07 26 07 Liaison Panel Meeting Summary
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BANKHEAD NATIONAL FOREST LIAISON PANEL PUBLIC MEETING SUMMARY JULY 26, 2007 MOULTON, ALABAMA Liaison Panel Member Attendees Additional Attendees Ron Eakes, Alabama Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Becky Gold, Resident Dave Borland, The Nature Conservancy Larry Barkley, Resident Vince Meleski, Wild South Mimi Barkley, Resident Laverne Matheson, Smith Lake Advocacy, Inc. Mark Kolinski, Wild South Charles Borden, Forest Landowner, Recreation Stewart Horn, Wild South Jody Buttrum, Recreation Ted Kuzma, Wild South Anthony Hood, Recreation Hank Byrnes, Wild South Gene Gold, Blue Clan, Echota Cherokee Kristen Bishop, The Decatur Daily Mike Henshaw, Alabama Extension Service Bill Snoddy, Treasure Forest Landowner Randy Feltman, Logger Forest Service Attendees Glen Gaines, District Ranger Stephanie Love, Silviculturist Allison Cochran, Wildlife Biologist Tom Counts, Wildlife Biologist Blake Addison, Timber Management Assistant Meeting Agenda 6:00 Welcome Glen Gaines USFS, Bankhead 6:15 Presentation of Watershed Project Analysis Results § Existing Vegetation Stephanie Love § Desired Watershed Conditions USFS, Bankhead § Proposed Treatments by Alternative § Predicted Affects/Changes to Forest Community by Alternative § Predicted Affects/Changes to Tom Counts Terrestrial Wildlife Habitats by Alternative Allison Cochran • Canyon Prescription Allocations by Alternative USFS, Bankhead 7:00 Group Review and Discussion on Analysis and Initial Findings 7:30 Group Review and Discussion on Treatments to Achieve the Desired Watershed Conditions 8:00 Finalize Group Recommendations for the Project 8:15 Timber/Thinning Monitoring Report - May 22 Field Trip Vince Meleski WildSouth 8:30 Closeout and Schedule Next Meeting Glen Gaines Presentation of Watershed Affects Analysis Effects to Forest Vegetation Stephanie Love presented the findings of the initial effects analysis for forest vegetation for the three alternatives begin analyzed for the Rockhouse/Hoghouse Watershed Project and the Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Project. Rockhouse and Hoghouse Existing Condition DryXeric Longleaf DryXeric Longleaf Pine Forest DryXeric DryXeric Longleaf Woodland Woodland 11% Shortleaf Pine Forest 0% 36, 1% DryXeric Shortleaf Woodland 0% DryXeric Shortleaf DryXeric Oak Forest 2% Woodland MixedMesophytic (Cove) 11% MixedMesophytic DryXeric Oak Woodland (Cove) 0% Oak and OakPine Forest 14% Oak and OakPine Forest DryXeric Virginia PineOak Forest 9% DryXeric and Dry Mesic Loblolly Pine Forest DryXeric Virginia PineOak Forest DryXeric Oak Woodland DryXeric Oak Forest DryXeric Longleaf Pine Forest DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Forest DryXeric and DryMesic Loblolly Pine Forest 53% Rockhouse and Hoghouse Desired Future Condition DryXeric Longleaf Woodland DryXeric Longleaf Pine Forest 3% DryXeric Shortleaf DryXeric Oak Forest Woodland 19% DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Forest 36, 1% MixedMesophytic (Cove) DryXeric Oak Woodland 8% DryMesic Oak and OakPine Forest DryXeric and Dry Mesic Loblolly Pine Forest DryXeric Virginia PineOak Forest DryXeric Virginia PineOak Forest 293, DryXeric Oak 7% Woodland DryXeric Oak DryXeric and DryMesic Forest Loblolly Pine Forest 0% DryXeric Longleaf DryXeric Pine Forest Longleaf Woodland DryMesic Oak and OakPine Forest 1806,43% 7% DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Forest MixedMesophytic (Cove) 11% DryXeric Shortleaf Woodland 0% Rockhouse and Hoghouse Watershed Treatments (Alternative #2 = Preferred Alternative) 1400 1153 1200 1000 800 612 550 600 400 200 63 49 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch SPB Treatment Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Longleaf and Longleaf and Hardw ood Restoration Restoration Rockhouse and Hoghouse Watershed Treatments (Alternative #3 = Increasesed Rate of Restoration) 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch SPB Treatment Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Longleaf and Longleaf and Hardwood Restoration Restoration Grindstone, Mill and Inman Watersheds Existing Condition DryXeric Oak Forest MixedMesophytic (Cove) DryXeric Virginia PineOak Oak and OakPine Forest Forest 1% DryXeric Oak Forest Loblolly Woodland 1% 0% DryXeric Shortleaf Pine DryXeric Longleaf Pine Forest MixedMesophytic (Cove) Forest 3% 23% DryXeric and DryMesic Loblolly Forest DryXeric and DryMesic Loblolly Forest DryXeric Longleaf Pine 55% Forest Oak and OakPine Forest Loblolly Woodland 14% DryXeric Shortleaf Pine DryXeric Virginia Pine Forest Oak Forest 3% Grindstone, Mill and Inman Watersheds DFC DryMesic Oak Forest DryXeric Longleaf Woodland DryMesic and DryXeric Loblolly Forest DryXeric Longleaf Pine 0% DryXeric Oak Forest Forest DryXeric Shortleaf Woodland 9% 1% DryMesic Oak Forest DryXeric Oak Woodland 5% DryXeric Longleaf Woodland 4% MixedMesophytic (Cove) 2% DryXeric Virginia PineOak Forest Oak and OakPine Forest 1% DryXeric Virginia PineOak Forest DryXeric Oak Woodland Oak and OakPine Forest 14% DryXeric Oak Forest DryXeric Longleaf Pine Forest DryXeric Shortleaf Woodland 42% DryMesic and DryXeric Loblolly Forest MixedMesophytic (Cove) 22% Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #2) 1200 1003 988 1000 816 734 800 s e r 600 c A 400 159 200 20 20 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch Restoration of Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Shortleaf Sparse SPB and Hardw ood Affected Stand Restoration Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #2) 1200 1003 988 1000 816 800 734 s e r 600 c A 400 159 49 200 20 20 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch Restoration of Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Shortleaf Sparse SPB and Hardw ood Affected Stand Restoration Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #2) 1200 1003 988 1000 816 800 734 s e r 600 c A 400 159 49 200 20 20 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch Restoration of Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Shortleaf Sparse SPB and Hardw ood Affected Stand Restoration Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #3) 700 663 615 600 518 491 500 400 345 es 354 Acr 300 200 159 100 49 0 1 Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #3) 700 663 615 600 518 491 500 400 345 GM es 354 Inman Acr 300 200 159 100 49 0 1 Grindstone, Mill and Inman Watersheds Vegetation Effects (Alternative #2 ) DryXeric Longleaf Woodland DryXeric Oak Forest 2% DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Woodland 1% Oak Woodland MixedMesophytic (Cove) DryXeric 2% Virginia PineOak Forest DryXeric Oak Forest 1% 0% Oak and OakPine Forest MixedMesophytic (Cove) 22% DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Forest Loblolly Woodland 18% DryXeric and DryMesic Loblolly Forest DryXeric Longleaf Pine Forest Oak and OakPine Forest, Loblolly Woodland DryXeric Longleaf Pine Forest 13% 1% DryXeric Virginia PineOak Forest DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Woodland DryXeric Longleaf Woodland DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Forest 3% Oak Woodland DryXeric and DryMesic Loblolly Forest 56% Grindstone, Mill and Inman Watersheds Vegetation Effects (Alternative #3) DryXeric Oak Forest DryXeric Longleaf Woodland 2% PineHardw ood Forest MixedMesophytic (Cove) 2% Oak Woodland DryXeric Oak Forest DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Woodland 2% Oak and OakPine or 1% 0% PineHwd Forest DryXeric Shortleaf Pine DryXeric Virginia PineOak Forest 1% Forest MixedMesophytic (Cove) DryXeric and DryMesic Loblolly Woodland 22% 18% Loblolly Forest DryXeric Longleaf Pine Forest Loblolly Woodland DryXeric Virginia Pine DryXeric Longleaf Pine Forest Oak Forest 1% DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Woodland DryXeric Longleaf Woodland Oak and OakPine or PineHwd Forest 12% Oak Woodland PineHardwood Forest DryXeric Shortleaf Pine Forest DryXeric and DryMesic Loblolly Forest 3% 36% Effects to Wildlife Habitats Tom Counts and Allison Cochran provided a discussion on initial analysis for wildlife, fish, and rare plants. They discussed findings from the Grindstone/Mill Watershed Project. Work is still in progress on the Inman and Rockhouse/Hoghouse Watersheds. Bankhead National Forest Introduction Watershed Prescriptions Rockhouse, Hoghouse, Inman, • Watershed Management Concept Grindstone and Mill • Species of Concern T/E species Potential Project Effects on Native Wildlife and Plants • Compare Treatments / Practices By Bankhead Wildlife Staff – Effects of the Project on MIS Wildlife Tom Counts Allison Cochran Perspective/Scale of Project 181,734 Acres Operational Requirements within Bankhead National Forest • Total acres included • Rockhouse 2830 acres w/in these watersheds • National Forest Management Act • Hoghouse 1271 acres – Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, 2004 12,486 acres of Forest (RX 9C3 Southern Cumberland Plateau Native Service lands Ecosystem Restoration and Maintenance) • Inman 3530 acres • Endangered Species Act of 1973 • Mill 2822 acres – Consultation Process w/ FWS • Grindstone 2033 acres Federally Listed Species Protected Species The Full List of Potential Species • Gray Bat • Dark pigtoe • Endangered, Threatened, & FS Sensitive • Indiana bat • Ovate clubshell • Bald Eagle • Rough pigtoe Species • Redcockaded woodpecker • Triangular kidneyshell • Flattened musk turtle • Pink mucket pearlymussel • Cumberlandian combshell Leafy prairie clover • Protection Mechanisms & Mitigation • Upland combshell • Lyrate bladderpod • Turgid blossom pearly mussel • Mohr's Barbara's Measures (Forest Plan and ESA) • Finelined pocketbook • Kral's waterplantain • Orangenacre mucket • Alabama streaksorus fern • Alabama moccasinshell • Tennessee yelloweyed grass • Coosa moccasinshell T&E Potentially