Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Table of Contents I. Introduction ...... 3 A. Background/Purpose and Need ...... 3 B. Proposed Action and Description of Alternatives ...... 3 Table 1 ...... 4 C. Authorities: Direction and Policy ...... 5 D. Categories of Botanical Species of Concern ...... 7 E. Mitigations Built Into the Project Design to Protect Sensitive and Survey and Manage Botanical Species ...... 8 II. Affected Environment ...... 8 A. Reference Materials and Methods ...... 8 B. Project Area Habitat and Suitability for Sensitive Species ...... 9 1. Potential Suitable Habitat...... 9 2. Known Sensitive Plant Populations ...... 12 3. Field Surveys ...... 12 4. Species Accounts ...... 12 III. Environmental Consequences ...... 13 IV. Determination ...... 13 V. References and Literature Cited ...... 13 VI. APPENDICES ...... 15 A. Appendix A-1. Sensitive and Endemic Botanical Species Habitat Suitability Pre-Field Assessment...... 16 B. Appendix B: Botany Specialist Report ...... 23 A. Forest Plan Endemic Species ...... 23 B. Survey & Manage Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, Lichens, and Fungi ...... 24 Table 2...... 24 Table 3...... 25 C. Watch List Species ...... 26 D. Noxious Weed Risk Assessment ...... 27 Table 4...... 30

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

I. Introduction A. Background/Purpose and Need

The Sims Fire Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement project proposes to improve riparian conditions within the Grapevine Creek drainage, accelerate the growth of riparian species and reduce fuel loads within the Grapevine Creek riparian reserves. Riparian restoration treatments are needed to:  rehabilitate and reforest the Riparian Reserve along Grapevine Creek to restore essential ecological function to meet the Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives of the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP; 1994)  reduce fuels within the Riparian Reserve to help protect the area from future uncharacteristic wildfires by making the area more resilient to fire  provide continuous restoration treatments along the entire length of Grapevine Creek, in conjunction with other projects under the broader Sims Restoration Strategy

The purpose of this biological evaluation (BE) is to review the proposed Grapevine Creek riparian enhancement project in sufficient detail as to determine whether the proposed action would result in a trend toward Federal listing of any sensitive plant, lichen, or fungi species, as designated by the Jul7, 2013 Region 5 Sensitive Species List (USDA, 2013) and 2001 Survey and Manage Record of Decision.

Forest Service Manual 2672.4 (FSM 2600, 7/24/2009) directs that biological evaluations and assessments analyze impacts to endangered, threatened, proposed, or sensitive species. Survey and Manage, Forest Plan Endemic, Watch List, and noxious weed species are addressed in the Botany Specialist Report (Appendix B) following the biological evaluation. B. Proposed Action and Description of Alternatives

The Sims Fire occurred in July 2004, and burned within the Lower Trinity Ranger District of the Six Rivers National Forest and the Hayfork Ranger District of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. In 2012, the U.S. Forest Service received a settlement from PG&E for the 2004 Sims Fire that included the collective sum of $16,975,000 and the opportunity to restore ecosystem health to the Sims fire area. The Sims Fire burned approximately 4,030 acres across two national forests and private lands; just under half of these acres burned at high severity. Fire settlement funds received by the Forest Service for restoration of the affected area provide a unique opportunity to reverse ecosystem degradation, restore ecosystem health and resilience, rehabilitate damaged infrastructure, and prepare the impacted landscape for the effects of changing climates (Sims Fire Restoration Strategy, April 2014).

The Sims Fire Restoration Riparian Enhancement Project #11 is located within the Sims Fire footprint and within the larger Sims Planning Area located in Trinity and Humboldt Counties (Figure 1). The project area includes parts of South Fork Mountain, the South Fork Trinity River, and Hyampom, located within Humboldt and Trinity Counties, California. The legal description is as follows: T.4N, R.6E. Sec. 19, 20, 29, and 30; T.4N, R.5E, Sec. 24 and 25 of the Humboldt Base Meridian. The project area is 108 acres of designated Riparian Reserve along Grapevine Creek represented by a maximum of 150 foot buffers on either side of the creek and tributaries. The Riparian Reserve area proposed for treatment ranges from approximately 1,378 to 3,448 feet above mean sea level. The main access road from Willow Creek is Forest Service Road 6N06 and from Hyampom, the main access road is County Road 311.

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Figure 1. The Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement project area.

The proposed action and a no-action alternative are analyzed in detail in the following sections. Treatments proposed in each alternative and their associated acres are described in Table 1.

ALTERNATIVE 1-PROPOSED ACTION Table 1. Proposed Action Treatment Summary TREATMENT METHOD OF IMPLEMENTATION SITE PREPARATION AND FUELS REDUCTION Cut all dead standing Hand-felling, lopping and scattering across project area trees (≤ 6 inches DBH) and hazard trees (6 – 14 inches DBH) Cut larger, hazard Hand-felling, leaving trees whole and unbucked on site snags (> 14 inches Large snags (> 16 inches DBH) may be felled towards stream channel DBH) Cut shrubs (> 1 foot Cut below the lowest live limbs, except when prevented by natural high) and obstacles intermediate or

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report suppressed Maximum allowable stump height is 6 inches measured from the high hardwoods within 5 side of the tree/shrub. All live limbs below the cutting point shall be feet of leave trees removed Trees/shrubs shall be completely severed from the stump Thin codominant and Cut below the lowest live limbs, except when prevented by natural dominant hardwood obstacles clumps to 2-3 Maximum allowable stump height is 6 inches measured from the high dominant stems side of the tree/shrub. All live limbs below the cutting point shall be removed Trees/shrubs shall be completely severed from the stump Pile and burn Hand-pile fuels on slopes less than 25% for EEZ activity-generated Pile density not to exceed 70 piles per acre fuels within outer Height shall be no less than 3 feet and no greater than 6 feet. Pile portion of the diameter shall not exceed 6 feet. In openings, piles may be up to 8 Riparian Reserve feet tall and 10 feet wide (Riparian Reserve Piles not to be located within 10 feet of live tree trunk, standing snags Treatment area; or downed logs >20 inches DBH RRT) and the inner Pile burning should not exceed 15% mortality in surrounding portion (Equipment vegetation Exclusion Zone; EEZ) Dispose of excess Lop and scatter excess slash or pile within Riparian Reserve activity-generated Treatment zones (RRTs) fuels TREE PLANTING Plant tree seedlings Plant seedlings in 2’ x 2’ scalps Replant sites after Plant seedlings in 2’ x 2’ scalps first and third growing seasons that have not been successfully sotcked/reforested RELEASE FOR GROWTH AND SURVIVAL Handgrub and Twice in first 3 years, a 5 foot radius will be hand grubbed to remove remove competing competing vegetation vegetation

ALTERNATIVE 2-NO ACTION The proposed action would not be implemented and no treatments would occur.

C. Authorities: Direction and Policy

Several laws, regulations, and policies describe requirements and recommendations for developing proposed action to insure they won’t harm protected botanical species enough to warrant listing them as threatened or endangered. These include direction for conducting environmental analysis and designing proposed actions to minimize harm to protected botanical species. Authorities related to botany are shown below.

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Forest Service Manual 2670 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Plants and Animals (FSM 2670).

