Oak Flats Restoration Project Environmental Assessment

Oak Flats Restoration United States Department of Agriculture Project Forest Service

Pacific Umpqua National Forest Northwest Region Diamond Lake Ranger District

March 2012

OAK FLATS RESTORATION PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Douglas County Oregon March 2012

Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service, Umpqua National Forest

Responsible Official: Alice Carlton, Forest Supervisor Umpqua National Forest 2900 Northwest Stewart Parkway Roseburg OR 97471 Phone: (541) 672-6601

For More Information Contact: Stephanie Wessell-Kelly, Team Leader Diamond Lake Ranger District 2020 Toketee Ranger Station Rd. Idleyld Park, OR 97447 Phone: (541) 498-2531 email: [email protected]

Electronic comments can be mailed to: [email protected]

Abstract:

This Environmental Assessment (EA) documents two action alternatives and the no action alternative considered for restoring historical, open oak and pine habitat through commercially harvesting timber, underburning and pile burning, conducting road improvement, road maintenance and implementing connected actions within the Late- Successional Reserve land allocation of the Copeland Creek subwatershed in the Middle North Umpqua watershed on the Umpqua National Forest, Diamond Lake Ranger District.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 ...... 1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ...... 1 INTRODUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING ...... 1 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANNING DOCUMENTS AND ANALYSES ...... 1 GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SOUTH CASCADES LATE- SUCCESSIONALRESERVE ASSESSMENT, COPELAND-CALF WATERSHED ANALYSIS, COPELAND CREEK WATERSHED RESTORATION PLAN, AND REGIONAL LSR WORKGROUP REVIEW ...... 3 PROJECT RECORD ...... 4 ROADS ANALYSES ...... 5 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ...... 5 ELEMENT 1: OAK, PINE, AND NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION ...... 7 PROPOSED ACTION ...... 7 DECISION TO BE MADE ...... 8 SCOPING ...... 8 ISSUES ...... 8 LATE-SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT ...... 8 ISSUES THAT DID NOT DRIVE ALTERNATIVES ...... 9 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ...... 11

CHAPTER 2 ...... 13 ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION . 13 INTRODUCTION ...... 13 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED, BUT ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED STUDY ... 13 ORIGINAL PROPOSED ACTION ...... 13 HARVEST DIAMETER LIMIT LESS THAN 16 INCHES DIAMETER AT BREAST HEIGHT (DBH) ...... 13 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL ...... 14 ALTERNATIVE 1 – NO ACTION ...... 14 ALTERNATIVE 2 - PROPOSED ACTION ...... 14 ALTERNATIVE 3 ...... 21 COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES ...... 27 BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, MITIGATION MEASURES, PROJECT DESIGN FEATURES, AND MONITORING ...... 28 SILVICULTURE ...... 28 BOTANY ...... 29 HERITAGE RESOURCES ...... 31 RECREATION RESOURCES ...... 33 LOGGING EROSION CONTROL MEASURES ...... 33 LOGGING PRACTICES ...... 33 CONTROL OF PURCHASER OPERATIONS ...... 34

RIPARIAN AREAS WITHIN OR ADJACENT TO HARVEST UNITS ...... 35 ROADS ...... 35 FISHERIES/WATERSHED ...... 37 SOIL AND SITE PRODUCTIVITY ...... 37 FUEL MANAGEMENT AND AIR QUALITY ...... 38 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT ...... 39 MONITORING AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT ...... 39

CHAPTER 3 ...... 41 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ...... 41 INTRODUCTION ...... 41 ACTIVITIES THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ...... 41 LATE SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT ...... 43 EXISTING CONDITION ...... 44 TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT46 FOREST VEGETATION ...... 46 COARSE WOODY DEBRIS ...... 58 FIRE AND FUELS ...... 62 AIR QUALITY ...... 70 SOIL PRODUCTIVITY ...... 73 FOREST WILDLIFE ...... 77 INVASIVE PLANTS/NOXIOUS WEEDS ...... 107 THREATENED, ENDANGERED, AND SENSITIVE BOTANY SPECIES ...... 111 EFFECTS TO THREATENED OR ENDANGERED PLANTS ...... 115 EFFECTS TO SENSITIVE SPECIES ...... 115 EFFECTS TO OTHER RARE OR UNCOMMON BOTANY SPECIES ...... 117 WATER RESOURCE ENVIRONMENT...... 118 BENEFICIAL USES OF WATER ...... 119 WATER QUALITY ...... 120 STREAM FLOWS ...... 124 FLUVIAL EROSION ...... 126 RIPARIAN RESERVES ...... 128 CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION ...... 131 EROSION, MASS WASTING, AND SEDIMENTATION ...... 134 SURFACE EROSION ...... 135 EFFECTS OF HARVEST AND BIOMASS REMOVAL ON CARBON SEQUESTRATION ...... 140 FISHERIES ...... 140 EFFECTS DETERMINATION FOR ESA LISTED SPECIES, SENSITIVE SPECIES, AND ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT ...... 149 SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT ...... 151 ECONOMICS ...... 151 SPECIFICALLY REQUIRED AND OTHER DISCLOSURES ...... 155 RECREATION ...... 155 VISUALS ...... 157 HERITAGE RESOURCES ...... 158 POTENTIAL WILDERNESS AREAS ...... 159

UNIQUE HABITATS ...... 160 WETLANDS AND FLOODPLAINS ...... 160 PRIME FARMLANDS, RANGELANDS, FORESTLANDS, AND PARKLANDS ...... 160 POTENTIAL OR UNUSUAL EXPENDITURES OF ENERGY ...... 160 CONFLICTS WITH PLANS, POLICIES, OR OTHER JURISDICTIONS ...... 160 CONSUMERS, CIVIL RIGHTS, MINORITY GROUPS, AND WOMEN ...... 161 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ...... 161

CHAPTER 4 ...... 162 CONSULTATION WITH OTHERS ...... 162 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ...... 162 AGENCY AND OTHER GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ...... 162 INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM ...... 162 REFERENCES CITED ...... 164 BOTANY ...... 164 SILVICULTURE ...... 164 PLANNING DOCUMENTS ...... 165 SOIL ...... 166 FIRE/FUELS ...... 167 WATER/FISHERIES ...... 169 WILDLIFE ...... 171

TABLES PAGE Table 1. Alternative 2 (Proposed Action) Unit Summary ...... 15 Table 2. Connected Actions Associated with Alternative 2 (Proposed Action) ...... 20 Table 3. Alternative 3 Unit Summary ...... 22 Table 4. Connected Actions Associated with Alternative 3 ...... 26 Table 5. Comparison of Alternatives ...... 27 Table 6. Past Activities that May contribute to Cumulative Effects in the Copeland Creek Subwatershed ...... 42 Table 7. Present and Ongoing Activities that May Contribute to Cumulative Effects in the Copeland Creek Subwatershed ...... 43 Table 8. Reasonably Foreseeable Activities in the Copeland Creek Subwatershed ... 43 Table 9. Acres of NRF at the Stand Level ...... 44 Table 10. NRF Habitat Removal and Temporary Road Construction, Alternative 2 ..... 45 Table 11. NRF Habitat Removal and Temporary Road Construction, Alternative 3 ..... 45 Table 12. Existing Physical and Biological Stand Condition ...... 48 Table 13. Residual Stand Condition After Harvest and/or Stand Exams ...... 52 Table 14. Cross Reference Between Activity Units and Stand Exams………………….54 Table 15. Summary of Direct and Indirect Effects to Vegetation...... 54 Table 16. Current Distribution of Age Classes within the Copeland Creek Sub- watershed...... 57 Table 17. Coarse Wood Desired Conditions ...... 60 Table 18. Description of Associated Fire Behavior of Fuel Models In the Oak Flats Planning Area...... 64 Table 19. Summary of fuels treatment activities by Alternative...... 66

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Table 20. Summary of fuels treatment effects by alternative...... 69 Table 21. Description of Dominant Soils Mapped within Proposed Harvest Units...... 74 Table 22. Proposed, Threatened, and Sensitive Wildlife on the Umpqua National Forest (Regional Foresters List - January 2008)...... 78 Table 23. Sensitive Species pre-field review and summary...... 80 Table 24. Habitat indicators for MIS ...... 93 Table 25. Habitat or species presence for MIS ...... 93 Table 26. Noxious Weed List for the Oak Flats Restoration Project...... 108 Table 27. Project Effects Assessment for Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Plant…………………………………………………………………...112 Table 28. Effect to Other Rare or Uncommon Species...... 117 Table 29. Water Quality parameters near the Oak Flats Restoration Activity for Copeland Creek and Downstream for the North Umpqua River...... 121 Table 30. Proposed activities (Alternative 2) and associated hydrography with mitigations………………………………………………………………………...122 Table 31. Treatment Effects to Riparian Reserves ...... 129 Table 32. Dominant soil and texture by harvest unit and estimated sediment delivery...... 138 Table 33. Connected Actions Associated with Alternative 2 (Proposed Action) ...... 147 Table 34. Connected Actions Associated with Alternative 3 ...... 147 Table 35. ESA Listed and Sensitive Species Effects Determinations (6th Field) ...... 150 Table 36. EFH Effects Determinations (6th Field) ...... 150 Table 37. Economic Efficiency Analysis ...... 152

FIGURES PAGE Figure 1. Location of Oak Flats Restoration Planning Area ...... 2 Figure 2. Oak Flats in 1944 ...... 5 Figure 3 Oak Flats Current Condition ...... 5 Figure 4. White Oak and Ponderosa Pine Mortality, Current Condition ...... 5 Figure 5. Alternative 2 (Proposed Action) ...... 18 Figure 6. Alternative 3 ...... 25 Figure 7. Fire Regimes Associated with the Oak Flats Planning Area ...... 63 Figure 8. Proposed fuels treatments for both action alternatives...... 67 Figure 9. The Eight Subwatersheds Subdividing the Middle North Umpqua Watershed and the Location of the Oak Flats Restoration Project...... 119 Figure 10. Stream Channels within the Oak Flats Project Area ...... 123 Figure 11. Average Composite Log Prices, Douglas County Market Area...... 154

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Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

CHAPTER 1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION

Introduction and Environmental Setting This Environmental Assessment (EA) documents the analysis of a range of alternatives, including the proposed action, for oak and pine restoration activities in a portion of the Middle North Umpqua 5th field watershed located on the Diamond Lake Ranger District of the Umpqua National Forest. Chapter 1 describes the purpose and need for action and the proposed action for the Oak Flats Restoration Project. The chapter also identifies the project area, outlines applicable management direction, addresses the scope of the decision, summarizes the scoping process, and lists the issues identified during scoping. The 7,056-acre Oak Flats planning area is located in the vicinity of Copeland Creek, on the Diamond Lake Ranger District, Umpqua National Forest (UNF), approximately 40 road miles east of Glide, Oregon. The Oak Flats planning area is located inside the 22,978-acre Copeland Creek 6th field subwatershed and includes portions of T26S, R2E, Sections 24 and 25 and T26S, R3E, Sections 19, 30, and 31, Willamette Meridian, Douglas County, Oregon. Relationship to Other Planning Documents and Analyses The 1990 Umpqua National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP), as amended, the 1998 South Cascades Late-Successional Reserve Assessment (SCLSRA), the 2001 Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis (CCWA), the 2008 Copeland Creek Watershed Restoration Plan, and the 2003 Umpqua National Forest Watershed Restoration Business Plan provided the direction for proposed activities in the Oak Flats Restoration Project. The 1990 Umpqua National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) and its amendments to date, including the 1994 Record of Decision (ROD) for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl, provide broad management direction for the Oak Flats Restoration project. The planning and analysis areas are within Management Area 6 (MA 6), MA 10, and MA 111, as established in the 1990 LRMP. All proposed activities occur within MA 11. Under the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan, the entire planning area is allocated as a Late-Successional Reserve (LSR). This analysis tiers to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) of the 1990 Umpqua National Forest LRMP, as amended and the 2005 Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Pacific Northwest Region Invasive Plant Program. It also incorporates by reference the recommendations and analysis in the 2001 Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis (WA).

1 The 1990 Umpqua LRMP describes the focus of MA 11, which is to provide big game winter range habitat and timber production consistent with other resource objectives. In 1994, the NWFP ROD overlaid additional land allocations of Late-Successional and Riparian Reserves for this planning area.

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

Figure 1. Location of Oak Flats Restoration Project Planning Area.

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SOUTH CASCADES LATE-SUCCESSIONAL RESERVE ASSESSMENT, COPELAND-CALF WATERSHED ANALYSIS, COPELAND CREEK WATERSHED RESTORATION PLAN, AND REGIONAL LSR WORKGROUP REVIEW The Meadow and Special Habitat Maintenance section of the SCLSRA specifies treatment criteria and needs for maintaining openings associated with meadows and special habitats that have been declining due to fire exclusion. The document specifies implementation of management activities designed to “…maintain these openings. Prescribed fire, as well as manual or mechanical clearing, are appropriate treatments to curtail tree encroachment.” The SCLSRA identifies up to 400 acres within the Oregon White Oak series in LSR 222 for treatment that is exempt from further Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) review. These recommendations also are discussed in the CCWA (CCWA, p. 204).

This project also proposes special habitat maintenance within stands that have an Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) component within the Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) plant series. Because of this variance from the SCLSRA, the project has gone through a formal REO, LSR Workgroup review. The LSR Workgroup found that this project is consistent with Standard and Guidelines for Habitat Improvement Projects (C-17) in that “…the effect to late-successional associated species is negligible” and the project is consistent with the goal to “…maintain biological diversity associated with native species” (B-1). The REO concurs with the Umpqua National Forest’s conclusion that the Oak Flats Restoration Project on the Diamond Lake Ranger District is consistent with the Northwest Forest Plan and that the project complies with the South Cascades LSR Assessment to “…provide diverse vegetation structure and pattern” (LSRA, p. 114) and “…maintain special habitats that have been declining due to fire exclusion” (LSRA, p. 149).

The CCWA makes recommendations on pine health based on the SCLSRA, including: • At the landscape scale, assure that historical areas have stand densities that support pine health, giving priority to areas where pine represent the only large tree structures. Treatment priority also should be given to the Douglas-fir, Oregon white oak, and white fir (Abies concolor) plant series areas, particularly at low-mid elevations, and to the silver fir (Abies amabilis) and white fir plant series at the high elevation flats. Main areas for pine health treatments within the Copeland-Calf Watershed are mapped. Priority treatment areas for low elevations include the mapped earthflow terrain to the west of Copeland Creek in sections 25, 26, 35, and 36 in T26S, R02E; in sections 2 and 3 in T27S, R02E; and in Oak Flats, Little Oak Flats, Illahee Flats, and the Deception and Wilson Creek areas. • Limit basal area density around desirable pine by thinning stands or reducing competition through the use of prescribed fire. At the individual tree scale, provide for adequate clearings around selected individuals by clearing trees less than 24 inches diameter at breast height (dbh) and shrubs from around the pine. At the stand scale, plant pine stock that shows resistance to white pine blister rust (WPBR). In the sapling and small tree sizes, practice active pruning to remove light-moderate infections of WPBR on limbs more than 6 inches away from the bole of the tree or remove the infected tree. • Establish an active program of running light fires periodically throughout historical pine areas after stand densities and current ladder fuels are reduced. Maintain historical pine areas with stocking levels less than 180 sq. ft. of basal area per acre. Plant resistant stocks of sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) and western white pine (Pinus monticola)

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

whenever possible. Manage an active pruning program to eliminate light-moderate infection sources on pine trees already established in clearcuts and thin to give these trees adequate room to grow. The SCLSRA provides guidance for land managers regarding pine health for portions of LSR 222 in the Copeland-Calf Watershed. Both density management and prescribed fire are deemed appropriate treatments in stands with trees less than 80 years old:

• Management of early- and mid-seral stand densities around sugar and white pine are recommended to levels less than or equal to 140 sq. ft. per acre (SCLSRA, pp. 188– 194). Similarly, management levels for ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) are recommended to range from 120–180 sq. ft. basal area per acre, depending on moisture regime. In mixed species stands, vary density in species other than pine. • For late-seral or complex mid-seral stands with large sugar pine or ponderosa pine, the SCLSRA recommends removing competing vegetation near large pines less than 24 inches dbh to the pine dripline, plus 20 feet. Priority should be given to areas where pine is the only large tree structure (particularly in the white oak series). In situations where mortality risk is caused by trees greater than 24 inches dbh, individual trees may be killed and left standing. The Umpqua National Forest 2003 Watershed Restoration Business Plan identifies 160 acres of Oak Flats as priority #4 out of 18 listed locations for unique habitat restoration. This prioritization of restoration activities in unique habitats was based on the rarity of the habitat type, perceived threats to sustainability, and the potential to benefit multiple wildlife and plant species. Restoring unique habitats improves quality of life, increases resiliency of unique habitats to disturbances, and improves natural function on the landscape.

The 2008 Copeland Creek Watershed Restoration Plan identifies Oak Flats for oak and pine habitat restoration on page 20.

The overall purpose and need and associated proposed action were developed based on the recommended actions in the aforementioned documents to restore Oak Flats special habitats. Project Record This Environmental Assessment (EA) hereby incorporates by reference the Project Record (40 CFR 1502.21). Chapter 3 provides a summary of the specialists’ input in adequate detail to support the rationale for the decisions and the appendices provide supporting documentation. The Project Record contains supplemental information and other technical documentation used to support the analyses and conclusions in this EA. This information includes summaries or reports for Silviculture, Hydrology, Fish, Wildlife, Botany, Logging Systems, Economics, Soils and Cultural Resources. Incorporating this information helps implement the CEQ Regulations provision that agencies should reduce NEPA paperwork (40 CFR 1500.4), that environmental documents shall be “…analytic rather than encyclopedic, and shall be kept concise and no longer than absolutely necessary (40 CFR 1502.2)”. The objective is to furnish adequate site- specific information to demonstrate a reasoned consideration of the environmental impacts of the alternatives and how these impacts can be mitigated, without repeating detailed analysis and background information available elsewhere. The Project Record is available for review at the Diamond Lake Ranger District Office, 2020 Toketee Ranger Station Road, Idleyld Park, OR, 97447, and supporting documentation can be found on the Umpqua National Forest website (http://www.fs.usda.gov/umpqua).

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

Roads Analyses An Umpqua Forest-Scale Roads Analysis (USDA, Umpqua NF, 2003) evaluated access issues for key road systems across the forest and recommended further evaluations at the watershed and project scale. The 2008 Copeland Creek Watershed Restoration Plan contains roads analyses more specific to the Oak Flats planning area. Copeland Creek was considered a high priority for transportation system assessment and planning efforts related to improving aquatic habitat due to its Tier 1 Key Watershed designation. This project proposes reconstruction of Forest Service Road 28-700, including low water fords, culvert cleanout, rock blankets for plunge pools, and grading. These activities would reduce the risk to aquatic resources in the future, consistent with recommendations in the roads analysis and in the watershed restoration plan. Purpose and Need for Action The primary purpose and need for the Oak Flats Restoration Project is to restore and maintain the unique oak/pine savanna vegetation communities and associated wildlife habitats historically promoted and maintained by a low intensity, high frequency, fire regime.

Specific goals and objectives identified in the LSR assessment, watershed analysis, watershed restoration plan, and Forest Plan include:

• Restore and maintain the unique oak and oak/pine savanna plant communities; • Improve and maintain oak and pine health; • Promote wildlife habitats for species that prefer open forest conditions; • Maintain and recruit scattered, large diameter, open grown, old-growth conifer trees; and, • Restore and maintain native plant communities, including plants with cultural significance to pre-settlement populations. Oak Flats is classified as having a Historical Fire Regime I (frequent, low intensity fire). This fire regime is thought to have been maintained with natural lightning-caused fires, American Indian initiated fires, and fires started by settlers in the early 1900s to maintain open areas for grazing within Oak Flats. This maintenance promoted open oak/pine habitat, which is the desired condition for the plant communities in the project (Figure 2). Today, oak savanna habitat has been reduced to small isolated pockets and open ponderosa pine forest has essentially been eliminated, due to fire suppression beginning in the 1930s (Figure 3). These habitats occupy less than 1 percent of the Late-Successional Reserve network and are considered important for maintaining diversity across the landscape. Many of the stands within Oak Flats are now dominated by 50–80 year-old Douglas-fir that is shading out the Oregon white oak and ponderosa pine (Figure 4).

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

Figure 2. Oak Flats in 1944. Figure 3. Oak Flats, Current Condition.

Figure 4. White Oak and Ponderosa Pine Mortality, Current Condition.

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

The difference between the existing conditions and the desired conditions in the planning area defines the need for action. The element and measures to evaluate project effectiveness at achieving the stated purpose and need is:

ELEMENT 1: OAK, PINE, AND NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION

This element would be measured by: • Acres of oak/pine restoration • Acres of oak/pine savanna created or maintained • Acres of native species seeding and planting Proposed Action The initial proposed action drafted by the interdisciplinary team, was developed to address the elements of the purpose and need. After scoping was initiated in May 2010, field work, additional analyses, and interaction with community members and conservation groups helped further refine the proposed action. The revised proposed action (Alternative 2) would implement treatments that would still meet the original purpose and need of restoring and maintaining the unique oak/pine savanna vegetation communities and associated wildlife habitats historically promoted and maintained by a low intensity, high frequency, fire regime.

Applicable Standards and Guidelines were applied in developing the proposed action and alternatives to the proposed action. The most relevant Standards and Guidelines are listed in Chapter 3, but to avoid duplication, all are incorporated by reference.

Alternative 2 is thoroughly detailed in Chapter 2. Alternative 2, as revised, includes the following: • Restoring the health of Oregon white oak, ponderosa pine, and sugar pine on 184.7 acres, through a combination of silviculture and fuels treatments. • Creating or maintaining 96.5 acres of oak/pine savanna through a combination of commercially thinning trees less than 24 inches dbh in stands of fir and incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) less than 80 years old, and/or prescribed fire. • Implementing prescribed fire-only treatments on 178.2 acres, through a combination of underburning and jackpot burning around dominant and remnant pine and oak. • Within the 14.1 acres of retention groups, mechanically create mature fir snags less than 24 inches dbh, 20 feet from dripline on the south and west sides of dominant and remnant pine and oak. • Thinning 58.6 acres of less than 24 inches dbh, less than 80 year-old fir and incense cedar to promote pine species and to facilitate the development/future recruitment of large diameter trees. • Constructing 1.14 miles of new temporary road and reconstructing 0.36 miles of temporary road on an old existing abandoned road, to access approximately 147 acres and 3.3 mmbf of harvest volume from trees less than 24 inches dbh. A 12-inch bed of certified weed-free woody biomass/wood chips would be required on 0.25 miles of this

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

new temporary road to prevent or reduce soil disturbance (compaction) or damage to heritage resources. • Reconstructing 0.9 miles of Forest Service system road 28-700 to facilitate hauling logs and to reduce potential erosion, including: installation of low water fords and rock blankets, culvert cleanout, brushing, and grading. • Maintaining 4.11 miles of existing system roads inside the planning area, including: the grading and shaping of existing road surfaces, waterbar construction, ditch maintenance as needed, and the cutting of intruding vegetation along roadsides.

Decision to be Made Based on the analyses documented in this environmental assessment, the Responsible Official will decide the following:

• To implement the project as proposed (Alternative 2); or as modified, to address unresolved issues (Alternative 3); or to not implement the project at this time (no action). • If the project is implemented, which mitigation measures, project design features, monitoring, and water quality best management practices are necessary to achieve resource goals, objectives, legal consistency, and desired future conditions. • Whether there is a significant effect on the human environment that would require preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. Scoping Formal scoping (a process used to surface issues) began after the proposed action was developed in May 2010 and listed in the Umpqua National Forest Quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA). A scoping notice describing the project components and soliciting interest in a field trip was sent to 54 members of the public on May 10, 2011, with the intent of introducing the proposed action and soliciting issues. The Oak Flats Restoration project record contains a detailed scoping summary that describes Forest Service outreach efforts, the scoping comments received for the project, and how the Forest Service addressed scoping comments in the Oak Flats Restoration Project EA. Issues Issues associated with a proposed action provide the basis for formulating and comparing alternatives to the proposed action (40 CFR 1502.14). Issues also may be used to prescribe mitigation and monitoring measures, or they may be used for analyzing environmental effects. Issues are based on unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources. An issue is a point of disagreement, debate, or dispute about the proposed action based on effects identified through scoping. Scoping identified a number of issues and concerns (non-issues) related to the proposed activities in the planning area.

One primary issue was identified and used to develop an alternative to the proposed action:

IMPACTS OF PROPOSED THINNING, ROADWORK, AND BURNING ACTIVITIES ON LATE- SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT CONDITIONS During scoping, several conservation groups expressed concern over the effects of thinning and construction of new temporary spur roads on late-successional habitat and the species that prefer this habitat. Due to these concerns, the groups requested that thinning and temporary spur road building be minimized in stands characterized by the Douglas-fir-Incense cedar plant

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

association that have mostly conifer, with few to no oak and pine (specifically, in unit 6). They requested that these stands not be targeted for an open, oak/pine savanna desired condition, but be left to develop into high quality northern spotted owl nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat (NRF).

In addition, the USDI US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) expressed concerns about prescribed fire proposed in stands currently exhibiting potential NRF habitat conditions. The FWS requested consideration of modified burn prescriptions designed to enhance the resiliency of pine species while maintaining NRF habitat conditions.

To help quantify and track the issue of impacts to late-successional habitat, the following indicators were developed:

• Acres of northern spotted owl nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat (NRF) changed to non-NRF habitat • Miles of new temporary road construction

ISSUES THAT DID NOT DRIVE ALTERNATIVES Several other issues or concerns raised by the public were resolved by providing information to direct questions about the project. Some issues raised were resolved through a revision of the original proposed action and/or silvicultural/fuels prescriptions, developing mitigation measures to address them, or by adding contract specifications where appropriate. Other points of debate raised by the public requested full disclosure of the effects of the actions described under the alternatives so that they could fully understand the impacts of the proposal; these points are fully disclosed in Chapter 3 of the EA. As such, these issues did not drive the development of an alternative to the proposed action. These are discussed below by category:

Issues Resolved by Providing Information to Direct Questions about the Project

Late-Successional Reserve Assessment Several questions were raised during project development regarding how this project fits into the overall late-successional forest restoration mandate of the NWFP; whether this project would require Regional Ecosystem Office (REO) review; what the LSR Assessment says; what the REO said about oak restoration when they reviewed the LSR Assessment; and if the REO suggested any mitigation? The link to the SCLSRA has been discussed previously in this Chapter and was used to develop the purpose and need and the proposed action. The project has gone through a Regional Office LSR Workgroup review. The LSR Workgroup agreed with the Umpqua National Forest finding that this project is consistent with Standard and Guidelines for Habitat Improvement Projects (C-17) in that “…the effect to late-successional associated species is negligible” and the project is consistent with the goal to “…maintain biological diversity associated with native species” (B-1). The REO also concurs with the Forest’s conclusion that the Oak Flats Restoration Project on the Diamond Lake Ranger District is consistent with the Northwest Forest Plan. The project complies with the South Cascades LSR Assessment to “…provide diverse vegetation structure and pattern” (LSRA, p. 114) and “…maintain special habitats that have been declining due to fire exclusion” (LSRA, p. 149).

Conservation groups asked if the proposed stands for treatment are in the Oregon White Oak Plant Series (described in the LSRA as south-facing with shallow, rocky soils and low productivity). Information was provided and indicated that not all stands proposed for the open, oak/pine savanna treatment are within the White Oak Plant Series. These treatments also are

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

proposed in the Douglas-fir Plant Series with inclusions of Oregon white oak. Plant series are based on climax communities in the absence of disturbance. Stand exams and historical photos show that these units historically contained open oak/pine habitat that was maintained by a low intensity, frequent fire regime. The absence of this disturbance has resulted in Douglas-fir encroachment into areas historically sustaining Oregon white oak.

Desired Future Condition Questions were asked regarding the residual target stand density for the proposed action. The desired future conditions for stands being proposed for treatment are outlined in Chapter 3 in the Forest Vegetation section and in the Silviculture/Fuels Prescription (Appendix A).

Survey and Manage Species A conservation group asked if survey and manage species were surveyed. Discussion on Survey and Manage efforts is disclosed in Chapter 3 of the EA in the Terrestrial Environment section.

Issues Resolved through Revision of the Original Proposed Action and/or Silviculture/Fuels Prescription

Snags and Down Wood Conservation groups and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife encouraged the Forest Service to create snags within the project area. The Forest Service revised the proposed action to include 14.1 acres of leave groups where existing snags would be maintained and new fir snags less than 24 inches dbh would be created adjacent to mature Oregon white oak and pine. In addition, the revised proposed action now includes creating new fir snags less than 24 inches dbh adjacent to mature Oregon white oak and pine within the prescribed fire-only units. Over time, these snags would be recruited to the forest floor as down wood. Maintenance underburning over time also would add to snag and down wood levels over time.

Oak and Pine Release Conservation groups recommended that when releasing individual trees, there should never be a “one-size-fits-all” prescription for releasing pine and oak. Rather, exceptions should be made to retain trees that have grown close since establishment, or for trees that existed long before fire suppression began. An old tree should not be removed to release a younger tree. A greater distance of release could be beneficial on the south side of pines and oaks, whereas a smaller distance of release would be sufficient on the north side of pines and oaks.

The Forest Service revised the proposed action and silviculture prescription to address this issue. Revised prescriptions call for girdling mature fir less than 24 inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on the south and west sides and 10 feet from the dripline on the north and east sides of dominant and remnant pine and oak within prescribed fire units and leave groups. In addition, the prescription requires retention of old-growth remnant trees regardless of their spacing.

Variable Density Treatments Conservation groups urged the Forest Service to adopt variable density treatments that retain patches of small conifers and understory vegetation distributed throughout the treatment units. The revised proposed action incorporates approximately 14 acres of scattered leave groups in the units on the south end of the planning area and includes additional underburn treatments that would result in variability of fire effects to understory trees and vegetation.

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

Issues Resolved Through the Development of Mitigation Measures and/or Contract Administration

Protection of Oaks from Harvest Activities Conservation groups stated that oak trees should never be compromised to increase commercial volume. For instance, if a conifer is growing up into the branches of an oak, the conifer should be killed by girdling or inoculation. The conifer should not be felled if there is any chance of it damaging the oak we are attempting to save. Specifically, mitigations in Chapter 2 state, “Trees that are going to be impossible to fell without moderately damaging a mature white oak would be girdled and maintained for wildlife.”

Issues for Which Disclosure of Effects were Requested in Chapter 3 of the EA

Late-Successional Species Effects Analysis Conservation groups asked the following questions: Would the proposed action offer late- successional wildlife species some habitat benefits? What are the consequences to northern spotted owl habitat? Would the proposed treatments offer more relative benefits to barred owls compared to spotted owls? These comments were addressed by completing effects analyses in Chapter 3 of the EA under the Terrestrial Environment.

Issues Outside the Scope of the Project

Forest-Wide Fire Management Plan Conservation groups stated that the Umpqua National Forest should complete the forest-wide fire plan so that wildland fire can be used to accomplish the fire reintroduction portion of this project. The groups stated that the Umpqua National Forest has not kept pace with the science of fire, and one of the results is the poor condition of the oak habitat at Oak Flats. Groups concluded that the best hope of long-term maintenance of Oak Flats is for the Umpqua National Forest to complete the forest-wide fire management plan.

This issue is outside the scope of this project. Federal fire policy changed on February 13, 2009 to allow National Forests more flexibility in managing wildfire and to not aggressively suppress wildfire, based on cost and values at risk. This new policy is outlined in a document titled, “Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Management Policy”. Project Implementation Should an action alternative be selected as a result of this NEPA process, the Forest Service would implement most of the timber harvest, temporary road construction, and reconstruction through timber sale contracts. Both action alternatives would likely result in at least one timber sale contract.

The Forest Service also may choose to use stewardship contracting, a contracting tool authorized by Congress and spelled out under the January 28, 2004 Forest Service Washington Office Interim Directive (FSH 2409.19, Chapter 60). Stewardship contracting is a tool used to accomplish resource management projects, in collaboration with interested publics, where goods are exchanged for services. Service contracts or construction contracts also can be used to accomplish some of the connected actions funded by other sources.

In the course of implementing complex projects with harvest, fuels treatment, and connected actions, minor changes may be needed during implementation to better meet on-site resource management and protection objectives. For example, fuels prescriptions may be modified if site

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need Oak Flats Restoration EA

conditions dictate and if other resource objectives can be met. Minor adjustments to unit boundaries may be needed during final layout for resource protection, to improve logging system efficiency, and to better meet the intent of the resource prescriptions. Changes in aspects of logging systems, including locations of temporary spur roads, may be required to better facilitate logging systems and provide for resource protection. Many of these minor changes would not present sufficient potential impacts to require any specific documentation or action to comply with applicable laws.

In determining whether and what kind of further NEPA action is required to document any changes, the criteria for whether to supplement an existing Environmental Assessment (FSH 1909.15, sec. 18) would be followed.

Chapter 2 – Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

CHAPTER 2 ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION

Introduction The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires analysis of a proposed action and other reasonable alternatives, including no action. The no action alternative provides a baseline for estimating and comparison of environmental effects. Three alternatives, including no action, for the Oak Flats Restoration Project are considered in detail. The revised proposed action (Alternative 2) for the Oak Flats Restoration Project was developed to meet the purpose and need and to respond to concerns raised during scoping. Alternative 3 was developed in response to issues identified during scoping. Alternatives Considered, But Eliminated From Detailed Study Based on scoping, the original proposed action was considered but eliminated from detailed study as described below. The Project Record contains copies of all maps, data, and summaries of this alternative. A brief synopsis of the alternative and its reasons for dismissal are described below.

