoods from

fire in or near riparian areas would be

negligible, due to low fire intensity in these

areas. Mast-producing hardwoods such as red

and white oaks, hickories, etc. would be

retained during thinning. No thinning would

occur in riparian areas, so no hardwoods

would be removed in those areas.

Construction of temporary roads would

provide linear openings, which turkeys would

likely use for travel and for bugging.

Closures of these roads after completion of

thinning would preclude their illegal use by

vehicles.

Control of ongoing erosion in C-90 would not

alter turkey habitat, and thus would not affect

this species.

NNIPS are not major turkey food sources, and

in many cases they may in fact crowd out

more desirable native food species. Thus,

NNIPS control may, in some areas, benefit

turkeys by allowing for establishment of

native food sources.

Cumulative Effects

Management practices on most adjacent and

nearby private lands currently do little to

enhance habitat for this species. Short

rotation pine plantations and residential areas

provide poor habitat for this species. Turkeys

may use the edges of pastures adjacent to the

forest. Future sustainability or growth of wild

turkey populations in the vicinity will depend

largely on habitat developed or maintained on

national forest and state lands.

The thinning and prescribe burning proposed

under this alternative would improve nesting

and brood habitat conditions that would

benefit the Eastern wild turkey. Similar

actions will soon be considered in nearby

compartments of the Davy Crockett NF, thus




Page 3-22

improving a large block of habitat

interspersed with private land.

3.7.2 Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)

3.7.2.1 Background and Current Status This species is an indicator of early

successional habitat. The chat prefers

blackberry tangles, dense shrub thickets, and

scattered saplings interspersed among dense

herbaceous cover. Nests are generally located

in dense vegetation less than two meters

above ground (NatureServe 2009). The

yellow-breasted chat has experienced

significant population declines in eastern

North America due to loss of habitat from the

re-growth of cleared forests, and the clearing

of early successional landscapes for

agriculture and urban development (Cornell

Lab. of Ornithology 2000).

Data are available to evaluate chat population

trends at several scales. Data from Breeding

Bird Survey routes, which have been operated

since 1966, provide information on yellow-

breasted chat population trends across the

species’ range (Fig. 3-4; Sauer et al. 2007).

These data reveal that chat populations have

fared differently in various parts of the U.S.

However, in much of the West Gulf Coastal

Plain, including the pineywoods of East Texas

and western Louisiana, the species has

averaged an increase of over 1.5% per year.

Fig. 3-4. Changes in yellow-breasted chat

populations across the species’ range, based upon

Breeding Bird Survey data (1966-2003)

State rankings in Texas indicate the

populations are secure and stable

(NatureServe 2009). Available data gathered

from point count surveys on the NFT indicate

a relatively stable trend (Fig. 3-5; USDA

2007, Appendix A, p. 15). These annual bird

point counts have been conducted on the four

Forests since 1998.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

YBCH

Fig. 3-5. Number of yellow-breasted chats detected

during point counts in all forest stands

Cumulative Effects

The cumulative effects analysis area for this

species consists of national forest land within

C-90 and 99, adjacent compartments, and

surrounding private lands.




Page 3-23




yellow-breasted chat, because no actions

would be taken under this alternative.

There would be few indirect effects on chats.

Lack of thinning and burning would leave

existing thickets of yaupon and other woody

understory species to grow. Such thickets

growing under a mature forest canopy support

relatively few chats, however. No new early

successional habitat would be created under

this alternative.

Cumulative Effects

Few of the management practices currently in

place on nearby private lands are compatible

with developing or maintaining chat habitat.

Much of the private land surrounding C-90

and 99 is in pastureland, which does not

provide habitat for this species. There are

some areas in forest, which may support some

chats, but management of these stands varies.

Because of the extensive pastureland in the

area, most chat habitat will remain on national

forest land.


The actions proposed under this alternative

may displace individuals or destroy some

nests. However, chats, like many songbirds,

usually renest. Losses of nests from prescribe

burning would likely be minimal since little

burning is typically done during the main

nesting period of mid-May through June or

July.

Indirect effects would be mixed for chats.

Thinning of both mature and younger stands

would open the overstory and increase light

penetration, potentially increasing growth of

woody understory vegetation. Prescribed fire

would remove some of this woody

understory, although removal would be

incomplete at best. The 3-7 year burn interval

would result in development of a moderately

open to somewhat dense understory in the

treatment areas between burns. The denser

areas would provide nesting habitat for chats

for several years between burns.

The linear openings created by temporary

roads would increase sunlight penetration to

the forest along the roads, stimulating woody

understory growth. However, they could also

serve as avenues for brown-headed cowbirds

to search for nests to parasitize, and they

could potentially reduce nest success of chats

nesting along the roads. These roads would

be obliterated or revegetated after completion

of thinning, so any negative effects would be

temporary.

Control of ongoing erosion in stand 11 of C-

90 would not impact chats or their habitat.

Control of NNIPS would not affect chats,

because NNIPS are not major food or cover

sources for chats, and in many cases they may

in fact crowd out more desirable native

species.

Cumulative Effects

The thinning and prescribed burning proposed

under this alternative, and other similar

projects across the forest, reduce the

susceptibility of pine stands to wildfire and

SPB infestation. Reducing pine loss to these

potentially stand-replacing events results in

fewer acres of early sucessional habitat. As

this habitat type declines on the forest,

populations of yellow-breasted chats are also

expected to decline (USDA 2002, Appendix

F). However, based on point count surveys,

this species occurs widely across National

Forests and Grasslands in Texas. Substantial

acres of habitat, with varying densities of

woody understory vegetation, would continue

to exist throughout the forest.




Page 3-24

Adjacent private land may provide some early

successional habitat for this species on the

areas managed for short-rotation timber

production. However, much of the private

land near C-90 and 99 has been cleared for

pastureland.

3.7.3 Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus

pileatus)

3.7.3.1 Background and Current Status The pileated woodpecker is an indicator of

mid and late succession, and old growth

habitats. Preferred habitat includes mature

coniferous-deciduous forests or bottomland

hardwood forests. Pileated woodpeckers are

dependent on the availability of large snags

for foraging, roosting, and nesting.

Data is available to evaluate pileated

woodpecker population trends at several

scales. Data from Breeding Bird Survey

routes, which have been operated since 1966,

provide information on population trends

across the species’ range (Fig. 3-6; Sauer et

al. 2004). These data reveal that pileated

woodpecker populations have fared

differently in various parts of the U.S.