FSM 2670.11. Section 5 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, directs the Secretary of Agriculture to "establish and implement a program to conserve fish, wildlife, and plants," including federally listed species.

FSM 2670.12. Forest Service departmental regulation 9500-4 directs the Forest Service to ….. 2. Conduct activities and programs "to assist in the identification and recovery of threatened and endangered plant and animal species." 3. Avoid actions "which may cause a species to become threatened or endangered."

FSM 2670.22. Sensitive Species 1. Develop and implement management practices to ensure that species do not become threatened or endangered because of Forest Service actions. 2. Maintain viable populations of all native and desired nonnative wildlife, fish, and plant species in habitats distributed throughout their geographic range on National Forest System lands. 3. Develop and implement management objectives for populations and/or habitat of sensitive species.

FSM 2670.32 Sensitive Species …. 2. Review programs and activities as part of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 process through a biological evaluation, to determine their potential effect on sensitive species. 3. Avoid or minimize impacts to species whose viability has been identified as a concern. 4. Analyze, if impacts cannot be avoided, the significance of potential adverse effects on the population or its habitat within the area of concern and on the species as a whole. (The line officer, with project approval authority, makes the decision to allow or disallow impact, but the decision must not result in loss of species viability or create significant trends toward federal listing.)

FSM 1950.1 The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321-4346). NEPA requires Federal agencies to: …… b. Consider the environmental impact of proposed actions; c. Identify adverse environmental effects that cannot be avoided should the proposal be implemented; ……..

Shasta-Trinity National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) (1995) Forestwide Standards & Guidelines for Sensitive & Endemic Plants (LRMP 4-14). Standards and Guidelines applicable at the project level are: 4a. Map, record, and protect essential habitat for known and newly discovered Sensitive and Forest Plan Endemic species until conservation strategies are developed.

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

4b. Analyze the potential effects of all ground-disturbing projects on Sensitive and Forest Plan Endemic plants and their habitats. Mitigate project effects to avoid a decline in species viability at the National Forest level.

4c. Monitor the effects of management activities on Sensitive and Forest Plan Endemic plants. If monitoring results show a decline in species viability, alter management strategy. Desired Future Condition and Land Allocations (see LRMP 4-107)

The proposed project is within Management Area 20 (USDA, 1995).

Management Area 20 South Fork Mountain. The LRMP states that Umpqua green gentian (Frasera umpquaensis) and pale yellow stonecrop (Sedum laxum ssp. flavidum) have been identified in this management area. Since the publication of the LRMP in 1995, Sedum laxum ssp. flavidum has been removed from the sensitive species list due its relative commonness across the forest and a lack of direct threats the viability of the species. No specific management direction is given for these or any other sensitive species. The majority of documented species are found only within the Rattlesnake Creek Terrane, a geologic area rich in serpentine soils and species. The Rattlesnake Creek Terrane is within the project area, but only in the high severity fire zone. Consequently, this habitat is no longer considered suitable for serpentine-loving species in the project area. However, the project area holds habitat for other non-serpentine loving species not identified in the LRMP. D. Categories of Botanical Species of Concern

Current management direction requires conservation of several categories of plants on the Shasta-Trinity National forest.

Threatened and Endangered species are those listed and protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Forest Service Manual 2670 provides direction for conservation and recovery of threatened and endangered species. There are no federally listed threatened or endangered plant species on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) was designated as warranted but precluded for federal listing in a July 18, 2011 Federal Register notice by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The species is present on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest at elevations above 7000 feet. It will be treated as a Sensitive species until federally listed or reviewed and removed from consideration for federal listing.

Sensitive species are those vascular plant, bryophyte, lichen, and fungi species eligible for listing under the Endangered Species Act, of whose viability is of concern. Direction for protection and management of sensitive species is provided in Forest Service Manual 2670 Wildlife, Fish and Sensitive Plant Habitat Management, Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Plants and Animals. The Region 5 Sensitive Plant List was updated and signed July 13, 2013. Sensitive species known from the west side of the Forest are identified in Appendix A-2 and analyzed in the Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences sections of this document.

Survey and Manage species are species designated as rare or uncommon late-seral habitat associates under the Record of Decision and Standards and Guidelines for Amendments to the Survey and Manage, Protection Buffer, and other Mitigation Measures, Standards

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and Guidelines (USDA, 2001a). These species are addressed in Appendix B, Botany Specialist Report.

Forest Plan Endemic species are species confined wholly or mostly to the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. These species are not sensitive, but are afforded the same protection as sensitive species by direction in the Shasta-Trinity Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) (USDA, 1995). If present within the project area, these species are addressed in Appendix B, Botany Specialist Report.

Watch List species are those that do not meet the criteria to be included on the Regional Forester’s Sensitive Plant List or the LRMP, but are of sufficient local viability concern to be considered in the planning process. If present, these species are addressed in Appendix B, Botany Specialist Report.

Noxious Weed species are invasive, non-native plant species that threaten ecosystem integrity and the health of native plant communities. Forest Service Manual FSM 2080 and the 2001 Northern Province Noxious and Invasive Weeds Program Strategy (USDA, 2001b) provide direction for management of noxious weeds, including a risk assessment for all proposed actions. Noxious weeds are addressed in Appendix B, Botany Specialist Report. E. Mitigations Built Into the Project Design to Protect Sensitive and Survey and Manage Botanical Species

To avoid adverse effects to Sensitive or Survey and Manage botanical species after completion of the NEPA document, Contract Provision B6.24 [Protection Measures Needed for Plants, Animals, Cultural Resources, and Cave Resources] (USDA, 2006) or its equivalent would be included in all service contracts or agreements used to implement the proposed project. This provision extends protection to any species listed on the Regional Forester’s Sensitive Species List or in the 2001 Survey and Manage ROD. It provides for halting operations in the vicinity of newly discovered populations after completion of the NEPA document to allow a Forest Service botanist to develop protection recommendations.

To discourage introduction or establishment of noxious weeds into the project area contract provision B6.35 [Equipment Cleaning] will be included in all service contracts or agreement used to implement the project. This provision requires all equipment or vehicles working off of established roads to be free of invasive species of concern and to present equipment for inspection by the Forest Service. Purchasers and cooperators will clean equipment to remove seeds, soil, vegetative matter, and other debris that could contain or hold seeds before moving off-road equipment into the project area.

II. Affected Environment A. Reference Materials and Methods

Appendix A-1 identifies Sensitive species that are known to occur on the west side of the Shasta- Trinity National Forest. The table assesses the potential for individual Sensitive species to be present within the project area based on a variety of factors, including habitat characteristics, geographic location, elevation, plant community composition, soil mineralogy and characteristics, and water. Resources used to assess habitat were corporate Shasta-Trinity GIS database information, documented population records, and field visits in the project area.