ORIGINAL PROPOSED ACTION The original proposed action sent out for scoping was developed to meet the purpose and need. This original proposed action identified 172 acres of mechanical treatment/prescribed fire, where only trees less than 24 inches dbh would be harvested, and 156 acres would be treated with prescribed fire. This original proposed action would harvest 4 million board feet of timber, utilizing 1.6 miles of temporary road. This original proposed action was revised and is described as Alternative 2 below. In response to scoping comments, this revised Alternative 2 includes the following actions: snag creation, opening up the canopy on the south and west sides of pine and oak at a greater distance than on the north and east sides, designing leave groups within units (untreated skips), and reducing the amount of temporary road building where possible. The original proposed action will not be further considered in detailed study.

HARVEST DIAMETER LIMIT LESS THAN 16 INCHES DBH Scoping comments asked the Forest Service to remove only trees less than 16 inches dbh while girdling and retaining select trees 16–22 inches dbh to provide ecologically valuable large snag habitat. An alternative to only harvest trees less than 16 inches dbh was considered, but eliminated from detailed study. It was eliminated from detailed study because it would not meet the purpose and need of the project, the desired future conditions outlined in the silvicultural/fuels prescription, and the goal to generate stewardship funds to help finance the restorative connected actions planned to help meet the purpose and need. Analysis of only harvesting trees less than 16 inches dbh showed that an average of 25 Douglas-fir per acre would be left within the areas targeted for the oak/pine savanna prescription. This level of tree retention would not meet silvicultural or habitat objectives to restore historic oak and pine savanna conditions. In addition, creation of snags in the 16–22-inch diameter range is considered operationally infeasible and would result in artificially elevated levels of snags and unacceptable levels of ground fuels over time.

Chapter 2 – Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Alternatives Considered in Detail

ALTERNATIVE 1 – NO ACTION Under Alternative 1, no silvicultural treatments, prescribed fire, temporary road construction, system road reconstruction/maintenance, or other connected activities, including tree planting, seedling protection, seeding, 5-needle pine pruning, precommercial thinning, snag creation, monitoring, erosion control, or noxious weed treatments would take place. No ground-disturbing activities would take place and no timber would be offered for sale. Ongoing activities, including road maintenance, recreation use, and noxious weed control, would continue to occur (Table 7, Chapter 3). Future activities, such as those described in Table 8 (Chapter 3) also would occur.

ALTERNATIVE 2 – PROPOSED ACTION The revised proposed action (Table 1) was designed to meet the purpose and need to restore and maintain the unique oak/pine savanna vegetation communities and associated wildlife habitats historically promoted and maintained by a low intensity, high frequency, fire regime. Applicable Standards and Guidelines were applied in developing the proposed action and alternatives to the proposed action. The most relevant Standards and Guidelines are listed in Chapter 3, but to avoid duplication, all are incorporated by reference. Alternative 2 includes the following:

• Restoring the health of Oregon white oak, ponderosa pine, and sugar pine on 184.7 acres, through a combination of silvicultural and fuels treatments. • Creating or maintaining 96.5 acres of oak/pine savanna through a combination of harvest of less than 24 inches dbh, less than 80 year-old fir and incense cedar and/or prescribed fire. • Implementing prescribed fire-only treatments on 178.2 acres, through jackpot burning around dominant and remnant pine and oak. • Within the 14.1 acres of retention groups and 178.2 acres of prescribed fire-only units, mechanically create snags of mature fir less than 24 inches dbh, 20 feet from dripline on the south and west sides of dominant and remnant pine and oak . • Thinning 58.6 acres of less than 24 inches dbh, less than 80 year-old fir and incense cedar to enhance resiliency of existing large diameter trees and facilitate development of future large diameter trees. • Constructing 1.14 miles of new temporary road and 0.36 miles of temporary road on an old existing abandoned road to access 147 acres and 3.3 mmbf of harvest of trees less than 24 inches dbh. A 12-inch bed of certified weed free woody biomass/wood chips would be required on 0.25 miles of this new temporary road to prevent or reduce the occurrences of soil disturbance (compaction) or damage to heritage resources. • Reconstructing 0.9 miles of Forest Service system road 28-700 to facilitate hauling logs and reduce potential erosion, including: installation of low water fords and rock blankets, culvert cleanout, brushing, and grading. • Maintaining 4.11 miles of existing system roads inside the planning area, including: the grading and shaping of existing road surfaces, waterbar construction, ditch maintenance as needed, and the cutting of intruding vegetation along roadsides

Chapter 2 – Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Table 1. Alternative 2 (Proposed Action) Unit Summary. Unit or Acres Desired Future FS or Harvest Roads Fire Native Revegetation/Density Management Condition Road Miles

Volume: 406 mbf Seed to native grasses and forbs Logging Systems: 0.14 miles of new Initial underburn followed by 1A 13.7 Oak/Pine Savanna skyline (2 ac) and native surface maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine temporary road 5–15 years mechanized/forwarder Thin white oak saplings/sprouts cut to length

Initial underburn followed by 1B 5.3 Oak/Pine Savanna None None maintenance underburn every None 5–15 years 0.37 miles of new native surface temporary road Open, single-storied Volume: 662 mbf 0.06 miles of chip stand, consisting of Initial underburn followed by Logging Systems: surface temporary 2 48.5 dominant and remnant maintenance underburn every Seed to native grasses and forbs skyline (15 ac) and road pine, white oak, and mechanized/forwarder 5–15 years Douglas-fir cut to length 0.36 miles of a legacy non- system, native surface road Open, single-storied stand around dominant Initial jackpot burn around Whipfall fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh around and remnant pine and dominant and remnant pine dominant and remnant pine and oak; girdle mature fir less than 24 3 68.3 oak; multi-storied None None and oak, followed by inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on the south and west sides of stand in areas maintenance underburn every dominant and remnant pine and oak. dominated by Douglas- 5–15 years fir and white fir Volume: 289 mbf Seed to native grasses and forbs 4A Logging Systems: 0.01 miles of new Initial underburn followed by 11.4 Oak/Pine Savanna skyline (2 ac) and native surface maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine (NE) temporary road 5–15 years mechanized/forwarder Thin white oak saplings/sprouts cut to length

Volume: 780 mbf Seed to native grasses and forbs only in areas of logging disturbance 4A 0.14 miles of new Initial pile and burn/whipfall 26.9 Oak/Pine Savanna Logging Systems: chip surface followed by maintenance Plant white oak and sugar pine (SW) mechanized/forwarder temporary road underburn every 5–15 years cut to length Thin white oak saplings/sprouts

Chapter 2 – Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Unit or Acres Desired Future FS or Harvest Roads Fire Native Revegetation/Density Management Condition Road Miles Initial underburn followed by 4B 1.9 Oak/Pine Savanna None None maintenance underburn every None 5–15 years Initial underburn followed by 4C 0.9 Oak/Pine Savanna None None maintenance underburn every None 5–15 years

Open, single-storied Volume: 59 mbf stand, consisting of 0.02 miles of new Initial underburn followed by 5 2.4 dominant and remnant Logging Systems: chip surface maintenance underburn every Seed to native grasses and forbs pine, white oak, and mechanized/forwarder temporary road 5–15 years Douglas-fir cut to length Gross: Volume: 355 mbf Seed to native grasses and forbs 18.9 0.16 miles of new Initial underburn followed by 6 Oak/Pine Savanna native surface maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine Leave: 6 Logging Systems: temporary road 5–15 years mechanized/forwarder Thin white oak saplings/sprouts Net: 12.9 cut to length 0.07 miles of new Gross: Volume: 474 mbf native surface Seed to native grasses and forbs 21.1 temporary road Initial underburn followed by 7 Oak/Pine Savanna Logging Systems: maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine Leave: 5 0.03 miles of chip mechanized/forwarder 5–15 years surface temporary Net: 16.1 cut to length Thin white oak saplings/sprouts road Gross: 9.1 Open, single-storied Volume: 92 mbf 0.06 miles of new Initial underburn followed by stand, consisting of 8 Leave: Logging Systems: native surface maintenance underburn every Seed to native grasses and forbs dominant and remnant 1.4 mechanized/forwarder temporary road 5–15 years pine and Douglas-fir. cut to length Net: 7.7 Gross: 9 Volume: 236 mbf Seed to native grasses and forbs 0.08 miles of new Initial underburn followed by Leave: 9 Oak/Pine Savanna Logging Systems: native surface maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine 1.6 mechanized/forwarder temporary road 5–15 years Thin white oak saplings/sprouts Net: 7.4 cut to length

Chapter 2 – Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Unit or Acres Desired Future FS or Harvest Roads Fire Native Revegetation/Density Management Condition Road Miles Open, single-storied stand around dominant Initial jackpot burn around Whipfall fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh around and remnant pine and dominant and remnant pine dominant and remnant pine and oak; girdle mature fir less than 24 10 24.7 oak; multi-storied None None and oak followed by inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on the south and west sides of stand in areas maintenance underburn every dominant and remnant pine and oak. dominated by Douglas- 5–15 years fir and white fir Open, single-storied stand around dominant Initial jackpot burn around Whipfall fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh around and remnant pine and dominant and remnant pine dominant and remnant pine and oak; girdle mature fir less than 24 11 37.2 oak; multi-storied None None and oak followed by inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on the south and west sides of stand in areas maintenance underburn every dominant and remnant pine and oak. dominated by Douglas- 5–15 years fir and white fir Open, single-storied stand around dominant Initial jackpot burn around Whipfall fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh around and remnant pine and dominant and remnant pine dominant and remnant pine and oak; girdle mature fir less than 24 13 25.8 oak; multi-storied None and oak followed by inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on the south and west sides of stand in areas maintenance underburn every dominant and remnant pine and oak. dominated by Douglas- 5–15 years fir and white fir Open canopy 20 feet from dripline on south Initial underburn followed by Leave Girdle mature fir less than 24 inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on 14.1 and west side of None None maintenance underburn every Groups the south and west sides of dominant and remnant pine and oak. dominant and remnant 5–15 years pine and oak. Reconstruction: low water fords, Road culvert cleanout, 0.9 mi. — — — — 28-700 rock blankets for plunge pools, and grading

Chapter 2 – Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Figure 5. Oak Flats Restoration Project, Alternative 2 (Proposed Action). 18

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Connected Actions Connected actions are those actions that depend on the proposed action to be implemented, and/or are mitigation or design features that may be required to implement the proposed action. Table 2 displays the connected actions associated with the proposed action.

Reforestation and Pruning If monitoring shows that planting is necessary to increase white oak stocking levels in order to meet desired future conditions within units 1A, 4A, 6, 7, and 9, oak seedlings would be planted in ¼- to 1-acre groups at densities of 75 to 100 trees per acre (tpa) over 10-20 percent of the unit area. White oak plantings would target areas with deep soils. Rust-resistant 3/0 sugar pine and ponderosa pine seedlings would be planted at densities of 5-10 tpa and widely spaced in areas targeted for oak plantings. Pruning of the lower branches would occur 5 to 10 years after planting and would remove 50 percent of the crown. Detailed, unit-specific, silviculture prescriptions and desired future conditions may be found in the Silvicultural Prescription in Appendix A.

Native Seeding Units 1A, 4A (northeast of power line road), 6, 7, and 9, along with areas under the powerline, would be seeded (10–12 lbs per acre) with local native grasses and forbs, including Roemer’s fescue (Festuca idahoensis ), California fescue (Festuca californica), California oatgrass (Danthonia californica), prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha), and woollyhead clover (Trifolium eriocephalum), to facilitate establishment of a grassland understory. A 10–15-ft band along the power line road and the burn piles in unit 4A (southwest of power line road) would be seeded at a slightly heavier rate (12–15 lbs per acre) to contain weed movement (particularly from medusahead, Taeniatherum spp.) into the adjacent stands. Under the power line, plugs of California oatgrass, prairie Junegrass, Roemer’s fescue, mule-ears (Wyethia spp.) and clover would be planted at an approximately 1 ft x 1 ft spacing in medusahead-affected areas.

Seed would only be applied to the areas of Unit 4A (southwest of power line road) disturbed by logging with the same seed mix as Unit 1A. Swales and the tufted hairgrass-dominated, low- lying wet areas in unit 4A (southwest of power line road), 6, and 7 would be seeded to camas and Gairdner’s yampa. If necessary, an area of existing camas would be temporarily caged or fenced to facilitate seed collection. In order to reduce establishment and spread of invasive weeds and other native or non-native weeds, units 2, 5, and 8 would be seeded (6–12 lbs per acre) to native grasses and forbs, including California fescue, blue wildrye and California tea. The relatively flat area of Unit 2 would emphasize California fescue, while the slopes above would have a mix of all three species. The topsoil on bladed temporary roads in units 2, 5 and 8 would be retained, and then returned to the road surface at the close of activities. The temporary roads would be seeded at the same rate and with the same mix as units 2, 5, and 8. The legacy non-system road between units 2 and 3 is already a compacted surface and therefore lacks topsoil. A light mulch of weed- free straw or other organic material would accompany seeding of this segment of the road. An organic fertilizer, such as a biosolid or manure, also would be applied on this segment. Detailed, unit specific, botany prescriptions may be found in the Botany Report located in Appendix D.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Maintenance Underburning Based on monitoring, maintenance underburning within units 1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 4C, 5-11, 13, and leave groups would occur at 5- to 15-year intervals to achieve the long-term desired future condition described in Appendix A.

Precommercial Thinning of Oregon White Oak If densities of white oak less than 20 inches dbh exceed 60 tpa in units 1A, 4A, 6, 7, and 9, mechanical thinning would occur. Thinning would occur when the trees are dormant (late fall, winter, early spring) in order to suppress sprouting. The best-formed trees (fullest crowns and straight boles) would be retained at 40–60 tpa. Leave tree white oaks may be clumped or left as individual trees, depending on their health and vigor.

Whipfalling Whipfalling and handpiling of fir and cedar natural regeneration would occur periodically in areas planted to white oak (units 1A, 4A, 6, 7, and 9) until the planted oaks can survive maintenance underburning. Whipfalling of fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh around dominant and remnant pine and oak would occur prior to jackpot burning within units 3, 10, 11, and 13. Whipfalling of fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh around dominant and remnant pine and oak would occur prior to underburning within leave groups in units 6–9.

Noxious Weed Treatment Meadow knapweed and medusahead rye would continue to be treated along the 28-700 Road and within the powerline corridor. Methods include solarization, cutting of seed heads before dispersal, and manual pulling. The rush skeletonweed population at the end of blocked Road 720 would continue to be mowed annually.

Table 2. Connected Actions Associated with Alternative 2 (Proposed Action). Action Amount Acres of reforestation and pruning 18 Acres of native seeding 130 Acres of maintenance underburning 325 Acres of oak precommercial thinning 89 Acres of whipfalling 119 Acres of noxious weed treatment 20

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

ALTERNATIVE 3 Alternative 3 was developed to meet the purpose and need and to respond to the issue of potential impacts of proposed thinning, roadwork, and burning activities on late-successional habitat conditions. Alternative 3 responds to this issue by reducing new temporary road construction by 17 percent and acres of northern spotted owl nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat (NRF) changed to non-NRF habitat by 20 percent. Alternative 3 includes the following:

IMPACTS OF PROPOSED THINNING, ROADWORK AND BURNING ACTIVITIES ON LATE- SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT CONDITIONS

• Restoring the health of Oregon white oak, ponderosa pine, and sugar pine on 156.2 acres, through silviculture/fuels treatments. • Creating or maintaining 74.2 acres of oak/pine savanna through a combination of harvest of less than 24 inches dbh, less than 80 year-old fir and incense cedar and/or prescribed fire. • Implementing prescribed fire only on 178.2 acres through jackpot burning around dominant and remnant pine and oak. • Within 7.8 acres of leave groups and 178.2 acres of prescribed fire-only units mechanically create snags of mature fir less than 24 inches, 20 feet from dripline on the south and west sides of dominant and remnant pine and oak,. • Thinning 58.6 acres of less than 24 inch dbh, less than 80 year-old fir and incense cedar to enhance the resiliency of existing large diameter trees and facilitate development of future large diameter trees. • Constructing 0.95 miles of new temporary road and 0.36 miles of temporary road on an old existing abandoned road, to access 124.7 acres and 2.7 mmbf of harvest of trees less than 24 inches dbh. A 12-inch bed of certified weed free woody biomass/wood chips would be required on 0.22 miles of this new temporary road to prevent or reduce the occurrences of soil disturbance (compaction) or damage to heritage resources. • Reconstructing 0.9 miles of system Road 28-700 to facilitate hauling logs and reduce potential erosion, including: low water fords, culvert cleanout, rock blankets, brushing, and grading. • Maintaining 4.11 miles of existing system roads inside the planning area, including: the grading and shaping of existing road surfaces, dust abatement, waterbar construction, cleaning asphalt, ditch maintenance as needed, and the cutting of intruding vegetation along roadsides.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Table 3. Alternative 3 Unit Summary. Unit Acres Desired Future Harvest Roads Fire Native Revegetation/Density Management or FS or Condition Road Miles

Volume: 406 mbf 0.14 miles of Seed to native grasses and forbs Logging Systems: new native Initial underburn followed by 1A 13.7 Oak/Pine Savanna skyline (2 ac.) and surface maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine temporary 5–15 years mechanized/forwarder Thin white oak saplings/sprouts cut to length road

Initial underburn followed by 1B 5.3 Oak/Pine Savanna None None maintenance underburn every None 5–15 years 0.37 miles of new native surface temporary road Open, single-storied Volume: 662 mbf .06 miles of stand, consisting of Initial underburn followed by Logging Systems: new chip 2 48.5 dominant and remnant maintenance underburn every Seed to native grasses and forbs skyline (15 ac.) and surface pine, white oak, and 5–15 years mechanized/forwarder temporary Douglas-fir cut to length road 0.36 miles of a legacy non- system, native surface road Open, single-storied stand around Initial jackpot burn around Whipfall fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh dominant and remnant dominant and remnant pine around dominant and remnant pine and oak; girdle mature pine and oak; multi- 3 68.3 None None and oak, followed by fir less than 24 inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on the storied stand in areas maintenance underburn every south and west sides of dominant and remnant pine and dominated by 5–15 years oak. Douglas-fir and white fir Volume: 289 mbf 0.01 miles of Seed to native grasses and forbs 4A Logging Systems: new native Initial underburn followed by 11.4 Oak/Pine Savanna skyline (2 ac.) and surface maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine (NE) temporary 5–15 years mechanized/forwarder Thin white oak saplings/sprouts cut to length road

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Unit Acres Desired Future Harvest Roads Fire Native Revegetation/Density Management or FS or Condition Road Miles

Volume: 780 mbf 0.14 miles of Seed to native grasses and forbs only in areas of logging 4A new chip Initial pile and burn/whipfall disturbance 26.9 Oak/Pine Savanna Logging Systems: surface followed by maintenance Plant white oak and sugar pine (SW) mechanized/forwarder temporary underburn every 5–15 years cut to length road Thin white oak saplings/sprouts Initial underburn followed by 4B 1.9 Oak/Pine Savanna None None maintenance underburn every None 5–15 years Initial underburn followed by 4C 0.9 Oak/Pine Savanna None None maintenance underburn every None 5–15 years

Open, single-storied Volume: 59 mbf 0.02 miles of stand, consisting of new chip Initial underburn followed by 5 2.4 dominant and remnant Logging Systems: surface maintenance underburn every Seed to native grasses and forbs pine, white oak, and mechanized/forwarder temporary 5–15 years Douglas-fir cut to length road

Volume: 91 mbf 0.04 miles of Seed to native grasses and forbs new native Initial underburn followed by 6 3.3 Oak/Pine Savanna Logging Systems: surface maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine temporary 5–15 years mechanized/forwarder Thin white oak saplings/sprouts cut to length road Gross: 0.03 miles of 8.2 Volume: 100 mbf new native Seed to native grasses and forbs surface Initial underburn followed by 7 Leave: Oak/Pine Savanna Logging Systems: temporary maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine 4.8 mechanized/forwarder road 5–15 years cut to length Thin white oak saplings/sprouts Net: 3.4 Gross: 0.06 miles of 9.1 Open, single-storied Volume: 92 mbf new native Initial underburn followed by stand, consisting of 8 Leave: Logging Systems: surface maintenance underburn every Seed to native grasses and forbs dominant and remnant 1.4 mechanized/forwarder temporary 5–15 years pine and Douglas-fir. cut to length road Net: 7.7 Gross: 9 Volume: 236 mbf 0.08 miles of Seed to native grasses and forbs new native Initial underburn followed by 9 Leave: Oak/Pine Savanna Logging Systems: surface maintenance underburn every Plant white oak and sugar pine 1.6 mechanized/forwarder temporary 5–15 years cut to length road Thin white oak saplings/sprouts Net: 7.4

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Unit Acres Desired Future Harvest Roads Fire Native Revegetation/Density Management or FS or Condition Road Miles Open, single-storied stand around Initial jackpot burn around Whipfall fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh dominant and remnant dominant and remnant pine around dominant and remnant pine and oak; girdle mature pine and oak; multi- 10 24.7 None None and oak, followed by fir less than 24 inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on the storied stand in areas maintenance underburn every south and west sides of dominant and remnant pine and dominated by 5–15 years oak. Douglas-fir and white fir Open, single-storied stand around Initial jackpot burn around Whipfall fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh dominant and remnant dominant and remnant pine around dominant and remnant pine and oak; girdle mature pine and oak; multi- 11 37.2 None None and oak, followed by fir less than 24 inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on the storied stand in areas maintenance underburn every south and west sides of dominant and remnant pine and dominated by 5–15 years oak. Douglas-fir and white fir Open, single-storied stand around Initial jackpot burn around Whipfall fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh dominant and remnant dominant and remnant pine around dominant and remnant pine and oak; girdle mature pine and oak; multi- 13 25.8 None None and oak, followed by fir less than 24 inches dbh 20 feet from the dripline on the storied stand in areas maintenance underburn every south and west sides of dominant and remnant pine and dominated by 5–15 years oak. Douglas-fir and white fir Open canopy 20 feet from dripline on south Initial underburn followed by Girdle mature fir less than 24 inches dbh 20 feet from the Leave 7.8 and west sides of None None maintenance underburn every dripline on the south and west sides of dominant and Groups dominant and remnant 5–15 years remnant pine and oak. pine and oak. Reconstruction : low water fords, culvert Road 0.9 mi. - - cleanout, rock - - 28-700 blankets for plunge pools, and grading

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Figure 6. Oak Flats Restoration Project, Alternative 3.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Connected Actions Connected actions are those actions that depend on Alternative 3 to be implemented, and/or are mitigation or design features that may be required to implement Alternative 3. The nature and type of connected actions in Alternative 3 are the same as described for Alternative 2. Table 4 displays the amount of connected actions associated with Alternative 3.

Table 4. Connected Actions Associated with Alternative 3. Action Amount Acres of reforestation and pruning 14 Acres of native seeding 108 Acres of maintenance underburning 297 Acres of oak precommercial thinning 67 Acres of whipfalling 108 Acres of noxious weed treatment 20

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Comparison of Alternatives

Table 5 compares the alternatives by the elements of the purpose and need, the issue indicators, and summarizes other activities, actions and effects that would occur under each alternative.

Table 5. Comparison of Alternatives. Alternative Alternative Alternative Criteria 1 2 3 Element – Oak, Pine, and Native Plant Restoration

• Acres of oak/pine restoration 0 184.7 156.2 • Acres of oak/pine savanna created or maintained 0 96.5 74.2

• Acres of native species seeding and planting 0 147 124.7

Issue – Late-Successional Habitat

• Acres of northern spotted owl nesting, roosting, foraging habitat 0 94 74 (NRF) changed to non-NRF habitat

• Miles of new temporary road construction 0 1.14 0.95 Acres thinned to enhance existing large trees and facilitate development of future 0 58.6 58.6 large trees Acres of underburn with no harvest 0 178.2 178.2

Acres of leave groups and snag creation inside harvest units 0 14.1 7.8

Potential stewardship funding generated for connected actions 0 $553,588 $447,388

Acres of timber harvest 0 147 124.7

Total harvest volume (mmbf) 0 3.3 2.7

Miles of temporary road 0 1.5 1.31

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Best Management Practices, Mitigation Measures, Project Design Features, and Monitoring The following measures apply to all action alternatives or as otherwise stated. These requirements will be implemented in order to meet laws, regulations, and policies. In most cases they have been designed to reduce potential environmental effects.

Mitigation measures are defined as actions that: • Avoid the impact all together (such as avoiding harvest on unstable land); • Minimize impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action; • Rectify the impact by repairing, rehabilitation, or restoring; and • Reduce the impact over time by applying maintenance operations (such as road maintenance).

General Water Quality Best Management Practices (BMPs), symbolized by a checkmark (), are mitigation measures prescribed to protect the beneficial uses of water and to address water quality objectives as required by the Federal Clean Water Act and the 1990 Umpqua National Forest LRMP, as amended. Each BMP is listed by the code used in the Pacific Northwest Regional Guide called General Best Management Practices (USDA, Forest Service, 1988). A complete BMP checklist is included in the Project Record.

Other mitigation not related to compliance with the Clean Water Act is indicated by a round bullet (). Some of the items included in this list are not considered mitigation, but they are included in order to track project design features or prescriptive details. These are noted with the symbol (Rx). Monitoring is delineated by a lightning bolt ().

Contract provisions are noted in parenthesis where they apply and Standards and Guidelines (S&Gs) from the Umpqua National Forest LRMP and Northwest Forest Plan also are listed.

SILVICULTURE  Knutson-Vandenburg (KV) funds will be pursued to propagate native plant materials for planting and seeding within the sale area.

 Trees that are going to be impossible to fell without moderately damaging a mature white oak will be marked for wildlife, followed by girdling in all harvest units. The instance of trees to be marked as wildlife trees, and then killed is incidental and not expected to be a widespread activity. Rx Five to ten rust-resistant 3-0 sugar pine seedlings per acre will be planted at wide spacing in areas targeted for oak plantings. Pruning of the lower branches will occur 5–10 years after planting and will remove 50 percent of the crown.

Rx Planted sugar pine and Oregon white oak will be mulched to reduce competition from grass seeding.

Rx Bare root stock will be inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi spores mixed with water and a material such as Terrasorb right before outplanting.

Rx Tree handling will meet Regional standards (FSH 2409; FSM 2470).

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Rx Leave trees joined together at the base (less than 2 feet apart) will be treated as one tree under the marking guidelines.

Rx Where possible, hardwoods and old-growth remnant snags or live trees will be left standing in harvest areas.

Rx Whipfall fir and cedar saplings less than 7 inches dbh around dominant and remnant pine and oak and girdle mature fir less than 24 inches dbh 20 feet from dripline on the south and west sides of dominant and remnant pine and oak within prescribed fire units 3, 10, 11, and 13.

Rx Whipfalling and handpiling of fir and cedar natural regeneration will occur periodically in areas planted to white oak in units 1A, 4A, 6, 7, and 9, until the planted oaks can survive maintenance underburning.

Rx If densities of white oak less than 20 inches dbh exceed 60 tpa in units 1A, 4A, 6, 7, and 9, then mechanical thinning will occur. Thinning will occur when the trees are dormant (late fall, winter, early spring) in order to suppress sprouting.

 The silviculturist will review marking guides with presale and the timber contract appraiser prior to contract preparation. The timber sale contract will be monitored by sale administration to ensure the silvicultural prescription will be implemented as planned.

BOTANY R-6 Invasive Plan FEIS S&Gs 2, 3, 7, 13; Forest Plan S&Gs IV-200 (C5-I); Contract Provision B/BT6.35

ACTIONS

 Treat known sites of Forest Rated “A” noxious weeds (listed in Chapter 3) as necessary and funded, on haul roads, landings, and skid roads prior to logging activities. Higher priority would be given to sites where there is a threat of moving seed from contaminated to uncontaminated areas. Treatments would be based on the Forest Integrated Weed Management Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact signed in June 2003. The Forest Service will flag noxious weed sites to be avoided in the higher priority sites, prior to work commencing. Infested sites to be avoided will be marked with florescent orange flagging and labeled “NOXIOUS WEEDS” with black lettering. Forest Service will provide the contractor with a map indicating where the known infestations of Forest Rated “A” noxious weeds and other invasive weeds of concern are located. Contractor will avoid ground-disturbing activities in the flagged and/or staked areas unless otherwise directed by the Forest Service.

 Avoid putting landings or equipment staging areas on noxious weed sites.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

 Actions conducted or authorized by written permit by the Forest Service that will operate outside the limits of the road prism (including public works and service contracts), require the cleaning of all heavy equipment (bulldozers, skidders, graders, backhoes, dump trucks, etc.) prior to entering National Forest System Lands (Prevention Standard 2—Regional Invasive Plants FEIS and B/BT6.35).

 A District or Forest weed specialist will inspect active gravel, fill, sand stockpiles, quarry sites and borrow material for invasive plants before use and transport. Use only gravel, fill, sand, and rock that is judged to be weed free by District or Forest weed specialists (including material from commercial sites) (Prevention Standard 7 - Regional Invasive Plants FEIS).

 Treat or require treatment of infested sources before any use of pit material (Prevention Standard 7 - Regional Invasive Plants FEIS). Starting with the highest slopes that have invasive vegetation growing in previously disturbed areas, scrape off the top several inches of soil and rock to remove the seed bank. Stockpile this material in a location at the quarry where it would not be disturbed (i.e., no machinery should drive over the pile). This contaminated material would be monitored and covered as necessary to ensure it does not become a future source of weeds at the quarry.

 Use signs such as “logging use only” to discourage public access to active road construction sites. Allowing only vehicles involved with construction on the site will help limit introduction of noxious weed seed.

 After harvest, treat remaining or new infestations of noxious weeds for up to three years following sale closure.

 Desirable roadside native vegetation will be maintained. If desirable vegetation is removed to bare mineral soil during blading or other ground disturbing activities, then that area must be revegetated.

 Conduct road blading, brushing and ditch cleaning in areas with high concentrations of invasive plants in consultation with District or Forest-level invasive plant specialists; incorporate invasive plant prevention practices as appropriate (Prevention Standard 8 - Regional Invasive Plants FEIS). Forest Service will provide the contractor with a map indicating where the known infestations of Forest Rated “A” noxious weeds and other invasive weeds of concern are located. Contractor will avoid ground-disturbing activities in the flagged and/or staked areas unless otherwise directed by the COR/FSR. Whenever possible, roadside brushing will be accomplished prior to seed setting of noxious weed species (approximately late June) in noxious weed flagged areas. The intent of this activity is to stop and/or prevent noxious weed spread and establishment.

 Firelines will be rehabilitated and revegetated as feasible and necessary as determined by a District or Forest weed specialist, to restore the soil/duff and vegetation layer in order to prevent the introduction and/or the proliferation of noxious weeds.

 If needed, use weed-free straw and mulch for all projects, conducted or authorized by the Forest Service, on National Forest System Lands. If State certified straw and/or mulch are not available, then it must be certified, “all states, noxious weed-free” (Prevention Standard 3 - Regional Invasive Plants FEIS). Note: because of the aquatic nature of rice, the harvested straw is already considered weed-seed free. The District or Forest weed specialist may approve the use of rice straw for some applications.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

 Harvest and fuels treatments will avoid the immediate area where northwestern yellowflax (Sclerolinon digynum) was located in unit 4A, to assure its continued presence in the project area.

 In order to reduce invasion of invasive weeds and other native or non-native weeds, units 1A, 2, 4A, 5, and 6-9 will be seeded to native grasses and forbs.  Temporary roads and forwarder trails within units 4A (southwest of power line road), 6, and 7 will avoid low-lying areas/swales that are dominated by perennial vegetation that indicates persistent water saturation through the spring.

 Harvest and fuels treatments will avoid the immediate area where Thompson’s mistmaiden (Romanzoffiana thompsonii) occurs in one vernally moist depression at the top of the cliffs along the southwestern edge of unit 4A, to assure its continued presence in the project area.

Rx Woodchips on the temporary roads will be removed or raked out to a depth of no more than three inches to facilitate native revegetation.

HERITAGE RESOURCES  Appropriate mitigation measures as directed by the Forest Archaeologist and consistent with the Programmatic Agreement will occur both prior to and during project implementation. Mitigations during implementation may include, but are not limited to, directional hand felling, leave tree retention, and site specific ground coverings.

 Close and careful coordination with heritage resource personnel will be required throughout layout and implementation

 In the event that an unknown historic or prehistoric site is discovered in the course of the project, the activity will be stopped and the appropriate measures will be taken to stop any adverse effects to the site resulting from the activity (BT6.24). Any adverse effects, should they occur, will be mitigated.

 Heritage locations will be flagged prior to work commencing.

 Specific heritage mitigations related to fuels reduction activities and post-harvest fuels treatments shall be included in the burn plans and refer to the mitigation map contained in the burn plan. The district heritage program lead will review/sign all burn plans prior to implementation. Mitigations during implementation of fuels reduction activities may include, but are not limited to, slash pull back from culturally-modified trees, directional hand felling, leave tree retention, and site-specific ground coverings.

 In all units, fuels treatments will avoid severe burning, such as smoldering logs and burned out root systems. “Light-on-the-land” suppression tactics will be employed, including but not limited to: using light spray strength focused on the fuel bed and avoiding the use of higher pressure spray that churns the soil, no grubbing, and location-specific substitution of wet line for hand line.