However, in much of the West Gulf Coastal

Plain, including the Pineywoods of East

Texas, the species has averaged an increase of

0.25 percent to over 1.5 percent per year.

This is likely due to the continued aging of

the pine forests.

Fig. 3-6. Changes in pileated woodpecker

populations across the species’ range, based upon

Breeding Bird Survey data (1966-2003)

Point count surveys have been used on the

National Forests in Texas to monitor pileated

woodpecker numbers since 1998. Available

data indicate trends in pileated woodpecker

numbers are stable to increasing across the

four forests (Fig. 3-7; USDA 2007, Appendix

A), similar to the trend documented by

breeding bird survey data. Given the trend

since 1998, the apparent large drop in

numbers for 2006 is likely an anomaly; future

counts will provide an answer.

Fig. 3-7. Number of pileated woodpeckers detected

during point counts in all forest stands

Habitat for this species, in the form of older

age forest stands, is increasing across the

National Forests in Texas (Table 3-9; USDA

2007, Appendix A). As the forests continue

to age, pileated woodpeckers find improved

0

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50

60

70

80

90

100

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

PIWP




Page 3-25

habitat conditions in the form of larger

diameter trees and more decadent trees in

which to excavate cavities.

Table 3-9. Percentage of National Forest lands in

each seral stage from 1992-2006, and percent

change since 1992 Seral Stage

Age 1992 2002 2004 2006 Trend

Early 0-20 yrs

22% 14% 13% 11% -11%

Mid 21-50

yrs 11% 15% 15% 17% +6%

Late 51-90

yrs 61% 55% 53% 50% -11%

Very Late

91+ yrs

6% 16% 18% 22% +16%

Cumulative Effects

The cumulative effects analysis area for this

species consists of national forest land within

C-90 and 99, adjacent compartments, and

surrounding private land.




pileated woodpecker, because no actions

would be taken under this alternative.

Indirect effects would be potentially mixed.

Pileated woodpeckers would benefit as stands

continue to develop and mature. As these

stands increased in density, they would

become more susceptible to individual tree

mortality from stress, or larger-scale mortality

from disturbances such as wildfire or SPB

infestation. This would result in the creation

of snags that could be used as foraging and

nest sites.

However, these densely-stocked stands would

also be more vulnerable to potentially stand-

replacing events such as large beetle

infestations or larger wildfire, which could

temporarily provide an abundance of snags

for foraging and nesting, but would ultimately

result in the loss of forest cover on the

affected area.

Cumulative Effects

Adjacent private land uses generally do not

support the retention of large areas of mature

pine or hardwood forest, or the protection of

snags. Potential pileated woodpecker habitat

has been removed on many nearby private

tracts through conversion to pastureland.

National forest lands ultimately provide the

best habitat for this species in this area.


Direct or inadvertent removal of snags and

downed logs may occur during project

activities. Thinning the mature stands would

result in increased vigor and reduce the

potential for beetle infestation and the

resultant loss of large acreages of mature

forest habitat. Thinning the younger stands

would decrease competition, resulting in

increased growth rates and shortening the

time until these stands begin producing large-

diameter snags needed by this species for

nesting.

Prescribe burning may consume some large

snags, but would likely create new snags,

depending upon the intensity of the burn.

Many prescribed fires burn hot enough in

some patches to kill occasional overstory

pines, which would provide ideal roost and

nest trees. According to Van Lear (1993),

prescribed fire results in both the loss and

production of snags. However, snags are

more frequent in lowlands and riparian zones

than on upland sites (Van Lear 1993).

Because fire tends to burn at low intensity in

riparian areas, it is unlikely to have negative

impacts on snags and downed logs in these

areas. Despite possible losses in upland areas,

large snags would continue to exist for the

pileated woodpecker.

The proposed temporary road construction

may involve removal of some large trees.




Page 3-26

However, the number removed would be

minimal when compared to the amount of

habitat present in the compartments, and thus

would not negatively affect the woodpecker.

Control of ongoing erosion in std. 11 of C-90

would not impact pileated woodpeckers or

their habitat.

Control of NNIPS would have no effects

because the NNIPS to be treated do not

provide good foraging sites (large trees, large

dead and down material) for the woodpeckers.

Cumulative Effects

Thinning and prescribed fire would decrease

the chance of SPB infestation or a wildfire

that could possibly burn hot enough to kill

large areas of the overstory. This would

improve the likelihood that pine stands would

attain an older age class with a more uniform

and continuous supply of large snags.

Nearby compartments are being evaluated for

similar treatment as that being considered for

C-90 and 99. Thus, a large block of habitat,

interspersed with private land, may be

thinned, and the risk of large wildfire and/or

beetle infestation reduced.


support the retention of large areas of mature

pine or hardwood forest, or the protection of

snags. Potential pileated woodpecker habitat

has been removed on much of the nearby

private land through conversion to

pastureland. National forest lands ultimately

provide the best habitat for this species in this

area.

3.8 Threatened and Endangered

Species

Those species of concern or their habitat(s)

that may be affected by the proposed

alternatives are addressed. The Biological

Evaluation, Appendix C, contains a listing of

those species that were considered, but

eliminated from detailed evaluation and the

rationale therein.

3.8.1 Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides

borealis)


The federally endangered Red-cockaded

Woodpecker (RCW) has high potential to

occur on drier ridgetops in open-canopy, fire-

maintained, mature pine stands with forb

and/or grass dominated ground cover and a

midstory relatively devoid of hardwoods

(Hovis and Labisky 1985; Jackson 1994;

Conner et al. 2001; Walters et al. 2002;

USFWS 2003). The species has moderate

potential to occur in mature, pine-dominated

stands with a mixture of hardwoods and

hardwood midstory, as is present throughout

much of the Davy Crockett NF. The RCW

excavates cavities in live pine trees, using

older trees infected with red heart fungus

(Phellinus pini), thin sapwood and a large

diameter of heartwood (Conner et al. 1994;

Conner et al. 2001). Generally, pine trees ≥60

years old are needed for cavity excavation

(Rudolph and Conner 1991; USFWS 2003).

Threats to this species include conversion of

mature forest to short-rotation plantations or

non-forested areas, hardwood proliferation

resulting from fire exclusion, lack of forest

management to develop and maintain open

stand conditions, and habitat fragmentation

that affects population demographics.