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GIS database information contributing to habitat assessments: • Shasta-Trinity National Forest Vegetation Inventory Strata, including but not limited to o late-seral forest communities o plant community age and species composition that would define species habitat o montane shrublands o oak woodlands o grasslands o conifer forest o Jeffrey pine-incense cedar forest o wetland plant habitats • Sims Fire Burn Severity Index • Conifer plantations • Perennial riparian streams, wetlands, and springs • Serpentine and non-serpentine soils • Mapped noxious weeds (Forest Service inventory) • Mapped rare botanical species (Forest Service and California Native Diversity Database inventory) • Watersheds and drainages • California ecoregions, land ownership, counties, • Roads • Administratively withdrawn areas

Global and State species rankings are from NatureServe Explorer (NatureServ, 2017. Species account and habitat information derived from multiple sources that are cited accordingly. B. Project Area Habitat and Suitability for Sensitive Species

1. Potential Suitable Habitat

The project area (Figure 1) is located within the Trinity Mountain-Hayfork (M261Ar) of the Klamath Mountain Ecological Section (M261A) of California (USDA, 1997). The project area is also within the Klamath Ranges as described by the Jepson Manual of Higher Plants of California (Baldwin et al, 2012). Elevation in the project area ranges from 1,378 to 3,448 feet.

The Klamath Mountains is characterized by frequent, low to mixed severity fires (Skinner et al, 2006). Northern California’s Mediterranean climate and diverse topography and geology provide habitat for a wide variety of non-native plant species that have spread rapidly in areas of long-term human settlement such as the communities to be treated under the proposed action (Bossard et al, 2000). Regular, natural disturbances of this type combined with human- generated non-native species introductions between the mid 1800’s and early 1900’s have resulted in invasive species dominance along roads and trails, in openings, and within historic and modern residential areas.

Pre-fire Vegetation Riparian areas within Grapevine Creek drainage prior to the Sims Fire were typical of riparian communities within the planning area, generally occurring in narrow bands adjacent to the stream course. Riparian communities ranged from white alder/Indian rhubarb-sedge (Alnus rhombifolia/Darmera peltata-Carex nudata), to Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia), bigleaf maple 9

Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

and white alder with California hazel (Corylus cornuta var. californica), dogwood (Cornus sessilis) and/or spikenard (Aralia californica) in the constrained, higher order tributaries to bigleaf maple and/or California hazel in some drier first and second order channels. There were also several coniferous riparian vegetation communities. The mixed conifer/riparian-mesic type was most common on east and north slopes. The moist Douglas-fir type, characterized by Douglas-fir-bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), was found consistently in the lower reaches of several of the major tributaries to the South Fork Trinity River (SFTR). Other hardwoods that occurred in these Douglas-fir hardwood types were tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), black oak (Quercus kelloggii), madrone (Arbutus menzeisii) and giant chinquapin (Castanopsis chrysophylla).

Post-fire Vegetation The extent of high severity burning in the Sims Fire is higher than historic burning patterns across the Klamath Region (Sims Fire Restoration Strategy, 2014). More area than expected burned at high intensity, and this “is related, in part, to higher quantities and more homogeneous fuels caused by accumulation during the fire suppression period” (Skinner et al., 2006). The areas that burned with low to moderate severity burned within the historically- expected ranges (14% of project area). The focus of all Sims restoration is the exceptionally large, high-severity patch in the center of the fire (86% of project area; Figure 2).

The high severity fire areas were dramatically altered by the fire and have strongly deviated from the pre-fire conditions. High and moderate burn severity patches within the Sims fire area are now dominated by early seral native plant communities consisting of madrone (Arbutus menziezii) and tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) hardwood sprouts , manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.) and deerbrush (Ceanothus integerrimus) brushfields, grasses, forbs, shrubs and invasive species. These dense stands of native early seral vegetation, most commonly tanoak that developed rapidly since the Sims Fire, are out-competing young conifers for light, water, and space. Walk through surveys of the project area occurred in 2015 and 2016 by the silviculturist and project lead. Riparian Reserves that burned at high intensity in the Sims Fire showed some recovery of riparian species, such as alder and willow, and some natural regeneration of conifer species (Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine) was observed. However, the majority of the area contains a high density of basal-sprouted tanoak clumps that are 8 to 20 feet tall.

Habitat within areas that experienced high burn severity is thus no longer considered to be viable for any sensitive botanical species. Of the 108 acres in the project area, this leaves a total of approximately 15 acres of possible suitable habitat in the southwestern portion of the project area (see Figure 2). The habitat description that follows is focused on the 15 acres of riparian reserve that experienced low-moderate burn severity or was unchanged by the fire.

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Figure 2. Burn severity within the project area.

Early Seral Coniferous Forests Using available GIS layers and photos/reports from the project lead, the project area is dominated by early seral coniferous forest. The majority of the area is composed of small Douglas-fir stands of light-medium canopy coverage. The remainder of treatment area is dominated by early seral vegetation, especially tanoak basal sprouts, with patches of natural conifer regeneration.

Rock Outcrops Photos of the project area indicate the presence of some small rock outcrops within the project boundaries. Lacking a full survey of the project area, rock outcrop habitat is assumed present in the project area and the following species are therefore considered to have potential habitat:

Canyon Creek stonecrop Sedum obtusatum ssp. paradisum

Summary The complete list of all Sensitive species that have potential to be present on the west side of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, descriptions of suitable habitat for each of them and a determination of the potential for presence of each species in the proposed project area is provided in Appendix A-2. Early seral conifer forest is most common in the project area, but

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

minor amounts of rock outcrops are present. Together they provide suitable habitat for the following species:

Rock outcrops Canyon Creek stonecrop

2. Known Sensitive Plant Populations

Shasta-Trinity Sensitive plant population records and the California Natural Diversity Database was reviewed and no records of Sensitive botanical species were found.

3. Field Surveys

No field surveys for sensitive plant species were completed for the project area. Identification of habitats and plant communities were determined using several available resource databases from the Forest GIS library and validated by field visit notes and personal communication with interdisciplinary team members. When suitable habitats are indicated in the GIS database, I have assumed any of the Sensitive species shown above could potentially be present in the areas where those habitats are present. Impacts from proposed actions are disclosed and assessed in this report as if any of those species were present on the ground. The proposed action has also been designed to minimize or eliminate impacts that could occur in great enough number or degree to reduce overall populations numbers enough to warrant federal listing as threatened or endangered.

4. Species Accounts Information for most or all species partially derived from Nakamura and Nelson (2001) and CNDDB (2017).

Canyon Creek stonecrop (Sedum obtusatum ssp. paradisum) is geographically restricted to the southern Klamath Ranges from western Shasta County to eastern Humboldt County. It is ranked G4G5S1.3 and is known only from California. This rank means that the species seems secure but there is some cause for long-term concern due to declines or other factors. Within California it is considered very threatened statewide. Habitat is large rock outcrops and gravelly slopes associated with outcrops from 960 to 6500 feet elevation. It can be found in various forested habitats and is often shaded to some degree. Twenty-eight occurrences are known from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The closest known occurrence is 4 miles northeast of the project area in between route 5N60 and the forest border with the Six Rivers National Forest.

There are few known threats because there are rarely management actions that occur on large rock outcrops due to the expense. Incidental foot traffic on rock outcrops probably has the greatest impact, though this is probably minor. Although it can occur as low as 960 feet, most populations are found above 5000 feet. There are no previously recorded populations of Canyon Creek stonecrop in the planning area but there are possible rock outcrops that could provide habitat for the species.