 Vehicles and equipment will be limited to road surfaces or prior approved areas outside of unit boundaries (FSR 28-700, FSR 28-620).

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

 To prevent damage to heritage resources, limit wheeled and tracked vehicle activities off of system roads in the project area to dry and hard soil conditions to limit potential rutting or compaction.

 Do not install water bars on slopes less than 20 percent.

 Whenever possible, roadside brushing will avoid scuffing the ground or cutting into roadside banks.

 Avoid locating landings, turnarounds, and/or equipment staging areas on or adjacent to heritage sites.

 The upper portion of the legacy non-system road/heritage route located between units 2 and 3 to be employed as a temporary road (approximately 0.36 miles) will be retained and receive Effective Ground Cover (EGC) for erosion protection during seasonal inactivity or at close of harvest activities consisting of wood chips or wood straw. Do not alter the tread. The lower portion of this heritage route in units 2, 3, 4A (NE), 4B (approximately 0.24 miles) will be avoided by harvest, fuels and planting activities.

 Temporary roads and forwarder trails within units 4A (SW), 6, 7, and 8 will avoid the heritage route (i.e., old wagon road) tread. One location approximately 20 feet (6 meters) long in unit 4A (SW) may be used by employing a wood chip road 12 inches in depth during implementation. The woodchip temporary road segment will be removed or raked out to a depth of no less than three inches and will receive Effective Ground Cover (EGC) for erosion protection during seasonal inactivity or at the close of harvest activities consisting of the three inches of wood chips. Wood chip road crossings 12 inches in depth will be used where equipment crossings of heritage route cannot be avoided.

 Harvest, fuels, and planting activities will avoid the heritage route (i.e., old wagon road) tread in units 4A, 6, 7, 8, and 13.

 Directional felling, piling, and removal activities among rock features in unit 4A (SW) will be done in consultation with the Forest Archaeologist.

 Retain and protect all culturally modified trees (standing peeled trees, culturally modified trees, trees bearing blazes, and/or trees with insulators or phone line). Directionally fell away from culturally modified trees of all sizes. Modified trees determined to be hazardous by the COR/FSR will be felled and left in place unless needed for heritage interpretive purposes.

 In all units, plantings of oaks, oak clusters, conifer trees, and shrubs will avoid important cultural sites.

 Locations of digging or uprooting invasive plants outside of the area of impact survey will be monitored prior to first treatment. Treatment of new, expanded, or moved infestations of invasive plants will be done in consultation with District- or Forest-level heritage specialists and may require heritage monitoring prior to their treatment, throughout the treatment timeline.

Heritage clearance for this project is based on an impact area survey. Activities located outside of the impact area may require additional monitoring or separate clearance.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

Heritage resource locations will be monitored each year of operations in order to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures and the need for additional preventative measures.

RECREATION RESOURCES  Safety signs will be maintained on the main travel routes during logging operations.

LOGGING EROSION CONTROL MEASURES BMPs T-3, T-8, T-13, T-14, T-16; Forest Plan S&Gs IV-60-5; IV-65-3, IV-71-13, IV-72-16

OBJECTIVE: Ensure any increase in sedimentation is minimized during and after logging or associated activities. Logging methods are described in the Project File.

ACTIONS:  Identify areas with high erosion potential and adjust unit design.

 Stream course protection will be used where necessary (BT6.5).

 Erosion control measures will be identified where project areas have the potential to produce erosion/sedimentation that may affect water quality and beneficial uses in surface waters (CT6.6#). The installation/application of appropriate erosion control measures will be applied on designated soil gouges in skyline corridors and on ground based equipment skid trails that may reroute or concentrate runoff in order to spread water and allow for infiltration into the soil.

 All required erosion control work shall be completed before October 15 each year.

 Native seed shall be applied to areas that are prone to erosion and that have been disturbed by purchaser’s operations in order to establish an adequate cover of grass or other herbaceous vegetation. Seeding should be kept current prior to expected periods of rain. The seed mix to be used will be provided or agreed to by the Forest Service.

LOGGING PRACTICES BMPs T-1, T-11, T-12, T-16; Forest Plan S&Gs IV-60-2, IV-60-5, IV-67-1, IV-68-2, IV-176, IV- 188, IV-190

OBJECTIVE: Minimize impacts to water quality and soil productivity from timber harvest to the extent practical through logging practices.

ACTIONS:  To reduce the number of skyline corridors, corridors will average 100-150 feet apart from center to center.

 Location of all forwarder trails will be agreed to prior to felling, unless otherwise agreed to in writing (BT6.422) at an average of 100 feet apart.

 Locate landings so that timber can be yarded with minimal disturbance to riparian reserves. Landings will be located outside of the designated no-harvest stream buffers.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

 Locate landings away from the powerline corridor.

 Landing size should be no larger than needed for a safe, efficient yarding, chipping, and loading operation (BT6.422).

CONTROL OF PURCHASER OPERATIONS BMPs T-5, T-10, T-13, T-14, T-15, T-18, T-19, T-21, T-22, R-3, R-9, R-19, R-20, W-4; VM-2, Forest Plan S&Gs IV-83-3, IV-82-5, IV-61-9

OBJECTIVE: Enable the Forest Service to exercise control of operations to prevent impacts which could have detrimental results to water quality.

ACTIONS:  Contract preparation and administration will include operating periods, modification language, and control and acceptance of purchaser work (BT6.1 and BT6.35).

 The Normal Operating Season (June 1 to October 31) for the sale area will be identified and applied, unless otherwise agreed to by the Forest Service. To prevent damage to water quality during the operating period, restriction of equipment shall be enforced through the use of appropriate Timber Sale Contract (TSC) provisions when conditions for timber harvest, road construction, or road use are such that excessive damage will result. The Umpqua Road Rules, which calls for suspending work when either road or environmental damage such as stream turbidity is predicted, will be enforced. The kind and intensity of erosion control work done by the purchaser shall be adjusted to ground and weather conditions and the need for controlling runoff. Waivers to operate outside this period may be granted upon approval of the Forest Service representative.

 Purchaser erosion control structures and maintenance work which must be inspected prior to acceptance by the Forest Service are to be specified in the TSC (CT6.6#).

 If weather conditions warrant, haul routes must be inspected weekly or more frequently by Forest Service personnel. Inspections will focus on road surface condition, drainage maintenance, and sources of soil erosion and sediment delivery to streams.

 Pollutants from logging or road reconstruction equipment will be kept from entering waterways during servicing or refueling by selecting areas at least 150 feet away from wet areas and surface water, and by using a berm around sites to contain spills. If the volume of fuel exceeds 660 gallons in a single container or a total on site storage of 1320 gallons, a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan (BT6.341) is required and the necessary equipment will be on site during operations (BT6.34). The purchaser shall take appropriate preventative measures to ensure that any spill does not enter any stream. Any spill that occurs must be reported to the Contracting Officer.

 All landing locations will be approved by the Forest Service prior to landing construction and agreed upon plans for the landing shall insure water quality protection (BT6.422).

 No chemical dust abatement will be applied within 25 feet of perennial streams or any other stream crossing in which water is flowing during chemical application.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

 No dust abatement chemicals will be applied within 1 foot of the outside edge of road ditch lines.

 Application of dust abatement will occur when streams are at their seasonal baseflow. Dust abatement will not be applied when raining and a 3-day forecast of clear weather shall follow any application of dust abatement.

 Guyline trees for skyline logging will be trees of a size adequate to meet operational needs for a specific yarder and Oregon OSHA safety requirements. Whenever possible, selected guyline trees will be among the smallest diameter trees, in order to maintain large diameter trees on the landscape.

RIPARIAN AREAS WITHIN OR ADJACENT TO HARVEST UNITS BMPs T-4, T-7, T-8; Forest Plan S&Gs IV-60-1, IV-60-4, 5, 6; IV-61-11, IV-33-5

OBJECTIVE: Establish riparian area protection zones to minimize stream temperature increases, protect channel bank structure, and provide a debris filter for sediment and debris which could enter the channels, and maintain a source of large woody debris for continued stream channel stability and structural diversity.

ACTIONS:  Stream courses and wetlands will be identified for protection on sale area maps.

 Site-specific no-harvest buffers were developed for streams located during field reconnaissance.

 Apply the following to minimize potential damage to riparian vegetation from prescribed fire: no handpiles will be burned within 20 feet of the no-harvest stream buffers; no grapple piles will be constructed or burned within 50 feet of the no-harvest stream buffers.

 Protect all no-harvest stream buffers and streams with directional felling (C/CT6.41#), and waive debris cleanout of streams (B/BT6.5).

 Trees that are in no-harvest stream buffers and are damaged during timber harvest or road activities will be left on site.

ROADS BMPs R-2, R-3, R4, R5, R-6, R-7, R-9, R-15, R-23; Forest Plan S&G IV-83-6

OBJECTIVE: To minimize sedimentation, the effects of water concentration on roadbeds, cut slopes or fill slopes, and subsequent production of sediment associated with temporary road construction and road reconstruction.

ACTIONS:

 All new temporary roads will be eliminated from the landscape by either reducing the depth of wood chips or woody biomass to 3 inches or returning newly bladed soil into the road prism.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

 Approximately 0.36 miles of a legacy non-system road, located between units 2 and 3, will be retained, and where needed, proper drainage features will be constructed to reduce the potential of erosion.

 All new temporary roads that do not have wood chips and the legacy non-system road located between units 2 and 3 will receive Effective Ground Cover (EGC) for erosion protection during seasonal inactivity or at close of harvest activities.

 Road construction or reconstruction operations (including culvert replacements) will occur during minimal runoff periods.

 Roadwork contractors will have spill prevention and recovery equipment on site during all road construction operations as agreed to by the Forest Service

 Under the timber sale contract, native-surfaced system roads will have water bars installed and road barriers placed to prevent damage after commercial use is complete, as appropriate. Level 1 aggregate surfaced system roads to be closed following use will be barricaded and treated with water bars if needed to prevent drainage problems.

 Avoid blading ditches that are vegetated, functioning and effectively draining.

 Haul on native surfaced roads should not occur during the wet season. Surface rock placement may be done outside the normal operating season as weather and road conditions permit, but no surface rock can be added to extend the season of haul on any of the abandoned roads that are to be obliterated after use.

 Construction activities that may expose new soil (including clearing, grubbing, excavating, and fill placement) will be limited to the normal operating season (June 1 to October 31). However, construction activities may be suspended anytime during wet weather to protect water quality of affected streams. Construction sites will be re-vegetated as needed to insure surface soil protection.

 Water bars sufficient to disperse water shall be designated by the Forest Service to prevent future traffic and disperse subsurface water on all maintenance level 1 system roads that are reopened and subsequently blocked.

 Obliteration of temporary roads (new or legacy) shall meet specifications of the Forest Service, for depth of treatment and use of effective ground cover on treatment area.

 Hazard trees will be identified along the haul routes and felled as needed to meet OSHA requirements. Hazard trees will be left on site outside of harvest units.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

FISHERIES/WATERSHED BMP R-14

ACTIONS:  Hoses used for drafting water from fish-bearing streams must be equipped with a 5/32” mesh screen. Pumping of water for use in road maintenance must allow for the retention of at least 90 percent of the original stream flow below the pumping site.

SOIL AND SITE PRODUCTIVITY BMP T-9, T-12; Forest Plan S&Gs IV-67-1, 2, 3, IV-71-12

ACTIONS:  Seed and ground cover (straw, chips, hydromulch, etc.) shall be applied to bare soil and drainage areas around landings. Seeding should be kept current, proceeding expected periods of rain. The seed mix to be used will be provided or agreed to by the Forest Service.

 Slash piles created by the purchaser around landings would be placed on compacted work areas, away from waterways and ditches.

 Designate and locate forwarder trails to minimize the area affected by logging operations.

 Locate forwarder trails away from areas identified as having sensitive soils (such as wetlands and conditionally unsuitable soils as mapped in the Soils section of the project record).

 Restrict ground based logging to lands less than 35 percent slope.

 Maintain at least 65 percent effective ground cover in order to maintain soil productivity and prevent soil erosion.

 The levels of effective ground cover will be monitored, as funding allows. If monitoring determines that effective ground cover goals are not met then site specific recommendations will be developed by a soil scientist and the fire management officer. Monitoring will include representative samples of each yarding method, fuels treatment, subsoiling mitigation, and tree mortality along treatment areas to determine if soil management objectives are being met (S&G11, LRMP IV-71).

 To prevent damage to either soil or heritage resources, the operational timing of wheeled equipment in the project area may be restricted to July 16 to November 30, or as soil moisture limits dictate.

 A 12-inch bed of wood chips or certified weed free biomass will be required on 0.25 miles of new temporary road within units 2, 4A, 5, and 7 to prevent or reduce soil disturbance (compaction) or damage to heritage resources.

Rx In order to minimize effects to soils, slash piles will be placed on new and existing skid trails, where practical.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

FUEL MANAGEMENT AND AIR QUALITY General Water Quality BMP’s F-1, F-2, F-3; UNF LRMP S&Gs IV-68-2, 3, 4; IV-92-4, 7, 8; NWFP S&Gs C-35, C-36, FM-1, FM-4

OBJECTIVE: Meet air quality regulations and reduce water quality degradation and soil erosion caused by prescribed fire and other types of fuel treatments. Minimize soil compaction, soil displacement and damage to trees remaining after harvest. Create snags with burning in selected units.

ACTIONS:  Burn plans will include water quality objectives.

 Fire line construction will avoid sensitive areas such as unique habitats, heritage sites, and locations where water could be channeled into areas of instability, headwalls, or streams.

 Burn plans will be prepared in advance of ignition and approved by the appropriate line officer and resource specialists for each prescribed fire.

 Air quality will be emphasized during prescribed fire planning. Mitigating measures will be considered including extending the burning season to spread emissions throughout the year. All burning will be planned and conducted to comply with applicable air quality laws and regulations and coordinated with appropriate air quality regulatory agencies.

• Burning will be conducted to meet air quality standards as outlined by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and air quality monitoring will be conducted in conjunction with the DEQ.

 Grapple piles will be constructed to the following specifications: All slash from 2 inches in diameter up to 6 inches in diameter and exceeding 3 feet in length shall be piled. Pieces greater than 9 inches in diameter on the small end and greater than 6 feet in length shall be excluded/removed from piles. Piles will be constructed compactly with minimal soil in the piles and covered to shed water so they remain dry for burning during the fall or winter; height will be at least 6 feet and no greater than 12 feet; width will be at least 6 feet and no greater than 10 feet. Piles will be evenly spaced between trees and snags left after harvest. Piles will be placed on temporary roads or designated equipment trails when possible. Piles will be placed at least 50 feet away from the outside edges of the no-harvest stream buffers.

 Handpiles will be located a minimum of 10 feet from the base of any leave tree or snag (where possible) and a minimum of 20 feet from the outside edges of no-harvest streams buffers. Piles will not be placed on or in close proximity to stumps or large down logs.

 Burning will be carried out when fuel moistures are sufficient to help retain existing snags and down wood to the extent feasible.

 Handpiles will generally be constructed about 6x6 feet in size and not more than 5-feet high with slash material less than 4” on the large end and not more than 6 feet in length. Piles should also be covered with plastic sheeting to facilitate pile burning.

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

• Equipment used to pile slash will be track mounted with ground pressure not to exceed 7 psi and will meet the following specifications: capability of reaching 35 feet; climbing ability up to 35 percent slope; pivot-operator cab, engine, and arm shall be able to swing 360 degrees while tracks remain stationary; and machine shall be equipped with a brush grapple or articulating brush grapple mechanism.

 Whipfall understory incense cedar in prescribed fire unit 3 to facilitate maintenance underburning and protect the overstory.

 Whipfalling of non-merchantable trees and shrubs, slash pullback in close proximity to leave trees, and pine needle duff reduction around the base of ponderosa/sugar pine, will be implemented, if necessary, to achieve acceptable mortality specifications (less than 5 percent) for leave trees more than 20 inches dbh. Pine needle duff reduction will not occur in the spring when fine root growth is occurring.

 Equipment used to machine pile slash will use legacy forwarder trails and temporary roads on slopes less than 35 percent.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT  To reduce impacts to nesting landbirds, maintenance underburning will occur in the fall/winter months and not in spring or summer.

 Retain and protect (during harvest and burning) existing large down wood (more than 6-inch diameter) and snags (more than 9 inches dbh) to the extent practical and safe. Avoid mechanical impacts and movement of large down wood and leave felled snags on site.

 Harvest related activities may be curtailed from December 1 to April 30 to comply with Elk Winter Range Restrictions. Harvest related activities within this timeframe will require pre- approval by the District Wildlife Biologist.

Monitoring and Adaptive Management The Oak Flats project represents Diamond Lake Ranger District’s first oak restoration project. Although current scientific and management publications were used to develop prescriptions, monitoring and adaptive management should play a key role throughout this project. Many of the post-harvest treatments planned would require monitoring before implementation in order to evaluate their necessity, timing, and scope. These treatments also should be monitored after implementation to evaluate their effectiveness in meeting the short- and long-term desired future conditions discussed in Appendix A and D. Monitoring items are discussed below:

1) The silviculturist will review marking guidelines with the presale crew prior to marking and will monitor quality both during and after the unit is marked, on a sample of each type of prescription. If the short-term desired condition is not met, remarking or amending the silvicultural prescription will be necessary. 2) Logging operations will be monitored by the sale administrator, soil scientist, heritage specialist, and silviculturist. If standards and guidelines, best management practices, mitigating measures, or the silvicultural prescription are not being met, additional

Chapter 2 - Alternatives Oak Flats Restoration EA

measures will be prescribed to ensure compliance. If a leave tree must be harvested for safety reasons, the sale administrator may mark another tree for leave to replace it. 3) Formal stand exams will be performed and evaluated every 5–10 years to determine if management actions are achieving the long-term desired future condition (DFC) outlined in the silvicultural prescription. Permanent photo points also will be established in all units, in order to track visual change and evaluate the stands current condition in relation to the DFC. 4) The density of white oak less than 20 inches dbh will be monitored after harvest and slash treatment within the oak/pine savanna. If densities exceed 60 tpa less than 20 inches dbh, mechanical thinning will be necessary. 5) White oak reestablishment will be monitored after harvest and slash treatment to see if planting is necessary within the oak/pine savanna. In areas of low white oak stocking (less than 20 tpa), utilize stump sprouts to increase white oak densities before planting oak seedlings. If planting is necessary to increase white oak stocking levels in areas with no stump sprouting, plant white oak seedlings in ¼-1 acre groups at densities of 50–75 tpa. Reforestation should be examined the first, third, and fifth growing seasons after planting. These exams will determine survival rates, brush competition, species mix, level of natural regeneration, and damage factors. The need for additional follow-up treatments will be based on these exams. These could include replanting, animal damage control, and release from vegetative competition. 6) The mortality of leave trees greater than 20 inches dbh will be monitored after burning operations. If greater than 5 percent mortality occurs, mitigation measures will be implemented during maintenance underburning to limit mortality of leave trees greater than 20 inches dbh to less than 5 percent. 7) The timing of maintenance underburning will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary team, based on vegetative and fuels information collected through the stand exam process. The desired future condition should be used to determine the timing and intensity of the maintenance underburns. Maintenance underburning will also be evaluated to see if it was effective in meeting the desired future conditions. 8) Monitoring should specifically target the effect of maintenance underburning on seasonally wet areas to determine how native versus introduced species respond. Plans for maintenance underburning in the future should consider and monitor the effect of fire on camas. 9) Noxious weed populations will be monitored each year in order to evaluate the effectiveness of native revegetation and the need for weed treatments and preventative measures. 10) Until maintenance underburning begins, the need for mechanical removal of fir and cedar natural regeneration will be evaluated post-harvest/slash treatment within the oak/pine savanna where oak planting or stump sprouting is necessary to increase white oak stocking levels. 11) Heritage specialists will monitor all ground disturbing, post-harvest activities prior to implementation.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

CHAPTER 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Introduction This chapter describes the components and scope of the human environment that may be affected by implementation of the alternatives outlined in Chapter 2 and discloses the potential consequences of implementing each alternative including the mitigation measures, watershed best management practices, and management requirements associated with each alternative. A complete description of each alternative is found in Chapter 2.

This chapter presents the scientific and analytic basis for the comparison of alternatives. The effects are discussed in terms of social and environmental changes from the current condition and include quantitative assessments where possible as well as qualitative assessments. All discussions are tiered to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) of the 1990 Umpqua National Forest LRMP, as amended and the 2005 Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Pacific Northwest Region Invasive Plant Program. It also incorporates by reference the recommendations and analysis in the 1998 South Cascades Late-Successional Reserve Assessment (SCLSRA) and 2001 Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis (CCWA). This chapter also incorporates by reference all reports and analysis prepared by resource specialists for the project record.

Activities That May Contribute to Cumulative Effects The tables below document the relevant past, present, and reasonably foreseeable activities that may contribute to cumulative effects for the Oak Flats Restoration project. Recently, the Council on Environmental Quality issued a memo stating that agencies are not required to “catalogue or exhaustively list and analyze all individual past actions” (CEQ memo, June 24, 2005). Instead, agencies should use scoping to focus on relevant past actions and discuss their relevance in terms of the cause and effect the past actions had on a resource. This direction is followed in the Oak Flats project; the following tables are displayed to summarize information known about the Copeland Creek subwatershed. Discussion of these activities occurs throughout this chapter, where relevant.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Table 6. Past Activities that May Contribute to Cumulative Effects in the Copeland Creek Subwatershed. Activity Decade Acres/Miles Comments Regeneration Harvest 1950s 159 Regeneration harvest (clearcut, 1960s 774 shelterwood, and seedtree).

1970s 1150 1980s 699 1990s 942 3,724 acres TOTAL ACRES Commercial Thinning 1970s 47 Commercial thinning used primarily ground based and skyline logging. 47 acres TOTAL ACRES Precommercial Thinning 1970s 151 PCT was accomplished using hand carried (PCT) 1980s 859 chain saws. 1990s 400 2000s 1050 2460 acres TOTAL ACRES Slash Burning 1950s 159 Underburning and broadcast burning 1960s 515 activity fuels. 1970s 698 1980s 496 1990s 1562 3430 acres TOTAL ACRES Pile Burning 1970s 369 Machine and hand piling of activity fuels. 1980s 675 1990s 306 TOTAL ACRES 1350 acres System Road Miles ML1 20 Building of system roads for logging and ML2 57 transportation purposes. ML3 3 ML4 6 TOTAL MILES 86 miles

Road Decommissioning 1980s - 0.15 miles 2010

Instream Fish Habitat 2006 - 8 miles Placement of large wood in Copeland Enhancement 2007 Creek.

Noxious Weed Treatments 2003 - 20 acres Solarization of meadow knapweed along 2010 roads and powerlines, mowing and native seeding of medusahead rye, and mowing/clipping and conifer planting within the rush skeleton weed site in the Oak Flats Planning Area. Construction of North 1940- 2,500 Acres of forest cleared for powerline Umpqua Hydro power 50s corridors in the Copeland Creek project subwatershed.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Table 7. Present and Ongoing Activities that May Contribute to Cumulative Effects in the Copeland Creek Subwatershed. Activity Type Total Location Acres/Miles Roadwork 29 miles Blading, ditch clean out, and maintenance as budgeted. Focused on main roads within the planning area. Noxious Weed 20 acres Solarization of meadow knapweed along roads and powerlines, Treatment mowing and native seeding of medusahead rye, and mowing/clipping and conifer planting within the rush skeleton weed site in the Oak Flats Planning Area. Powerline 1.2 Along powerline corridors corridor vegetation maintenance

Table 8. Reasonably Foreseeable Activities in the Copeland Creek Subwatershed. Activity Type Total Notes Acres/Miles Road 29 miles Ongoing maintenance of road system in the watershed. Maintenance Noxious Weed 20 acres Solarization of meadow knapweed along roads and powerlines, Treatment mowing and native seeding of medusahead rye, and mowing/clipping and conifer planting within the rush skeleton weed site in the Oak Flats Planning Area. Powerline 1.2 Along powerline corridors. corridor vegetation maintenance

Late-Successional Habitat

During scoping, several conservation groups expressed concern over the effects of harvest and construction of new temporary roads on late-successional habitat and the species that prefer this habitat within the Late-Successional Reserve land allocation. This issue was addressed in the development of Alternative 3 by dropping portions of units 6 and 7 and associated temporary road construction located on the west side of Forest Service Road 28-700.

The environmental effects of harvest and roads are disclosed in numerous places in this Chapter including the sections on forest vegetation, forest wildlife, botany, water quality, mass wasting, surface erosion, riparian reserves, and fisheries. In order to reduce redundancy, these effects will not be repeated here.

To help quantify and track the issue of late-successional habitat the following indicators were developed:

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

• Acres of northern spotted owl nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat (NRF) changed to non-NRF habitat • Miles of new temporary road construction

EXISTING CONDITION The existing condition for late-successional habitat was analyzed at three different scales: • Stand level • Planning area (7,056 acres) • Copeland Creek 6th field subwatershed (22,978 acres)

For this analysis, late-successional habitat is synonymous with northern spotted owl nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat (NRF) as defined by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. This definition can be found in Chapter 3 of this document under the “Forest Wildlife - Northern Spotted Owl heading”.

Table 9 depicts the amount of NRF habitat within each unit proposed for silviculture and/or fuels treatment. Temporary roads within treatment units are included in these amounts. Historically, habitat within units proposed for harvest/prescribed fire would not likely have been NRF habitat; but has become suitable NRF habitat over time as a result of fire suppression, ingrowth, and encroachment of conifers into oak/pine woodlands.

Table 9. Acres of NRF Habitat at the Stand Level. Unit # Type of Treatment Acres of NRF Habitat 1A Harvest/prescribed fire 7 2 Harvest/prescribed fire 48 3 Prescribed fire 68 4A Harvest/prescribed fire 10 5 Harvest/prescribed fire 2 6 Harvest/prescribed fire 9 7 Harvest/prescribed fire 11 8 Harvest/prescribed fire 5 9 Harvest/prescribed fire 2 10 Prescribed fire 25 11 Prescribed fire 37 13 Prescribed fire 26

At the larger landscape scales, the planning area contains 4,299 acres (61 percent) of late- successional habitat and the Copeland Creek watershed contains 14,602 acres (64 percent). Proposed activities would affect an estimated 4.3 percent and 1.3 percent of LSR habitat at the planning area and watershed scales, respectively

RELEVANT STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES Chapter 1 of this document discusses relevant standards and guidelines under the heading “Guidance and Recommendations from the South Cascades Late-Successional Reserve Assessment, Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis, Copeland Creek Watershed Restoration Plan, and Regional LSR Workgroup Review”.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS Direct and indirect effects to late-successional habitat were analyzed at two different scales:

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

• Stand level • Planning area (7,056 acres)

Table 10 and Table 11 display the amount of NRF habitat removed and miles of new temporary road construction within each unit proposed for silviculture and/or fuels treatment under Alternative 2 and Alternative 3, respectively. Connected actions under both action Alternatives would not remove NRF habitat.

Table 10. NRF Habitat Removal and Temporary Road Construction under Alternative 2.

Unit # Acres of NRF Habitat Removed Miles of New Temporary Road Construction

1A 7 0.14 2 48 0.43 3 0 0 4A 10 0.15 5 2 0.02 6 9 0.16 7 11 0.1 8 5 0.06 9 2 0.08 10 0 0 11 0 0 13 0 0 Total 94 1.14

Table 11. NRF Habitat Removal and Temporary Road Construction under Alternative 3. Unit # Acres of NRF Habitat Removed Miles of New Temporary Road Construction 1A 7 0.14 2 48 0.43 3 0 0 4A 10 0.15 5 2 0.02 8 5 0.06 9 2 0.08 10 0 0 11 0 0 13 0 0 Total 74 0.95

Under Alternative 2, 1.14 miles of new temporary road construction combined with harvest and prescribed fire would remove 94 acres of NRF habitat within the planning area. This would result in a 1.3 percent reduction of NRF habitat within the planning area in perpetuity due to

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

scheduled maintenance underburning. Under Alternative 3, 0.95 miles of new temporary road construction combined with harvest and prescribed fire would remove 74 acres of NRF habitat within the planning area. This would result in a 1 percent reduction of NRF habitat within the planning area in perpetuity, due to scheduled maintenance underburning. Under Alternative 1 (no action), levels of NRF habitat would remain the same as the existing condition.

CUMULATIVE EFFECTS Cumulative effects to late-successional habitat were analyzed at the Copeland Creek watershed scale. Following consideration of the incremental impacts of the project, when added to past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions in the planning area, it is determined that levels of NRF habitat under both action alternatives would be reduced by less than 0.5 percent within the Copeland Creek watershed. The incremental change of between 74 to 94 acres of NRF habitat to a non-NRF condition is not anticipated to result in measurable differences in overall habitat effectiveness for LSR-dependent species. This supports the LSR Workgroup’s finding that this project is consistent with Standard and Guidelines for Habitat Improvement Projects (C-17) in that “the effect to late-successional associated species is negligible” and the project is consistent with the goal to “maintain biological diversity associated with native species” (B-1). This also supports the Regional Ecosystem Office concurrence with the Umpqua National Forest’s conclusion that the Oak Flats Restoration Project on the Diamond Lake Ranger District is consistent with the Northwest Forest Plan and the project complies with the South Cascades LSR Assessment to “provide diverse vegetation structure and pattern” (LSRA, p. 114) and “maintain special habitats that have been declining due to fire exclusion” (LSRA, p. 149). Terrestrial Environment A detailed description of the terrestrial environment can be found in the 2001 Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis (CCWA). Site-specific field work and analysis for this project produced additional information, which is provided in the following sections.

Two spatial scales are used in many of the following discussions: (1) the landscape-scale; and, (2) the stand-scale. The landscape-scale focuses on larger-scale conditions such as forest vegetation patterns as seen from an airplane. The stand-scale refers to an area of 20 to 140 acres in size. Stand exam and other field data were used to characterize stand-scale conditions. Existing and future conditions were quantified and modeled using this stand exam data and the Forest Vegetation Simulator Model (Donnelly and Johnson, 1997) and Fire and Fuels Extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator Model (Reinhardt and Crookston, 2003).

FOREST VEGETATION

Existing and Desired Landscape Conditions Historically, open savanna oak and pine-dominated forests covered 4,500 acres within the Calf/Copeland Creek Watershed (CCWA, 2001). Today, oak habitat has been reduced to small isolated pockets and open ponderosa pine forest has essentially been eliminated, due to fire suppression beginning in the 1930’s (CCWA, 2001). Fire suppression has led to white oak and ponderosa pine mortality and low vigor of these species due to competition, mainly from Douglas-fir. Historical Fire Regime I (frequent, low intensity fire), Native American burning, and fires initiated in the early 1900s by settlers for grazing, maintained these types of stands in an open savanna habitat (CCWA, 2001). These habitats occupy less than 1 percent of the Late-

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Successional Reserve network and are considered important for maintaining diversity across the landscape (SCLSRA, 1998).

Today, late-successional habitat (more than 80 years old) occupies approximately 64 percent of the Copeland Creek subwatershed. It is composed of small patches compared to larger patches present in the 1930s. The small patches and the abundance of early- and mid-successional habitat reflect the pattern established by staggered, small clearcuts that occurred from the 1950s through the 1990s. Approximately 34 percent of the subwatershed is currently in the early- to mid-successional stage of forest development.

The desired landscape condition would be characterized by an increase in open savanna oak and pine-dominated forests similar to historic vegetative conditions, especially within Oak Flats. The desired pattern of vegetation patches within Oak Flats would align with a pattern produced by frequent, low intensity fire effects, consistent with the WA recommendations and objective 1 of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy, which calls for the restoration of the diversity and complexity of landscape scale features such as vegetation patterns.

Existing Stand Conditions Two plant associations, described in the “Field Guide to the Forested Plant Associations of Southwestern Oregon” (Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-17-96, 1996), are represented at Oak Flats. The Oregon White Oak-Douglas-fir/Poison Oak (QUGA4-PSME/RHDI6) association is dominated by Oregon white oak with minor amounts of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir. Structural stage ranges between stem exclusion and old-growth, with Oregon white oak ages ranging from 70 to 450 years. Canopy structure ranges between single- and multi-storied, with canopy closures ranging from 30 to 80 percent. Basal areas range from 57 to 177 ft2 and stocking density ranges from 90 to 840 tpa. The presence of snags is very low and fuels are characterized by a Fuel Model 2 (grass). Douglas-fir natural regeneration is encroaching on the edges of these stands.

The Douglas-fir/-Incense cedar/Oregon grape (PSME-CADE27/BEPI2) association is dominated by 60– 80 year-old Douglas-fir with ponderosa pine, Oregon white oak, incense cedar, white fir, sugar pine, madrone (Arbutus menziesii), and chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla). Old- growth remnants are widely scattered through these stands (approximately two per acre) and are predominantly fire-scarred Douglas-fir. Structural stage ranges between stem exclusion and old-growth, with tree ages ranging from 60 to 450 years. Canopy structure ranges between single- and multi-storied, with canopy closure ranging from 60 to 87 percent. Basal area ranges from 100 to 407 ft2 and stocking density ranges from 260 to 610 tpa. The presence of snags more than 20 inches dbh is low (between 0 and 10 per acre) and fuels are characterized by a Fuel Model 8 (light timber litter). The shrub layer is light to moderate and consists of vine maple (Acer circinatum), salal (Gaultheria shallon), willow (Salix spp.), and hazelnut (Corylus cornuta). Riparian areas are characterized by low gradient ephemeral and intermittent streams, low canopy closure, big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), Oregon white oak, Douglas-fir, incense cedar, grasses and sedges, and willow. Douglas-fir competition is causing high mortality and reduced vigor of Oregon white oak and ponderosa pine.