The proposed project occurs primarily in MA-

1; this management area does not contain

RCWs or lands that are identified to support

future RCW populations. Management

practices in MA-1 are designed for the

regeneration of forest and woodland

communities, not to provide or develop future

habitat for this species.




Page 3-27

Some of the pine dominated stands in the two

compartments are composed of trees that are

of suitable age (≥60 yrs.) for cavity

excavation (Rudolph and Conner 1991, p.458-

467; USFWS 2003, p.34). However, these

stands have a high pine density and/or a well

developed hardwood midstory, and are

unsuitable as nesting or foraging habitat for

this species (USFWS 2003).

This species does not have a high potential to

occupy proposed treatment areas because

surveys of suitably aged pine-dominated

stands did not reveal evidence of RCWs or

undocumented cavity trees.

Available Inventories

Systematic ground surveys (transects) for this

species were conducted in C-90 and 99 by

Forest Service personnel in March 2009 and

September 2008. No RCWs or cavity trees

were found (Jordan 2009).

Available inventory information is adequate

because inventories of high and moderate

potential habitat within proposed treatment

areas are current enough to guide project

design, support determination of effects, and

meet requirements for conservation of this

species.

Cumulative Effects

The cumulative effects area for this species

consists of contiguous national forest lands on

the Davy Crockett NF and private lands

surrounding these national forest lands.



Because no management actions would occur

under this alternative, no direct or indirect

effects would occur to the RCW. These two

compartments are not within MA-2 (RCW

Emphasis and Habitat Management Area).

Therefore, there is no emphasis on providing

or developing future habitat for this species.

Habitat in these two compartments would

remain unsuitable for this species.

Cumulative Effects

Nearby private lands provide little habitat for

the RCW, and the little habitat that is present

is of only marginal quality due to heavy

hardwood midstory. Given the emphasis on

short rotation forest management, pines on

adjacent private tracts are unlikely to develop

the characteristics required by the RCW for

cavity excavation. Pines younger than 50

years old are composed primarily of sapwood,

which is unsuitable for cavity excavation

(Conner and O’Halloran 1987). Because the

rotation age on these forested lands is unlikely

to increase, the pines will remain unsuitable,

and thus preclude the establishment of RCWs

in these areas. Much of the land surrounding

these two compartments is in pastureland,

which cannot sustain this species.


Because no RCWs or cavity trees were

detected during inventories of C-90 and 99,

and because the species is unlikely to colonize

the project area due to poor habitat quality, no

direct or indirect effects to the RCW are

anticipated. Even though landscapes in MA-1

are not managed specifically for the

enhancement of RCW habitat, thinning and

prescribed fire may produce somewhat

favorable upland pine habitat, although there

would be no targeted reduction of hardwood

midstory. Furthermore, thinning would not

favor retention of older pines, nor those with

redheart fungus. Thus, while the result would

be somewhat more open stand conditions, the

habitat would not represent high potential

habitat for the RCW.

Construction of temporary roads would not

affect the RCW, again because the species is

not present and because the area is not being

managed for the species.




Page 3-28

Neither the RCW nor its habitat would be

affected by erosion control work in stand 11

of compartment 90, since this work would

occur outside mature pine forest, and the

RCW does not occur in the area.

Control of NNIPS would not impact the RCW

or high potential habitat for the species.

Cumulative Effects

Nearby private lands provide little habitat for

the RCW, and the little pine habitat that is

present is of poor quality due to heavy

hardwood midstory. Most of the land

surrounding C-90 is rural pastureland, with a

small amount of private forest. Private land

surrounding C-99 is largely pasture, with

scattered forest land of various ages. C-96

adjoins the compartment on the south side.

Given the emphasis on short rotation forest

management, pine-dominated forests on

adjacent private tracts are unlikely to develop

the characteristics required by the RCW for

cavity excavation. Pines younger than 50

years old are composed primarily of sapwood,

which is unsuitable for cavity excavation

(Conner and O’Halloran 1987, p.405).

Because the rotation age on these forested

lands is unlikely to increase, the pines will

remain unsuitable, and thus preclude the

establishment of RCWs in these areas.

3.9 Regional Forester’s Sensitive

Species

Regional Forester’s Sensitive Species

Mammals

Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii)

Insects

Texas emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora margarita)

Fish

Sabine shiner (Notropis sabinae)

Freshwater Mussels

Sandbank pocketbook (Lampsilis satura)

Louisiana pigtoe (Pleurobema riddellii)

Texas heelsplitter (Potamilus amphichaenus)

Crayfish

Blackbelted crayfish (Procambarus nigrocinctus)

Neches crayfish (Procambarus nechesae)

Sabine fencing crayfish (Faxonella beyeri)

3.9.1 Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii)


This bat reaches the western limit of its range

in eastern Texas. The Rafinesque’s big-eared

bat is primarily a solitary species that roosts

in hollow trees, crevices behind loose bark,

and under dry leaves (Davis and Schmidly

1994). It has also been observed roosting in

buildings, abandoned mines, and wells (BCI

2001; Menzel et al. 2003).

Research on habitat associations for this bat in

eastern Texas indicates that it has high

potential to occur within mature bottomland

hardwood communities containing large

diameter, hollow hardwoods, often of the

genus Nyssa, within one kilometer (0.6 mile)

of water (Mirowsky and Horner 1997). This

research found that this bat preferred to roost

in these large, hollow hardwoods. Lance et

al. (2001) found big-eared bats roosting under

concrete bridges as well as in large hollow

Nyssa in Louisiana. Bridges used by these

bats were always associated with a higher

percentage of surrounding mature hardwood

forest than were unused bridges. A similar

affinity for hardwood-dominated roosts near




Page 3-29

water was found for big-eared bats in South

Carolina (Bunch et al. 1998). Thus, two

important components of high potential

habitat across the range of the species are

mature bottomland hardwood forest and the

close proximity of water.

High potential foraging habitat for these bats

is bottomland hardwood forest. This bat is

considered a moth specialist (Hurst and Lacki

1997; Lacki and Ladeur 2002). The big-eared

bat usually forages by gleaning; that is,

picking insects off vegetation, and has been

observed to forage quite low, within one

meter of the ground (Mirowsky and Horner

1997; BCI 2001).

This species of bat does not have high

potential to occupy proposed treatment areas

because these areas do not include high

potential habitat as described above.