Project design features will require operators to directionally fell hazard trees away from large rock outcrops that could support Canyon Creek stonecrop populations. This direction would apply specifically to fuels reduction treatments and would insure no direct or indirect impacts, therefore no cumulative impacts from those treatments to Canyon Creek stonecrop. Tree planting and release for growth/survival would not occur on large outcrops because planted

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trees would not grow on them. None of the treatments in the proposed action would result in any impacts to Canyon Creek stonecrop. Without direct or indirect impacts there will be no cumulative impacts from reforestation treatments to Canyon Creek stonecrop. This species will therefore not be considered any further in this analysis.

III. Environmental Consequences

No populations of any Sensitive botanical species are known from the project area and the treatments in the proposed actions will not impact suitable habitat for Canyon Creek stonecrop.

IV. Determination

Based on lack of potential for impacts despite presence of suitable habitat, it is my determination that Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Project will have no effect on Canyon Creek stonecrop.

V. References and Literature Cited

Baldwin, Bruce G, Douglas H Goldman, David J Keil, Probert Patterson, Thomas J Rosatti, and Dieter H Wilken, editors. 2012. The Jepson manual: vascular plants of California, second edition. University of California Press, Berkeley, California.

Bossard, Carla C and John M Randall. 2007. “Nonnative plants of California.” Pp. 107 – 123 in: Terrestrial vegetation of California (Michael G. Barbour, Todd Keeler-Wolf, and Allan A. Schoenherr, eds.). University of California Press, Berkeley, California.

Cal-IPC. 2013. California Invasive Plant Inventory. Cal-IPC Publication 2006-02. California Invasive Plant Council, Berkeley, California.

DiTomaso, Joseph M, Guy B. Kyser, et al. 2013. Weed control in natural areas in the western United States. Weed Research and Information Center, University of California, Davis, California.

Castellano, M.A., J.E. Smith, T. O’Dell, E. Cazares, and S. Nugent. 1999. Handbook to Strategy 1 Fungal Species in the Northwest Forest Plan. PNW-GTR-476.

Castellano, M.A., E. Cazares, B. Fondrick, and T. Dreisbach. 2003. Handbook to Additional Fungal Species of Special Concern in the Northwest Forest Plan. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-572;

CNDDB. 2017. California Natural Diversity Database. Rarefind https://nrmsecure.dfg.ca.gov/taxaquery/Default.aspx Nakamura, G. and J.K. Nelson. 2001. Selected Rare Plants of Northern California. University of California Publication 3395.

NatureServe. 2017. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available http://www.natureserve.org/explorer.

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Shasta-Trinity National Forest GIS Database. 2017. LMP Veg: database of vegetation communities on Shasta-Trinity NF.

Skinner, C.N.; Taylor, A.H.; Agee, J.K. (2006) Klamath Mountains bioregion. In: Fire in California’s Ecosystems. Edited by N.G. Sugihara, J.W. van Wagtendonk, J. Fites-Kaufman, K.E Shaffer, A.E. Thode. University of California Press, Berkeley. pp. 170-194.

USDA Forest Service. 1978-2013. Sensitive and endemic plant records and plant survey records on file at Shasta-Trinity National Forest Supervisor’s Office, Redding, California.

USDA Forest Service. 1997. Ecological Subregions of California. Section and Subsection Descriptions. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region in cooperation with USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management. R5-EM-TP- 005.

USDA Forest Service. 1994. Record of Decision for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl. Standards and Guidelines for Management of Habitat for Late-Successional and Old-Growth Forest Related Species Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl.

USDA Forest Service. 1995. Shasta-Trinity National Forests Land and Resources Management Plan. LRMP.

USDA Forest Service. 2001a. Record of Decision and Standards and Guidelines for Amendments to the Survey and Manage, Protection Buffer, and other Mitigation Measures, Standards and Guidelines.

USDA Forest Service. 2001b. Northern Province Noxious and Invasive Weeds Program Strategy.

USDA Forest Service. 2006. USDA Timber Sale Contract Provisions.

USDA Forest Service. 2009. Forest Service Manual 2672.4. Wildlife, Fish, and Sensitive Plant Management.

USDA Forest Service. 2012. Forest Service Manual 2500. Watershed and Air Management, Chapter 2550-Soil Management.

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VI. APPENDICES

Appendix A-1. Sensitive and Endemic Botanical Species Habitat Suitability Pre-Field Assessment.

Appendix B: Botany Specialist Report. A. Forest Plan Endemic Species B. Survey and Manage Species 1. Survey and Manage Category A&C Species 2. 2011 Category B Species Survey Requirement 3. Manage Known Sites Requirement C. Watch List Species D. Noxious Weed Risk Assessment

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A. Appendix A-1. Sensitive and Endemic Botanical Species Habitat Suitability Pre-Field Assessment.

Sensitive & endemic plant species known or suspected to occur on the west side of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, including Big Bar, Hayfork, Weaverville, & Yolla Bolla Ranger Districts. Species list 07/2013. Species eliminated from further consideration in this project BE are indicated and explained in table Species Habitat & Rationale for Eliminating From Consideration Potential for Presence in Project Area Vascular Plants Anisocarpus scabrida Rocky, open subalpine slopes. 5500-7500 feet elev. North Coast Ranges N (=Raillardiopsis scabrida) & southern Cascades. Project area too low in elevation rough raillardella G2G3 S2S3 Botrychium spp. Subgenera Saturated wetland soils and stream edges, often among dense, N botrychium herbaceous vegetation. Partly to heavily shaded sites, 4700-12000 feet. dainty moonwort (B. crenulatum)G3 Project area too low in elevation S2.2 Mingan moonwort (B. minganense)G4G5 S2 Northwestern moonwort (B. pinnatum)G4? S2 Campanula wilkinsiana Streambanks &springs in red fir subalpine forests; 5500-8600 feet elev. N Wilkins’ harebell G2 S2.2 Project area too low in elevation Chaenactis suffrutescens Rocky open slopes, cobbly river terraces; on ultramafic soils or glacial till N Shasta chaenactis G3 S3 w/ ultramafics included. 2600-7500 feet. Southern & eastern Klamath Ranges and Cascade Range of CA. Serpentine rocky, open slopes not present in project area Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Species Habitat & Rationale for Eliminating From Consideration Potential for Presence in Project Area Clarkia borealis ssp. borealis Foothill woodlands and forest margins. 1300-2600 feet. Eastern Trinity N northern clarkia G3 S3 and W. Shasta Co. Early seral openings in chaparral, woodlands, and forest maintained by light disturbance; 1300-4400 feet. Project area outside of geographic range of the species Cypripedium fasciculatum Shady mixed conifer or oak forests on a variety of soil types, often but N Brownie lady's slipper G4 S3.2 not always associated with streams; (300) 1300-6600 feet elev. Widespread but sporadic. Closed canopy forest with sufficient shade not present in project area Cypripedium montanum Shady mixed conifer or oak forests on a variety of soil types, often but N mountain lady's slipper G4 S4.2 not always associated with streams; (650) 1300-6000 feet elev. Widespread but sporadic. Closed canopy forest with sufficient shade not present in project area Draba carnosula Subalpine coniferous forest on high elevation ridges and summits on N Mt. Eddy draba G2 S2.2 rocky ultramafic or granitic soils. 6000 to 9900 feet. Project area too low in elevation Epilobium oreganum Wet, gently sloping stream banks, meadows, & bogs, generally on N Oregon willow herb ultramafic soil. 1800-5900 feet. Coast and Klamath Ranges of G2 S1B.2 California. Serpentine only present in high burn severity zone, therefore no suitable habitat present for species Eriastrum tracyi Westside Shasta-Trinity populations found on dry, gravelly to loamy soils N Tracy’s woolly-stars G3 S4.2 on flats and benches, in habitats where chamise or chaparral would be expected. 1000 to 5400 feet. North Coast and Klamath Ranges south of Hayfork. Chaparral only present in high burn severity zone, there no suitable habitat present for species