Current vegetative and geographic physical conditions for stands analyzed for the Oak Flats Restoration Project are described in Table 12. More detailed information is contained within the Silviculture/Fuels Prescription (Appendix A).

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Table 12. Existing Physical and Biological Stand Condition.

Basal Structural Stand Plant Total Gross Ave. Age Canopy Canopy Elevation Slope Tree Species TPA>20" TPA>30" Area Stage Aspect # Association Live 2 Volume Trees 7-30”dbh Structure Closure (ft.) (%) (ft ) (Oliver) TPA (mbf/ac) (%) SINGLE/ 1 DF, IC, WF ,PP ,WO PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 273 19 3 212 48 SE/UR 70 71 SW 2500 20 MULTI SINGLE/ 2 DF, PP, WO, SP, IC PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 330 20 10 275 44.7 SE/UR 70 75 SW 2500 30 MULTI DF, IC, PP, WO, SINGLE/ 5 PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 600 14 7 285 36 SE/UR 70 87 SW 2500 40 SP, WF MULTI DF, PP , IC, WF, SINGLE/ 6 PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 340 10 0 242 48 SE/UR 70 78 W 2400 10 WO MULTI SINGLE/ 7 WO, PP, DF QUGA4-PSME/RHDI6 380 20 0 177 16 OG oak 175 68 SW 2450 15 MULTI SINGLE/ 8/9 WO, PP QUGA4-PSME/RHDI6 90 0 0 57 2.4 SE/UR oak 60/125 oak 30 SW 2500 35 MULTI TWO 11 WO, PP QUGA4-PSME/RHDI6 840 0 0 178 8.4 SE oak 60/70 oak 84 W 2400 3 STORIED 12 WO, PP, DF QUGA4-PSME/RHDI6 110 0 10 116 1.9 SE/UR oak 42/136 oak MULTI 53 S 2500 5 SINGLE/ 14 DF, PP, IC PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 290 10 0 196 40.1 SE/UR 70 SW 2400 7 MULTI DF, IC, PP, WO, SINGLE/ 2450 15 PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 487 27 7 289 62.1 SE/UR 70 76 SW 5 SP, WF MULTI DF, PP, WO, SP, SINGLE/ 2400 16 PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 400 15 15 262 77.1 SE/UR 73 70 SW 12 WF, M MULTI SINGLE/ 2400 18 DF, IC, WF, PP, SP PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 335 10 0 202 37.8 SE/UR 62 70 SW 13 MULTI DF, IC, PP, WO, 2400 19 PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 480 34 7 240 51.9 UR/OG 120 MULTI 67 SW 6 SP, WF SINGLE/ 2400 20 DF, PP, WO, WF, M PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 560 7 0 250 41.3 SE/UR 60 82 SW 5 MULTI DF, PP, WO, SP, 2350 21 PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 260 30 10 244 51.9 SE/UR 100 MULTI 69 S 9 WF, M 22 DF, PP, IC, WO PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 320 0 0 100 14.4 SE 60 SINGLE 60 S 2350 3 23 DF, WO, PP, WF PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 500 0 0 234 37.8 SE/UR 75/130 oak MULTI 80 W 2400 4 24 DF, PP, WO PSME-CADE27/BEPI2 610 30 10 407 87.3 SE/UR 100 MULTI 80 SW 2400 4

DF Douglas-fir PSME Douglas-fir SI Stand Initiation N North TPA Trees per acre SP Sugar pine QUGA4 White oak SE Stem Exclusion E East WO White oak CYEC Hedgehog dogtail UR Understory Reinitiation S South IC Incense cedar BEPI2 Piper’s Oregongrape OG Old growth W West M Pacific madrone RHDI6 Poison oak PP Ponderosa pine CADE27 Incense cedar WF White fir

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Desired Stand Conditions Desired conditions were based on three main publications: “A Landowner’s Guide for Restoring and Managing White Oak Habitats” (Vesely and Tucker, 2004), “A Practical Guide to Oak Release” (Harrington and Devine, 2006), and “Regional Patterns of Dead Wood in Forested Habitats of Oregon and Washington” (Ohmann and Waddell, 2002). Desired conditions also were based on stand exam information from the existing oak/pine savanna stands on the north end of Oak Flats (units 1B, 4B, and 4C) where little to no conifer encroachment has occurred and also were inferred from historic aerial photos of the planning area.

Perhaps the most widespread threat to Oregon white oak habitat is the continuing displacement of oaks by other tree species. In the absence of fire or active management, tree densities would continue to increase on oak savannas until they become oak or mixed species woodlands. In just a few decades, these woodlands would almost always become dominated by faster growing conifers and other more shade-tolerant trees until oaks are completely eliminated from the stand (Vesely and Tucker, 2004). In addition, the plant and animal communities associated with Oregon white oak need open areas or sunny conditions (Harrington and Devine, 2006).

Proposed Treatments and Residual Stand Conditions Four major types of treatments are proposed, based on meeting the purpose and need and short- and long-term desired conditions, including: • Oak/Pine Savanna-Harvest-Initial Underburn or Pile and Burn-Maintenance Underburn • Pine Health-Thinning-Harvest-Initial Underburn-Maintenance Underburn • Oak/Pine Savanna-No Harvest-Initial Underburn-Maintenance Underburn • Pine Health-Jackpot Burn-No Harvest-Maintenance Underburn

Stands Proposed for the Oak/Pine Savanna/Harvest/Underburn or Pile Burn Prescription (Units 1A, 4A, 6, 7, 9) The short-term (less than 10 years) DFC is an open, uneven-aged stand dominated by white oak and ponderosa pine with the following characteristics: • Canopy closure from 10 to 30 percent in areas where there are few white oak in the existing stand • Canopy closure from 30 to 60 percent in areas where white oak dominates the existing stand (units 8, 9, 11, and 12) • Densities ranging from 50 to 160 ft2 of basal area • 6–31 tpa greater than 20 inches dbh consisting of widely scattered old-growth Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, incense cedar, and white oak remnants, 70 year-old dominant ponderosa pine, and two younger (70–80 year old) dominant Douglas-fir per acre • 40–60 white oak per acre less than 20 inches dbh • Greater than 80 percent ground cover of native grasses, shrubs, and forbs, in areas not planted with oak seedlings • 0–10 sugar pine and/or ponderosa pine per acre less than 20 inches dbh • 0–5 snags per acre greater than 20 inches dbh • Down woody material: 1.7 percent groundcover

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

The long-term (100 years) DFC is an open, uneven-aged stand maintained by fire (underburn) every 5–15 years, dominated by white oak and ponderosa pine with the following characteristics: • Canopy closure from 30 to 80 percent • Densities ranging from 120 to 180 ft2 of basal area • 10–35 tpa greater than 20 inches dbh consisting of widely scattered old-growth Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, incense cedar, and white oak remnants, and dominant/codominant ponderosa pine/sugar pine, incense cedar, and Douglas-fir (2 per acre) • 40–60 white oak per acre less than 20 inches dbh • More than 80 percent ground cover of native grasses, shrubs, and forbs • 5–10 sugar/ponderosa pine per acre less than 20 inches dbh • 0–5 snags per acre greater than 20 inches dbh • Down woody material: 1.7 percent groundcover

Stands Proposed for the Thinning/Underburn Prescription (Units 2, 5, 8) The short-term (less than 10 years) DFC is a two-storied stand dominated by Douglas-fir with the following characteristics: • Canopy closure from 30 to 50 percent • Canopy base heights greater than 35 feet • Densities ranging from 100 to 220 ft2 of basal area • 20–30 tpa greater than 20 inches dbh consisting of widely scattered old- growth Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, incense cedar, and white oak remnants, and dominant/codominant ponderosa pine/sugar pine and Douglas-fir • 20–60 tpa less than 20 inches dbh consisting of codominant and intermediate Douglas-fir, ponderosa/sugar pine, and incense cedar • 3–5 snags per acre greater than 20 inches dbh • Down woody material: 1.4 percent groundcover

The long-term (100 years) DFC is a single-storied stand maintained by fire (underburn) every 5–15 years, dominated by Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine with the following characteristics: • Canopy closure from 30 to 60 percent • Canopy base heights greater than 50 feet • Densities ranging from 140 to 250 ft2 of basal area • 29–35 tpa greater than 20 inches dbh consisting of widely scattered old-growth Douglas-fir, incense cedar, and ponderosa pine remnants, and dominant/codominant ponderosa pine/sugar pine and Douglas-fir • 0–10 tpa less than 20 inches dbh consisting of codominant and intermediate Douglas-fir, ponderosa/sugar pine, and incense cedar • 5–10 snags per acre greater than 20 inches dbh • Down woody material: 1.4 percent groundcover

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Stands Proposed for the Jackpot Burn/No Harvest Prescription (Units 3, 10, 11, 13) The short-term (less than 10 years) DFC is a two-storied stand dominated by Douglas-fir with the following characteristics: • Canopy closure from 60 to 80 percent • Canopy base heights greater than 25 feet • Densities ranging from 250 to 280 ft2 of basal area • 20–35 tpa greater than 20 inches dbh consisting of widely scattered old-growth Douglas-fir, incense cedar, and ponderosa pine remnants, and dominant/codominant ponderosa pine/sugar pine, incense cedar, and Douglas-fir • 150–250 tpa less than 20 inches dbh consisting of codominant and intermediate Douglas-fir, ponderosa/sugar pine, incense cedar, white oak, and white fir • 2–5 snags per acre greater than 20 inches dbh • Down woody material: 1.4 percent groundcover

The long-term (100 years) DFC is a single-storied stand maintained by fire (underburn) every 5–15 years, dominated by Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine with the following characteristics: • Canopy closure from 45 to 60 percent • Canopy base heights greater than 40 feet • Densities ranging from 230 to 260 ft2 of basal area • 25–45 tpa greater than 20 inches dbh consisting of widely scattered old-growth Douglas-fir, incense cedar, and ponderosa pine remnants, and dominant/codominant ponderosa pine/sugar pine, Douglas-fir, and incense cedar • 15–30 tpa less than 20 inches dbh consisting of codominant Douglas-fir, ponderosa/sugar pine, and incense cedar • 5–10 snags per acre greater than 20 inches dbh • Down woody material: 1.4 percent groundcover

Stands Proposed for the Oak/Pine Savanna/Underburn Prescription (Units 1B, 4B, 4C) The short and long term DFC is an open, uneven-aged stand dominated by white oak with the following characteristics: • Canopy closure from 30 to 80 percent • Densities ranging from 120 to 180 ft2 of basal area • 15-25 tpa greater than 20 inches dbh consisting of white oak and ponderosa pine • 40–60 white oak per acre less than 20 inches dbh • More than 80 percent ground cover of native grasses, shrubs, and forbs • 0–10 ponderosa pine per acre less than 20 inches dbh • 0–5 snags per acre greater than 20 inches dbh. • Down woody material: 1.7 percent groundcover

The general prescription for each activity unit and the resultant residual stand condition after treatment is displayed in Table 13. Table 14 depicts a cross walk between stand exam number and activity unit number. A more detailed prescription can be found in the Silviculture/Fuels Prescription (Appendix A).

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Table 13. Residual Stand Condition After Harvest and/or Initial Fuels Treatment.

Savanna 1A 13.7 7 - 18 7 - 41 0 - 8 0 - 21 47 - 160 29 406 10 - 30 Harvest/

Underburn Oak/Pine 1B,4B, Savanna 8.1 15 - 25 50 - 100 40 - 100 0 - 10 120 - 180 0 0 30 - 65 4C Underburn

Thinning 2 Harvest 48.5 24 - 26 45 - 83 0 - 11 0 - 41 100 - 220 14 662 30 - 48 Underburn

Jackpot burn 3 around pines 68.3 23 - 29 162 - 256 9 - 16 55 - 67 250 - 277 0 0 65 and oak Oak/Pine 4A Savanna 26.9 0 - 9 18 - 128 0 - 100 14 - 29 39 - 128 29 780 13 - 60 (SW) Harvest Pile and Burn Oak/Pine 4A Savanna 11.4 7 - 18 21 - 41 0 - 40 9 - 21 45 - 160 25 289 13 - 30 (NE) Harvest Underburn Thinning 5 Harvest 2.4 26 74 0 9 120 25 59 37 Underburn Oak/Pine Savanna 6 12.9 14 - 19 43 - 49 0 - 10 9 - 12 120 - 160 27 355 31 - 38 Harvest Underburn Oak/Pine Savanna 7 16.1 6 - 31 42 - 73 0 - 18 9 - 18 62 - 160 29 474 33 - 38 Harvest Underburn

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

TPA TPA Harvest Canopy Area TPA >6” White Basal Area Total Harvest Unit # Prescription TPA>20” Ponderosa 2 Volume Closure % (acres) dbh Oak >4” (ft ) Volume dbh Pine >4” (mbf/ac) (all live trees) dbh (mbf) dbh Thinning 8 Harvest 7.7 22 - 28 50 - 56 0 - 3 5 - 12 105 - 155 12 92 41 Underburn Oak/Pine Savanna 9 7.4 6 73 7 18 62 32 236 33 Harvest Underburn Jackpot burn 10 around pines 24.7 22 - 32 178 - 301 0 - 7 13 - 30 255 - 275 0 0 60 - 76 and oak

Jackpot burn 11 around pines 37.2 32 - 36 139 - 174 0 0 - 12 225 - 277 0 0 60 - 69 and oak

Jackpot burn 13 around pines 25.8 19 - 27 122 - 149 0 11 - 29 153 - 258 0 0 59 - 67 and oak

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Table 14. Cross Reference Between Activity Units and Stand Exams. Activity Unit # Stand Exam # 1A 1, 2, 6 1B 7, 10 2 1, 2, 5, 6 3 2, 5 4A 2, 5, 6, 11, 12, 23, 24 4B 9 4C 8 5 6 6 15,16 7 16, 18, 19, 20 8 20, 21 9 20 10 19, 20 11 14, 15, 19 13 21, 22

Direct and Indirect Effects Direct effects are those that are triggered immediately as a result of implementation at the stand scale. Indirect effects are those that would occur within the treatment areas and at the landscape-scale over a period of one to five decades (Table 15). The disclosure of effects below applies to both upland and riparian forests.

Table 15. Summary of Direct and Indirect Effects to Vegetation. Treatment Vegetation Primary Effect Duration Treatment Acres Change (Beneficial/Adverse) (yrs) by Alternative 1 2 3 Oak/Pine Transition from Beneficial – Increased habitat 1-50 0 88.4 66.1 Savanna- mid-/late- diversity at the landscape scale;

Harvest- successional to Increased growth and improved Initial early- health and vigor of oak and pine; Underburn successional Return to vegetative conditions or Pile and habitat; Much at Oak Flats that are indicative of Burn- lower stand the natural disturbance regime; Maintenance densities and Recruitment of scattered, large Underburn canopy closure; diameter, open grown, old- Species shift growth conifer trees to replace

from Douglas- existing open grown old-growth fir to oak and remnants; increased stand pine; Increase resiliency to wildfire; Restore in grass/herb sugar pine within stands and ground cover across landscape; Re-establish through oak and pine in stands with high seeding; Rust incidence of mortality; Restore resistant sugar and maintain native plant pine planted communities including plants and pruned; with cultural significance to pre- Oak planted settlement populations where

necessary

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Treatment Vegetation Primary Effect Duration Treatment Acres Change (Beneficial/Adverse) (yrs) by Alternative 1 2 3 Adverse -- A minor reduction of late- successional habitat within the Late-Successional Reserve (less than 0.3 percent); a window of opportunity for noxious weeds to become established Oak/Pine Removal of Beneficial -- 1-50 0 8.1 8.1 Savanna-No Douglas-fir Maintenance of unique oak/pine Harvest- encroachment; savanna; increase in health and Initial Slight reduction vigor of grass/herb ground cover; Underburn- in density and Return to vegetative conditions Maintenance canopy closure at Oak Flats that are indicative of Underburn the natural disturbance regime Adverse -- A window of opportunity for noxious weeds to become established; Low levels of oak/pine mortality from prescribed burn Pine Health- Lower tree Beneficial -- 1-50 0 58.6 58.6 Thinning- density, less Return to vegetative conditions

Harvest- canopy closure, at Oak Flats that are indicative of Initial higher canopy the natural disturbance regime; Underburn- base heights, Increased growth and improved Maintenance lower crown health and vigor of oak and pine; Underburn bulk density, Increased stand resiliency to reduction in wildfire; Increased habitat ladder fuels; diversity at the landscape scale Increase in Adverse -- grass/herb Low levels of oak/pine mortality ground cover from prescribed burn through seeding Pine Health- Lower tree Beneficial -- 1-50 0 178.2 178.2 Jackpot density, less Increased growth and improved Burn-No canopy closure, health and vigor of oak and pine; Harvest- higher canopy Increased stand resiliency to Maintenance base heights, wildfire; Increased habitat Underburn lower crown diversity at the landscape scale; bulk density, Return to vegetative conditions

reduction in at Oak Flats that are indicative of ladder fuels; the natural disturbance regime Adverse -- Low levels of oak/pine mortality from prescribed burn

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

The action alternatives would attain desired stand or landscape conditions by restoring and maintaining the unique oak and oak/pine savanna plant communities similar to those considered characteristic under a natural disturbance regime, improving and maintaining oak and pine health, promoting habitat for species that prefer open forest conditions, maintaining and recruiting scattered, large diameter, open grown, old-growth conifer trees, and restoring and maintaining native plant communities, including plants with cultural significance to pre-settlement populations. Under Alternative 2, proposed treatments would improve and maintain oak and pine health on 184.7 acres, restore and maintain oak/pine savanna on 96.5 acres, and restore and maintain native plant communities on 147 acres. Under Alternative 3, proposed treatments would improve and maintain oak and pine health on 156.2 acres, restore and maintain oak/pine savanna on 74.2 acres, and restore and maintain native plant communities on 124.7 acres. Under the no action alternative, none of these benefits would occur. Table 13 displays the residual stand condition and stand effects of proposed treatments on canopy closure and density (basal area and trees per acre). These measures were developed using Suppose version 2.02 of the Forest Vegetation Simulator, Western Cascades variant. Resultant canopy closures ranged from 10 to 76 percent, with lower canopy closures occurring under the oak/pine savanna/harvest prescription and higher canopy closures occurring under the prescribed fire/no harvest prescription. Basal area ranged from 39 to 277 square feet, with lower basal areas occurring under the oak/pine savanna prescription and higher basal areas occurring under the prescribed fire/no harvest prescription. Trees per acre greater than 6 inches dbh ranged from 7 to 301, with lower trees per acre occurring under the oak/pine savanna prescription and higher trees per acre occurring under the prescribed fire/no harvest prescription.

Error! Reference source not found.2 displays the stand effects of no action on canopy closure and density. Canopy closures ranged from 30 to 87 percent. Basal area ranged from 57 to 407 square feet and trees per acre greater than 6 inches dbh ranged from 90 to 840. Comparing the action alternatives to Alternative 1 (no action), canopy closures and tree densities are reduced, with greater reductions occurring under the oak/pine savanna/harvest prescription and lesser reductions occurring under the prescribed fire/no harvest prescription.

The greatest benefit for five-needle pine health at both the stand and landscape scales occurs under Alternatives 2 and 3, where 14-18 acres would be planted with rust- resistant sugar pine. Alternative 1 has no benefit because no five-needle pine planting or mature sugar pine release would occur.

As a whole, the long-term indirect effects of the action alternatives would be beneficial. At the individual tree scale, oaks and pine would exhibit increased bole and crown growth, due to an increase in light and a decrease in competition from fir species. Mature Douglas-fir left for old-growth recruitment under the oak/pine savanna/harvest prescription would develop large diameter branches, large deep crowns, and wind-firm stems, similar to the existing old-growth, remnant Douglas-fir that grew under open stand conditions. At the stand scale, there would be a species shift from Douglas-fir to oak and pine and an increase in grass/herb ground cover, especially under the oak/pine savanna/harvest prescription. There would also be increased stand resiliency to wildfire by reducing ladder and surface fuels. Adversely, proposed stand treatments would result in a narrow window of opportunity for noxious weeds to become established and low levels of oak/pine mortality. Mitigation measures have been developed in Chapter 2 to reduce these adverse effects to acceptable levels.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

At the landscape scale, action alternatives would increase habitat diversity through a return to vegetative conditions at Oak Flats that are indicative of the natural disturbance regime. The resulting mosaic would more closely approximate the natural pattern of forest structure as compared to Alternative 1.

Alternative 1 would not attain desired stand or landscape conditions, nor would it meet element 1 of the purpose and need. Under Alternative 1, most stands would remain densely stocked with Douglas-fir, with a high level of canopy closure. Over the short and long-term, the rate of oak and pine growth would continue to decline, Douglas-fir encroachment would continue to occur on the edges of the existing oak savanna, and oak and pine mortality would increase to the point that these species would drop out of the stand and not become reestablished, due to canopy closure.

Cumulative Effects The potential of the action alternatives to result in either adverse or beneficial cumulative effects to forest vegetation is addressed at the scale of the Copeland Creek Sub- watershed. The activities in Table 6 were taken into account in the analysis of vegetative age class distribution. The time frame for analyzing cumulative effects is 10 to 50 years.

Forest age-classes that develop following disturbance are used to characterize forest conditions. Three such age-classes are commonly used:

1) Early-successional: New stand with an open canopy. Stand age is generally less than 30 years. 2) Mid-successional: Stand where new species do not appear and some present species are dying from competition. Stand age is generally from 30 to 80 years. 3) Late-successional: Stand where trees reach their maximum height potential. Stand age is generally greater than 80 years. It includes the “understory reinitiation stage” where the understory develops in response to small openings in the canopy (Oliver and Larson, 1990), the “transition stage” defined in the Northwest Forest Plan as transitioning toward old-growth, and the “shifting gap/old-growth” stage, as defined in the NWFP (USDA/USDI, 1994).

The current distribution of age classes in the Calf/Copeland Watershed is displayed in Table 16.

Table 16. Current Distribution of Age Classes within the Copeland Creek Sub-watershed. Seral Stage Acres Percent of Subwatershed Early-successional (0-30 years) 4,229 18 Mid-successional (30-80 years) 3,572 16 Late-successional/Mature (80+ years) 14,602 64 Rock, Shrub, Grass 575 2

The action alternatives would beneficially increase the amount of early-successional habitat in the form of unique, oak/pine savanna within the Copeland Subwatershed. Under Alternative 2, 88.4 acres would be converted from mid- to late-successional

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

habitat to early-successional habitat. Under Alternative 3, 66.1 acres would be converted from mid- to late-successional habitat to early-successional habitat. This would result in a less than a 0.4 percent increase in early-successional habitat and a less than a 0.4 percent decrease in late-successional habitat. As such, the action alternatives would help meet desired landscape conditions. Thus, when considered in the context of past, present, and foreseeable actions, it is determined that Alternatives 2 and 3 would have no meaningful negative cumulative impacts and that the proposed activities and connected actions represent a positive contribution to vegetative conditions in the watershed. Alternative 1 would have no meaningful cumulative impacts on vegetation except in the context of foregone opportunities and long term reduction and potential loss of unique oak/pine savanna habitat conditions.

Aquatic Conservation Strategy As disclosed above in this section on Forest Vegetation, the action alternatives would move landscape patterns and conditions toward those more typical under the natural fire regime. As such, the action alternatives are consistent with objective 1 of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy of restoring landscape-scale features such as landscape patterns.

COARSE WOODY DEBRIS Coarse woody debris (CWD) is defined here as standing dead trees (snags) and large down woody debris (greater than or equal to 6 inches diameter). These physical structures provide essential habitat components for many species of terrestrial wildlife.

Coarse Wood – The Oregon White Oak Series The Oregon White Oak Series occurs at low elevations on the warmest, south aspects. Soils are extremely shallow and may transition to bedrock abruptly. Slopes are usually gentle. Overstory cover is lacking or sparse. Ponderosa pine may be present above a discontinuous canopy of Oregon white oak. Tree productivity is low; the herb layer is rich and possibly the most active layer. Fire frequency is high and intensity is low. Late seral stand characteristics for this series are not available because of limited data (SCLSRA, p. 56).

The goal for the Oregon white oak series is to add some dead wood in the form of snags, without jeopardizing the long-term objectives of the treatment. Specific recommendations include: 1. When preparing site-specific prescriptions for density management activities, consider treatment objectives, landscape and site factors when deciding specific snags levels. Consider the location and concentration of snags as related to slope position, aspect, fire history and risk, specific wildlife needs, adjoining allocations, access, restoration opportunities. 2. To the extent practicable, leave and protect from disturbance, all snags, and especially any large diameter snags, that were present prior to the density management activity. 3. Where the density management harvest operation creates girdled, and/or broken top trees, leave those to become snags and overstory trees. These will add structural complexity to the stand. 4. Where prescribed burning is used, some level of additional snags from fire mortality is

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

expected. Leave these newly created snags. 5. As a minimum, create additional snags, by size class and plant series. For the Oregon white oak series, minimum snag creation amounts are nine 9-15.9” dbh snags per acre, one 16-19.9” dbh snag per acres, one 20-23.9” dbh snag per acre, and two snags per acre greater than 24” dbh. These minimums are summaries from ecology plots, in stands that average about 250 years old. Since for most size classes of snags and LWM, the data are not normally distributed, the use of a raw mean is not the best measure of central tendency. The range, the median, or a histogram showing plot distribution would be a more appropriate display of existing conditions. However, using the mean as a guideline assures adequate minimums, and is easy to apply in the field. These minimum additions are both practical for most stands, and will not jeopardize treatment objectives (SCLSRS, p. 133). 6. In stands less than 50 years old, create one percent additional cover or less to equal a maximum of 13 percent projected cover of LWM. In stands 50-70 years old, create 3 percent additional cover or less to equal a maximum of 13 percent cover. In stands greater than 70 years old, create 5 percent additional cover or less to equal a maximum of 13 percent cover (SCLSRA, p. 136).

Appropriate Treatments There are some areas in the LSR network which are not, and are not expected to be, on a trajectory of attaining late-successional forest structural characteristics. Rock outcrops, wetlands, Oregon White Oak Plant Series, and meadows areas, occupy a small area of the landscape (less than 1 percent), and are considered important for contribution to diversity across the landscape. Management activities will be implemented to maintain these openings. Prescribed fire, as well as manual or mechanical clearing are appropriate treatments to curtail tree encroachment.

Landscape treatment criteria and priorities specify that meadow maintenance needs are mostly along the Calapooya Ridge and the Rogue Umpqua Divide, although treatments are not limited to these areas. The White Oak Plant Series occupies about 1,300 acres in LSRs, most of that is in LSR 224.

Stand treatment criteria include using applicable agency guidelines for these treatments. If fire is used, follow a prescribed burn plan.

Treatment Amounts and Implementation Schedule The total and maximum treatment acres of meadows and the Oregon White Oak Plant Series within the South Cascades LSR network. From a total of 14,000 acres of meadows in the South Cascades LSR network, REO exemption from further review is requested for approximately one-third of this, or 4,700 acres. Exemption is requested for 1,300 acres, the total amount, for prescribed burning in the White Oak Plant Series. For the Oregon White Oak Series in the Umpqua NF LSR administrative unit specifically, 400 acres maximum can be treated during a planning project. The number of acres exempt from further REO review also is 400 acres. If proposed treatments exceeded the amount listed by individual LSR administrative unit, coordination with other units in that LSR will be needed to assure that the amount listed as exempt from REO review is not exceeded for that LSR as a whole.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Relevant Standards and Guidelines Only one relevant Forest Plan standard addresses snag or down wood retention for the proposed project, Wildlife Habitat/Threatened, Endangered or Sensitive Species Standard #18 (p.IV-38): “When possible, wildlife trees (snags and green culls) would be left standing in areas of timber harvest. This habitat would be in addition to that provided by implementing the snag habitat prescriptions.”

The Forest plan also includes two other standards (#1 and 2, p. IV-36) that address down woody material, but these standards apply to regeneration harvest prescriptions. None of the alternatives propose any such regeneration harvest. There also are no specific minimum standards for coarse woody debris retention in the Northwest Forest Plan land allocation of Late-Successional Reserve within the project area.

Although there are few relevant standards or guidelines in the Forest Plan and Northwest Forest Plan Late-Successional Reserve land allocation, it is obvious that management of coarse wood debris components is an important aspect of land treatments. This is documented in the listed objectives for Late-Successional Reserves, desired future condition narrative in the South Cascades Late-Successional Reserve Assessment (114), and in the Copeland- Calf Watershed Analysis (p. 209). An additional source of information on coarse woody debris management is DecAID (Marcot et al., 2002), which relies heavily upon data collected in an earlier study (Ohmann and Waddell, 2002). DecAID does not contain information on the Westside white oak habitat type and alliances, but the Ohmann and Waddell study does. Objectives for snag habitat and down wood levels for the Oak Flats Restoration Project were therefore developed from information in the earlier report. In the Westside white oak-Douglas-fir/Douglas- fir/white oak habitat alliance, mean total snag (greater than 10 inches) levels are identified at 9.3 snags per hectare and large snags (20 inches or greater) at 1.9 per hectare. This translates to 3.8 per acre for total snags and .8 per acre for large diameter snags. Down wood in this habitat alliance had a mean value of 1.7 percent groundcover. In the Southwest Oregon mixed conifer-hardwood habitat the mean value for total snags was 15.4 per hectare while the large snag mean was 5.1 per hectare. This translates to 6.2 total and 2.1 large snags per acre. Down wood coverage in the Southwest Oregon mixed conifer-hardwood habitat had a mean value of 1.4 percent. Benchmarks for project analysis are established at 80 percent of these average snag and down wood values (Table 17).

Table 17. Coarse Wood Desired Conditions Habitat/Alliance Total Snags Large Snags Down Wood Westside white oak-Douglas-fir/ 3.0/acre 0.6/acre 1.4 percent Douglas-fir/white oak groundcover SW Oregon mixed conifer-hardwood 5.0/acre 1.7/acre 1.1 percent groundcover

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

In the Westside white oak-Douglas-fir/Douglas-fir/white oak reference units (1A and 1B and 4A

Existing Condition In the Westside white oak-Douglas-fir/Douglas-fir/white oak reference units (1A and 1B and 4A and 4B), total snags average 8.7 per acre with 3.6 of these being large snags. There is no information available on existing down wood coverage. In the remaining units (within the Southwest Oregon mixed conifer-hardwood habitat) total snags average 8.1 per acre with 2.1 of these being large. Down wood information is limited, but averages 4.25 percent groundcover. Currently, then, total snag, large snag, and down wood levels within the project area are above mean and objectives levels.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative which would retain the existing levels of total snags, large snags and large down wood debris within the Westside white oak-Douglas- fir/Douglas-fir/white oak and southwest Oregon mixed conifer-hardwood habitats.

Alternative 2 includes a variety of oak and pine forest restoration activities including mechanical thinning, prescribed burning and snag creation. Taken together these activities are projected to result in snag densities of 8.5 total snags and 2.7 large snags per acre in treatment units that restore Westside white oak-Douglas-fir/Douglas-fir/white oak habitat conditions. In the southwest Oregon mixed conifer-hardwood habitat type total snag levels would average 9.6 per acre and large snags would increase to 3.5 per acre. Post-project down wood levels are projected to be 1.8 percent in the Westside white oak-Douglas-fir/Douglas-fir/white oak habitat units and 2.4 percent in the southwest Oregon mixed conifer–hardwood habitat units. Coarse wood debris levels remain above all benchmark values for Alternative 2.

Alternative 3 treats approximately 28 acres less habitat than Alternative 2, including snag creation activities in Unit 6 and 7 leave groups. This results in Westside white oak- Douglas-fir/Douglas-fir/white oak total snag density of 8.3 per acre with large snag totals of 2.5 per acre. Snag levels within the southwest Oregon mixed conifer–hardwood habitat units remain as in alternative 2, at 9.6 total snags per acre with 3.5 per acre of these being large snags. Post-project down wood levels are projected to be identical to those in Alternative 3 with 1.8 percent in the Westside white oak-Douglas-fir/Douglas- fir/white oak habitat units and 2.4 percent in the southwest Oregon mixed conifer- hardwood habitat units. Coarse wood debris levels remain above all benchmark values for Alternative 3.

Cumulative Effects As identified in the beginning of Chapter 3, commercial timber harvest (both regeneration and commercial thinning) have occurred within the project area. These activities have resulted in large-scale reductions in standing snag and down wood levels within treated areas. Conversely, recent fire activity (including the Rattle Fire and the Bose Fire) has resulted in high concentrations of snags. When taken cumulatively, snag and down wood levels throughout the Copeland Creek subwatershed are considered to be below reference conditions. Aside from the Oak Flats Restoration Project, there are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that would have cumulative effects to coarse wood debris components. The Oak Flats project is expected to have an

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

incrementally beneficial cumulative effect on snags and coarse wood due to the creation of snags (and future coarse wood) through both girdling and application of prescribed fire.

FIRE AND FUELS The Fire and Fuels Report for the Oak Flats Environmental Assessment is part of the Project Record. Additional information regarding fire history and site-specific fuels treatments is included in the Fire and Fuels Report; important findings are summarized below.