However, the big-eared bat has been known

to occasionally forage in upland areas

adjacent to their preferred bottomland

foraging habitat, although such upland areas

represent only marginal habitat.

The big-eared bat displays a bimodal pattern

of foraging activity, common to a number of

bat species; that is, they forage for several

hours soon after dark, and again for a few

hours in the morning before returning to their

day roosts before dawn (Reynolds and

Mitchell 1998; Menzel et al. 2001). Between

foraging bouts, they likely rest in night roosts

in or near their foraging areas. Bats may use

a variety of sites for these temporary roosts,

depending upon what is available. The big-

eared bat, which occasionally forages in

upland areas or non-hardwood stands adjacent

to more typical bottomland foraging areas,

may use snags with loose bark or cavities, or

upland hardwoods with cavities, as temporary

roost sites.

This species is experiencing a population

decline across its range. The greatest threat

facing the big-eared bat is loss of bottomland

forest roost habitat (Bunch et al 1998;

Natureserve 2009), particularly the large

hollow trees needed for maternity roosts.


No inventories were conducted for this

species specifically for this project, because

high potential habitat does not occur in the

treatment areas and the species does not have

high potential to occur in the treatment areas.

Any use of the treatment areas by this bat

species would be rare, and would occur only

occasionally during foraging. There are no

extensive, mature, low-lying floodplain

forests (high potential habitat) in the two

compartments covered under this proposal.

Thus, it was determined that no inventories

were needed.

Cumulative Effects

The cumulative effects area for this species

consists of the two compartments covered in

this proposal, adjacent compartments, and

private lands surrounding these national forest

lands.




under this alternative, no direct effects would

occur to this bat species.

There would be little potential for indirect

effects to the big-eared bat. Densely stocked

pine stands are more susceptible to wildfire

and SPB infestation. These disturbance

events may create snags, particularly in

mature stands, that could serve as potential

temporary night roost sites. In addition,

failure to thin the stands to create open

conditions would likely leave them

unattractive to foraging bats, since such

stands would likely support few nectar




Page 3-30

sources that might attract moths. Overall,

indirect effects would be those of natural

forest succession and aging, and could

potentially include the loss of larger acreages

to wildfire and/or beetle infestation.

Cumulative Effects

Bottomland habitat and hardwood stands on

national forest land would remain unchanged

as a result of this project, and continue to

contain high potential roost habitat.

However, this alternative would increase the

vulnerability of upland pine stands to wildfire

and SPB infestation. Although these

disturbances may create snags, they may also

result in the loss of mature stands. Because

the severity of these events is difficult to

predict, it is uncertain how long these stands

would persist to supply potential temporary

roosting habitat.


promote the preservation or development of

high potential roosting habitat. Hardwood

bottomlands contain the best quality habitat

for this species. However, the probability of

this habitat type persisting on private land is

low, as the overall trend has been a general

loss of bottomland hardwood forest. This

trend will likely continue on private land.

Human structures (abandoned buildings,

bridges, etc.) may also provide some roosting

habitat, but specific environmental conditions

must exist.


Thinning and prescribed fire could potentially

displace or harm individuals. However, this

species has a preference for roosting in low-

lying hardwood communities, in which

thinning would not occur and prescribed fires

tend to burn at low intensity. Additionally,

high potential roost habitat does not occur in

C-90 and 99; thus it is relatively unlikely that

the species inhabits the compartments,

although it may occasionally forage in some

areas. The Rafinesque’s big-eared bat does

not hibernate in Texas (Davis and Schmidly

1994; BCI 2001). This species would

therefore be mobile and alert during winter,

allowing for a high likelihood of escape from

an encroaching fire or other disturbing

activity.

There is a slight potential for indirect effects.

Direct or inadvertent removal of snags may

occur during timber harvest or prescribed

burning. Both the number and distribution of

snags could be affected by the proposed

prescribed burning. Prescribe burning would

result in both the loss of existing snags and

the creation of new ones (Van Lear 1993).

Prescribed fire has the potential to reduce the

number of snags in upland habitats over time,

although data collected by Dr. Richard

Conner at the Southern Forest Experiment

Station in Nacogdoches, Texas has shown that

large diameter snags will often persist in

upland areas even in the presence of a

prescribe burning program.

In addition, snags are more frequent in

lowlands and riparian areas than on upland

sites (McMinn and Hardt 1993; Van Lear

1993), including in the streamside

management zones throughout the

compartments, where fire would burn at lower

intensity. Based on this information, it

appears clear that there will continue to be

adequate snags distributed across the

landscape to provide temporary night roosts

for foraging bats.

Thinning would reduce the potential for loss

of forested habitat to beetle infestation or

wildfire. Dense pine stands are more

vulnerable to beetle attack and wildfire

(Turchin et al. 1999; Boyle et al. 2004).

Thinning mature pine stands would also

create more open stand conditions, favoring

nectar plants that would support moths, which

are a major food of this species. Thus, the




Page 3-31

proposed thinning would be beneficial to any

bats using these compartments.

The proposed temporary roads would be

developed in accordance with guidelines in

the Plan. Some trees would be removed to

clear rights-of-way for these roads. However,

the roads would not be placed in high

potential bottomland habitat, and therefore

there is no potential for the large hollow trees

needed by the bats for roosting to be

destroyed.

Control of the ongoing erosion problem in

std. 11 in C-90 would not impact bat habitat.

Control of NNIPS would not affect bats, since

these species, such as Chinese tallow,

Japanese climbing fern, and others, tend to

not be nectar plants that might attract moths

and other bat prey species. Removal of these

invasives, as well as any invasive plants that

might attract bat prey would benefit bats by

reducing competition with native nectar

plants. No negative effects from herbicide

use are anticipated, since bats are not

expected to come in contact with herbicide-

treated vegetation. They forage by capturing

flying insects such as moths, which would not

be attracted to dead and dying plants.

Cumulative Effects

Thinning and prescribed burning would

decrease the potential for pine loss from

wildfire and SPB infestation. This would

improve the likelihood of upland stands

retaining large pines that may become snags

or that have the structural characteristics for

roosting.

Surrounding compartments are managed

similarly to the compartments covered by this

proposal. High potential habitat is limited to

the larger river drainages, such as along the

Neches River. These areas are not in the

compartments included in this proposal.

Forest management on adjacent private land

provides little opportunity for the retention or

development of high potential roosting habitat

for this species. Trees on these lands are

usually managed for short rotations (20-40

years). Lands managed intensively for wood

production generally have lower densities of

snags than national forests (Van Lear 1993).