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Species Habitat & Rationale for Eliminating From Consideration Potential for Presence in Project Area Eriogonum ursinum var. erubescens North facing rocky ridges and openings within montane shrub N blushing wild buckwheat G3G4T2 communities, on ultramafic or metamorphic soils. 4200-6200 feet. S2.3 Project area too low in elevation Eucephalus vialis Openings in dry, conifer/hardwood forest, serpentine-influenced conifer N Wayside aster G3 S1.2 forest with a dense grass and forb cover. 1800-5000 feet. Western Klamath Ranges and North Coast Ranges. Openings in dry forest not found in riparian zones and serpentine only present in high burn severity zone, therefore no suitable habitat present for species Frasera umpquaensis Gravelly openings in cool, moist Douglas-fir/white fir forest. 5000-6000 N Umpqua green gentian G3 S1 feet elev. South Fork Mountain, Trinity Co., & SW OR. Project area too low in elevation Harmonia doris-nilesiae Serpentine openings in chaparral and Jeffrey pine forest, often on N Niles’ madia G2 S2.1 roadsides. 2100-5500 feet elev. Rattlesnake Creek Terrane (M261Au) of southern Klamath Ranges. Serpentine only present in high burn severity zone, therefore no suitable habitat present for species Harmonia stebbinsii Rocky ultramafic semi-barrens with Jeffrey pine, gray pine, & shrubs. N Stebbins’ madia G2 S2.2 2100 -6000 feet elev. Southern Klamath Ranges & Inner N Coast Ranges Serpentine only present in high burn severity zone, therefore no suitable habitat present for species Iliamna latibracteata Fire-created and natural openings in Coast Range conifer forest. 4500 – N California globe mallow G3 S2.2 6600 feet. South Fork Mountain. Project area too low in elevation Ivesia pickeringii Seasonally wet meadow margins, grasslands and shrublands on N Pickering's ivesia G2 S2.2 ultramafic or gabbro soils within pine and incense-cedar woodlands. 2500-4500 feet. Scott Mountain & Trinity Mtns. Project area outside of geographic range of the species

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Species Habitat & Rationale for Eliminating From Consideration Potential for Presence in Project Area Leptosiphon nuttallii ssp. howellii Open Jeffrey pine/incense cedar woodland on a variety of soils, but N (=Linanthus n. ssp. h.) usually on ultramafic soil. 4000-5000 feet elev. Localized around the Tedoc Mountain linanthus base of Tedoc Mountain, Tehama Co. Project area outside of G5T2 S2 geographic range of the species Minuartia rosei Rocky peridotite slopes and openings among shrubs and Jeffrey N Peanut sandwort G3 S4.2 pine/incense cedar woodland. 2500-5800 feet. Rattlesnake Creek Terrane (M261Au) of southern Klamath Ranges. Serpentine only present in high burn severity zone, therefore no suitable habitat present for species Minuartia stolonifera Rocky ultramafic soils; montane mixed conifer forest above 3800 feet N Scott Mountain sandwort G1 S1.3 elev. Scott Mountain. Project area outside of geographic range of the species Ophioglossum pusillum Periodically flooded wet meadows and lake margins. 3600-6600 feet. N Northern adder’s tongue G5 Eastern Klamath Range and upper N. Coast Range. No fens or S1.2 sloping wetlands in project area Parnassia cirrata var. intermedia Wet seeps and meadows in ultramifc soils. 2500-6800 feet. Klamath N fringed grass-of-parnassus Ranges G5T2T3 S2 Serpentine only present in high burn severity zone, therefore no suitable habitat present for species Penstemon tracyi Rock outcrops above 6500 feet. Project area too low in elevation N Tracy’s beardtongue G1 S1.2 Pinus albicaulis Subalpine to alpine forest between 7000 and 9500 feet. Project area N Whitebark pine G3 too low in elevation Phacelia greenei Gravelly serpentinized slopes & forest openings. 5000-7000 feet elev. N Scott Valley phacelia G2 S2.2 Scott Mountain. Project area outside the geographic range of the species

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Species Habitat & Rationale for Eliminating From Consideration Potential for Presence in Project Area Raillardella pringlei Wet ultramafic meadows, seeps and streambanks. Elev. 4000-7500 feet. N showy raillardella G2 S2.2 Klamath Ranges in northern Trinity Co and Siskiyou Co. Project area outside of geographic range of the species Sedum obtusatum ssp. paradisum Rock outcrops in forest or woodland openings. 960-6500 feet elev. Y Canyon Creek stonecrop Southern Klamath Ranges of CA G4G5T1 S1.2 Silene salmonacea Natural or early-seral gaps in mid to late-seral mixed conifer or mixed N Klamath Mtns catchfly G1G2 conifer-oak forest, including road cuts. 2500-3800 feet. Klamath S1S2.2 Ranges in n. Trinity County. Mid to late-seral confier forest not present in project area Streptanthus oblanceolatus Open cliffs, bluffs, and rock walls within the Trinity River Gorge near N Trinity River jewelflower G1 S1 Humboldt-Trinity County divide. 1300 feet, elevation range could be broader. Project area outside of geographic range of the species Forest Plan Endemics Ericameria ophitidis Heavily serpentinized barrens and openings among shrubs and Jeffrey N serpentine goldenbush G3 pine/incense cedar woodland. 2600-5600 feet elev. Rattlesnake Creek S4.3 Terrane (M261Au) & Chanchelulla Peaks of the southern Klamath Ranges Serpentine barrens and openings not present in project area Eriogonum libertini Heavily serpentinized barrens, rocky peridotite slopes and openings N Dubakella Mountain buckwheat among shrubs and Jeffrey pine/incense cedar woodland. 2500-5500 feet G3 S4.2 elev. Rattlesnake Creek Terrane (M261Au) & Chanchelulla Peaks of the southern Klamath Ranges Serpentine barrens and openings not present in project area

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Species Habitat & Rationale for Eliminating From Consideration Potential for Presence in Project Area Arnica venosa Mixed conifer or conifer/oak forest, especially on ridgetops & old road N veiny arnica G3 S3.2 cuts. 2000-5200 feet elev. Eastern Trinity & Shasta Cos. Project area outside of geographic range of the species Bryophytes-Sensitive Buxbaumia viridis Large diameter coarse woody debris in advanced decay stage and inserted N bug-on-a-stick G4G5 S2 directly in perennially wet seeps or streams; riparian habitat in conifer forest. Any elevation below subalpine. Sufficient diameter trees not present in project area, nor mid-to-late seral forest Meesia uliginosa Fens and sloping wetlands between 5500 and 9200 feet. Eastern Trinity N Broad-nerved hump-moss G4 S2 County and Shasta County. Project area too low in elevation Mielichhoferia elongata Seasonally moist seeps in rock outcrops containing copper or heavy N copper moss G4? S2 metals. Roadcuts. Narrow river drainages (Trinity River). Below 3600 feet. Roadcuts and large rock outcrops not present in project area Lichens-Sensitive Peltigera gowardii Fully shaded streams less than 8” deep with low nutrient levels and good N Western waterfan lichen GNR aeration, primarily in late-seral forest. Late seral forest not present SNR in project area. Sulcaria badia Coastally influenced, open white oak grassland or mature Douglas fir-oak N bay horsehair lichen G3 S2S3.2 forest with a black oak component, growing in tree canopy. Below 1800 feet in western Trinity County. No coastal influenced white oak grassland or mature Douglas fir-oak forest in project area. Fungi -Sensitive