Reference Conditions In the project area vicinity, prior to early Euro-American settlement around 1850, fire was largely unimpeded and shaped the forest ecosystem. Anecdotal evidence indicates that Native Americans utilized fire in the region prior to Euro-American settlement but the frequency, extent, and landscape effects are difficult to analyze, due primarily to ignition source differentiation (Burke, 1979). Fire history studies conducted in the Little River Watershed and in the North Umpqua corridor reveal a very active fire history. Mixed conifer stands in these watersheds supported fire approximately every 25-75 years. In contrast, higher elevation stands (more than 4,500 feet elevation) experienced fire only every 150-500 years. Fire severity was likely as variable, with the majority of fires exhibiting low to moderate fire severity characteristics interrupted by less frequent, high- severity, stand-replacement events (Agee, 1993; Van Norman, 1998). However, under drier site conditions, such as lowlands, south aspects and flats, wildfires were more frequent. It was in these sites that fire-adapted species, such as Oregon white oak, sugar pine, ponderosa pine and a variety of other herbaceous brushes and grasses successfully evolved (Agee, 1993). Due to fire exclusion, these areas are far less represented in the present landscape but still occur along the North Umpqua Highway’s mid-elevation south aspects and other suitable landscape positions across the Umpqua National Forest.

In Oregon white oak and pine communities, wildfires thin encroaching conifers, expose seed beds, open serotinous cones and encourage new growth on oaks (McDonald et al., 1983). An investigation of fire scars in local populations of Oregon white oak stands indicate fire return intervals of approximately 10 years, prior to Euro-American settlement (Carloni, 2005). In the absence of natural or artificial mechanisms to maintain sustainable fuels conditions, fuel loading and stand densities have increased on a scale exceeding desired conditions. The Oak Flats project area is likely on a trajectory to transition from a frequent/low-severity fire regime to a mixed-severity fire regime that typifies adjacent mixed conifer stands (Copeland-Calf WA, 2001). The opportunity to passively manage the landscape through wildfire is limited due to the proximity of existing power infrastructure and the North Umpqua Highway.

Generally, the reference fuels landscape for this project area is defined as standard Fire Regime I (Figure 7) and is characterized as having a predominately herbaceous surface fuel profile mixed with a light timber litter under pines and the encroaching conifer perimeter. When cured, these fuels would be highly receptive to ignition and would support low to moderate intensity fires occurring at frequent intervals.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Figure 7. Fire Regimes Associated with the Oak Flats Planning Area. Fire Regime I: 0-35 year frequency/low- to mixed-severity, Fire Regime II: 0-35 year frequency/high-severity, Fire Regime III: 35-200+ year frequency/mixed-severity, Fire Regime V: 200+ year frequency/high-severity (USDA/USDI, 2005).

Fuels Characteristics Fuels are classified by vegetation type, fuel size and loading, and potential fire behavior. Fuel loading can be described using models that can help predict the fire behavior of a certain area. The standard analytical tool for describing forest fuels that affect fire behavior are the Fire Behavior Prediction System (FBPS) Fuel Models (FM), with each model assigned a numeric value. Scott and Burgan (2005) developed 40 Fire Behavior Fuel Models, five of which are relevant to the Oak Flats planning area (Table 18).

Condition Class Condition Class mapping for the Umpqua National Forest was accomplished by the Forest Planning Team Fire Ecologist in conjunction with an area ecologist and district fire and fuels planners. The Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) quick form process was used. The map is based on vegetation types and fire return intervals. Vegetation types are from forest mapping, fire return intervals were estimated using research on similar vegetation types and local knowledge. The Oak Flats planning area condition class is primarily mapped as Condition Class 3. Condition Class 3 is described by the National Fire Plan as having a high departure from the natural (historical) regime of vegetation characteristics, fuel composition, fire frequency, severity, and pattern. The National Fire Plan describes potential risks in Condition Class 3 areas, including loss of key ecosystem components, fire behavior, and fire effects, with other associated disturbances often more severe than historical.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Table 18. Description of Associated Fire Behavior of Fuel Models in the Oak Flats Planning Area. Description and Associated Fire Fuel Model Behavior Fuel Model: TL1 This fuel model is characterized by a light (Light Load Timber Litter) load conifer litter. This model is often associated with young plantations that were underburned after harvest or in stands that were recently burned. Generally, fires burning in this fuel model are relatively slow moving and generate lower flame lengths. This fuel model is representative of adjacent mixed conifer stands and encroaching conifers.

Fuel Model: TL3 This fuel model is characterized by a (Moderate Load Timber Litter) moderate load conifer litter. This model is often associated with older plantations and in younger fire-regenerated, unmanaged stands. Generally, fires burning in this fuel model are relatively slow moving and generate low to moderate flame lengths. This fuel model is representative of adjacent mixed conifer stands and encroaching conifers.

Fuel Model: TL5 This fuel model is characterized by a heavy (Heavy Load Timber Litter) load conifer litter. This model is often associated with stands that are older (more than 80 years old). Generally, fires burning in this fuel model move moderately fast and generate moderate to high flame lengths. This fuel model is representative of adjacent mixed conifer stands.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Description and Associated Fire Fuel Model Behavior Fuel Model: TU5 This fuel model is characterized by a heavy (Heavy Load Timber Understory) load timber understory. This model is often associated with stands that are older (more than 80 years old) with a developed flammable brush or conifer understory. Generally, fires burning in this fuel model are fast moving, generate very high flame lengths and are very intense. This fuel model is typical of cool, moist, later seral stands adjacent to the planning area.

Fuel Model: GR2 Fuel load is relatively light. Depth does not (Moderate Load Grass) exceed 2 feet. Moisture of extinction is 30 percent or less. Rates of spread can be rapid. Maximum rate of spread reaches the wind limit at 12 to 15 miles per hour. Even in extreme conditions, flame length is less than 5 feet. Duration of fire or residence time is very short. Area is inflammable prior to curing of the grasses. This fuel model is representative of the pine/oak savannas of Oak Flats.

Fuels Treatments In all harvest units, activity slash would be treated by burning fuels concentrations, machine piles at landings and along roadways, and by the application of unit-wide underburning. The objectives of these treatments are to remove small diameter woody material and create a receptive seedbed for native herbaceous vegetation and oak and pine seedlings. Some harvest material may be chipped for use as protective road surfaces to minimize soil impacts from logging operations. In non-harvest stands, prescribed fires would be applied to manage understory densities, fuel loading, and encourage the release and propagation of oak and pine. Prescribed fire treatments would occur in the fall to better simulate natural disturbances and to limit impacts on other resources. If fuels concentrations from harvest are too high to meet desired conditions, activity fuels may be pre-treated with a low intensity spring burn. All activity units would be treated with fire at 5–15-year intervals to achieve and maintain desired conditions.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Additional activities associated with the proposed fuels treatments include fireline construction and hazard tree removal. Fireline construction would be minimized to the greatest practical extent by using existing natural and human-made barriers (Table 19).

Table 19. Summary of fuels treatment and associated activities by Alternative. Proposed Implementation Fuels Description Area (Acres) Schedule Treatments An initial jackpot burn, followed by a low intensity, late-fall prescribed fire every 5 to 15 years would be used to reduce fuel loading in the 0-3” size classes and remove undesirable understory in proposed natural stands. Large woody material would be maintained for habitat utilization to the extent consistent with the recommendations of the Northwest Forest Plan and local specialists.

• Sept – Jan. Other Related Activities: these activities would be minimized by using existing human-made and natural 1. Non-Harvest barriers. 178.2 (Alts • Multiple Entries Fuels 2&3) • Handlin construction: (6-12” scrape to (5–15 year bare mineral soil to serve as a fire maintenance break across approximately 2 miles) interval)

• Saline construction: (trees up to 7” dbh removed and or limbed to aid with containment across approximately 2 miles) • Hazard tree removal: (fell and leave trees along approximately 5 miles of containment perimeter that pose a risk to containment and/or firefighter and public safety – estimate of 2 trees/mile)

Activity created slash associated with harvest would be treated by jackpot burning and underburning. Jackpot burning would isolate concentrations of • Pre-treat in 2. Harvest slash around remnant pine and oak. Alt 2 = 120.1 spring if Generated Underburning is a broad unit wide Alt 3 = 97.8 necessary Fuels prescribed fire treatment. Following slash • Sept –Jan treatment, these would be maintained under the same schedule and criteria as the non-harvest units.

Machine piles would either be chipped • Piled during 3. Machine during harvest or would burned in the Alt 2 = 37 harvest Piles spring or fall following harvest activities. Alt 3 = 32 • Burned Sept– Machine piles include landings, unit 4A May (SW), and road-side slash.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Proposed Implementation Fuels Description Area (Acres) Schedule Treatments

Figure 8. Proposed fuels treatments for both action alternatives.

Direct Effects Direct effects, in the context of this section, are described as effects to the planning area that would occur from the time of implementation to five years following implementation.

Fuels treatment activities have the potential to reduce effective ground cover that would increase erosive potential and the susceptibility for non-native plant species to populate the project area. Post-treatment revegetation would occur within one year so the risk would be short-term. These risks also are mitigated through invasive weed management, monitoring, and planting. Fuels treatments also would be designed to minimize impacts to riparian vegetation that would serve to stabilize soils and minimize erosive potential (see Soils and Botany sections). Fire effects were modeled using the Fire and Fuels Extension of the Forest Vegetation Simulator. Results indicate that fuels treatments would preserve at least 65 percent of effective ground cover.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

The proposed fuels treatments would restore many of the processes associated with the natural disturbance regime. Nutrient cycling, vegetative shade, competition and oak/pine reproduction would all be managed through the proposed activities to promote the health and propagation of these desired species.

The reduction in surface fuel loading and understory vegetation would facilitate fire management efforts in the event of a wildfire occurring within or adjacent to the project area. Fire effects modeled in Behave Plus 5.0.4 indicate a substantial reduction in fireline intensity and rate of spread post-treatment.

Selected Tree Species Response to fire A primary project objective is to maintain the long term health and viability of the oak and pine components. A summary of the effects of fire on Ponderosa Pine and Oregon White Oak follows.

Ponderosa pine Crown scorch appears to be the leading factor in the majority of damage to ponderosa pine. Estimation of percent crown volume scorch has proven to be the best predictor of tree mortality following fire. Crown damage is most severe in spring and early summer due to low foliar moisture content and the succulent nature of the buds and twigs (Save land and Bunting, 1988). In one study following prescribed burning of ponderosa stands in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, mortality was higher in burned areas (19.5 percent) than in unburned areas (6.6 percent). A major factor contributing to post-fire mortality was the reduction of fine roots (Swazi and Agee, 1991). However, ponderosa pine can withstand low-severity fires which generally occur during the wet months of early spring or late fall. A dry spring fire may occur when trees are stressed during leaf and bud burst, resulting in higher mortality rates. Trees become dormant toward fall and thus are more fire resistant. In fall, ponderosa pine can withstand up to 50 percent crown scorch, while in spring only 30 percent (Mohr, 1984). Mortality resulting from spring fires is related to fire severity, moisture content of the buds, and moisture content of the fine root hairs. An indicator of the trees moisture content is the development of buds. Even young and small diameter ponderosa pine trees have thick bark and are fire tolerant. However, Ryan and Grandson (1991) found that mature ponderosa pine trees suffered more basal injuries from smoldering fires than immature trees because of the greater quantities of accumulated duff surrounding their boles. Cambium damage most often occurs after the passing of high-severity fires.

Oregon white oak Seedling survival is low in sod or heavy duff. Oregon white oak sprouts from the trunk and root crown following cutting or burning. Descriptions of Oak woodlands mirror Oak Flat descriptions. Historically, Oregon white oak was subjected to a fire regime of low- severity surface fires occurring every few years. A study in the Oregon white oak woodlands of Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California, revealed a history of fire every 7.5 to 13.3 years during the pre-settlement era (Stuart, 1987). Frequent fire resulted in the open savannas typical of pre-settlement Willamette Valley, Oregon, and the bald hills of California (Sahara et al., 1987). Dead woody fuels were scarce, but flashy fuels (grasses) were abundant and dry early in summer. The fire spread rate was moderated by the gentle topography typical of this cover type. Fire seldom spread into adjacent coniferous forests (Asset and McCrimmon, 1990)

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Oregon white oak has adapted to low- to moderate-severity fire by sprouting from the bole, root crown, and roots (McDonald et al., 1983). Sprouts of this species grow far more rapidly than do seedlings. Initial establishment of seedlings is also somewhat dependent on fire. Although this species does not require a bare mineral seedbed, seedling recruitment is greatly enhanced when the litter layer has been removed by fire (Arno and Hammerly, 1977). Most researchers report vigorous sprouting of top-killed Oregon white oak. Research also suggests that younger trees sprout more vigorously. In Humboldt and Trinity Counties, California, three-year-old sprouts had grown above the browse line (McDonald et al., 1983).

Table 20. Summary of fuels treatment effects by alternative. Treatment Type Alt. 1 Alt. 2 Alt. 3 Beneficial and Adverse Effects Beneficial - reduced 0–3” surface fuels both for the short-term (up to 5 years) and the long- term (greater than 5 years) and increased Underburning stand resiliency to potential wildfire effects from a future fire. Encourage the health and Jackpot Burning propagation of desired species. Restore the (Includes activity 0 325.2 302.9 natural disturbance regime processes at the slash treatment) stand and Oak Flat landscape scale. unit = acres Adverse – Smoke emissions may have the potential to impact sensitive airsheds for a short duration. Higher cost per acre and fireline impacts surrounding treatment areas. Beneficial – handlines restrict prescribed burning effects to within the planned unit Handline perimeter. Construction 0 1.5 1.2 Adverse – handlines expose mineral soil for unit = miles an approximately 2-feet width around the harvested area. Revegetation is slow and may take up to 3 years. Beneficial – reduced 0–3” surface fuels Burning machine piles and landings 0 75 60 Adverse - Adverse – Smoke emissions may have the potential to impact sensitive airsheds unit = sites for a short duration. Moderate cost per unit.

Indirect Effects Indirect effects are those that would occur at the landscape scale and/or later in time. For this analysis, the Middle North Umpqua Watershed is used as a basis to compare landscape-scale effects from fire disturbances. A timeframe of 5 to 100 years was used to model the long-term effects from future fire scenarios and is of sufficient length to include expected landscape level disturbances from wildfire.

The proposed activities would create more open stand conditions closely resembling the likely pre-settlement stand structures. In oak and pine stands, the woody-dominated fuel bed would be replaced by an herbaceous-dominated fuel bed which, coupled with the reduction in canopy shading, would increase the probability of ignition and rates of

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

spread from all ignition sources (BehavePlus 5.0.4; Heinsch and Andrews, 2010). Though an increase in fire effects would suggest that firefighting efforts may be negatively affected, fine herbaceous fuels are more easily extinguished than woody fuels and the application of aerial retardant and water is far more effective in open stands.

Under the no action alternative, the project area likely would transition to a mixed- severity fire regime. Under a mixed-severity fire regime, fires would be less frequent but the stands would be more susceptible to a stand-replacement fire and desired species may be lost in portions of the project area to encroaching conifers.

Cumulative Effects The analysis area for fuels is the Middle North Umpqua Watershed, and is of sufficient size to characterize landscape-level fire behavior and events.

Similar projects in this watershed, such as the Ragged Ridge Prescribed Fire Project and the Steamboat Timber Stand Improvement Project, would have beneficial effects in reducing fuel loading and altering stand structures to make the Middle North Umpqua Watershed more resilient to fire and encourage more rapid successional development across the landscape. However, smoke produced from these prescribed fire activities has the potential to impact public roads and sensitive airsheds, most notably the Boulder Creek Wilderness. Though the duration impacts would be short-lived, they would occur over the life of the defined maintenance intervals for each project. Care should be taken when coordinating burning between intervals to ensure impacts to these values are minimized.

Other disturbances in the Middle North Umpqua Watershed, such as timber harvest and large wildfires, have affected timber stand composition and structure across the landscape. These changes would alter the intensity and pathways in which wildfires would naturally interact on the landscape. The Oak Flats Restoration Project also would alter stand structure and composition but would move the landscape towards more sustainable fuels conditions by reducing both ground and ladder fuels. Given the small scale of treatment proposed in Oak Flats (0.01 % of watershed), cumulative effects to fuel conditions and fire behavior at the watershed scale would likely be immeasurable. At the stand scale, Oak Flats would incrementally reduce fuel loadings and enhance the resiliency within stands to future wildfire disturbances.

AIR QUALITY Standards for ambient air quality2 are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are designed to protect human health and welfare. Air quality can be impacted by the presence of particulate matter and other pollutants produced by both prescribed burning and wildfire3. Three primary pollutants produced by fire are particulate matter, carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The closest population center or

2 Ambient air quality is defined under the Clean Air Act of 1963 as the air quality outside of industrial site boundaries. 3 Although prescribed burning affects air quality in ways similar to wildfire, it offers some advantages over wildfire. Prescribed burning plans are developed and implemented to minimize impacts on the airshed by the consideration of atmospheric conditions, season of burn (e.g., burning is restricted between July 1 to September 15 under the Oregon Visibility Protection Plan), fuel and duff moisture, diurnal wind shifts, ignition techniques and rapid mop-up.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

designated area4 is Roseburg which is about 30 miles to the west. The closest Class I Airsheds (where there is an emphasis on the reduction of regional haze) are Boulder Creek Wilderness (about 1 miles to the north), Diamond Peak Wilderness (about 20 miles to the northeast), and Crater Lake National Park (about 25 miles to the southeast).

Burning techniques that minimize consumption during the smoldering phase of burning directly reduce emissions production. When compared to a summer wildfire, early season (spring, early summer) or late fall burning lessens emissions output by reducing 0-3 inch fuel consumption and leaving the majority of the moist duff, litter layer and larger woody material intact. The duff layer and large coarse woody debris generate the most emissions during the smoldering phase of combustion. Fall burns exceed spring burns in duff consumption and emission levels. Prior to burning, emissions are predicted given certain weather, burn prescription and site parameters, in order to meet State standards (Sandberg et al., 2002).

Particulate Matter The major pollutant of concern from smoke is fine particulate matter (Sandberg et al. 2002), which can travel great distances, reduce visibility, and absorb and transmit harmful gases. EPA standards have been established for two classes of airborne particulate matter – PM 10 and PM 2.5. PM 10 is particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter while PM 2.5 is a subset that is less than 2.5 microns in diameter. Studies indicate that 90 percent of all smoke particles emitted during wildland burning (both prescribed and wildfire) are PM 10; of these, the majority are PM 2.5 (Hardy et al., 1991). PM 2.5 causes the majority of air quality impacts. Human health studies on the effects of particulate matter indicate that fine particles are largely responsible for health effects (O’Neill et al., 1997).

Emissions associated with the Oak Flats Restoration project would be minimal. Cured herbaceous fuel typically consumes quickly and efficiently. A project of this type and scale would not have any measurable air quality effects for the watershed. Additionally, because not all units would be burned the same day and not all piles would be burned at the same time, the amount of emissions produced is not likely to affect population centers. This is because the emissions would last only a short time (the day of the burning) and would disperse rapidly, minimizing any direct effects to humans.

The effects of the emissions would cause temporary and short-term visibility impacts in the immediate project areas during ignition and burning of activity-created fuels, and the duration and extent of the effects would be affected by wind speed and direction. Weather systems can cause inversions that would affect dispersal of smoke down wind. The localized effects of burning in the project area would be short-term degradation of air quality from prescribed burning, primarily during the actual burning stage and during inversions. Smoke from prescribed burning may be visible to people driving through the area. In most cases, the impacts to recreationist would likely be limited to the day of the burn, since limited camping occurs in the planning area. Burning piles in the fall would have minimal impacts to hunters or dispersed recreation users; this is due primarily to the favorable dispersal of smoke in the fall. Hunters in the area may be affected for a short period of time (the day of the burn), but would not experience adverse long-term impacts. Very minor amounts of particulates would be generated by roadwork and road

4 Designated areas as delineated in the Smoke Management Plan Administrative Rule and defined by the rule as principle population centers.

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use during harvest activities. Dust abatement would be used on roads during dry periods to minimize this particulate source. Since smoke dissipates rapidly, there are no past or future projects, that when combined with any of the action alternatives associated with the Oak Flats Project, would contribute to any cumulative effect on air quality.

Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide Carbon monoxide (CO) is a product of combustion that rapidly dilutes at short distances from a fire, therefore posing little to no risk to the broader community (Sandberg and Dost, 1990). However, it can be present at sufficiently high levels near a fire to pose hazards5 to firefighters. It is a chemical asphyxiate that interferes with oxygen transport in blood. In addition, the production of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the burning of forest residues contributes to the accumulation of greenhouse gases within the earth’s atmosphere (Sandberg et al., 2002). Fires in the western United States are minor contributors of these gases, when compared to savanna and forest fires in the tropical regions (Sandberg et al., 2002). For the purposes of full disclosure, the following analysis of CO and CO2 emissions is provided.

Considering the remoteness of the project area to any definable population centers, and the ability of firefighters to seek fresh air during project implementation and during a wildfire event, no long term exposure to these gases would be expected. Therefore, no direct or indirect effects to humans are anticipated from the Oak Flats fuels treatments.

Cumulative Effects There are no past projects that, when combined with any of the alternatives associated with the Oak Flats project, would contribute to cumulative effects for PM 2.5, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide emissions, since smoke disperses and does not linger long enough to interact with projects that occurred in prior years. Burning conducted by other user groups or the public (firewood burning for heat or other slash burnings) may also occur at the same time that burning for the Oak Flats project occurs. The Forest Service is required to file a burn plan with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) and would comply with the strict standards for air quality. ODEQ would not allow burning when atmospheric conditions exist that may result in an inversion. ODEQ strictly regulates burning; as such, there is very little likelihood that the effects from the Oak Flats Project would combine with other projects or other burning. Therefore, there would be no anticipated cumulative effects to air quality.

Summary / Fuels Recommendations Removal of competition, reduction of duff, the establishment of patches of mineral soil, and burning of the younger oaks would lead to the increased vigor of the remaining oaks, seed sprouting (where seeds are available) in the mineral soil locations and sprouting of top-killed younger oaks.

The initial treatment should be followed by the establishment of a pattern of burning mimicking a high-frequency, low-severity regime.

5 Pilots exposed to carbon monoxide in closed environments have developed headaches, fatigue, decreased concentration, and impaired judgment. Long-term exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide produce accelerated arteriosclerosis, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke (Sandberg and Dost, 1990).

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Periodic burning should be accomplished to allow the oak sprouts and planted trees to grow to a size able to withstand a brief low intensity fire. Research indicates this could be as soon as three years, however a period of 5 to 10 years is expected. Planted oak seedlings should be in groups or clusters, which would aid in the protection of young oak trees during subsequent prescribed burning.

SOIL PRODUCTIVITY The maintenance of soil productivity during forest management activities is critical to maintaining healthy forest. Consequently, soil productivity is addressed in the Umpqua Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) with several standards and guidelines. The primary focus of this analysis centers on past and predicted soil disturbances and the maintenance of ground cover.

Relevant Standards and Guidelines The standard and guidelines from the 1990 Umpqua Land Resource Management Plan (LRMP) related to soil productivity include:

Soil Productivity S&G 1, p. IV-67: Requires that the combined total amount of unacceptable soil conditions (compaction, displacement of surface soil and severe burning) in proposed activity areas would not exceed 20 percent, including areas in roads and landings (D-41).

Soil Productivity S&G 2, p. IV-68: Requires maintenance of greater than or equal to 25 percent effective ground cover on areas with low erosion hazards and greater than or equal to 45 percent in areas with moderate erosion hazards to prevent loss of topsoil through erosion (D-42).

Soil Productivity S&G 3, p. IV-68: Requires maintenance of greater than or equal to 65 percent ground cover for surface organic material (defined as litter, duff and wood) on mineral soils with cold climatic conditions, low nutrient levels, and/or low water holding capacities (D-42).

Soil Productivity S&Gs 5, 10, 11, and 12 and other NWFP requirements also are addressed here or as mitigation measures or monitoring requirements in the soils section at the end of Chapter 2 (D-42 to D-45).

Management History, Existing and Desired Conditions The Umpqua Soil Resource Inventory or SRI (USDA, 1976) and field review were used to provide soil interpretations for the planning area. The SRI provides landscape-scale soils information on broadly mapped areas (average size of mapped area is 250 acres) that have distinctly unique geology, landforms, and soils that affect the growth and development of forest vegetation. This information is summarized for each mapping unit, and provides useful information for project planning (e.g., timber harvests) and assessment of effects. Information collected and utilized during the planning phase of the Oak Flats Restoration proposal provides pertinent information relative to: harvest activities, fuels reduction, reforestation, and effective ground cover requirements following management activities that would occur under action alternatives (Table 21). For example, units with the textural classification of clay loam tend to have higher levels

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of surface erosion potential than loams. The same is true for the ratings found in the accelerated sediment potential ratings, below.

Table 21. Description of Dominant Soils Mapped within Proposed Harvest Units.

Oak Flats Dominant Surface Erosion Sediment Potential Restoration Texture 6 soil mapped Potential Accelerated Unit

1A 22 Clay Loam Low Moderate 1B 22 Clay Loam Low Moderate 2 512 Cobbly Loam Moderate High 3 512 Cobbly Loam Moderate High 4A 14 Silty Clay Loam Moderate Moderate 4B 22 Clay Loam Low Moderate 4C 22 Clay Loam Low Moderate 5 14 Silty Clay Loam Moderate Moderate 6 14 Silty Clay Loam Moderate Moderate 7 14 Silty Clay Loam Moderate Moderate 8 14 Silty Clay Loam Moderate Moderate 9 14 Silty Clay Loam Moderate Moderate 10 222 Clay Loam Low Moderate 11 222 Clay Loam Low Moderate 13 14 Silty Clay Loam Moderate Moderate

As detailed below, past timber harvest practices have modified natural soil conditions and left a legacy of existing detrimental soil impacts in some units within the Oak Flats Restoration planning area.

Soil Compaction and Displacement The most common effects on soils associated with ground-based timber harvest operations are increased soil compaction and topsoil displacement (Bulmer, 2000; Heninger et al., 2002; Adrian et al., 2005).

The proposed harvest units located on gentle to moderate slopes are first-entry harvest units. Despite this lack of past harvest activity, compaction has resulted from previous human activity, including signs of roads and trails generated by people crossing the area or more recently by hunters accessing the gentle landscape on wheeled vehicles. Even though harvest units are well below the S&Gs for detrimental conditions, there are impacts within the boundaries of these units which have reduced tree growth or prohibited trees and other vegetation from growing. This type of vegetative suppression has been reported by many authors (Amaranthus et al., 1996; Williamson, 2000; Powers

6 The sediment potential rating is based on the physical characteristics of the dominant soils mapped for each harvest unit.

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et al., 2005; Siegel-Issem et al., 2005; Fleming et al., 2006). This observation of reduced tree growth is not an absolute; some merchantable trees can be found within old roads and trails. However, the relative number and importance of these trees is limited when considered in the context of the total acreage lost to old roads and trails.

Field observations conducted for this analysis indicate the effect of compaction in some harvest units has lasted since previous human activity with little recovery in the subsurface structure of the soils. Although mechanical weathering (e.g., from rain, wind, frost) has changed the surface of these compacted soils, areas beneath the surface in the rooting zone remain largely unchanged and as such, limit moisture infiltration and tree growth.

Effective Ground Cover and Surface Organic Material Above ground organic matter is considered an important component for managing the soils vitality because it supplies and affects ground nutrient cycling and availability (Brady, 1990; Jurgensen et al., 1997; Bulmer 2000; Spears et al., 2003; Adrian et al., 2005; Powers et al., 2005). The management of surface soil organic layers affects soil productivity. Decaying limbs, needles, bark and wood decompose into soil humus and other organic matter. Soil damage can occur when the surface organic layer is substantially reduced by erosion (Waldrop et al., 2003), burning (Busse et al., 2005) or mechanical means (Froelich et al. 1985; Amaranthus et al., 1996).

Past human activity such as crossings and prescribed fire that removed vegetation, leaf litter, and duff potentially increased surface soil loss and limited long-term soil productivity. Thus, effective ground cover (EGC) and surface organic matter are important analysis factors for the soil resource. EGC is defined as all herbaceous or dead woody materials, synthetic materials, and rock fragments greater than 0.75” in diameter that cover the surface of the ground and prevent soil erosion (LRMP, IV-68). Surface organic material is defined as litter, duff, and woody material that are needed to maintain soil productivity (LRMP, IV-68).

Within all of the proposed Oak Flats Restoration units, effective ground cover litter, duff, and wood provide nearly complete coverage. There are some locations where old roads and trails support surface runoff and have left exposed soil, but this condition tends to be the exception rather than the rule. Based on the site-specific ratings for erosion potential and resiliency to soil disturbance for individual Oak Flats Restoration units, maintenance of varying levels of minimum ground cover are necessary to address both the risk of soil erosion (LRMP IV-68 S&Gs 2 and 3) and the need to maintain soil organic matter for long-term site productivity. Units with colder climatic conditions and/or lower water holding capacities require higher levels of EGC.

Results of harvest-unit specific Water Erosion Prediction Program (WEPP, Elliot et al., 1999) modeling (see “Surface Erosion” section of this chapter), indicate that all units are anticipated to produce a low level of erosion. However, known physical characteristics of mapped dominant soil types indicate somewhat higher levels of erosion risk; this data indicates surface erosion potentials for harvest rate from low to moderate erosion classes, and accelerated sediment potential (i.e., risk of potential for sediment delivery from harvest and other management activities) is rated moderate to high. It is worth noting that the S&Gs for EGC derived from soil characteristics were based on regeneration harvests, rather than thinning.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Nonetheless, in order to ensure that soil productivity standards are maintained, erosion risks are adequately mitigated, and S&Gs for Minimum Ground Cover Requirements (p. IV-68) are met, a 65 percent EGC level is recommended for all units. Based on past experience with similar harvest and fuels treatments, the majority of harvest units would easily meet or exceed these prescribed levels post-treatment.

The desired condition for soils is to maintain the minimum prescribed levels of effective ground cover in all activity areas, and to keep soil compaction and displacement to less than 20 percent in all activity areas. Given the proposed use of wood chips or woody biomass on some temporary roads and the sensitivity of the cultural resource, compaction and displacement would not be mitigated through subsoiling.

Direct and Indirect Effects The direct and indirect effects are discussed at the scale of the treatment units. Direct effects would occur immediately as a result of harvest, fuels treatment, and road work, while indirect effects would occur in the future as a result of potential wildfires and forgone opportunities for soil rehabilitation.

Displacement, compaction, and severe heating of the soil (from fire) are all considered unacceptable soil disturbance under the LRMP, as listed above. Soil disturbance would exceed soil S&G 1 when legacy disturbance (from past activities) combines with any new disturbance to affect more than 20 percent of a given treatment area. Harvest and associated activities can result in soil disturbance during yarding, burning, and road building.

Currently, there are minimal amounts of legacy detrimental soil impacts within the Oak Flats Restoration harvest units. Under Alternative 1, there would be no direct effects to soils because no harvest, fuels treatments, or road work would occur.

Due to the proposed mitigations, action alternatives would result in minimal soil disturbance from new temporary road construction, re-use of the legacy trails, ground- based logging trails, and fuels treatments. Under Alternative 2, approximately 28.0 acres of soil disturbance is expected from these activities when combined with the legacy detrimental soil impacts. Under Alternative 3, approximately 26.6 acres of soil disturbance would occur, when combined with the legacy detrimental soil impacts. Alternative 2 would disturb slightly more soil than Alternative 3, primarily because more acres are proposed for harvest activities under this alternative.

Indirect effects to soils are primarily associated with maintaining (Alternative 1) or lowering (Alternatives 2 and 3) impacts on soils. Over the long term (10 years or more following implementation), the potential for a wildfire to severely burn soil would be slightly reduced by the action alternatives as compared to Alternative 1. The reduced risk assumes that underburning, machine pile burning, and jackpot burning would effectively reduce burn severity on soil from a future wildfire. While the activities of thinning would reduce wildfire risk within the stand, it is anticipated the EGC would be maintained at 65 percent, thus providing needed organic matter to the soil resource.

Most available nutrients for plants are retained in the upper 10 inches of forest soils. Therefore, it is important that both fire used to treat fuels and wildfire risk be managed to retain this nutrient-laden covering of the soil. Also within this same part of the soil profile

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are fine roots and mycorrhizal fungi occurring in the surface two inches of soil. Fine root development plays an important role in soil carbon sequestration (Lal, 2005) and in long- term soil fertility. Forest soils that are low in organic matter also are less productive.

Under Alternatives 2 and 3, EGC has been prescribed to mitigate both the risk of soil erosion and the need to maintain soil organic matter for long-term site productivity as required under LRMP standards and guidelines. By maintaining EGC, carbon storage also can be achieved during forest management (Lal, 2005), likely benefitting aboveground stocks of organic carbon. If forest harvesting is done with sufficient care, and does not substantially disrupt natural processes, such as surface erosion and nutrient cycling, there may be little or no effect on soil organic carbon stock (Lal, 2005). Organic carbon from accumulated biomass (undisturbed forest accumulations or harvest waste) also would likely not influence soil carbon sequestration. Gartner (2008) found the path from aboveground carbon to soil carbon is disconnected. So the means to create below ground carbon sequestration is likely best achieved, via roots, or reduced decomposition rates of organic matter (Gartner, 2008). Therefore, burning of organic accumulations of biomass should not affect soil sequestration.

Under Alternative 1, a future wildfire would likely be larger and possibly more severe within these units than under the action alternatives. Instead of storing carbon and maintaining soil organic matter, a wildfire (of high intensity, long duration) could release carbon into the atmosphere (Bonnicksen, 2008) first from the effect of the fire itself then from the decomposition of remaining organic matter. Alternative 1 forgoes restoration opportunities and leaves the planning units at a somewhat higher risk of high-severity wildlife, thus jeopardizing future soil conditions.