Bottomland forests and larger riparian forests

have been largely cut over on private lands,

leaving few large hollow trees that could

provide high potential roost habitat for this

species. Because forest management on

private lands is unlikely to change in the

foreseeable future, habitat in these areas

would likely remain limited.

3.9.2 Texas Emerald Dragonfly

(Somatochlora margarita)

3.9.2.1 Background and Current Status The Big Thicket emerald dragonfly has a

potential range that may exceed 10,000 square

miles in southeastern Texas, including all four

national forests in Texas (Price et al. 1989).

This species was originally described from

the Sam Houston National Forest (Price et al.

1989). High potential habitat for larvae is

associated with small, clear, sandy-bottomed

streams and boggy seeps within loblolly and

longleaf pine stands (NatureServe 2009).

Adults are generalists, foraging for insects at

canopy level in mature forest and over gravel

roads and small openings. Because of its

specific needs, the larval stage of this species

is considered to be the critical life stage.

Threats to this species include clearing of

large areas of mature forest for conversion to

agricultural land or similar use, which would

displace adults; sedimentation of larval

habitat is a serious threat as well (Price et al.

1989; Natureserve 2009).

Larvae of this species do not have high





Page 3-32

because these areas do not include high

potential habitat (clear, sandy-bottomed

streams) as described above for larvae.

Although prescribed fire may burn into some

streamside zones, effects on vegetation would

be minimal. Fire will not affect streams

directly. However, because of the small

chance of indirect effects to larval habitat, this

species is included in the analysis.


No systematic inventories for this species

have been conducted recently on the Davy

Crockett NF. Price et al. (1989) surveyed two

locations on the Davy Crockett NF, and found

this species at both locations. One location

was in the northeast portion of the forest, in or

near Compartments 17, 18, and 19. The other

was in the southern part of the forest, in or

near Compartments 108 and 112. Available

inventory data are adequate.

Cumulative Effects

Due to possible downstream impacts to water

quality, the cumulative effects analysis area

for this species includes streams in adjacent

compartments and private lands that flow into

the analysis areas, as well as downstream

areas in adjacent compartments and on private

lands.



Because no actions would be taken under this

alternative, no direct effects would occur to

the Texas emerald dragonfly. However, this

alternative may increase the vulnerability of

pine stands to wildfire and SPB infestation.

While small openings created by these events

may be used by foraging adults, the loss of

large acreages of mature forest could have

negative effects on this species. Wildfire, if

intense, may remove riparian vegetation,

including the root mat, which functions to

impede soil movement. Increased sediment

delivery to streams, particularly after heavy

rain storms, would impact water quality.

However, the impact of wildfire on riparian

vegetation is difficult to predict, and would

greatly depend on fire intensity. In the

absence of larger wildfires, this alternative

would not affect dragonfly larvae.

Cumulative Effects

Disturbances to streams from private land

uses would continue because current

management practices are not expected to

change. Ongoing erosion in stand 11 in C-90

would continue to degrade water quality.

Without implementation of any action FDR

583 would continue to impact downstream

aquatic habitat, potentially to the detriment of

dragonfly larvae

Adjacent private lands possess few areas of

mature pine, and due to management

practices, are unlikely to provide high

potential habitat for the Texas emerald

dragonfly in the future. Most adjacent private

land has been cleared for pasture land, and

this trend is likely to continue.


Given that the adult Texas emerald dragonfly

is highly mobile, negative direct effects from

thinning and prescribe burning are unlikely to

occur. Indirect effects on adults are also not

anticipated. Timber harvest would not result

in clearing of large areas of mature pine, and

therefore would not negatively affect the

suitability or availability of foraging habitat

for adults.

Although timber removal would not occur

within MA-4, associated actions have the

potential to cause sediment movement.

Temporary stream crossings, in particular,

may increase sediment delivery to streams.

However, long-term adverse impacts to

dragonfly larvae are not anticipated. Stream

crossings would be avoided and alternative




Page 3-33

routes used to access harvest units when

possible. When in use, these crossings would

be employed for a limited duration, and

would be identified and designated in

accordance with the Plan (p.158).

The proposed thinning may result in

temporary increases in sediment delivery to

streams (Binkley and Brown 1993).

However, adverse effects to larval habitat are

not anticipated. Plan measures and project

design criteria for protecting stream courses

would be followed (p.82-83, 153-154, and

158-159). These practices limit sediment

delivery to streams, and are consistent with,

or more restrictive than, state Best

Management Practices (BMPs) for protecting

aquatic habitats from sedimentation.

Prud’homme and Greis (2002) found that the

scientific literature and monitoring results in

the south demonstrate that appropriate BMPs,

fully implemented as designed and adapted to

a site, effectively protect water chemistry,

aquatic habitat, and aquatic biota.

This alternative would involve burning and

the construction of fire lines within MA-4. A

major problem associated with prescribed fire

and water quality is potential increases in

sedimentation (Stanturf et al. 2002).

However, most studies in the south indicate

that effects of prescribed fire on water quality

are minor and of short duration when

compared with the effects of other forest

practices (Stanturf et al. 2002). Prescribed

fires in MA-4 tend to consist of low intensity

backing fires. Even intense burns may disturb

the root mat very little, leaving its soil-

holding properties intact (Stanturf et al.

2002).

Control of the ongoing erosion in stand 11 of

compt. 90 would improve water quality,

potentially benefiting dragonfly larvae.


would involve removal of some overstory

trees, but would not result in the clearing of

large acreages that could be detrimental to

adult dragonflies. These roads would be

obliterated or revegetated upon completion of

thinning, elimination any potential for soil

movement from them.

Control of NNIPS would involve efforts

targeted at individual plants. Efforts using

hand tools or mechanical methods would thus

not contribute to sediment delivery to streams.

Surface water contamination or runoff into

streams is not anticipated because the

application method (direct), Plan

requirements, and the limited extent of

treatment diminish the potential for offsite

movement (p.58).

Cumulative Effects

Because of the fragmented land ownership

pattern in and around C-90 and 99, streams in

the two compartments generally either

originate on private lands, or originate in

other Davy Crockett NF compartments and

pass through private land before entering

either of these two compartments. Piney

Creek originates on national forest land

approximately 12-13 miles northwest of C-99.