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Species Habitat & Rationale for Eliminating From Consideration Potential for Presence in Project Area Boletus pulcherrimus Perennially moist, mature or late-seral fir forest that includes tankoak . N red-pored bolete G3 S2 Elevations that support general habitat. Late seral forest not present in project area. Cudonia monticola On spruce needle mats and coniferous debris in perennially moist, shady N G3 S1 late-seral forest. Elevations that support general habitat. Late seral forest not present in project area. Dendrocollybia racemosa Nutrient rich leaf mulch or decaying fungi in moist, mid-mature to late- N branched collybia G4 seral conifer forest; Elevations that support general habitat. Late seral S1S2 forest not present in project area. Phaeocollybia olivacea Moist, mixed conifer forest containing oak or tanoak. Elevations that N olive phaeocollybia G2 S2 support general habitat. Late seral forest not present in project area.

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B. Appendix B: Botany Specialist Report

INTRODUCTION

A. PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to describe management direction and address potential impacts of the proposed action for species other than Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive.

B. SUMMARY OF BOTANICAL CONCERNS FOR THE GRAPEVINE CREEK RIPARIAN ENHANCEMENT PROJECT; OTHER THAN THOSE ADDRESSED IN THE BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION:

1. Forest Plan Endemics 2. Survey and Manage Species 3. Watch List Species 4. Noxious Weeds

CURRENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION AND AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT A. Forest Plan Endemic Species

Endemic species are rare species that are confined wholly to a localized geographic area. Forest Plan Endemics are rare endemic species confined wholly or mostly to the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and management direction is described for them in the Land and Resource Management Plan. Forest Plan Endemics are afforded the same conservation and protection measures as Sensitive species. Are identified for the west side of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest:

Veiny arnica (Arnica venosa). Grows in open, disturbed sites, often in old roadbeds, in eastern Trinity County. The Grapevine Creek planning area is outside of the geographic range of this species.

Dubakella buckwheat (Eriogonum libertini). Grows on serpentine soils within the Rattlesnake Creek Terrane. Serpentine soils are only present in the high severity fire zone in the Grapevine Creek planning area, and therefore the habitat is no longer suitable for this species.

Serpentine goldenbush (Ericameria ophitidis). Grows on serpentine soils within the Rattlesnake Creek Terrane. Serpentine soils are only present in the high severity fire zone in the Grapevine Creek planning area, and therefore the habitat is no longer suitable for this species.

All of these species are endemic to geographic areas outside of the Grapevine Creek planning area or suitable habitat is not present in the Grapevine Creek planning area. There will be no direct, indirect, or cumulative impacts to any of them from the proposed action.

Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

B. Survey & Manage Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, Lichens, and Fungi

Forestwide standards and guidelines for “Survey & Manage” old-growth associated species were revised in January 2001 and described in the 2001 Record of Decision and Standards and Guidelines for Amendments to the Survey and Manage, Protection Buffer, and other Mitigation Measures, Standards and Guidelines (”2001 ROD”) (USDA, 2001a). Category A and C species that are considered to be within the California Klamath Province require pre-disturbance field survey prior to implementing management actions that could significantly, negatively affect the species’ habitat or persistence of the species on the site. Pre-disturbance surveys are not required if delay in implementation of a proposed action to perform surveys would result in an unacceptable environmental risk.

Within the Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Project area, the majority of the project area experienced high severity fire, rendering this habitat unsuitable for the survey and manage vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and fungi. The remainder of the project area experienced low-moderate burn severity or was unchanged by the Sims fire. However, the habitat in this area is early seral and will not provide suitable habitat for the survey and manage vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and fungi.

Survey and Manage Category A&C Species

Currently, nine species requiring pre-disturbance surveys are considered to have suitable habitat within the California Klamath Province. However, the Grapevine Creek project area does not contain late-seral habitat. There is no suitable habitat for the 9 Category A&C species in the project and no pre-implementation field surveys are required.

Table 2. Survey and Manage Category A&C Plant Species, California Klamath Province SPECIES HABITAT KNOWN KNOWN SITES POTENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS RANGE IN WITHIN HABITAT CALIFORNIA VICINITY OF PRESENT? PROJECT AREA? Ptilidium Large-diameter fir or California No No californicum white fir, 3000 to 5000 Klamath feet Province Tetraphis Decay Class 3 or 4 logs California No No geniculata and stumps in shady, Klamath moist forest Province Cypripedium Mesic conifer and/or California No No fasciculatum hardwood forest, Klamath especially riparian Province zones Cypripedium Mesic conifer and/or California No No montanum hardwood forest, Klamath especially riparian Province zones Schistostegia Moist rootwads in California No No pennata shady coniferous forest Klamath Province Buxbaumia Large decay class 3 or California No No viridis 4 logs in streams in Klamath coniferous forest Province

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

SPECIES HABITAT KNOWN KNOWN SITES POTENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS RANGE IN WITHIN HABITAT CALIFORNIA VICINITY OF PRESENT? PROJECT AREA? Botrychium Edge of willow thickets California No No minganense in coniferous forest Klamath Province Botrychium Edge of willow thickets California No No montanum in coniferous forest Klamath Province Eucephalus grassy, fire-disturbed suspect in No No vialis openings, sometimes California within conifer forest Klamath Physiographic Province

2011 Category B Species Survey Requirement

The 2001 ROD provides direction to perform equivalent effort (project level) field surveys for all Category B Survey and Manage fungi in old-growth habitat in which province-wide strategic surveys (broad scale) have not been completed by September 30, 2010. In 2001 there were 124 Category B fungi on the Survey and Manage list. Strategic survey requirements have been met for 66 of these species, leaving 58 species that call for equivalent effort surveys prior to completion of NEPA analysis. These species are listed in Table 3.

The Grapevine Creek project area does not contain late-seral habitat present. There is no suitable habitat for the 58 Category B species in the project and no pre-implementation field surveys are required.