Cumulative Effects The Oak Flats Restoration planning area soils are relatively resilient to disturbance, provided harvest and its site activities occur in dry season. Although past actions, such as undesignated traffic have resulted in detrimental soil conditions in portions of the planning area; all action alternatives are within standards of acceptable disturbance (less than 20 percent of the activity area). Thus, overall soil productivity would not be harmed in the Oak Flats Restoration harvest units.

When considering the incremental impacts of the project in the context of past, present, and reasonable foreseeable future actions in the project area, it is determined that there are no meaningful adverse cumulative impacts associated with any of the alternatives. Implementation of Alternatives 2 and 3, with project design features and required mitigation, would begin to restore effects to soils from past management activities.

FOREST WILDLIFE This section includes the effects analysis for Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Wildlife Species; Management Indicator Species; Survey and Manage wildlife species; Landbirds and wildlife species of concern identified in project scoping. The sections on cumulative effects incorporate those activities previously identified at the beginning of this chapter.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Wildlife Species This section covers species recognized under the federal Endangered Species Act, and species recognized as sensitive by the Forest Service. Projects that may affect federally listed wildlife species require consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Sensitive species are species for which there is a concern for viability within one or more administrative units within the species’ historic range (FSM 2670.22, WO Amendment 2600-95-7). These species require special consideration in project planning and analysis intended to preclude trends toward loss of viability or impacts that would contribute to the need for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. Forest Service Manual (FSM 2672.4) requires a biological evaluation to determine potential effects of proposed ground-disturbing activities on sensitive species. This evaluation analyzes the potential project effects and their significance on the population or its habitat within the area. It must include: (1) sensitive species that may be present; (2) identification of occupied and unoccupied habitat; (3) an analysis of the effects of the project on the species or its habitat; (4) a discussion of cumulative effects; (5) a determination of no effect, beneficial effect, or may affect; and, (6) recommendations for avoiding or mitigating any adverse effects if needed. A pre-field review was performed to determine which sensitive species are most likely to be impacted by the proposed alternatives. Table 22 provides a list of Region 6 sensitive wildlife species for the Umpqua National Forest and Table 23 summarizes the presence or absence and potential impacts on these species and/or their habitat within or adjacent to the proposed timber harvest units and ground disturbance areas. This review is based on the latest documented survey and occurrence data, field reconnaissance, scientific literature review and GIS analysis. Impact or effect determinations are made for each species, based on this review. If a substantial, measurable impact or effect is anticipated, further analysis and discussion of the direct, indirect and cumulative effects is included following Table 23. All actions and connected actions associated with the alternatives were considered in this analysis. If an action is not discussed, its potential impacts were considered non-existent or so negligible that they were not noteworthy.

Table 22. Proposed, Threatened, and Sensitive Wildlife on the Umpqua National Forest (Regional Foresters List - January 2008). Common Name Scientific Name Habitat Description and Information Northern spotted owl Strix occidentalis Old-growth or mature conifer forests. Documented caurina on DLRD. North American lynx Lynx canadensis Boreal forests of North America. Historical distribution suspected on the Umpqua NF. Johnson’s hairstreak Callophrys Late-successional conifer forests; larvae feeds on johnsoni dwarf mistletoe. Documented on DLRD. Coronis fritillary Speyeria coronis Lower elevation grasslands-montane meadows and coronis openings; larvae feed on violet; suspected on the Umpqua NF. Mardon skipper Polites mardon Higher elevation grassy lowlands or subalpine meadows; Suspected on the Umpqua NF. Siskiyou short- Chloealtis Grasslands and herbaceous habitats, possibly horned aspasma clearcuts. Suspected on the Umpqua NF. grasshopper Evening fieldslug Deroceras Perennially wet meadows, with low vegetation and hesperium rock. Suspected on the Umpqua NF. Gliabates Leaf litter; mature conifer forests; some specimens

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Common Name Scientific Name Habitat Description and Information Salamander slug oregonius found in Lane County. Suspected on the Umpqua NF. Oregon Helminthoglypta Expected to be limited to South Umpqua Basin. shoulderband hertleini Documented on Umpqua NF. Crater Lake tightcoil Pristiloma Perennially wet areas within 33 feet of open water. arcticum crateris Generally in areas that remain under snow for long periods in the winter. Documented on DLRD. Chace sideband Monadenia Rocky slopes or talus areas, often associated with chaceana large wood debris. Documented on the Umpqua NF. Southern torrent Rhyacotriton Within the splash zone of cold creeks and streams. salamander variegatus Documented on the Umpqua NF Oregon spotted frog Rana pretiosa High elevation ponds or lakes. Suspected on the Umpqua Common kingsnake Lampropeltis Thick vegetation alone major streams and rivers. getulus Suspected on the Umpqua NF. Foothill yellow- Rana boylii Low elevation rivers with slow moving water. No legged frog suitable habitat on DLRD. Northwest Pond Actinemys Inhabits marshes, ponds, lakes or slow-moving turtle marmorata portions of rivers and streams. Only known marmorata population on DLRD is at Stinkhole Pond. Bufflehead Bucephala Common migrant species on large waterbodies. albeola Documented on DLRD. Yellow rail Coturnicop Large sedge or herbaceous wetlands; on DLRD noveboracensis habitat is believed to be limited to the large wetland complex at the south end of Diamond Lake. Purple martin Progne subis Preferred habitat is lowland agricultural fields, wetlands, lakes or shrublands. Has been documented at Diamond Lake. Lewis’ woodpecker Melanerpes lewis Open canopied forest with brush in the understory, most often in ponderosa pine forest or cottonwood riparian areas. Has been documented on DLRD. White-headed Picoides Large diameter mature ponderosa pine forest with woodpecker albolarvatus open canopy condition. Has not been documented as occurring on DLRD. Black swift Cypseloides Forages over forests and open areas and nests niger behind waterfalls. Documented occurrence on DLRD. American peregrine Falco peregrinus Vertical rock cliffs with ledges or potholes. Often falcon anatum nests near prominent riparian habitat such as rivers or wetlands. Documented eyries on DLRD. Bald eagle Haliaeetus Nest on cliff face ledges or large trees in close leucocephalus proximity to large bodies of water. Documented nesting on DLRD. Horned grebe Podiceps auritus Breeding resident of far north wetlands; on DLRD species occurrence is expected to be limited to periods of migration when they can be found at large lakes. Has been documented on DLRD. Red-necked grebe Podiceps Breeding resident of far north wetlands; on DLRD grisegena species occurrence is expected to be limited to periods of migration when they can be found at large lakes. Has not been documented on DLRD. Harlequin duck Histrionicus Swift, rocky, large streams or rivers. Nest under rock histrionicus overhangs, vegetation or streamside debris. Late spring migrant or summer visitor. Documented on

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Common Name Scientific Name Habitat Description and Information DLRD. Pacific shrew Sorex pacificus Moist forested areas with down wood and brushy cascadensis vegetation. Documented on DLRD. Pacific pallid bat Antrozous Desert areas or dry, interior valleys. Species not pallidus expected on DLRD. Fringed myotis Myotis Uses caves, mines, buildings, bridges, trees and thysanodes snags. Aerial feeder, but can glean from foliage and vespertinus ground. Critical habitat is maternal roosts. Has not been documented on DLRD. Townsend’s big- Corynorhinus Uses caves for breeding and hibernaculum. eared bat townsendii Documented nursery colony on DLRD. California wolverine Gulo gulo luteous Wide-ranging species that may occupy a wide variety of habitat types; but typically found in remote, high elevations with little human activity. Has not been documented on DLRD. Fisher Martes pennanti Late-successional forests. Associated with riparian areas. Large dead wood important, dens usually within cavities of large trees and snags. Documented occurrence on DLRD.

Table 23. Sensitive Species pre-field review and summary. Sensitive Species Is species or habitat Is impact or effect Loss of viability Common Name present or adjacent? expected? or trend? Northern spotted owl Yes Yes No North American lynx No No No Johnson’s hairstreak Yes Potentially No Coronis fritillary Yes Potentially No Mardon skipper No No No Siskiyou short-horned Yes Potentially No grasshopper Evening fieldslug No No No Salamander slug Yes Potentially No Oregon shoulderband No No No Crater Lake tightcoil No No No

Chace sideband Yes Yes No Southern torrent No No No salamander Oregon spotted frog No No No Foothill yellow-legged No No No frog Common kingsnake Yes No No Northern Pacific pond No No No turtle Bufflehead No No No Yellow rail No No No Purple martin No No No Lewis’ woodpecker Yes Yes No White-headed Yes Yes No woodpecker Black swift No No No American Peregrine Yes No No falcon

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Sensitive Species Is species or habitat Is impact or effect Loss of viability Common Name present or adjacent? expected? or trend? Bald eagle No No No Horned grebe No No No Red-necked grebe No No No Harlequin duck No No No Pacific shrew Yes Yes No Pacific pallid bat No No No Fringed myotis No No No Townsend’s big-eared No No No bat California wolverine Yes No No Pacific fisher Yes Potentially No

Only those species with species presence or potential habitat are included in the following narrative. For species without presence or potential habitat, the project alternatives have all been determined to have “No Effect”

Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina)

Existing Condition The Northern spotted owl (NSO) is listed as a threatened species under the authority of the Endangered Species Act. Projects, like the Oak Flats Restoration Project, that have the potential to impact northern spotted owls or their habitat must be reviewed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The document that transmits the current conditions and expected project effects of the Oak Flats Restoration Project to FWS for this review (Formal Consultation FY 2011, Batch 1, Little River Timber Sale, Oak Flats Restoration Project and Rail 2 Timber Sale) was prepared by the Forest Wildlife Biologist and is incorporated by reference. Information relevant to this project is summarized here. The analysis process used to evaluate project impacts followed protocol recommended by FWS. This analysis procedure incorporates three distinct owl use areas:

1) The nest patch, which research has shown to be an important attribute for site selection by NSOs and includes approximately 70 acres usually of contiguous forest (300-meter radius around a nest or activity center; USDI/USDA, 2008);

2) The core area, which is used most intensively by a nesting pair and varies considerably in size across the geographic range, but on average includes approximately 500 acres (800 meters radius around a nest center) and generally a greater proportion of mature/old forest (Courtney et al. 2004; USDI/USDA, 2008); and

3) The remainder of the home range, which is used for foraging and roosting and is essential to the year-round survival of the resident pair (USDI/USDA, 2008). This home range is identified as the area within 2.4 mile radius around activity centers. This area totals 2,955 acres.

Established analysis protocol further identifies two major habitat quality categories. The first is Nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat (NRF) which is late-successional forests

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containing large conifers with broken tops or cavities for nesting, multiple canopy layers, canopy closure levels above 60 percent, and adequate amounts of large dead wood on the forest floor to support populations of prey. The second habitat type is Dispersal habitat which provides for foraging, roosting and protection from predators and is characterized by forests that have a minimum average tree diameter of 11 inches and greater than 40 percent canopy cover. Dispersal habitat, however, does not contain large tree structures suitable for nesting. Maintenance of dispersal habitat on a minimum of 50 percent of federal lands within a given area (e.g., one-quarter township) is a conventional threshold for adequate owl dispersal conditions.

As required by the Endangered Species Act, recovery habitat has been designated for the spotted owl. The latest version of this recovery habitat delineation was done in 2008. Although 410 acres of this 2008 designated recovery habitat is located within the spotted owl analysis area, none of the alternatives propose any treatment within it.

Based on the FWS analysis process, the analysis area for spotted owls comprises 24,443 acres around the Oak Flats area. Within this area, 67 percent is currently mapped as suitable nesting, roosting and foraging habitat. The analysis area contains home range areas for four different known or projected owl pairs.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative that retains habitat in its current condition. This alternative would have No Effect to spotted owl habitat.

Alternative 2 proposes timber harvest and prescribed burning to restore white oak and ponderosa/sugar pine forest habitats. These treatments would result in the loss of 94 acres of NRF habitat and 38 acres of dispersal habitat. These habitat impacts would occur within the nest patch, core and home range use areas for one resident owl site, and within the home range use area for two other identified owl sites. Activities included in Alternative 2 May Affect the availability of spotted owl habitat, with some effects deemed likely to adversely affect spotted owls within the project area. Although this alternative reduces the amount of NRF habitat available for three identified owl sites, the residual levels of NRF falls above the established minimum benchmarks for site viability.

Alternative 3 omits several treatment units and therefore has a smaller impact on spotted owl habitat availability. Nesting/Roosting/Foraging habitat would be reduced by 74 acres and dispersal habitat would be reduced by 28 acres. As with Alternative 2, one resident owl site would have treatments proposed in all three use areas while the home range of two other identified owl sites also would see treatments. One of the owl sites with impacts only to home range would have treatment of such a minor degree that it would not alter the percentage of the area in NRF habitat. Alternative 3 May Affect the availability of spotted owl habitat, with some effects deemed likely to adversely affect spotted owls in the project area. Alternative 3 would also retain sufficient amounts of NRF habitat to remain above the established minimum benchmarks for site viability.

Critical Habitat None of the alternatives propose any treatments or habitat alteration to designated spotted owl recovery habitat. All alternatives would have No Effect to recovery habitat.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Disturbance Disturbance potential was analyzed by buffering known and computer generated owl points with a 60 meter buffer (USFWS, 2009). No helicopter treatments are proposed. No temporary roads, units, or landings are within 60 meters of a known or modeled nest location. Potential disturbance as a result of prescribed burning activities May Affect spotted owls with Alternatives 2 and 3. This impact is of a minor degree that is not likely to adversely affect continued occupation or fecundity of identified owl sites. Alternative 1 would have No Effect to spotted owls via disturbance activities.

Cumulative Effects In addition to the activities that may contribute to cumulative effects cited at the beginning of this chapter, two other natural processes are also considered for spotted owl habitat conditions. The first of these is the negative effects of wildfire. Part of the northern half of the spotted owl analysis area was involved in the Rattle Fire (2009). This fire was mainly an underburn on the main Oak Flats area, with some stand replacement intensity fire in the steeper slopes and south aspects in the Umpqua River canyon and Boulder Creek Wilderness portions. The effects of this burn were accounted for in the habitat availability mapping displayed earlier. The second natural process is forest growth and development. This process is expected to produce additional dispersal and NRF habitat conditions through time. Given the ages of forest stands in the area it is expected that noticeable increases in dispersal habitat would be expected prior to equivalent increases in NRF.

A summary of factors affecting spotted owl habitat conditions is included in the Scientific Evaluation of the status of the Northern Spotted Owl (Courtney et al., 2004). The major habitat related results of this evaluation are that overall amounts of spotted owl habitat are increasing slightly, with the major adverse factor being wildfire. This range-wide conclusion seems to be consistent with the conditions and causal factors occurring in the Oak Flats Restoration project analysis area. Thus, the current and expected future trend for NRF habitat within the action area and planning area is considered to be stable to increasing.

Effects Determination As noted previously in the Critical Habitat section, there are no activities proposed within identified recovery habitat. Therefore, all alternatives would have No Effect to critical recovery habitat. Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative and would have No Effect to habitat availability or disturbance impact. Alternatives 2 and 3 both propose tree removal and prescribed burning activities that May Affect, and are Likely to Adversely Affect resident spotted owls. This determination has been reviewed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the formal consultation process. Their review Biological Opinion (#13420-2011-F-0112, April 1, 2011) concluded that the project is not likely to jeopardize continued existence of the spotted owl.

Johnson’s hairstreak (Callophrys johnsoni)

Existing Condition Preferred habitat is late-successional and old-growth coniferous forests that contain mistletoes of the genus Arceuthobium (dwarf mistletoes). The Johnson’s hairstreak is considered to be an old-growth obligate butterfly. The species lays its eggs on mistletoe and the larvae feed on all exposed parts of the host plant. Adults feed on flower nectar

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

(including Oregon grape, Pacific dogwood, ceanothus, pussy paws, and Rubus species) and nectar of the mistletoe. This species is believed to spend most of its time high in the canopy, only occasionally coming down to the forest floor. Range is local and scarce throughout Pacific Northwest. The species has been documented on the Diamond Lake District during DEMO project investigations. A detailed summary of habitat associations, life history traits, range/distribution etc. are documented in a species fact sheet on the Forest Service-Bureau of Land Management Pacific Northwest Interagency Special Status /Sensitive Species Program website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/documents/planning-docs/20050906-fact- sheet-johnsons-hairstreak.doc. Suitable habitat is found within the project area, in the extreme northeast corner of Unit #3 and in Unit #10. These units are found in both Alternative 2 and 3.

Direct and Indirect Effects The activities in identified suitable habitat are prescribed burning and other treatments that are not anticipated to alter the structural classification of the stand nor adversely impact food sources for this butterfly. Both alternatives would have “No Effect” to this species.

Cumulative Effects Timber stand sanitation occurring with both regeneration and commercial thinning harvest has resulted in decreased late-successional habitat with mistletoe infestation. Likewise, the Rattle and Bose Fires have resulted in loss of some suitable habitat. Taken cumulatively, these past events have resulted in a reduced amount of suitable habitat for the Johnson’s hairstreak within the Copeland Creek subwatershed. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that are expected to produce additional cumulative effects to potential habitat for this species.

Coronis fritillary (Speyeria coronis coronis)

Existing Condition Habitat associations described by Pyle (2002) are lower elevation canyons and grasslands as well as mid-montane meadows and forest margins and openings. Eggs are laid on species of violets (Viola) late in the summer and overwinter before emerging the following spring to begin foraging on host plants. Adults are nectar-feeders often feeding on thistle plants. The project location contains mid-elevation forest openings and is therefore considered to be potential habitat for the coronis fritillary.

Direct and Indirect Effects The No Action alternative would retain current conditions and would have "No Effect" to this species. Alternatives 2 and 3 propose oak and pine forest stand restoration activities that “May Affect” the amount and quality of forest opening and margin habitats. Both alternatives seek to restore larger acreages of open canopied oak habitat and openings that provide suitable habitat and forage species for this butterfly. Unit prescriptions that include both timber harvest and prescribed burning are expected to produce additional potential coronis fritillary habitat. Alternative 2 contains 147 acres and Alternative contains 125 acres of these treatments. Both Alternative 2 and 3 are expected to have a beneficial effect for the coronis fritillary and are not likely to result in a trend toward federal listing or loss of species viability. Both alternatives are consistent with agency direction and objectives for this species.

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Cumulative Effects Past regeneration harvest in the subwatershed created forest openings that would have increased habitat for this species. The majority of these acres have reached a point of stand development where they provide little, if any, benefit to the coronis fritillary. Only the latest regeneration harvest (in the 1990s) would have any chance of habitat benefit. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that would produce cumulative effects to forest openings that are potential habitat for this species.

Siskiyou short-horned grasshopper (Chloealtis aspasma)

Existing Condition This small, brown grasshopper occurs in grassland/herbaceous habitats (e.g., high- elevation meadows and clearcuts, grassy hilltops). It is distributed in two general areas in the state, one in Southern Oregon (Jackson Co.) and the other in Benton Co. The species appears to be associated with blue elderberry plants (Sambucus caerulea). Females lay eggs in the pith of elderberry stems in the summer. Eggs hatch the following year. Juveniles forage in open meadows near the ground. The species feeds on grasses and forbs. Additional life history information and habitat associations are documented in a species fact sheet: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/documents/planning-docs/20050906-fact- sheet-chloealtis-aspasma.doc

The project area does contain grassy, open areas that may be considered potential habitat for the Siskiyou short-horned grasshopper.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative and would retain all existing habitat characteristics. This alternative would have “No Effect” to the Siskiyou short-horned grasshopper. Alternatives 2 and 3 both propose restoration of oak habitats that may be suitable habitat for this species. Alternative effects are considered to be identical to those described for the coronis fritillary. Alternatives 2 and 3 “May Affect” the amount and quality of Siskiyou short-horned grasshopper habitat. These habitat changes are expected to be beneficial and are not likely to result in a trend toward federal listing or loss of species viability. Both alternatives are consistent with agency direction and objectives for this species.

Cumulative Effects As noted for the coronis fritillary, past regeneration harvests in the subwatershed are developing into more closed forest stands. These areas are reaching the limits of utility for the Siskiyou short-horned grasshopper. Natural fires have also influenced available habitat in the subwatershed. Additional areas of forest stand reinitiation have occurred with both the Rattle and Bose Fires. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that would produce additional cumulative effects to grassy, open areas that are potential habitat for this species.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Salamander slug (Gliabates oregonius)

Existing Condition There are few reported locations of this mollusk, but potential habitat is assumed to be leaf litter in mature conifer forest. Documented locations are rather low elevation. This is a predatory slug. Habitats for predatory species typically reflect local habitats with an abundance of prey species found in them. Additional information about this species is documented in a species account: http://web.or.blm.gov/mollusks/images/Gliabates_oregonia.pdf.

This species has never been located on the Umpqua National Forest although thousands of acres have been surveyed for mollusks. The closest known location is in Lane County, well over 100 miles from the project.

Mature conifer forest is found in the project area, so the project is considered to contain potential habitat for this species. Potential habitat was identified using FEMAT landsat imagery.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative and would have “No Effect” to potential salamander slug habitat. Alternatives 2 and 3 propose oak and pine forest restoration activities within mature forests. Alternative 2 proposes thinning, prescribed burning and other treatments for oak and pine forest restoration. Treatments for oak dominated areas would cover 81 acres, with 59 acres being thinned and burned to restore stand conditions favorable for ponderosa and sugar pine forest. Another 139 acres would be treated with prescribed burning for oak and pine forest restoration. Units which include commercial thinning and prescribed burning for oak or pine are expected to reduce canopy closures to the extent that would impact salamander slug habitat suitability. This alternative would result in 140 acres of identified mature forest being thinned to residual canopy levels that would degrade salamander slug habitat quality. Alternative 3 includes the same basic treatment types for oak and pine forest restoration, but drops some treatment area. This alternative proposes treatments in 253 acres of identified mature forest habitat with 114 acres having treatments that reduce residual canopy closure and impact salamander slug habitat quality. Alternatives 2 and 3 “May Affect” potential salamander slug habitat. These impacts, however, are small in scale. Mature conifer forests would still comprise 73 percent of the 6th field subwatershed. Alternatives 2 and 3 would not lead to a trend toward federal listing or loss of species viability.

Cumulative Effects Past timber harvest and wildfire have combined to reduce the amount of available mature coniferous forest within the Copeland Creek subwatershed. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that would produce cumulative effects to mature conifer forest.

Chace Sideband (Monadenia chaceana)

Existing Condition Like the Crater Lake tightcoil, the Chace sideband is a Survey and Manage mollusk species that has also been added to the Sensitive Species List. Potential habitat for this species is rocky areas, talus slopes or riparian areas in the Klamath physiographic

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province. It may also be found in association with large woody debris in more mesic forests in the surrounding western Cascades. On the Diamond Lake District this species has only been found at lower elevations in association with rock outcrops or talus slopes.

The project contains suitable habitat and was surveyed according to Survey and Manage protocol. Eight individuals were located. Occupied sites all occur on the north end of the project in treatment areas for oak habitat restoration. In these sites, large diameter down wood material or rock rip-rap appear to be the essential habitat components for this species.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1, the No Action alternative, would not alter any habitat elements and would have “No Effect” to Chace sidebands. Alternatives 2 and 3 both propose timber harvest, prescribed burning and other oak habitat restoration treatments that may occur in documented Chace sideband sites. These sites are the same for both alternatives. Habitat protection guidelines as prescribed for this Survey and Manage species (Duncan, 2005) have been incorporated into both Alternative 2 and 3. Although these mitigation measures have been incorporated for known sites, both Alternative 2 and 3 “May Affect” undiscovered individuals or potential habitat outside known sites. Prescribed treatments are planned to maintain the large diameter wood and rock rip rap features that are providing the essential habitat characteristics. The population is expected to persist on the site after restoration and maintenance treatments. Alternatives 2 and 3 would not result in a loss of viability or contribute to a trend toward federal listing for the species.

Cumulative Effects Some of the identified historical timber harvest is anticipated to have occurred in areas of large rock where populations of this species could be found. In these locations, it is anticipated that some habitat was degraded through reduction in the amount of large down wood remaining on the site. Interestingly, there may have also been a positive effect from these same activities where rock rip-rap placement during road construction may have created suitable habitat.

There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that would produce cumulative effects to talus or rocky outcrops that are potential habitat for this species.

Common Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus)

Existing Condition This species is rare in the Pacific Northwest and habitat descriptions are based on relatively few records. The little information available indicates this species prefers the thick vegetation along major streams and rivers. On the Diamond Lake District potential habitat is believed to be riparian areas of the lower reaches of the North Umpqua River and its tributaries.

The Oak Flats area is low enough in the North Umpqua river system that it is within the range of the species. Likewise the oak areas of the project can be considered suitable habitat for the common kingsnake. Reptile surveys were conducted in the Oak Flats area in 2003, including the use of metal plates to attract reptiles. No common kingsnakes were ever detected.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

Direct and Indirect Effects Vegetative manipulation included in the action alternatives (alternative 2 and 3) will retain the site as potential habitat. All alternatives will have “No Effect” to the common kingsnake.

Cumulative Effects There has been little direct management of the riparian zones within the project area. The identified fish habitat enhancement activities and road development and maintenance are not considered to result in impacts of sufficient contiguous extent to alter species habitation. The Rattle Fire did alter vegetation along the North Umpqua River corridor, however, this area is still considered to provide the riparian vegetation desired by the common kingsnake. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that will produce noticeable cumulative effects to potential habitat for this species.

Lewis’ woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis)

Existing Condition This woodpecker is found in open habitats, favoring open canopies forest with brushy understories. Most commonly in open ponderosa pine forest, open riparian woodlands dominated by cottonwood or pine forest that has been logged or burned. It may also inhabit oak or oak/dry coniferous forests. Food items include free-living (not wood boring) insects, acorns, other nuts and fruits (Tobalske, 1997). The species has been documented on several of the Audubon survey routes. The Conservation Strategy for Landbirds in Lowlands and Valleys of Western Oregon and Washington (Altman, 2000) includes habitat recommendations for this species to provide trees greater than 24 inches in diameter at breast height, canopy cover between 10 and 40 percent and 1 snag per acre greater than 12 inches dbh. The project site is an open canopied forest area with a brushy understory and is considered to provide suitable habitat for the Lewis’ woodpecker.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative and would retain current habitat conditions, including the existing available snag habitat. This alternative would have “No Effect” to existing habitat conditions for the Lewis’ woodpecker. Alternatives 2 and 3 both include thinning and prescribed burning that will restore historical oak and pine forested habitats that are suitable habitat for the Lewis’ woodpecker. These activities “May Affect” the Lewis’ woodpecker by increasing the amount of suitable habitat. When applied comprehensively to a treatment unit both commercial harvest and prescribed burning may reduce residual canopy closures below 40 percent. Where these treatments occur they are expected to create new suitable habitat for the white-headed woodpecker. Alternative 2 would create 63.9 acres of new suitable habitat, while Alternative 3 would create 41.6 additional acres.

Silvicultural modeling indicates that although there may be modest changes in snag and down wood levels over the long-term, adequate numbers can be maintained to meet nesting and foraging habitat objectives. When viewed as a whole, the treatments proposed in Alternatives 2 and 3 are beneficial and will not contribute to a trend toward federal listing or loss of species viability. All alternatives are consistent with agency direction and objectives for this species.

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Cumulative Effects In the past, seedtree and shelterwood timber harvest would have created the open forest conditions favored by this species, although some standing snag habitat was also likely lost during these same treatments. Natural processes have also influenced the availability of white-headed woodpecker habitat. Forest succession (as a by-product of fire suppression) has resulted in the conversion of some historical open forest stands to forests of higher canopy closure with a corresponding loss of white-headed woodpecker habitat. The Rattle and Bose Fires have more recently impacted the area, restoring additional open forest habitat with higher levels of standing snags. Aside from the proposed Oak Flats Project, there are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that will produce cumulative effects to open canopied, brushy forest that is potential habitat for this species.

White-headed woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus)

Existing Condition This species is most often associated with large diameter, old-growth pines and open canopies. In our area it favors ponderosa pine and sugar pine due to the high value seed production of these species. (Garret et al.,1997). Audubon bird monitoring routes over the past 10 years have not documented this species on the Diamond Lake District. The Conservation Strategy for Landbirds of the East-Slope of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon and Washington (Altman, 2000) includes habitat recommendations for this species. Habitat objectives call for managing ponderosa pine forests with at least 10 trees per acre greater than 20 inches dbh, canopy cover between 10 and 40 percent and 1.4 snags per acre greater than 8 inches dbh. The project area contains open canopied forests, historically comprised of ponderosa and sugar pine. As a consequence, the project area is considered to contain suitable white-headed woodpecker habitat.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 would retain current habitat conditions, including existing forest stand conditions and available snag habitat. This alternative would have “No Effect” to habitat conditions for the Lewis’ woodpecker. Alternatives 2 and 3 would change suitable habitat conditions for the white-headed woodpecker essentially the same as was described for the Lewis’ woodpecker. These alternatives “May Affect” the availability of suitable habitat through increased acreage of open forest and changes in snag numbers. Silvicultural stand modeling indicates snag levels will remain above identified snag densities recommended for this species. Alternatives 2 and 3 will have a beneficial effect and will not result in a trend towards federal listing or loss of species viability. All alternatives are consistent with agency direction and objectives for this species.

Cumulative Effects Past activities that have affected white-headed woodpecker habitat are the same as those described for the Lewis’ woodpecker. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that will produce cumulative effects to open-canopied forests of ponderosa and sugar pine.

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Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Existing Condition Peregrine falcons are rather large birds of prey which forage primarily upon other bird species. Habitat elements needed by peregrines include large cliff faces for nesting and areas with abundant bird populations for foraging sites. Peregrines are documented as occurring on the Diamond Lake District, with two active nesting locations known.

The closest known peregrine falcon nest is located one mile from project activities. This places the project area within both the secondary and tertiary zones for the Eagle Rock nest. Forest Plan direction (Prescription C3-I) for the secondary zone includes a provision to restrict timber harvest between January 1 and July 31, if determined necessary to minimize disturbance. No such restriction is called for in this instance as the project location is located across the North Umpqua River channel from the nest, and proposed activities will be no more disturbance than heavy highway traffic that occurs on State Highway 138 located only one quarter mile from the nest. Prescription C3-I also provides direction to maintain at least 50 percent of the tertiary zone in pole aged stands or larger. Taking into account the recent Rattle Fire effects, the tertiary zone is now estimated at 62 percent coverage in pole age or older stands.

Direct and Indirect Effects None of the alternatives propose any regeneration harvest that would create any additional acres that are younger than pole aged stands. All alternatives comply with direction in Prescription C3-I and will have “No Effect” to the peregrine falcon.

Cumulative Effects As identified earlier in this chapter, regeneration timber harvest has occurred within the management zones for the peregrine falcon nest. Most of this regeneration harvest has now matured to be sapling or larger forest stands. A more recent impact is the Rattle Fire. This event altered the eastern-most portion of the secondary and tertiary zones for the Eagle Rock nest. The only other planned or ongoing activities that may affect peregrine falcon nest site zones are those associated with State of Oregon Department of Transportation operations to repair and maintain State Highway 138 and recreational site development activities conducted by the Forest Service at Eagle Rock Campground. These activities are considered to be consistent with the daily disruptive activities that occur along the highway corridor. When considered together with these other activities, the Oak Flats Restoration Project will not have any adverse impacts to the Eagle Rock peregrine falcon nest site.

Pacific shrew (Sorex pacificus cascadensis)

Existing Condition Habitat information for this species is limited. Verts and Carraway (1998) describe suitable habitat simply as “moist wooded areas with fallen decaying logs and brushy vegetation”. Suitable shrew habitat is considered to be forested stands at least 10 years of age. This species has been documented on the Diamond Lake District at both the Dog Prairie and Watson Falls DEMO study sites.

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

The project area contains wooded areas with down wood material and is potential habitat. No site specific surveys have been conducted, so this habitat is assumed to be occupied.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 retains current habitat conditions and would have “No Effect” to the pacific shrew. Alternatives 2 and 3 would thin trees resulting in reduced canopy closure and prescribed burning which would result in the loss of some down wood material. These activities “May Affect” potential habitat and any pacific shrews that may be found there. Action alternatives, however, impact a very small proportion of the available habitat in the area. Within the Copeland 6th field subwatershed, there are no regeneration harvest units less than 10 years of age. Only 334 acres of natural openings do not provide suitable habitat. Alternative 2 proposes 325 acres of thinning/burning while Alternative 3 proposes 303 acres of these treatments. This means approximately 98 percent of the subwatersheds remain in suitable habitat with either action alternative. These alternatives may impact some individual pacific shrews, but they do not lead to a trend toward federal listing or loss of viability within the general area. All alternatives comply with agency direction for this species.

Cumulative Effects Past timber harvest in the subwatershed has resulted in increased amounts of younger aged stands. However, all of these are now over the 10-year age threshold and are considered as suitable habitat for the Pacific shrew. The Bose Fire entered into the upper-most sections of the subwatershed creating new early succession habitat. Non- commercial thinning is planned within the Copeland 6th field subwatershed, although implementation rate and schedule will depend upon identifying suitable funding. This activity may affect pacific shrew habitat through a reduction in canopy closure and increasing the amount of down wood debris material. The reduction in canopy closure may result in decreased habitat quality, while the addition of coarse wood debris will have a positive effect. Given the small scale of this activity, and the contrasting beneficial and negative impacts, the net impact is expected to be inconsequential to the presence and distribution of pacific shrews within the subwatershed.