Management actions on private lands could

potentially impact larval habitat on the Forest.

Any activities on private lands were likely

more intensive than the actions proposed on

national forest land, and likely had fewer

measures in place to protect riparian areas and

control soil movement. The actions proposed

in this alternative will have numerous

measures in place to protect water quality,

and are unlikely to have long-term negative

effects on dragonfly larvae.

Downstream effects to aquatic habitats were

also considered. Streams in these two

compartments ultimately flow into Piney

Creek. Management practices on national

forest lands incorporate measures that




Page 3-34

minimize sediment movement into aquatic

habitats, as previously described. These

measures reduce the likelihood that this

alternative would negatively affect water

quality downstream of these compartments.

National forest land provides the best

opportunity for the protection or maintenance

of habitat for this species in the long-term.

Management practices near streams on

national forest lands are generally more

restrictive than on adjacent private lands, on

which implementing protection measures for

streams is voluntary.

3.9.3 Fish, Freshwater Mussels, and Lotic

Crayfish

Aquatic resources in Caney Creek in C-90

and 99 are presently stable, except for

ongoing channel downcutting and sediment

delivery resulting from failing culverts and

uncontrolled road drainage (USDA 2009c).

Piney Creek has experienced few impacts,

and supports the harlequin darter, which is at

the western limits of its range.

While specific habitat requirements for the

fish, mussels, and crayfish differ, they are

primarily impacted by sedimentation.

Therefore, they are considered together in the

effects analysis.

3.9.3.1 Fish – Sabine shiner (Notropis

sabinae)

Background and Current Status

The Sabine shiner has high potential to occur

over a substrate of fine, silt-free sand in small

streams and rivers having slight to moderate

current (Lee et al. 1980). Threats to this

species’ habitat include siltation and

obstructions to fish passage. Historic records

from 1968-1971 indicate that the Sabine

Shiner was originally found in a number of

streams on the NFT. There are no current

records of the species on the Davy Crockett

NF, although it was found once and

subsequently not relocated.

The goldstripe darter (Etheostoma

parvipinne), a species closely associated with

the Sabine shiner, has been found in several

streams on the forest. This species inhabits

clear, sandy-bottomed streams that are spring

fed. The goldstripe darter requires unimpeded

waterways that allow passage to headwaters,

needed for fulfilling life cycle requirements

and for survival during summer droughts.

Streams occupied by this species may indicate

the presence of habitat conditions necessary

to support the bottom dwelling Sabine shiner,

although recent findings indicate that the

shiner requires long reaches of streams, 13

miles or more, in order to thrive and support

sustainable populations. Impediments to fish

passage such as poorly designed and/or

placed culverts are a major factor contributing

to the decline in distribution experienced by

this species.

The Sabine shiner does not have high


because numerous previous inventories of

high potential habitat distributed across the

forest have not located this species.


Numerous fisheries surveys and inventories

have been conducted on the Davy Crockett

NF. The most recent fisheries inventory work

for the Davy Crockett NF indicates that the

Sabine shiner has been found in Cochino

Bayou only, in Compartments 54 and 57. A

complete listing of water bodies surveyed can

be found in the Wildlife Specialist Report, in

the project file (USDA 2009d).


because inventories of high potential habitat

on the Davy Crockett NF are current enough

and widespread enough to guide project




Page 3-35


meet requirements for conservation of this

species.

3.9.3.2 Freshwater Mussels:

Sandbank Pocketbook (Lampsilis satura)

Louisiana Pigtoe (Plerobema riddellii)

Texas Heelsplitter (Potamilus

amphiachaenus)

Background and Current Status Freshwater mussels may inhabit a variety of

water-body types including large and small

rivers and streams, lakes, ponds, canals, and

reservoirs (Howells et al. 1996). These three

sensitive mussel species have high potential

to occur in mud, sand, or gravel substrates in

streams and small rivers. They do not occur

in deep shifting sands or deep soft silt

(Howells 1996; Howells et al. 1996), which

can contribute to smothering. Mussels filter

feed on algae, detritus, and small particles in

the water, and may be able to absorb some

organic material in solution (Howells 1996).

Impoundment of river systems is believed to

be the most significant threat facing

freshwater bivalves (Neck 1982).

Impoundment alters flow regimes, increases

sediment accumulation, and may impede

movement of fish hosts. Dams may alter flow

and temperature regimes and disrupt the

timing of reproduction and associated

behavior of fish and mussels (Neck 1982;

Howells et al. 1996). Pollution, over harvest,

reduced spring and river flows, introduction

of exotic species, and sedimentation are other

probable causes of decline (Neck 1982;

Howells 1996; Howells et al. 1996; Watters

2000). In addition, any impacts to fish may

negatively affect mussels, which use certain

fish as hosts for larval development (Howells

et al. 1996).

These species do not have high potential to

occupy proposed treatment areas because

previous inventories of high potential habitat

in streams distributed across much of East

Texas have not located these species in recent

years.


Howells et al. (1996) summarized surveys

completed for these species in Texas. Only

two live specimens of the Texas heelsplitter

have been found in the past 15 years, and

none of the other two species. Texas

freshwater mussel communities have declined

greatly, and have disappeared from the

majority of sites from which they once were

found.



are current enough and widespread enough to

guide project design, support determination of

effects, and meet requirements for

conservation of these species.

3.9.3.3 Lotic Crayfish – Blackbelted

Crayfish (Procambarus nigrocinctus)

Background and Current Status

Crayfish can be divided into two groups: 1)

those that live in lentic habitats (still waters

such as lakes, ponds, and swamps) and 2)

those that live in lotic habitats (actively

moving water such as streams and rivers).

The Neches crayfish and Sabine fencing

crayfish primarily inhabit lentic habitats and

will be addressed separately. The blackbelted

crayfish lives primarily in lotic environments,

and will be addressed along with other stream

dwelling species.

The blackbelted crayfish has high potential to

occur among debris in streams with sandy or

rocky bottoms, and is known from only five

locations range-wide, all in the Neches River

basin, in Angelina and Jasper counties (Hobbs

1990, Natureserve 2009). Activities that




Page 3-36

negatively impact water quality have the

potential to impact this species.


Crayfish surveys have been conducted at a

number of sites across the forest. The most

recent crayfish inventory work for the Davy

Crockett NF indicates that the blackbelted

crayfish has been found in Lynch Creek only,

in Compartment 71. A complete listing of

crayfish inventory work can be found in the

Wildlife Specialist Report, in the project file

(USDA 2009d).






meet requirements for conservation of these

species.