Table 3. Category B Fungi Species with Equivalent Effort Survey Requirement Gymnopilus punctifolius, Albatrellus caeruleoporus In California Ramaria coulterae Albatrellus ellisii Gyromitra californica Ramaria cyaneigranosa Albatrellus flettii, In Washington and California Helvella elastica Ramaria maculatipes Hydnotrya inordinata (Hydnotrya sp. nov. Alpova olivaceotinctus #Trappe 787, 792) Ramaria rainierensis Balsamia nigrens (Balsamia Hydropus marginellus Ramaria nigra) (Mycena marginella) rubribrunnescens Chamonixia caespitosa (Chamonixia pacifica sp. nov. #Trappe #12768) Hypomyces luteovirens Ramaria stuntzii Choiromyces venosus Leucogaster microsporus Ramaria verlotensis Chrysomphalina grossula Marasmius applanatipes Rhizopogon abietis Clavariadelphus ligula Martellia fragrans Rhizopogon brunneiniger Clavariadelphus Rhizopogon subfastigiatus Martellia idahoensis chamaleontinus

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

(Rhizopogon sp. nov. #Trappe 9432) Octavianina cyanescens Rhizopogon ellipsosporus (Octavianina sp. nov. (Alpova sp. nov. # Trappe Cortinarius boulderensis #Trappe 7502) 9730) Rhizopogon evadens var. Cortinarius cyanites Otidea smithii subalpinus Cudonia monticola Phaeocollybia californica Rhizopogon exiguus Rhizopogon Destuntzia fusca Phaeocollybia piceae flavofibrillosus Destuntzia rubra Phaeocollybia scatesiae Rhodocybe speciosa Entoloma nitidum (Rhodocybe Rickenella swartzii nitida) Phaeocollybia sipei (Rickenella setipes) Gastroboletus ruber Podostroma alutaceum Sarcodon fuscoindicus Gastroboletus vividus (Gastroboletus sp. nov. #Trappe 2897; Gastroboletus sp. nov. #Trappe 7515) Polyozellus multiplex Sedecula pulvinata Gastrosuillus umbrinus (Gastroboletus sp. nov. Ramaria #Trappe 7516) aurantiisiccescens Tricholomopsis fulvescens Tuber asa (Tuber sp. nov. #Trappe 2302)

Manage Known Sites Requirement The 2001 ROD requires management of known sites of any Category A, B, or E species and high- priority sites of Category C or D species. High-priority sites are those that are needed to provide for reasonable assurance of species persistence.

There are no known sites of any Category A, B, or E species and high-priority sites of Category C or D species in the Grapevine Creek planning area. The Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Project is in compliance with the 2001 Survey and Manage ROD.

C. Watch List Species

Watch list species do not meet the criteria to be included on the Regional Forester's Sensitive plant list, but there is enough concern for their viability to be considered in the planning process.

July 27, 2006 direction recommends compilation of a "Watch List" of plant species for which viability is a concern, but that concern is not great enough to warrant inclusion on the Regional Forester's Sensitive Species List. Watch List species are mapped and potential effects analyzed during project planning.

There are no Watch List species within the Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Project area.

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

D. Noxious Weed Risk Assessment

INTRODUCTION

Non-native invasive plants, also referred to as noxious weeds, have the ability to disrupt local ecological communities by quickly changing the species diversity and structure of habitats that wildlife and other organisms have adapted to and depended on over thousands of years. Noxious weeds can reproduce very quickly on disturbed sites, often more quickly than for native species. They can change a local community from one that had many different plant species in different sizes and shapes that supported many different animals, insects, and other biological organisms who in turn assisted and benefited those native species, to broad areas with only a few species (or even just one) in just a few sizes and shapes. Noxious weeds can be detrimental to local ecosystems; without weed management native species re unable to compete and will decline dramatically in abundance.

Most plant communities in the western U.S. have at least a seed source of noxious weeds, but healthy native plant communities have the ability to keep weeds from dominating because most weeds must have bare soil and full sun to germinate and grow. Many things contribute to noxious weed infestations, but most basically they have to be brought onto a site (introduction) and have bare soil and lots of sunlight to germinate and grow (establishment). Over time, many noxious weeds have developed techniques to keep native species from growing in the same area once they become established, such as sending chemicals into surrounding soil that native plants can’t tolerate or taking up a large amount of physical space and shading out natives. Techniques like this allow weed populations to expand over time. Noxious weeds move to new locations (spread) when weed seeds or pieces that regrow on their own come into contact with something that can move them (animal fir, automobile tires). Noxious weeds, like other plant species, produce seeds that can remain dormant for years or decades to germinate later when the right environmental conditions for germination present themselves.

Noxious weeds do their best work when they are free of challenges to access to bare soil and full sunlight. Once the ground starts to get shaded or covered with organic matter or roots of native plants, existing weeds can continue to grow, but new introductions usually have trouble germinating or getting established. Noxious weeds affect many resources that contribute to an ecosystem functioning well, such as soil productivity, wildlife habitat, native plant diversity, and water quality and availability (Bossard & Randall 2007); so it is important to analyze and understand the effects of this project on weed occurrences.

Changes to vegetation structure, soil disturbance, and dispersal factors can each contribute to the introduction, spread and establishment of noxious weeds. Wildfires increase weed risk in several ways:

Loss of canopy cover Increased sunlight dries out the soil quicker and increases the soil with moderate and high temperatures. Native species accustomed to moist soil and shade severity burns can’t survive.

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Blackened soils Stores heat from increased sunlight longer than soil with organic matter cover Winter snow melts quicker and doesn’t get absorbed for native plant growth

Loss of litter, duff, and Organic matter acts as a buffer and additional layer of moisture other organic matter on storage over the soil. It releases it slowly into the growing season the ground and allows soil to provide moisture to native plants longer into the summer. If litter and duff burn off, soil moisture evaporates much earlier in the growing season because it doesn’t have a top layer of organic matter to hold it in. Water can run off bare soil faster and remove top soil that provides nutrients to native plants. Many weeds have learned to thrive in nutrient-poor soils, but many native plants have not.

AUTHORITIES AND GUIDELINES

Direction relevant to the proposed action in regards to the management and prevention of weeds includes the following:

FSM 2903.4 requiring a determination of the risk of introducing, establishing, or spreading invasive species associated with any proposed action, as an integral component of project planning and analysis, and where necessary provide for alternatives or mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate that risk prior to project approval.

FSM 2903.5 requiring that all Forest Service management activities are designed to minimize or eliminate the possibility of establishment or spread of invasive species on the National Forest System, or to adjacent areas.

Executive Order 13112 of February 3, 1999, directs Federal agencies to prevent the introduction of invasive species; detect and respond rapidly to, and control, such species; not authorize, fund, or carry out actions that the agency believes are to cause or promote the introduction or spread of invasive species unless the agency has determined and made public its determination that the benefits of such actions clearly outweigh the potential harm caused by invasive species; and that all feasible and prudent measures to minimize risk of harm will be taken in conjunction with these actions.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan for Forest Pests (4-18): a) When conducting watershed/ecosystem analysis, consider the possible effects that the Forest pest may have on management objectives and desired future conditions. b) Implement an integrated pest management (IPM) program to maintain or reduce forest pest impacts to acceptable levels and to maintain or enhance forest health and vigor. Any decision to use pesticides will require site specific analysis.

The proposed action and all alternatives would be compliant with all of the above authorities.

DATA SOURCES Data used for this analysis comes from the California Invasive Plant Council (CalIPC), USDA Forest Service Natural Resource Information System (NRIS) database, USDA Forest Service

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Forest Service Activity Tracking System (FACTS), Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers GIS noxious weed database, and field visits to the planning area. CalIPC is a statewide invasive plant research, education, and policy development organization that focuses on management of wildland weeds, including all National Forest lands in California. Species and weed management reference information is taken from DiTomaso and Kyser (2013) and CalIPC.