California Wolverine (Gulo gulo)

Existing Condition Important habitat elements for wolverine are an adequate forage base and large areas of security habitat which is free from human disturbance. Winter surveys for wolverine were conducted in the Mount Bailey and Mount Thielsen areas during the late 1990s and early 2000s. No verified wolverine sightings, tracks or dens were ever located. Wolverines can occupy a wide variety of habitat types, including areas such as the Oak Flats Restoration Project site.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 retains current conditions in regard to the wolverine forage base and the extent of areas free from human disturbance. This alternative would have “No Effect” to the wolverine. Alternative 2 and 3 propose forest thinning and prescribed burning to restore historic oak and open pine habitats. These treatments are expected to produce positive effects to the large ungulate forage base for wolverines. Such treatments will produce additional amounts of foraging habitat (forest stands with less than 40 percent

Chapter 3 – Affected Environment/Environmental Effects Oak Flats Restoration EA

canopy closure). Alternative 2 has 63.9 acres of these treatments while Alternative 3 has 43.6 acres. Although these treatments are beneficial, they are not considered to be of a scale large enough to produce noticeable changes to a wolverine home range. The action alternatives also include restoration treatments that necessitate creation of additional temporary road construction. Both alternatives incorporate actions to obliterate these temporary access routes and discourage additional vehicle access. The net result will be a road network and seclusion habitat that is essentially the same after the project as that which occurs at the present time. Since both the forage base and security habitat are essentially unchanged from existing conditions, both alternatives are determined to have “No Effect” to potential wolverine populations.

Cumulative Effects Past timber harvest and road building have decreased habitat suitability for wolverines in the subwatershed through a reduction in security habitat. Regeneration harvest would also have resulted in improved foraging conditions for the wolverine forage base. Of the two impacts, the loss of seclusion habitat is considered to be more important to wolverine habitat suitability. There are several foreseeable activities that may alter the open road density within the analysis area. As part of watershed restoration planning, the road network within the Copeland subwatershed is being evaluated to determine whether any existing road segments are having undesirable aquatic/riparian effects. Those that are so identified may be scheduled for corrective treatment. Likewise, the Forest is engaged in a Forest-wide evaluation of where motorized vehicles will be permitted and prohibited. This project (the Motorized Vehicle Use Plan or MVUM) may also result in changes to motorized use within the subwatershed analysis area. The degree of increase or decrease in motorized use, and the subsequent increase or decrease in big game disturbance, is not known at present.

Pacific fisher (Martes pennanti)

Existing Condition Fishers are relatively large forest carnivores of boreal forest regions of the U.S. Generally, they are reported to occupy lower elevations, but in the western Cascades of Oregon they have also been reported in higher elevations, including the area around Crater Lake National Park (Verts and Carraway, 1998). Deep, fluffy snow packs may limit movements and distribution. Important habitat elements include mature forests with high canopy closures and abundant down wood. Fishers appear to have a wide variety of prey species including snowshoe hares, squirrels, voles, mice, and porcupines. Fishers have been verified on the Diamond Lake District at elevations as high as 4700 feet. Suitable habitat for fishers is considered to be mature forest stands over 80 years of age. The analysis area for fisher is the 6th field subwatershed. Within this area, 73 percent is such suitable fisher habitat.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 would retain these habitat conditions and would have “No Effect” to the pacific fisher. Alternative 2 and 3 both propose forest stand thinning and prescribed burning that would degrade available fisher habitat through canopy closure reduction and long-term decreases in down wood amounts. Alternative 2 includes 265 acres of these treatments in suitable fisher habitat, while Alternative 3 proposes 246 acres. Both action alternatives would then degrade approximately 1 percent of the available suitable habitat in the 6th field subwatershed. While these impacts “May Affect” fisher use in the

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area, Alternatives 2 and 3 are not likely to lead to a trend toward federal listing or loss of species viability. Both alternatives comply with management direction for the pacific fisher.

Cumulative Effects As described earlier, the subwatershed has had timber harvest that has reduced the amount of available mature coniferous forest. The recent Bose Fire has also resulted in areas of stand re-initiation. None of these impacted areas has yet attained the 80-year time horizon to be considered as potential fisher habitat. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that would affect mature forest stands in the analysis area.

Management Indicator Species Forest plan-identified Management Indicator Species (MIS) and the habitat characteristic for which they were identified are included in Table 24. The presence of habitat indicator elements and species presence within the planning area also are detailed further in Table 25. Management indicator species without indicator feature or habitat in the project area (pine marten and bald eagle) are not discussed further in this MIS analysis.

Table 24. Habitat indicators for Management Indicator Species. Species Habitat Indicator Unit of Measure Northern spotted owl Mature/old-growth habitat Acres occupied Pileated woodpecker Mature/old-growth habitat Acres Pine Marten High elevation mountain Acres hemlock/lodgepole pine forest Bald eagle None/Special management sightings Peregrine falcon None/Special management Active nests Roosevelt elk and Big game winter range Numbers black-tailed deer Cavity nesters Snag habitat Acres and percentage of snags

Table 25. Habitat or species presence for Management Indicator Species. Species Indicator Feature or Habitat Species in Planning Area Residency in Planning Area Northern spotted owl Yes, mature forests present Yes, historical records Pileated woodpecker Yes, mature forests present Expected Pine Marten No, high elevation Unlikely hemlock/lodgepole pine forest not present Bald eagle No, no documented bald Unlikely eagle nests present Peregrine falcon Yes, peregrine falcon nest Yes zone present Roosevelt elk and Yes, designated winter range Yes, both species black-tailed deer present present Cavity nesters Yes, snag habitat present Yes

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Northern spotted owl

Existing Condition Northern spotted owls are residents of mature and old-growth forests. In addition to being selected as indicators for mature forests in the Forest Plan, they also are listed as a Threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and as a Region 6 Sensitive species. Additional information on the spotted owl regarding its designation as a Threatened species can be found in the Biological Assessment prepared for this project as part of required consultation procedures. Information regarding its designation as a sensitive species can be found in the wildlife Biological Evaluation prepared for the project. As a Forest Plan Management Indicator Species, the analysis for this species will focus on the mature forest indicator habitat for which it was selected. Average home ranges in our area are considered to be within a 1.2 mile radius of nest or activity center locations. Four historic or projected owl home ranges are potentially impacted by actions included in the project. The entirety of these four home ranges comprises the analysis area for spotted owls as a MIS. This analysis area totals 8,999 acres, within which 6,294 acres are identified as mature forest (FEMAT mapping 80 years or older). The analysis area contains 70 percent mature forest habitat.

On the Umpqua Forest as a whole, there are 740,808 acres of mature forest habitat. The available mature forest within the identified analysis area for this species represents just under 1 percent of the total such habitat on the Forest. There is little recent information available on spotted owl population trends on the Forest, but other nearby sites are part of long-term monitoring efforts. In general, populations of spotted owls within the vicinity are considered to be stable.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative and would retain all existing habitat within the analysis area in present conditions. Alternative 2 proposes thinning, prescribed burning and other treatments for oak and pine forest restoration. Treatments for oak dominated areas would cover 81 acres, with 59 acres being thinned and burned to restore stand conditions favorable for ponderosa and sugar pine forest. Another 139 acres would be treated with prescribed burning for oak and pine forest restoration. Units which include commercial thinning and prescribed burning for oak or pine are expected to reduce canopy closures to the extent that would impact spotted owl habitat suitability. This alternative would result in 140 acres of identified mature forest being thinned to residual canopy levels that would reduce spotted owl habitat utility. These treatment areas comprise 2 percent of available mature forest in the analysis area and less than 0.02 percent of available mature forest on the Umpqua National Forest as a whole.

Alternative 3 includes the same basic treatment types for oak and pine forest restoration, but drops some treatment area. This alternative proposes treatments in 253 acres of identified mature forest habitat with 114 acres having treatments that reduce residual canopy closure and impact spotted owl habitat conditions. These treatment areas comprise 2 percent of available mature forest in the analysis area and less than 0.02 percent of available mature forest on the Umpqua National Forest, as a whole.

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Cumulative Effects Past, ongoing and planned activities that would alter spotted owl habitat have been disclosed under the spotted owl narrative in the preceding Threatened. Endangered and Sensitive species section of this document.

Viability assessments for the spotted owl have been conducted as part of the Northwest Forest Plan process and the latest spotted owl recovery plan. By complying with management direction contained within these documents, all alternatives retain enough mature forest habitat to provide for continued species viability within the project area and across the Forest. All alternatives comply with Forest Plan direction and objectives for the northern spotted owl.

Pileated woodpecker

Existing condition Pileated woodpeckers may forage in forests as young as 40 years of age, but require stands at least 70 years of age for roosting and nesting (ODFW, 1992). In an intensive study conducted in northeastern Oregon, nesting pileated woodpeckers usually sought out the largest available snags for cavity excavation, with a strong preference for snags greater than 22 inches in diameter at breast height (Bull, 1987). Other studies indicate average diameter of nest trees to be 30 or 31 inches dbh, with a minimum size considered to be 20 inches dbh (Shroeder, 1982).

Bull (1987) noted that foraging occurred on down wood, standing snags and live trees in relatively equal amounts. While feeding on downed wood, a preference for material between 10 and 20 inches was observed. While foraging on standing trees, a preference for trees over 20 inches was also observed.

Various studies of pileated woodpeckers have found home ranges to be from 500-1,200 acres (Bull and Holthausen, 1992; Mellen et al., 1992). To evaluate project impacts to pileated woodpeckers, Alternative 2 units were buffered by 500 yards to create a 1,443- acre analysis area. Based upon stand age mapping used for the FEMAT analysis, there are 234 acres of forest stands over 80 years of age and 824 acres of forest stands over 200 years of age. The analysis area contains 63 percent suitable pileated woodpecker roosting and nesting habitat.

Pileated woodpeckers were selected as indicators for mature and old-growth habitat availability. On the Umpqua NF, there are 740,808 acres of suitable pileated woodpecker roosting and nesting habitat, 0.1 percent of which is within the Oak Flats planning area. Silvicultural information indicates that, among forest stands in the project area, the average large snag density is 2.5 per acre.

Information contained within the latest Forest Monitoring report (2010 draft) indicates that population trends for the six Breeding Bird Surveys included show a mixture of results: Two routes showed increasing trends, two showed decreasing trends, and two showed stable populations. Due to the large proportion of the Forest land base that is suitable habitat for this species, the pileated woodpecker population is expected to be stable across the Forest.

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Direct and Indirect Effects The No Action alternative would not alter any habitat components within the analysis area. Alternative 2 proposes oak and pine forest restoration activities within 279 acres of indicator species habitat conditions. Eighty-one acres would have treatments that would restore open canopied oak forest habitat. Another 59 acres would have thinning activities to restore conditions favorable to ponderosa and sugar pine health. The remaining 139 acres would be treated with prescribed burning to reduce fuel loadings and restoration of oak and pine forest. All treatments are designed retain the legacy, large diameter trees which the pileated woodpecker uses for nesting sites. Some loss of standing snags, though, can be expected as a result of safety needs for restoration operations. Additional snags can also be expected to be created through prescribed burning activities and planned snag creation. Proposed snag creation alone is expected to result in just under 300 additional large snags. Created snag numbers are expected to be far above snag numbers lost through safety felling operations. Post-treatment large snag numbers are projected to average 3.6 per acre across the treatment area.

Alternative 3 includes the same types of oak and pine forest restoration treatments, but drops several units for a total treatment within identified nesting and roosting habitat of 253 acres. This includes 56 acres of open canopied oak treatments, 58 acres of pine health thinning and 139 acres of prescribed burning. Additional snag creation for this alternative is projected to be approximately 273 large diameter snags. These created snags are expected to also be far above the number lost through felling safety trees. Post-treatment snag numbers are projected to average 4.4 per acre across the treatment area.

Treatments in both Alternative 2 and 3 are expected to have minor impacts on pileated woodpecker habitat quality. All treatment areas would continue to function as pileated woodpecker habitat in the same manner as they exist now. This degree of habitat modification is considered to be inconsequential to the long-term suitability of habitat within the analysis area.

Cumulative Effects Past activities that would affect snag levels and amounts of mature forest include commercial timber harvest, road maintenance and wildfire. Commercial timber harvest and road activities have reduced the amount and distribution of snag and mature forest within the Copeland Creek subwatershed. Wildfire (notably the Rattle and Bose Fires) also would have reduced the amount of mature forest, but contributed large amounts of new snags to the landscape. There are no other planned or ongoing actions in the analysis area that would change the amount of available mature forest or large snag habitat.

Viability analysis for the pileated woodpecker, and other mature forest species, was conducted as part of the Northwest Forest Plan planning process. By complying with directions contained in the Northwest Forest Plan, all alternatives retain enough suitable habitat to provide for continued species viability within the project area and across the Forest. All alternatives also comply with Umpqua Forest Plan direction and objectives for pileated woodpeckers.

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Peregrine Falcon

Existing condition Peregrine falcons are birds of prey which forage primarily on other birds. Nesting typically takes place on large cliffs while foraging activity can occur anywhere there are abundant bird populations. This species was selected as an indicator for the special nest management zones surrounding occupied falcon eyries. One such active nest is located in the project vicinity. Proposed activities occur within the Eagle Rock nest’s secondary and tertiary nest management zones. Information in the Forest’s Monitoring Report indicates that there are 16 known falcon sites on the Umpqua Forest, with a healthy peregrine population that is contributing to expanding populations statewide.

Direct and Indirect Effects Forest Plan direction for occupied nest sites includes the provision for timing restrictions within the secondary nest zone when necessary and management for at least 50 percent of the tertiary zone in forest stands larger than pole age. No timing restriction to protect nest sites from disturbance was deemed necessary. All alternatives will retain forest stands larger than pole age size on at least 50 percent of the tertiary zone. All alternatives are expected to retain the full functionality of the Eagle Rock nest site.

Cumulative Effects Past activities that influence peregrine falcon habitat have been disclosed under the earlier Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive section of this document. The only other planned or ongoing activities that may affect peregrine falcon nest site zones are those associated with State of Oregon Department of Transportation operations to repair and maintain State Highway 138 and recreational site development activities conducted by the Forest Service at Eagle Rock Campground. These activities are considered to be consistent with the daily disruptive activities that occur along the highway corridor. When considered together with these other activities, the Oak Flats Restoration Project will not have any adverse impacts to the Eagle Rock peregrine falcon nest site.

All alternatives maintain the Eagle Rock peregrine falcon nest site in suitable condition to allow continued occupation and reproductive success. Peregrine falcon populations within the project area and across the Umpqua Forest are expected to remain viable. The latest available monitoring data indicates the local population is growing and providing emigrant birds for an expanding population. All alternatives comply with Forest direction and objectives for peregrine falcons.

Roosevelt elk and Black-tailed deer

Existing condition Due to their high recreational value, elk and black-tailed deer are included as Forest Management Indicator Species. Habitat assessment for these species often uses an analysis of cover and forage areas. Cover areas are used by deer and elk to escape adverse weather conditions, predation and disturbance. Forest stands with canopies over 40 feet in height and 70 percent canopy closure are classified as thermal cover stands. Forest stands capable of hiding 90 percent of an adult elk at 200 feet are classified as hiding cover. Forage areas are used by both deer and elk to obtain grasses, herbaceous material and browse. Vegetated areas with less than 60 percent canopy closure of trees or tall shrubs are defined as forage areas (Brown, 1985). The

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highest deer and elk use occurs at the edge between cover and forage areas. A final component included in many habitat assessment strategies for these species is an evaluation of open road density. Deer and elk use of otherwise suitable habitat decreases with increasing amounts of open road (Wisdom et al., 1986).

Deer and elk habitat use is highly dependent upon seasonal forage availability and weather conditions. Summer and winter ranges may be completely different areas. For this analysis, the 22,989-acre Copeland 6th field subwatershed is used. This watershed contains both summer (15,328 acres) and winter range (7,661 acres). Based upon aerial photo interpretation, the analysis area has a cover:forage ratio of 90:10. This represents a high proportion of cover stands when compared to the theoretical ideal ratio of 50:50. The current open road density within the 6th field subwatershed is 1.6 miles/square mile.

Forest-wide, there are 208,066 acres of designated winter range. This means that the designated winter range within the analysis area is 4 percent of that available on the Forest. Forest Plan reporting units for this MIS are numbers of animals. Information on population numbers and trends comes from data supplied by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on winter helicopter flights to monitor elk and black-tailed deer road route surveys. Both species are managed within state delineated Wildlife Management Units (WMU’s). To best approximate data for the Umpqua National Forest, data from the south part of the Indigo and north part of the Dixon units were used. For Roosevelt elk, the latest available data (2010) indicates a total elk sighting number of 554 total animals in surveys. This compares to an average of the previous 10 years of 617. For black- tailed deer, data was only available for the entirety of both the Indigo and Dixon units. Spring survey results were used to account for winter mortality. These surveys indicate a 2010 total deer count of 419 animals. The data from the previous ten years indicates an average count of 171 animals. Caution should be used when utilizing this data since population counts can vary considerably from year to year, depending on survey technique limitations. Species viability is not threatened for either species within the Umpqua National Forest.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 would retain current cover:forage ratios and open road densities. This alternative would not have any direct or indirect management effects to Roosevelt elk and black-tailed deer.

Alternative 2 includes 81 acres of oak forest restoration and 59 acres of pine forest restoration that would reduce existing canopies to the extent that additional foraging habitat would be created. These 140 acres of additional foraging habitat represent a small improvement in habitat conditions for both deer and elk. This amount, however, is not large enough to result in any change to the cover:forage ratio within the analysis area. This alternative proposes no new system road construction, so open road densities will remain unchanged from current conditions.

Alternative 3 also includes oak and pine forest restoration activities, although in slightly smaller amounts compared to Alternative 2. Total treatment that would result in creation of additional forage habitat would be 11 acres. This amount also represents an improvement for deer and elk populations, but is not on a scale large enough to alter the existing cover:forage ratio within the analysis area. Like Alternative 2, this alternative would create no new system roads, so existing open road densities would be retained.

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Cumulative Effects Past regeneration timber harvest and wildfires have created increased amounts of foraging habitat that has enhanced Roosevelt elk and black-tailed deer habitat conditions in the analysis area. Most of the regeneration timber harvest units are now attaining forest canopy closure levels which are precluding quality foraging habitat. Foraging habitat created by the Bose and Rattle Fires is expected to provide foraging conditions for at least the next decade. There are no other planned or ongoing activities within the analysis area that would alter the cover:forage ratio. There are several foreseeable activities that may alter the open road density within the analysis area. As part of watershed restoration planning, the road network within the subwatershed is being evaluated to determine whether any existing road segments are having undesirable aquatic/riparian effects. Those that are so identified may be scheduled for corrective treatment. Likewise, the Forest is engaged in a Forest-wide evaluation of where motorized vehicles will be permitted and prohibited. This project (the Motorized Vehicle Use Plan or MVUM) may also result in changes to motorized use within the subwatershed analysis area. The degree of increase or decrease in motorized use, and the subsequent increase or decrease in big game disturbance, is not known at present.

In the 1990 Umpqua Forest Plan, designated winter range including the Oak Flats area was envisioned to be managed for desired cover and forage habitat components largely through an intensive regeneration timber management strategy. With the incorporation of the Northwest Forest Plan land allocations and direction, the initial Forest Plan strategy for the area was constrained to the point where attaining and maintaining these desired habitat conditions was not possible. This conflict also is true in other areas of the Forest where Management Area 11 was overlapped by Late-Successional Reserve or Adaptive Management Area land allocations. Nevertheless, big game populations have shown the declining trend predicted in the original 1990 Umpqua Forest Plan. Alternatives 2 and 3 also provide some positive habitat management for elk and deer that is consistent with current agency direction for the area.

Cavity nesters

Existing Condition As a group, “cavity nesters” were identified as a Forest Plan Management Indicator Species to ensure adequate amounts of standing dead trees for all wildlife species. Pileated woodpeckers, which depend upon large snag habitat, were covered previously. The hairy woodpecker was selected to represent cavity nesters that utilize smaller snags (less than 20 inches dbh). This common species can utilize snags as small as 10 inches dbh in its 25-acre territory (Thomas, 1979). Project activities included in Alternative 2 cover 321 acres of thinning and burning. This 321-acre potential activity area was used as the analysis area for cavity nesters and snag habitat. The analysis area then constitutes approximately 0.03 percent of the Umpqua National Forest landbase.

The Umpqua Forest Plan envisioned managing for 60 percent of potential populations of snag-dependent species. Thomas (1979) includes information on snag requirements for a range of potential populations. At the 60 percent level in mixed conifer plant communities this would require 1.0 snag (at least 10 inches dbh) per acre. At the 100 percent level, the required snag density would be 1.8 per acre. Silvicultural information is available for 18 stands within this area with an average small snag (10–20 inches dbh) density of 5.6 per acre.

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Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative and will retain current snag levels within the analysis area. Alternative 2 proposes oak and pine forest restoration activities which include 81 acres of oak restoration which would include mechanical thinning and prescribed burning, 59 acres of thinning and prescribed burning to restore ponderosa and sugar pine forest, and another 139 acres of prescribed burning for oak and pine forest restoration. Each of these activities is expected to impact snag levels for cavity nesters in several ways. Some loss of standing snags can be expected through thinning and burning operations as well as through felling of danger trees. However, these same treatments also are expected to create additional new snags as the result of treatment mortality. Additionally, action alternatives include some specific snag creation actions. Silvicultural modeling for alternative projects that as a direct effect of thinning and prescribed burning, small snag density will average 6.0 per acre within treated stands. Alternative 3 proposes treatment on a slightly smaller scale than Alternative 2, although treatments types are expected to have snag-level responses similar to those described for Alternative 2. Using supplied silvicultural modeling data, snag densities after thinning and prescribed burning also will be 6.0 per acre.

Cumulative Effects Past activities and events that influence standing snag numbers within the analysis area have been identified under previous woodpecker species. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the analysis area that will have cumulative impacts to small snag habitat availability.

Snag retention for all alternatives exceeds levels envisioned in the Forest Plan. Each alternative has 100 percent of the analysis area in compliance with snag density objectives for the hairy woodpecker. Alternative 1 provides 560 percent of this level, while Alternatives 2 and 3 provide 600 percent. All alternatives provide for continued viable populations of the hairy woodpecker for the project area and the Umpqua National Forest.

Survey and Manage Wildlife Species

Crater Lake tightcoil

Existing Condition The survey protocol describes suitable habitat for Pristiloma arcticum crateris as mature coniferous forest, rushes, mosses and other surface vegetation within 10 meters of a perennial water source. There are no perennial water sources within the project area. There is no suitable Crater Lake tightcoil habitat within proposed treatment areas and no surveys for this species are required, nor were any conducted.

Direct and Indirect Effects Considering that there is no potential habitat within the project area, all alternatives will have no impact to the Crater Lake tightcoil. All alternatives are compliant with Regional direction for this species.

Cumulative Effects Past timber harvest and road building have had impacts to riparian areas in the project area and throughout the Copeland subwatershed. Given the substantial distance this

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area is from the next closest known population of Crater Lake tightcoils, it is unlikely these activities in the Copeland Creek subwatershed have had any impact to this species. There are no other ongoing or planned activities within the project area that would impact Crater Lake tightcoil habitat.

Chace Sideband

Existing condition The Chace sideband snail is a documented inhabitant of the Diamond Lake District. The latest information on suitable habitat and management practices is included in a species specific Conservation Assessment completed in August of 2005 (Duncan). Suitable habitat is described as open talus and rocky areas and dry conifer, mixed conifer/hardwood or oak forest areas associated with these primary rocky features. Within these areas, seasonal deep refugia comprised of talus deposits or rock outcrops with large interstitial spaces are considered to be critical for species persistence. Mollusk surveys were completed for the project area. A total of eight individual Chace sidebands were located during these surveys. Three of these were associated with the coarse rock roadfill of Forest Service Road 2800-700, two associated with existing oak openings, two associated with a talus outcrop, and one associated with the cliff rock delineating the southwest perimeter of the project. As is provided for in the Conservation Assessment, habitat areas were created to manage habitat for these individuals. Where practical, habitat areas were enlarged and laid out to encompass nearby individuals. Habitat areas also were delineated with the objective of including riparian zones and key refugia features. This resulted in the creation of three habitat areas, totaling 90 acres. Within these areas the Conservation Assessment calls for maintaining a food supply of leaf /needle litter and suitable environments for spring/fall active periods. Of particular relevance to the Oak Flats restoration project, the Conservation Assessment also suggests maintaining a mix of conifer and hardwood species that would provide a more diverse set of vegetative conditions; as well as the suggestion to manage for a range of canopy closure across the habitat area (some open areas as well as some areas of deep shade).

Direct and Indirect Effects The No Action alternative would retain the existing environmental conditions of the project are and would comply with agency direction. Alternatives 2 and 3 are identical in relationship to located Chace sideband populations and identified habitat areas. Both alternatives include vegetative treatments within the identified Chace sideband habitat areas. These treatments include removal of conifers competing with oaks, harvest activity fuels reduction, planting, weed control, and natural fuels reduction including prescribed burning. All treatments will retain the rock elements that this species is dependent upon. The major habitat alteration will be the removal of overstory conifers in the areas with the oak restoration prescription. There are three such areas, totaling 12 acres of mollusk habitat area with this prescription type. Of these, major canopy closure change is expected on only four acres. The remaining eight acres will have relatively minor alterations since they are dominated by oak canopy already. These four acres represent four percent of the total habitat area. These treatments will implement the Conservation Assessment to provide a diversity of canopy closures within habitat areas. Silvicultural stand modeling was utilized to project canopy closure levels for individual stands, and the resulting canopy closures within the habitat areas ranged from 13 to 67 percent with habitat area averages well over the recommended 40 percent (Duncan, 2006). Although Alternatives 2 and 3 include activities within identified mollusk habitat

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areas, these treatments implement recommendations in the Conservation Assessment and are in compliance with agency direction for this Survey and Manage mollusk species.

Cumulative Effects The rock and talus areas that seem to provide suitable habitat for this species occur sporadically within the Copeland Creek subwatershed. Past timber harvest and road building activities are considered to have occurred in some of these same habitat locations. These activities have likely had both negative and positive effects. Timber harvest and associated cultural treatments would reduce the amount of large diameter down wood, while road building may have resulted in placement of road rip-rap that may emulate naturally occurring talus habitats. There are no other planned or ongoing activities that would impact these Chace sideband individuals or habitat areas.

Great grey owl

Existing condition Great grey owls are large raptors most often associated with edges of meadows, riparian zones and openings. They have also been documented to forage in created openings including clearcuts and heavily thinned forest stands. There are no natural openings large enough (10 acres or larger) that would trigger required surveys for this species. Nevertheless, great grey owl calling has been conducted in the area but has not detected any great grey owl responses or any great grey owl nest sites. Land management direction applicable to great grey owl habitat includes Forest wide Wildlife/TES standard #8 (p. IV-37) which directs that active raptor nests be protected until fledging or nesting is complete, Land Management Prescriptions C5-1& 3 relating to Wildlife Unique Habitats, and riparian zone management direction contained in the Northwest Forest Plan. In Flammulated, Boreal, and Great Gray Owls in the United States: A Technical Conservation Assessment (1994), Duncan and Hayward identify the two principle factors which appear to limit great grey owl populations as the availability of suitable nest sites and suitable abundance of small mammals as a forage base. Although the Oak Flats area was likely great grey owl habitat historically, natural forest succession is now believed to have reduced foraging opportunities below that required by the species.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 allows for continued conifer encroachment into the historic oak stands. If this process is allowed to continue, it will ultimately result in further degradation of historic great grey owl habitat.

Alternative 2 includes oak and pine forest restoration actions that include mechanical thinning of conifers and post-treatment harvest. These techniques, together with native species plantings and maintenance underburning, are projected to restore 140 acres of great grey owl foraging habitat. Alternative 3 includes these same treatment types on 114 acres. None of the proposed treatments in either Alternative 2 or 3 are expected to appreciably affect the amount or quality of available nest sites. Both action alternatives are consistent with management direction for great grey owls.

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Cumulative Effects Past regeneration timber harvest created temporary forest openings that would provide additional great grey owl foraging sites. Most of these units have now developed to sapling or pole aged stands which are unlikely to provide quality foraging opportunities. More recently, the Rattle and Bose Fires would have created similar open areas to augment foraging habitat for great grey owls. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the activity area that would alter the amount or quality of foraging habitat or potential nest sites.

ROD-Identified Snag Retention Species

White-headed Woodpecker, Black-backed Woodpecker, Pygmy Nuthatch, Flammulated Owl

Existing condition These four cavity nesting species were included in the Northwest Forest Plan ROD with snag retention guidelines designed to enhance species viability. Black-backed woodpeckers are residents of lodgepole pine forests or mixed conifer forests with a lodgepole pine component at elevations at or above 4,500 feet. The project area does not contain any habitat meeting these parameters and no further analysis for this species is required. On the other hand, the project area does contain ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir habitat, which may be inhabited by white-headed woodpeckers, pygmy nuthatches, and flammulated owls. In these habitats, management direction requires at least 0.6 snags per acre be retained with a minimum size of 15 inches dbh. Silvicultural data indicates that stands within the project area currently have 2.5 large (20 inches or greater diameter) per acre.

Direct and indirect effects These species were included in the Northwest Forest Plan to ensure retention of adequate snag habitat to provide nesting sites for 100 percent of potential populations. As displayed earlier in the pileated woodpecker analysis section, large snag number for Alternative 2 will be increased to 3.6 per acre and to 4.4 with Alternative 3. All alternatives will meet Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines for retention of snag habitat for these species and maintain residual snag levels well above the 100 percent of potential population level.

Cumulative effects Past events and activities that may influence standing snag numbers have been identified previously for other woodpecker species in this analysis. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the analysis area that will have cumulative impacts to snag habitat availability.

Landbirds Population declines of some landbirds have resulted in a Landbird Strategic Plan (USDA, 2000) that set management goals and actions for providing sustainable landbird habitat. A conservation strategy for landbirds in coniferous forests of western Oregon and Washington was developed to guide land management planning efforts to help ensure functional ecosystems with healthy populations of landbirds (PIF, 1999). These plans and strategy documents are not regulatory, but provide management

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recommendations for reversing declining population trends and achieving stable or increasing trends within the next couple of decades.

Proposed treatment areas have been classified as being in the stem exclusion structural stage. The Landbird Conservation Plan includes two focal species for this forest condition: the black-throated gray warbler (deciduous canopy species) and Hutton’s vireo (deciduous understory species). Both species have been documented on Oak Flats by Audubon Society monitoring volunteers.

Black-throated gray warbler

Existing condition Guzy and Lowther (1997) describe this warbler as being relatively common in pine and mixed oak-pine forests. Within these habitat types it forages in the canopy of deciduous trees for insects. The Landbird Conservation Plan includes a single habitat objective to provide an average of more than 20 percent canopy cover of deciduous trees in young, closed-canopy stands. It also includes recommendations to ensure release of deciduous trees from conifers and maintaining the deciduous canopy component through conifer thinning. The entirety of the proposed treatment area can be considered as pine and mixed oak-pine forest.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 allows for continued conifer encroachment into oak habitats with the eventual result of loss of deciduous canopy cover. This alternative does not implement habitat recommendations made in the Landbird Conservation Plan and contributes to a continued decline of black-throated gray warbler habitat. Alternative 2 proposes treatment of 81 acres of oak forest restoration and 59 acres of ponderosa and sugar pine forest restoration. Both treatment types will increase the deciduous canopy component of residual stands and aid in restoration of potential black-throated gray warbler habitat. The prescribed burning treatments without conifer stand mechanical thinning is not perceived to produce the kind of deciduous canopy response necessary to provide suitable habitat. Alternative 3 also proposes these same oak and pine forest restoration treatments, but at a slightly smaller scale. In this alternative a total of 114 acres would have treatments that would restore black-throated gray warbler habitat.

Cumulative Effects As identified earlier in this chapter, regeneration timber harvest within the Copeland Creek subwatershed would have created opportunity for some development of young, deciduous canopied forest that would be suitable for the black-throated gray warbler. It is expected, however, that amount was of fairly limited distribution and limited duration. The Rattle and Bose Fires may also have created some limited areas where these same desired habitat criteria can be met. There are no other planned or ongoing activities within the project area that would impact suitable black-throated gray warbler habitat.

Hutton’s vireo

Existing condition Hutton’s vireo is associated with second-growth forests of spruce, cedar, hemlock, oak and Douglas-fir (Oregon and Washington) and mixed forests of oak, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, madrone, tanoak, incense cedar, white fir and redwood (California). In

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these habitats, it can be found foraging for insects and spiders in the canopy or understory (Davis, 1995). The Landbird Conservation Plan contains a single habitat objective to provide an average of more than 20 percent deciduous/broadleaf cover in the subcanopy and understory. It also recommends ensuring continuance of existing deciduous/broadleaf layers by removal of conifers to prevent shading.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 allows for continued conifer encroachment into existing deciduous young forest habitat, with the eventual result of loss of deciduous canopy cover. This alternative does not implement habitat recommendations made in the Landbird Conservation Plan and would result in a continued decline of Hutton’s vireo habitat.

Alternative 2 includes treatment of 81 acres of oak forest restoration and 59 acres of ponderosa and sugar pine forest restoration. Alternative 3 has these same treatment types on 114 acres. In both cases these treatments will remove coniferous competition to the existing deciduous canopy and subcanopy, and will allow for future development of additional oak and deciduous shrub suitable as Hutton’s vireo habitat. The action alternatives implement the habitat objective and management recommendations made in the Landbird Conservation Plan and help maintain and restore otherwise declining Hutton’s vireo habitat at Oak Flats.