Cumulative Effects

To account for possible downstream effects

on water quality, the cumulative effects

analysis area for the Sabine shiner, freshwater

bivalves, and lotic crayfish is C-90 and 99 and

surrounding private lands, as well as Piney

and Caney and their unnamed tributaries.


3.9.3.4.1 Alternative 1 (No Action) Because no management actions would occur


occur to these aquatic species. However, this

alternative would increase the vulnerability of

pine stands to wildfire and beetle infestation

(Turchin et al. 1999; Boyle et al. 2004).

Wildfire, depending upon intensity, could

remove riparian vegetation, including the root

mat, which functions to stabilize soil. If

increased sediment loads were delivered to

streams, particularly after heavy rain storms,

water quality would be negatively impacted,

potentially affecting any Sabine shiners or

mussels that might be present. If no large

wildfire, or wildfire near streams, occurred,

there would be no impact to aquatic species as

a result of this alternative.

Large, epidemic-level beetle infestations, and

the likely subsequent removal of dead and

dying pines, could result in the loss of large

acreages of forest. This could result in some

temporary increase in sediment delivery to

streams, although protection measures in the

Plan would minimize this. However, it is

difficult to predict if, or when, this might

occur. In the absence of large-scale

infestations, there would be no impact on

aquatic species.

Cumulative Effects

The existing erosion problems in C-90 and

along FDR 583 in C-99 are contributing to

degradation of water quality in the two

compartments. Because this alternative

would not include the repair of these

problems, these features would continue to

cause sedimentation of aquatic habitats.


Although timber removal would not occur

within the primary zone of MA-4, associated

actions have the potential to cause sediment

movement. Temporary stream crossings, in

particular, may increase sediment delivery to

streams for the short term. However, long-

term adverse impacts to aquatic species are

not anticipated. Stream crossings would be

avoided, and alternative routes used to access

harvest units, when possible. When in use,

these crossings would be used for a limited

duration, and would be identified and

designated in accordance with the Plan

(p.158). Riparian areas would be protected

according to measures outlined in the Plan

(p.82-83, 153-154, and 158-159).




Page 3-37

The thinning proposed under this alternative

may result in temporary increases in sediment

delivery to streams. However, long term

adverse effects to stream habitats are not

anticipated. Silvicultural activities rank low

among water-impairing land uses in the South

(West 2002). Prud’homme and Greis (2002)

found that scientific literature and monitoring

results in the south demonstrate that

appropriate Best Management Practices

(BMPs), fully implemented as designed and

adapted to a site, effectively protect water

chemistry, aquatic habitat, and aquatic biota.

Plan measures and project design criteria are

in place for protecting stream courses (p.82-

83, 153-154, and 158-159). These practices

limit sediment delivery to streams, and are

consistent with, or more restrictive than, state

BMPs for protecting aquatic habitats from

sedimentation.

This proposal would involve prescribe

burning and the construction of fire lines,

portions of some which would be within MA-

4. The Sabine shiner, the mussels, and the

crayfish are vulnerable to management

actions that impact stream habitats. A major

problem associated with prescribed fire and

water quality is potential increases in

sedimentation (Stanturf et al. 2002).

However, most studies in the south indicate

that effects of prescribed fire on water quality

are minor and of short duration when

compared with the effects of other forest

practices (Stanturf et al. 2002). Prescribed

fires in MA-4 tend to consist of low intensity

backing fires. Even intense burns may disturb

the root mat very little, leaving its soil-

holding properties intact (Stanturf et al.

2002). Thus, there is very little potential for

indirect effects to aquatic habitat, provided

that hand lines are constructed so as to

prevent or minimize sediment delivery to

streams. No activities are proposed that could

potentially restrict fish passage along streams.


would involve removal of some overstory

trees, but would not result in the clearing of

large acreages that could result in sediment

movement.

Control of the ongoing erosion in stand 11 of

C-90 would improve water quality,

potentially benefiting aquatic species.




not contribute to sediment delivery to streams

Surface water contamination or runoff into

streams is not anticipated because the

application method (direct), Plan

requirements, and the limited extent of

treatment diminish the potential for offsite

movement (p.58).

Cumulative Effects








Creek originates on National Forest land



potentially impact aquatic habitat on the

Forest. Any activities on private lands were

likely more intensive than the actions

proposed on national forest land, and likely

had fewer measures in place to protect

riparian areas and control soil movement.

The actions proposed in this alternative will

have numerous measures in place to protect

water quality, and are unlikely to have long-

term negative effects on aquatic communities.







Page 3-38








National forest land provides the best

opportunity for the protection or maintenance

of habitat for these species in the long-term.

Management practices near streams on

national forest lands are generally more

restrictive than on adjacent private lands, on

which implementing protection measures for

streams is voluntary.

3.9.4 Lentic Crayfish:

Neches Crayfish (Procambarus nechesae)

Sabine Fencing Crayfish (Faxonella beyeri)


The Neches crayfish has high potential to

occur in simple burrows in temporary or

semi-permanent pools in roadside ditches

(Hobbs 1990, Natureserve 2009). This

species is associated with the Neches River

Basin (Hobbs 1990). The Sabine fencing

crayfish has high potential to occur in

roadside ditches that are intermittently filled

(Natureserve 2009). Limiting factors for

these crayfish include land development or

alterations, agricultural runoff, and

competition with other crayfish (Natureserve

2009). Heavy equipment used during timber

operations has the potential to entomb

crayfish in burrows, compact the soil, and

affect hydrology through rutting.

Available Inventories Numerous crayfish surveys and inventories

have been conducted on the Davy Crockett

NF. F. beyeri has not been found on the

Davy Crockett NF. P. nechesae has been

found at one location, Pond 5 on FDR 503, in

C-56. A complete listing of crayfish

inventory work can be found in the Wildlife

Specialist Report, in the project file.






meet requirements for conservation of these

species.

Cumulative Effects

To account for possible downstream effects

on water quality, the cumulative effects

analysis area for the lentic crayfish is C-90

and 99 and surrounding private lands, as well

as Piney and Caney and their unnamed

tributaries.





occur to these aquatic species. However, this

alternative would increase the vulnerability of

pine stands to wildfire and beetle infestation

(Turchin et al. 1999, Boyle et al. 2004).