EFFECTIVE NOXIOUS WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Funding for noxious weed management is never limitless and resource management agencies usually have to prioritize which species are treated and to what degree. Research and experience have identified several strategies for prioritizing noxious weed treatment.

Prevention is the most effective way to control weeds. It is easier to prevent weeds from entering an area than to control or eradicate weeds once they are introduced.

When prevention isn’t an option because populations have already grown, focus efforts on populations that meet these criteria: • small and manageable-treatments have a high potential for catching all populations and removing all individuals • are a threat to high value resources, such as weed populations near wilderness areas critical wildlife habitats • highly invasive species that have the ability to grow and expand significantly in a short time

Where herbicides are not an option for treatment, focus treatments on species that can effectively be managed with manual removal. Species that resprout when cut, pulled, or dug up will rarely be controlled even if removed repeatedly over many years. Populations of noxious weeds that can effectively be managed by manual methods will diminish in size until the seedbank is exhausted and will require decreasing amounts of monitoring over time if removal efforts were regular and complete.

Most weed management prioritization strategies discourage spending valuable time and funding on populations with widespread distributions. Even unlimited funding would be unsuccessful at reducing population levels enough to allow prevention measures to effectively keep future spread and establishment at the same low levels.

RISK ANALYSIS As with adjacent project areas in the Sims fire planning area, invasive species pose a threat to the restoration of the native plant communities. The effects of invasive species are particularly acute along existing areas of disturbance, primarily road sides. The Grapevine Creek project area does not contain a substantial number of roads, but surveys in the area and treatments do indicate that yellow starthistle is in the project area: three sites along Rt 4N20, along a private property border and one other disjunct population that has been treated (Figure 3). This species was also found in the other Sims project areas and effective design features were implemented to avoid further spread of the species. The nature of the proposed action treatments in the Grapevine Creek (all manual treatments and no heavy equipment or machinery) and project design features should minimize the spread of this species.

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

Figure 3. Location of known yellow starthistle populations.

Table 4. Selected invasive plants in or adjacent to the Grapevine Creek project area COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME IN OR ADJACENT TO CALIPC WEED PLANNING AREA LIST1 yellow starthistle Centaurea solstitialis In High bull thistle Cirsium vulgare Adjacent Moderate Klamath weed, St. Hypericum Adjacent Moderate Johnswort perforatum Himalayan blackberry Rubus armeniacus Adjacent High Diffuse knapweed Centraurea diffusa Adjacent Moderate

Before the fire, noxious weeds were substantially restricted to roadsides and some open areas adjacent to roadsides. Canopy cover in forested areas off roads and lack of regular, repeated vehicle travel discouraged weeds from establishing and growing. The Sims Fire removed the canopy in areas where it burned with moderate and high severity, increasing the likelihood of invasive species establishment. The project area is characterized by the following attributes:

1 CalIPC weed ratings: High: Species that have severe ecological impact on ecosystems Moderate: Species that have substantial and apparent, but not severe ecological impact on ecosystems Limited: Species that are invasive but their ecological impacts are minor on a statewide basis 30

Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

little to no canopy cover, disturbed ground (fire-related), and county and Forest roads along the fire perimeter and within the project area. Invasive and noxious species are typically intolerant to shade and readily invade disturbed settings. The combination of disturbance and no cover create a habitat highly vulnerable to the introduction and spread of weeds.

Yellow starthistle is the only species currently mapped in the Grapevine Creek project area, however four other invasive species are found adjacent to the project area. Among the species found adjacent to the project area is diffuse knapweed, the highest priority weed for monitoring in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Throughout the analysis, the general risk of introducing, spreading, and establishing weeds is assessed and recommended protection measures in this report apply to all weeds.

ALTERNATIVE 1-PROPOSED ACTION Noxious weeds within the Grapevine Creek area are a product of historical introductions and population expansions. Seed from weed species has been accumulating in the soil for decades and lying dormant. Seed formerly found only on open roads may now been introduced to areas away from roads, where the Sims fire created openings and opportunities for establishment.

Hazard tree felling will have a net neutral impact on noxious weed populations in the project area. Trees to be felled offer no benefits or impacts to weeds since they offer too little shade and can no longer contribute litter fall that accumulates as organic matter on the ground.

Burn piles (particularly those located near the road) may increase the vulnerability of those sites to weed seed establishment. However, given the existing highly-disturbed conditions within the project area that resulted from the fires, the amount of additional disturbance created by burning piles is probably insignificant. As such, there is unlikely to be any additional risk created by implementing the burn piles portion of the proposed actions.

Tree planting treatments will speed up the process of recovering canopy and ground cover on sites with noxious weeds present. Scalping treatments to clear vegetation from around planted trees will help discourage weed growth in a 5 foot circle around planted trees, but probably will not have much impact on weeds outside that circle.

Heavy equipment and machinery will not be utilized in the treatment area, which will serve to limit spread of weeds in the project area and beyond.

None of the proposed treatments will be responsible for introducing or spreading new weeds assuming protection measures are implemented to prevent transporting weeds in or out of the planning area. Weeds were already present before the fire and the fire and resulting habitat changes triggered them to grow. Proposed treatments will do nothing more than shift weeds already present. Project design features will attempt to minimize spread of existing weeds by:

• Avoidance of infested area: Invasive plant seeds can be dispersed by vehicle and equipment that come into contact with plants during the course of work and are then transported to uninfested locations. Infested area will be flagged with orange flagging imprinted with “Noxious Weeds.” Parking of vehicles shall avoid using turnouts (or sections thereof) or landings known to be infested with invasive weed species. If avoidance is not an option, the area must be cleared of invasive plants before use.

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Grapevine Creek Riparian Enhancement Biological Evaluation and Botany Specialist Report

• Maintenance of a vegetative barrier: Where road edges are heavily infested with invasive plants, maintain existing native vegetation within 5-10 feet of the road section corresponding to this infestation.

ALTERNATIVE 2-NO ACTION No treatments will be performed to introduce or spread weeds, but reforestation treatments would not be implemented to speed up the process of developing canopy and ground cover. Large shrubs and trees will regrow regardless of reforestation treatments and overall reforestation would probably speed up the process provide only a small jumpstart on canopy development.

Discussion Noxious weed infestation levels in the Grapevine Creek project area are fully a product of historic acts and environmental events. Because they have developed sophisticated strategies to outcompete most native plants and persist under adverse environmental conditions, noxious weeds have the ability to modify their surroundings to facilitate their growth and discourage that of native species, except with the most diligent and repeated weed management treatments.

The impacts of the Sims Fire have created habitat conditions ideal for the establishment and spread of noxious weeds. The disturbed, open habitat, particularly in the moderate to severe fire zones within the project area, is particularly susceptible to noxious weed spread. Additionally, the roadside population of yellow starthistle in the project area is a cause for concern. That being said, the proposed action does not immediately modify noxious weed introduction or spread within the project area. Burn piles can create suitable disturbed habitat for noxious weed spread, however the tree planting and associated actions (scalping and followup treatments for growth and survival) will likely mitigate any possible impacts from the pile burning. Additionally, the efforts at restoring conifers and canopy cover in the project area will have the long-term effect of creating shaded habitat more resilient to noxious week infestation and spread.

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