Wildfire, depending upon intensity, could

remove riparian vegetation, including the root

mat, which functions to stabilize soil. If

increased sediment loads were delivered to

streams ditches, and ephemeral pools,

particularly after heavy rain storms, water

quality would be negatively impacted,

potentially affecting any crayfish that might

be present. If no large wildfire, or wildfire

near streams, occurred, there would be no

impact to these species as a result of this

alternative.

Large, epidemic-level beetle infestations, and

the likely subsequent removal of dead and

dying pines, could result in the loss of large




Page 3-39

acreages of forest. This could result in some

temporary increase in sediment delivery to

streams, although protection measures in the

Plan would minimize this. Additionally, the

use of heavy equipment to remove dead and

dying trees could injure or kill some crayfish.

However, it is difficult to predict if, or when,

this might occur. In the absence of large-

scale infestations, there would be no impact

on aquatic species, since no actions would

occur in these two compartments.

Cumulative Effects

The existing erosion problems in C-90 and

along FDR 583 in C-99 are contributing to

degradation of water quality in the two

compartments. Because this alternative

would not include the repair of these

problems, these features would continue to

cause sedimentation of aquatic habitats.


The proposed thinning would involve the use

of heavy equipment, which has the potential

to injure or kill individual crayfish if it

crosses wet ditches containing crayfish, or

drives over their burrows. However, these

species would be most likely to occur in

wetter sites such as roadside ditches, as

described above. These areas would be most

likely be impacted at only a few sites, where

equipment entered compartments. Thus,

impacts on those sites potentially harboring

the greatest numbers of crayfish would be

limited. The proposed temporary road

construction would involve removal of some

overstory trees, but would not result in the

clearing of large acreages that could result in

sediment movement.

This proposal would involve prescribe

burning and the construction of fire lines.

The prescribe burning itself would not affect

these crayfish, since they would either be in

wet ditches or below ground in burrows. The

use of bulldozers to develop firelines has

potential to injure or kill individuals, if this

equipment crosses wet ditches containing

crayfish, or drives over their burrows.

However, equipment would not be making

numerous crossings of such areas; rather, only

a few crossings would be needed into each

compartment, and these may or may not

coincide with sites occupied by crayfish.

Thus, while there is the potential for some

individuals to be impacted, the impacts to the

species’ potential distribution would be small.

Some crayfish could be displaced or

injured/killed during work to repair ongoing

erosion in stand 11 in C-90. However, the

end result of this work would be long term

improved water quality, which should benefit

all aquatic species. Thus the overall effect of

this work would be beneficial, despite the

potential for short term detrimental impacts.




not contribute to sediment delivery to streams,

ditches, or temporary pools. Surface water

contamination or runoff into aquatic habitats

is not anticipated because the application

method (direct), Plan requirements for nozzle

use and droplet size, weather constraints, and

the limited extent of treatment diminish the

potential for offsite movement.

Cumulative Effects








Creek originates on national forest land



potentially impact aquatic habitat on the

Forest. Any activities on private lands were




Page 3-40

likely more intensive than the actions

proposed on national forest land, and likely

had fewer measures in place to protect

riparian areas and control soil movement.

The actions proposed in this alternative will

have numerous measures in place to protect

water quality, and are unlikely to have long-

term negative effects on aquatic communities.











The use of heavy equipment on national forest

land for fireline construction, timber harvest,

roadwork, and other activities has the

potential to impact these species and their

temporary wet sites across the forest.

However, with the exception of the need for

bulldozers to cross ditches to access fireline

locations, and road construction across

ditches, other activities typically avoid wet

areas, or are restricted seasonally to drier

times of the year. This reduces the potential

for impacts to habitat for these species, since

during dry times they are likely less widely

distributed, likely being concentrated in the

fewer wet areas. In addition, the activities

discussed above occur at the level of the

individual, and generally do not destroy the

habitat.

Activities on surrounding private lands are

much less regulated, and effects on seasonally

wet sites, ephemeral pools, etc. can be

extensive, and may render sites uninhabitable.

This makes national forest land important for

the continued existence of these species.

3.10 Public Health and Safety

3.10.1 Alternative 1 (No Action) Public health and safety would not be directly

affected. The potential for losses from

wildfire would increase over time due to

increased fuel loads and dense forest

conditions. This could indirectly affect public

health and safety, if wildfire occurred in C-90

or C-99. Wildfires produce much more

smoke and pollutants than prescribed fires,

which could adversely affect public health. In

addition, wildfires can be difficult to control,

placing nearby residents and firefighters at

greater risk.

3.10.2 Alternative 2

Public health and safety would be minimally

affected. Measures to protect the public

during logging and prescribed burning would

be implemented. The potential for losses

from wildfire would decrease over time as

prescribed burning and timber harvesting

reduce fuel loads and create open forest

conditions. Prescribed fires produce less

smoke and pollutants than wildfires and

would be conducted when atmospheric

conditions promote the dispersal of smoke,

which would minimize the effects on public

health.

None of the alternatives present a risk to

human health and safety with the

implementation of mitigating measures to

restrict access during logging, prescribed

burning or other activities.

3.11 Economics

For proposed projects involving timber sales,

the Timber Sale Preparation Handbook,

directs economic or financial analyses be

conducted for all alternatives (FSH 2409.18).

For this project, the Davy Crockett ID Team

conducted a financial efficiency analysis for




Page 3-41

Alternative 2. It should be noted that analysis

was limited to direct monetary costs and

revenues related to the timber sales. It does

not factor in non-monetary benefits of

improved forest health, improved wildlife

habitat, or reduced risk of wildfire damage.

Costs included: road maintenance, sale

preparation (marking), sale administration,

and prescribed burning. Benefits included the

revenue generated from the sale of the timber.

All monetary estimates were based on recent

actual values. Table 3-10 summarizes the

results.

Table 3- 10. Economic efficiency of Alternative 2

Alt

ern

ati

ve 2

Discount Rate 4.000

Cash Flows (number) 6

PV – Costs ($) -$ 465,344

PV – Benefits ($) $ 1,043,904

Present Net Value ($) $ 578,155

B/C Ratio 2.24

Net Annual Equivalent ($)

$ 159,276

Composite Rate of Return (%)

27.27

Generally, Alternative 2 would generate

several hundred thousand dollars more than it

cost. Implementation of Alternative 2 is

economically viable.

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3.0 Affected Environment 3.1 Soil and...

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