Cumulative Effects Past activities and events that might influence Hutton’s vireo habitat are essentially the same as those identified for the black-throated gray warbler identified previously. There are no other planned or ongoing activities within the project area that would impact suitable Hutton’s vireo habitat.

Other Wildlife Species of Concern Identified During Public Scoping

Barred Owl

Existing condition Barred owls were identified as a wildlife species of interest during project scoping due to a concern for potential habitat enhancement within Late-Successional Reserve. It is inferred that this interest stems from the potential adverse effect of increasing barred owl populations negatively impacting resident spotted owl populations. A more complete summary of the research background to this issue can be found in the Biological Assessment for the project that was submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of formal consultation practices. This document includes references that substantiate the concern that barred owls pose a key threat to spotted owl population through direct competition for available resources and displacement.

Spotted owls have been documented as occurring in the project area. It is unknown whether barred owls are resident in the area although they are confirmed on the Diamond Lake District. Barred owls also are considered to prefer mature forest habitats like spotted owls, but appear to have greater adaptability in habitats that may be inhabited.

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Direct and Indirect effects Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative and retains all forest structure and available habitat as in the current condition. Alternative 2 and 3 propose oak and pine forest restoration activities through a variety of treatment types. In those units treated with harvest and prescribed burning, canopy closure levels are expected to be reduced to the point that impacts spotted owl habitat quality. The Biological Evaluation completed for the project identifies 94 acres of nesting/roosting/foraging habitat and 38 acres of dispersal habitat removed through Alternative 2. Impacts from Alternative 3 were cited as 74 acres of nesting/roosting/foraging habitat and 28 acres of dispersal. These activities are likely to result in vegetative structural conditions that may be more readily used by barred owls. These impacts are comparably small in relation to spotted owl home ranges which are assumed to average around 2,893 acres. Resident spotted owl home range analysis indicates that residual nesting/roosting/foraging and dispersal habitat amounts remain well above benchmarks where spotted owl abandonment of home range might occur.

Cumulative Effects Past timber harvests, especially regeneration treatments, are perceived as impacting habitat conditions for the barred owl. More recently, the Rattle and Bose Fires also have reduced total mature forest habitat within the Copeland Creek subwatershed. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that would influence barred owl habitat.

Wild Turkey

Existing condition During project scoping, wild turkeys were identified as a wildlife species of concern due to their status as an introduced species. Concern was expressed for potential impacts on other native ground birds (e.g., quail and grouse) as well as the possibility of depletion of food sources for native wildlife species. Wild turkeys are documented within the project area, almost certainly the result of state relocation efforts. In the state’s Oregon’s Wild Turkey Management Plan (2004), there is additional information on this issue. It concludes “There is concern about releasing turkeys in some areas of the state because of the potential impacts they may have to native wildlife and plants. There are no data however, that substantiate significant competition between wild turkeys and other wildlife or that turkeys negatively impact plant populations.” It goes on to note that in their native range, wild turkeys coexist with many of the same species (or their ecological equivalents) that occur in Oregon.

Direct and Indirect effects Alternative 1 is the No Action alternative. This alternative will retain the existing vegetative communities within the project area. Alternative 2 and 3 each proposes a suite of oak and pine restoration treatment activities that seek to restore historic habitat conditions. These treatments are designed to promote Oregon white oak and ponderosa/sugar pine forests. Both forest types are preferred habitats for wild turkey due to important mast production (acorns and pine nuts). Alternative 2 proposes 321 acres of treatment while Alternative 3 proposes 297 acres. These action alternatives will improve the available wild turkey habitat conditions, while at the same time improving conditions for quail and grouse and other wildlife species which utilize acorns and pine nuts as food sources.

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Cumulative effects Past timber harvest within the Copeland Creek subwatershed created additional edge habitat and early seral habitat that would provide enhanced conditions for wild turkey. The Bose and Rattle Fires have also created similar early seral habitat. There are no other planned or ongoing activities in the project area that would increase or decrease Oregon white oak or ponderosa/sugar pine forests. It is expected that the State of Oregon will continue to implement its Wild Turkey Plan which includes contingencies for relocation of additional birds. It can be expected that when combined with habitat improvements with Alternatives 2 or 3, the Oak Flats planning area may see an increase in the wild turkey population.

INVASIVE PLANTS/NOXIOUS WEEDS

Existing and Desired Conditions The health of native plant communities throughout the Pacific Northwest is at risk from noxious weeds and other invasive plants. Introduced plant species thrive in new ecosystems for various reasons, including a lack of natural predators, altered disturbance regimes, adaptations for growing on nutrient-poor soils, and allelopathic abilities (natural protection from chemicals such as pesticides or herbicides). As a result, many weeds are capable of outcompeting native plants, ultimately lowering the diversity and altering the species composition of native plant communities. The frequency of fire can also be altered by noxious weeds in ways that are detrimental to natural ecosystems (Harrod and Reichard, 2001; Keely, 2001; Brooks et al., 2004). Further, different soil organisms predominate under different kinds of vegetation. Replacement of native plant communities with invasive species can be expected to change soil microbial populations and associated nutrient cycling processes.

Roads are considered the first point of entry for invasive species into a landscape, and roads serve as corridors along which invasive plants move further into the landscape. Logging, construction equipment and off-road vehicles can facilitate the dispersal of weeds beyond roadsides by simultaneously disturbing soils and by transporting seeds off road. Invasive plant seed can also be moved by wind, water, animals, and humans. Most weeds populate and thrive in disturbed areas such as roadsides, trails, logged units, burns, rock quarries, mined sites and areas around human structures. Established populations serve as sources for further dispersal, especially along road, power line, and trail corridors.

The increase of invasive plant introductions on the Umpqua National Forest is directly related to expanding weed populations on nearby federal, state, and private lands. Populations of extremely aggressive species such as spotted knapweed, meadow knapweed, and rush skeletonweed have become roadside weeds on frequently traveled highways in Oregon and along arterial roads in the Umpqua and adjacent national forests. The greatest risk of human-caused noxious invasive plant introduction into the proposed units is from seed-contaminated vehicles and equipment traveling through the planning area.

The Umpqua National Forest has classified its invasive plants into four categories: high- priority species (Forest Rating A) for which treatment of all known sites is a priority, lower priority species (Forest Rating B), which are generally too widespread for control to be feasible, detection species (Forest Rating D) which are surveyed for and would

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become high-priority if found, and other weeds of interest (Forest Rating O). The noxious weeds known to occur on the Diamond Lake Ranger District of the Umpqua National Forest are presented, by category, in Table 26.

Table 26 Noxious Weed List for the Oak Flats Restoration Project. Common Name Scientific Name Oak Flats Planning Area High-Priority Species (Forest Rating A) Rush Skeletonweed Chondrilla juncea Yes Scotch Broom Cystisus scoparius Yes Lower-Priority Species (Forest Rating B) Meadow Knapweed Centaurea x moncktonii Yes St. Johnswort Hypericum perforatum Yes Medusahead rye Taeniatherum caput-medusae Yes Other Weeds of Interest (Forest Rating O) Chicory Cichorium intybus Yes

Project Area Invasive Species Invasive plant surveys for Oak Flats Project area are conducted on an annual basis as part of district priorities for management of rush skeletonweed and medusahead rye in this area. The area was also surveyed incidentally in prior years as a part of annual weed inventories.

Invasive weeds are relatively limited within the project area. St. Johnswort, medusahead rye, and meadow knapweed are the only listed noxious weeds within the project area boundary. These invasive species can currently be found throughout the Diamond Lake Ranger District, typically along roadsides but also in dry forb meadows and in created openings, sometimes in great abundance. In the project area, isolated plants are mostly scattered throughout openings along the road and in powerline corridors. Opening the canopy in the Douglas-fir dominated stands will create more favorable conditions for introducing these invasive species into the stands.

Rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncae) represents the greatest potential threat to restoration of the oak woodlands. This weed is fairly common within the interior valley in Douglas County but is still rare on the Umpqua National Forest. It is a rhizomatous perennial with a waxy cuticle and little foliage so it is resistant to herbicide applications. Like most of our noxious weeds, this species is shade-intolerant so the dense Douglas- fir stand on the west side of the project area provides a buffer to ready movement into the area proposed for opening. The end of Road 720 was closed to traffic in 2004 to prevent movement of rush skeletonweed along the road. A small section of this road was ripped and barricaded with boulders, and planted to conifers. This road was reopened during the 2008 Rattle Fire and has not been bermed and replanted with conifers since the fire occurred. The tops of the skeletonweed continue to be mowed annually to prevent seed production until the planted conifers are large enough to form an effective

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barrier. Mitigation measures would need to be implemented before the Oak Flats project is initiated.

Meadow knapweed is abundant along the lower Copeland Creek road and there are several isolated plants along the 700 Road leading into the project area. This is another highly invasive, rhizomatous, perennial weed that could easily dominate the proposed openings and thinned areas if it has a chance to establish. All plants along the 700 Road have been aggressively managed with manual pulling and landscape fabric being applied to the populations.

Numerous other non-native species occur throughout the project area (Table 26). These weeds are naturally most abundant along the road and under the powerline. As with all of the weeds mentioned thus far, opening the canopy will create open habitat that is conducive to weed invasion. This is particularly true immediately following timber harvest, although the proposed harvest systems should result in minimal soil disturbance. Burning also can favor weeds but the effect of a single burn is typically short-lived. Brackenfern is a native species that is already established under the powerline adjacent to units along the powerline road. This native fern can be quite aggressive and also tends to increase with repeated burning. Seeding of native grasses immediately after burning should reduce the spread of brackenfern and all weeds. Successful native grass establishment would also reduce the amount of conifer seedling recruitment back into the opened areas. Slowing of conifer re-establishment will be critical to allowing planted and resprouting oaks to establish.

The desired condition for the watershed and planning area is to be free of priority invasive plant infestations and to maintain native plant communities that are resilient to the introduction and spread of all invasive plants. Disturbed areas such as rock quarries and waste disposal areas are maintained free of invasive weeds to the degree practicable. Damaged ecosystems are restored where possible.

Relevant Standards and Guidelines Forest Service Region 6 issued a Record of Decision (ROD) in October 2005, for the Pacific Northwest Region Invasive Plant Program Final Environmental Impact Statement. The 2005 ROD added a set of standards to Forest Plans (USDA, Forest Service 2005). Several of the standards that are pertinent to this project are incorporated into the Botany Mitigation Measures in Chapter 2.

The Umpqua National Forest LRMP also was amended in 2003 (USDA, Umpqua NF 2003) with the following relevant standards and guidelines:

. Integrated weed management prevention and treatment strategies will be used to treat noxious weeds within the constraints of laws, policies and regulations and to meet Forest Management objectives. Methods may include manual (mowing, clipping, grubbing), biological, heated steam, competitive seeding, competitive planting, solarization, prescribed fire, grazing, chemical, or other applicable methods designed to control and/or eradicate the noxious weed. Biological controls tested and sanctioned by the US Department of Agriculture would be allowed to occur. Manual control methods within disturbed sites, such as along roads, trailheads, landings and within administrative sites, would be allowed at any time.

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. Require all ground-disturbing machinery to be washed prior to entering and leaving the Forest, using the appropriate timber sale contract provisions and construction contract requirements. . Require the use of certified weed-free seed for all revegetation projects. Revegetate disturbed sites as soon as practical using native species unless there is no immediate resource concern and the site is anticipated to revegetate naturally to native species to desired cover standards.

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects Alternative 1, the no action alternative, would not result in any direct effects because ground- disturbing activities with the potential to encourage new noxious weed invasions would not occur. Ongoing noxious weed controls would continue per district priorities and available funding to ameliorate any effects from the spread of invasive weeds into this unique area.

Alternatives 2 and 3 may contribute to the introduction or proliferation of invasive plants in the planning area through timber harvest, temporary road building, and prescribed fire activities. Vehicles and equipment carrying weeds to the areas where vegetation is being removed and soil disturbed all have the potential to directly affect weed spread. The overall potential for weed spread would be largely mitigated through application of the Standards and Guidelines, (particularly the vehicle washing requirement), mitigation measures, and future weed treatments.

Under the action alternatives, weed spread and colonization would be indirectly facilitated by removing competing vegetation, opening the canopy, and disturbing the soil in the treatment units. This would be particularly acute where vegetation is removed immediately adjacent to the primary dispersal corridors (e.g., roads) such as in portions of units 4, 6, 8, and 9. This indirect effect would be partially mitigated by: treating known sites prior to timber harvest and fuels management activities (and continuing to manage the known sites); subsoiling, seeding temporary roads, landings and skid trails adjacent to landings; and post-project monitoring to detect and treat invasive weeds before they can establish. Native re-vegetation would ameliorate effects from invasive species being introduced into the project area. Because native re-vegetation would provide some competition of resources for the noxious weeds and the mitigation measures in place to prevent invasive spread into the project area, any direct or indirect effects resulting from removing vegetation and opening the canopy should be ameliorated by these actions.

Roads indirectly affect weed spread by creating habitat for invasive weeds and providing corridors for movement of weeds. The absence of any road work under Alternative 1 would result in no road-related direct effects upon invasive plants. Alternatives 2 and 3 propose to construct 1.14 miles and 0.95 miles of new temporary roads, respectively, re- open 0.36 miles of old temporary roads, and re-open 0.9 miles of system roads. Due to the increased risk associated with road activities, it will be especially important for these roads to be re-vegetated where appropriate, then mulched, and monitored. Road obliteration and re-vegetation, along with the application of required weed prevention measures during timber sale operations and post-harvest monitoring, should mitigate the potential for weed invasion of the temporary roads. Under the action alternatives, these roads would be scarified and seeded to native species of grasses and forbs after the sale, contingent upon funding. Alternative 2 has slightly more road than Alternative 3

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which would put Alternative 2 at a slightly higher chance of affecting the spread of weeds into the units. The difference of acreage accessed by these roads, slightly higher in Alternative 2, would also result in a greater chance of weed spread over a larger area. However, because of the mitigation measures being implemented under the action alternatives, any direct or indirect effects associated with the proposed activities should be largely ameliorated through these actions.

Fire has been shown to decrease the cover of some introduced species (Kaye et al., 2004) and can provide a suitable seedbed for germination of native seedlings (Maret and Wilson, 2005). Under both action alternatives, there are approximately 178 acres of underburning occurring within the project area. Units 3, 10, 11, and 13 (underburn/jackpot burn for pine health) would be at a lower risk for weed invasion as there are no temporary roads being built into these units. Units with underburning associated with temporary roads would be at a greater risk due to the temporary road acting as a vector for the introduction of weeds deeper into the units. However, there is a risk of proliferation of invasive species coming into the disturbed area with any type of activity that disturbs existing conditions. Mitigation measures should ameliorate any direct effects resulting from the spread of weeds into the prescribed burning units.

Cumulative impacts for this project are analyzed at the planning area scale. Because temporary roads would be obliterated and re-vegetated, there would be no cumulative impact of additional roads in the planning area under any of the action alternatives. Although this project could have some minor cumulative impacts by contributing to the spread of existing weeds, mitigation measures included in this proposed action could partially alleviate some effects of the prior actions through re-vegetation since very little re-vegetation was attempted as part of past treatments. Therefore, when added to past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions in the planning area, it is determined that the cumulative impacts associated with any of the alternatives are relatively minor.

THREATENED, ENDANGERED, AND SENSITIVE BOTANY SPECIES

Biological Evaluation This Biological Evaluation evaluates potential impacts to Threatened, Endangered, or Sensitive (TES) vascular plants, lichens, and bryophytes resulting from the Oak Flats Restoration Project. It is Forest Service policy to “ensure that Forest Service actions do not contribute to loss of viability of any native or desired plant or contribute…trends towards Federal listing of any species” (FSM 2672.41).

There are currently 39 vascular plant, 20 fungi, 12 lichen, and 24 bryophyte species listed as Sensitive on the Umpqua National Forest. No Federally threatened, endangered or candidate species occur at Oak Flats. The habitat represents very marginal habitat for both rough popcornflower (Plagiobothrys hirtus) and Kincaid’s lupine (Lupinus sulphureus ssp. kincaidii), although the nearest known occurrences of either species are in the Umpqua Valley floor nearly 40 air miles away. There are no known occurrences of rough popcornflower on the Umpqua National Forest and Kincaid’s lupine is known only from the western edge of the Forest south of Tiller.

Pre-field Review Pre-field review indicated potential habitat for a number of Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive (TES) species and rare or uncommon species within the project area. This

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review consisted of consultation and analysis of Umpqua National Forest database records, aerial photographs, survey protocols for lichens, bryophytes, and vascular species, previous botanical survey records, USGS topographical maps, and working knowledge of the area. Each species on the Umpqua National Forest Sensitive Species list is considered.

Pre-field review also indicated that the populations of Lupinus sulphureus ssp. kincaidii and Plagiobothrys hirtus are far removed from any direct, indirect, or cumulative effects associated with any of the alternatives and connected actions. Therefore, the implementation of any of the alternatives would have “No Effect” on these Federally listed species.

A few Sensitive fungi can be eliminated from consideration. There is no modeled suitable habitat in the planning area for R. araiosporia and Gomphus kauffmanii (Turbinellus kauffmanii) (York and Helliwell, 2007). However, there is modeled suitable habitat in the planning area for the following fungi species: Ramaria amyloidea, R. aurantiisiccescens, and R. largentii (York and Helliwell, 2007). Additionally, Dermocybe humboldtensis and Destuntzia rubra are mycorrhizal fungi known from sand dunes and lower elevations, respectively, and are not expected in the range of the planning area.

Field Reconnaissance Intuitive controlled7 and complete surveys for botanical species determined to have potential habitat within the planning area were conducted in the proposed project units by Richard Helliwell, Jenny Moore, and Eric Baxter in 2006. Unsuitable habitats in the units were field-verified from appropriate vantage points or during travel between suitable potential habitats. Botany surveys complied with established protocols. Because of the cryptic nature of fungi, surveyors did not target areas for Sensitive fungi and only noted occurrences of Sensitive species if encountered while looking for other Sensitive taxa. The surveyors followed applicable protocols and were consistent with current taxonomy8 as listed in the references section. Field surveys confirmed a previously- known occurrence of Thompson’s mistmaiden (Romanzoffiana thompsonii) in unit 4.

An effects analysis for the Threatened and Endangered botany species found on the Umpqua National Forest, and Forest Service Sensitive species located or already known to occur within the project zone of influence, is presented in Table 27, with further discussion below for species with possible project effects.

Table 27. A Project Effects Assessment for Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Plants. Taxa Group and Species Project Effects Potential Species Threatened or Endangered Plants Habitat Present Alt 1 Alt 2 Alt 3 Lupinus sulphureus ssp. kincaidii No No NE NE NE Plagiobothrys hirtus No No NE NE NE

Bryophytes

7 The proposed project area is traversed so that all major habitats and topographic features have been investigated. Potential habitats receive a complete survey. 8 Plant taxonomy is consistent with Abrams 1960, Arora 1986, Derr et al. 2003, Hickman 1993, Hitchcock and Cronquist 1973, Hitchcock et al. 1969, Lawton 1971, Lesher et al. 2003, McCune and Geiser 1997, Schofield 1992, USDA/USDI 1999, and Wagner and Christy 1996.

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Taxa Group and Species Project Effects Barbilophozia lycopodioides No No NI NI NI Bryum calobryoides No No NI NI NI Calypogeia sphagnicola No No NI NI NI Chiloscyphus gemmiparus No No NI NI NI Encalypta brevicolla var. crumiana Yes No NI NI NI Encalypta brevipes Yes No NI NI NI Entosthodon fascicularis Yes No NI NI NI Helodium blandowii No No NI NI NI Jamesoniella autumnalis var. heterostipa No No NI NI NI Marsupella emarginata var. aquatica No No NI NI NI Meesia uliginosa No No NI NI NI Polytrichum sphaerothecium No No NI NI NI Porella bolanderi Yes No NI NI NI Pseudoleskeella serpentinensis No No NI NI NI Codriophorus depressum No No NI NI NI Rhizomnium nudum Yes No NI NI NI Schistostega pennata No No NI NI NI Splachnum ampullaceum No No NI NI NI Tayloria serrata Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Tetraphis geniculata Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Tetraplodon mnioides Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Tomenthypnum nitens No No NI NI NI Trematodon boasii No No NI NI NI Tritomaria exsectiformis No No NI NI NI

Lichens Chaenotheca subroscida Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum Yes No NI NI NI Leptogium burnetiae Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Leptogium cyanescens Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Lobaria linita Yes No NI NI NI Nephroma occultum Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Pannaria rubiginosa No No NI NI NI Peltigera pacifica Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Pseudocyphellaria mallota No No NI NI NI Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis No No NI NI NI Ramalina pollinaria No No NI NI NI

Usnea longissima Yes No NI MIIH MIIH

Fungi Boletus pulcherrimus Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Chroogomphus loculatus Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Cortinarius barlowensis Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Cudonia monticola Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Dermocybe humboldtensis No N/A NI NI NI Destuntzia rubra No N/A NI NI NI Gastroboletus imbellus Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Gastroboletus vividus Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Gomphus bonarii Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Gomphus kauffmanii No N/A NI NI NI Gymnomyces fragrans Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH

Leucogaster citrinus Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH

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Taxa Group and Species Project Effects Pseudorhizina californica Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Ramaria amyloidea Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Ramaria aurantiisiccescens Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Ramaria largentii Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Ramaria spinulosa var. diminutiva Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Rhizopogon exiguous Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Rhizopogon inquinatus Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH Stagnicola perplexa Yes N/A NI MIIH MIIH

Vascular Plants Adiantum jordanii Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Arabis suffrutescens var. horizontalis No No NI NI NI Arnica viscosa No No NI NI NI Asplenium septentrionale Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Botrychium minganense No No NI NI NI Botrychium pumicola No No NI NI NI Calamagrostis breweri No No NI NI NI Calochortus umpquaensis No No NI NI NI Carex abrupta Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Carex crawfordii Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Carex diandra No No NI NI NI Carex lasiocarpa var. americana No No NI NI NI Carex nardina No No NI NI NI Carex serratodens Yes No NI NI NI Carex vernacula No No NI NI NI Cimicifuga elata Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Collomia mazama No No NI NI NI Cypripedium fasciculatum Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Elatine brachysperma No No NI NI NI Eucephalus vialis Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Gentiana newberryi No No NI NI NI Iliamna latibracteata Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Kalmiopsis fragrans No No NI NI NI Lewisia columbiana var. columbiana Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Lewisia leana No No NI NI NI Ophioglossum pusillum Yes No NI NI NI Pellaea andromedifolia No No NI NI NI Perideridia erythrorhiza No No NI NI NI Poa rhizomata Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Polystichum californicum Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Romanzoffia thompsonii Yes Yes NI MIIH MIIH Rotala ramosior No No NI NI NI Scheuchzeria palustris var. americana No No NI NI NI Schoenoplectus subterminalis Yes No NI MIIH MIIH Utricularia minor No No NI NI NI Utricularia ochroleuca No No NI NI NI Viola primulifolia ssp. occidentalis No No NI NI NI Wolffia borealis No No NI NI NI Wolffia columbiana No No NI NI NI

NE No Effect (Applies only to Threatened and Endangered species.) NI No Impact (Applies to Forest Service Sensitive species.)

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MIIH May impact individuals or habitat but will not likely contribute towards Federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species. WOFV Will impact individuals or habitat with a consequence that the action may contribute to a trend towards Federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species. BI Beneficial impact. No* Species was not present in the area surveyed; however, not all potential habitat was surveyed.

EFFECTS TO THREATENED OR ENDANGERED PLANTS Kincaid’s lupine and rough popcorn flower are not known from the Oak Flats area or the Diamond Lake Ranger District, and were not found during surveys. Kincaid’s lupine is the only documented Federally listed Threatened plant species on the Umpqua National Forest. It occurs on the Tiller Ranger District and adjacent lands, and in the Willamette Valley. Rough popcorn flower, a Federally listed Endangered species, occurs in a few locations near the western forest boundary on Bureau of Land Management and private lands.

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects Because known populations of Kincaid’s lupine and rough popcorn flower are far removed from the project area and because these species were not found during surveys, there are no direct, indirect or cumulative effects associated with any of the alternatives and connected actions. The alternatives would have “No Effect” on these listed species.

EFFECTS TO SENSITIVE SPECIES

Fungi There are no known Sensitive fungi sites in the vicinity; however, it is unknown whether fungi surveys have been conducted nearby. Fungi were neither surveyed for in the project area nor reasonably observable at the time of survey and therefore could be present yet undetected. The described suitable habitat for most rare fungi species is very general and is not yet well understood. Habitat modeling for fungi (York and Helliwell, 2007) has identified suitable habitat for Ramaria amyloidea, R. aurantiisiccescens, and R. largentii within the planning area. Twelve of the other fifteen Sensitive fungi belong to the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) functional guild. ECM fungi are most abundant and diverse in areas with well-developed surface litter and organic material and a higher density of large-diameter trees with greater canopy closure (Amaranthus et al., 1994; Smith et al., 2005; Meyer et al., 2008). The three remaining Sensitive fungi are saprobic, meaning their mycelia reside in the litter and downed wood which they feed on, and therefore are also more likely to occur in areas with well- developed surface litter and organic debris. Alternatives 2 and 3 include thinning in natural stands containing some of the conditions thought to be favored by some of the Sensitive fungi. All action alternatives include a prescribed burn component, which involves natural stands. In these natural stand portions of the project, Sensitive fungi are reasonably likely to occur.

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects Under Alternative 1, there would be no direct adverse effects to Sensitive fungi due to the lack of ground-disturbing activities. Continued fire exclusion in the planning area may favor mushroom production (Luoma and Eberhart, 2005). This indirect beneficial effect

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would be negated by the higher risk of stand replacement fire occurring and the complete alteration of forest floor conditions, compared to the action alternatives.

All action alternatives could potentially impact Sensitive fungi directly through soil disturbance and compaction. However, because all prescriptions leave residual trees, fungal mycelia are expected to be retained in the soil.

All action alternatives include a prescribed burn. A low-intensity fire would primarily affect the upper 5 cm of litter and its inhabitants. Prescribed burning can reduce ECM abundance and species diversity (Smith et al., 2005). However, fire has been shown not to substantially decrease fungi in mineral soil, where the majority of fungal species diversity exists (Stendell et al., 1999). Thus, in a low-intensity fire, mycorrhizal biomass could be substantially decreased, and some ectomycorrhizal species could be impacted. However, the majority of ectomycorrhizal species, which reside in deeper soil layers, are likely to survive (Jonsson et al., 1999; Bruns et al., 2002). The saprophytic fungi Cudonia monticola, Pseudorhizina californica, and Stagnicola perplexa, if present, are likely to be adversely affected by a low-intensity fire because they reside in the litter. However, the potential burn pattern could leave unburned patches to re-colonize scorched ground. Where fire severity is more intense, mycorrhizal fungi in mineral soil also may suffer mortality (Stendell et al., 1999).

The action alternatives may impact individuals or habitat of Sensitive fungi but will not likely contribute to a trend towards Federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species within the project units. This conclusion is based on scattered and aggregate green tree retention and a mosaic burn pattern under all action alternatives. Retention trees have the potential to act as refugia which can contribute, if needed, to recolonization (Luoma et al., 2006). Prescribed burning may impact individuals or habitat in the short term, but ECM and truffle abundance has been shown to recover after approximately ten years. The long-term and cumulative effects of underburning could be beneficial to Sensitive fungi by preventing a much hotter wildfire. Alternatives 2, 3, and the connected actions would not cause adverse cumulative effects to Sensitive fungi since the direct and indirect effects are expected to be short-lived. Alternatives 2 and 3 “may impact individuals or habitat but will not likely contribute towards Federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species”.

Romanzoffia thompsonii Thompson’s mistmaiden, is a diminutive, early-blooming annual vascular plant of vernally moist seeps on rock outcrops in fully open to partially shaded sites (Helliwell, 1998). This species is on the Forest Service sensitive list. Threats to the species include alteration of hydrology from activities such as road-building, water diversions, groundwater pumping and development of rock quarries, and habitat degradation by invasive species. There are at least 40 known sites across the Umpqua National Forest. Thompson’s mistmaiden occurs in one vernally moist depression at the top of the cliffs along the southwestern edge of unit 4. Care should be taken to avoid entering this area or piling slash on the habitat.

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects Alternative 1 would have no direct, indirect or cumulative effects on R. thompsonii. The Thompson’s mistmaiden site is located in the northern portion of unit 4 and in proximity to vernally moist pools. This population will be buffered and is not associated

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with temporary road-building. It is possible that the removal of so much of the adjacent overstory may raise the water table in parts of the stand but this would not be expected to affect the specific site where the Thompson’s mistmaiden occurs. Increased water would simply run over the cliff. It is possible, though highly uncertain, that additional habitat may be created by opening the stand. The potential Thompson’s mistmaiden habitat within the underburn unit is so sparsely vegetated that it is unlikely to carry fire, and even if it did, it is unlikely that the annual mistmaiden would be adversely affected. If a site was disturbed by equipment during burn implementation, it could directly impact Thompson’s mistmaiden individuals. As described in Chapter 2, mitigation measures would be implemented to minimize direct impacts to the species. . Neither the no action nor the action alternatives would cause adverse cumulative effects to Thompson’s mistmaiden since there are no direct or indirect effects. Therefore, the action alternatives and connected actions are determined to have “no impact” to Thompson’s mistmaiden.

EFFECTS TO OTHER RARE OR UNCOMMON BOTANY SPECIES Two additional species, Scleronium digynum and Collema nigrescens, have previously been considered to be of conservation concern although they do not currently meet the criteria for Forest Service Sensitive Species List. Because these species are rare and uncommon, the protection of the species and their habitat are addressed, should their status be reconsidered. There are no known sites of any other Rare or Uncommon species within project units. None of these species have known sites within activity units or were found during surveys of thinning units. Therefore, no direct, indirect or cumulative effects would be anticipated to impact other Rare or Uncommon species from the thinning component of the Oak Flats Restoration Project

Northwestern yellow flax (Sclerolinon digynum) has no official conservation status but its occurrence at Oak Flats appears to be a first record for Douglas County. The Oregon Flora Project (www.oregonflora.org) displays only six vouchered locations in Oregon, all of which are over 50 years old. Several additional unvouchered locations have been noted in the Willamette Valley and Klamath County. It is recommended that the harvest and fuels treatments avoid the immediate area where this species was located in unit 4 to assure its continued presence in the project area.

Collema nigrescens is an epiphytic (grows on vegetation) lichen that is currently classified as a category F Survey and Manage species in Oregon (except in the Klamath Physiographic province). Category F species include uncommon species which have undetermined conservation concerns. Pre-project surveys are not required for Category F species and no special management of known sites is required.

The effect of prescribed fire on the epiphytic lichen and bryophyte community is uncertain. Because of the extended period since fire has last been in the stand, thick mats of mosses cover much of the main stems of nearly all the oaks. It is likely that these moss mats would carry more flame into the overstory branches than would have occurred if the stand had been subject to recent fires. This may even result in an increased incident of aboveground mortality of the standing oak. Little research has been done on the impact of burning on epiphytes in oak communities.

Alternative 1 would not result in impacts to these species, since no ground-disturbing actions would occur. However, there will be a higher risk of stand replacement fire, compared to the action alternatives. There is the potential for direct adverse impacts to

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undiscovered locations under Alternatives 2 and 3. Therefore, for these Rare or Uncommon species, actions associated with this project “may impact individuals or habitat but will not likely contribute to a trend towards Federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species”. Because the amount of potentially affected habitat is so small and any potential effect would be small, there would be minimal, if any, adverse cumulative impacts to the species or its habitat under all alternatives.

Table 28. Effects to Other Rare or Uncommon Species. Known Potential Results of Risk Scientific Name Occurrence on Habitat Survey Assessment Umpqua NF Bryoria tortuosa S Y N/A MIIH Collema nigrescens D Y Y MIIH Hypogymnea duplicata S N N/A NI Platismatia lacunosa D Y N MIIH Ramalina thrausta D Y N/A MIIH Cypripedium montanum D Y N NI Sclerolinon digynum D Y Y MIIH S Suspected to occur on the Umpqua National Forest. D Documented occurrence on the Umpqua National Forest (as of 2007). NI No Impact. MIIH May impact individuals or habitat but will not likely contribute to a trend towards Federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species.

WOFV Will impact individuals or habitat with a consequence that the action may contribute to a trend towards Federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species. BI Beneficial impact. N* Timber harvest units were surveyed and the species not found.

Water Resource Environment The Aquatic Conservation Strategy (ACS) established in the Northwest Forest Plan calls for the maintenance and recovery of ecosystems over broad landscapes with consideration given to how the aquatic and riparian dependent systems interact with and depend on natural disturbance processes over the long-term. This strategy is applied over broad landscapes, as opposed to individual projects or small areas (USDA/USDI 1994). This water resource report focuses on the Oak Flats Restoration Project (harvest and fuels treatment) to disclose the lack of anticipated impacts to ecological processes or resources at various scales. This includes site specific disclosure at the scale of unnamed intermittent streams within or adjacent to activities and at various larger scales including the Middle North Umpqua Watershed9 (Figure 9), the scale at which the Aquatic Conservation Strategy is applied. Each of the various water resource sections is summarized in terms of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy as clarified the 2004 ROD pertaining to the ACS (USDA/USDI 2004).

9 A “watershed” is a subdivision of land that is based on hydrologic drainage and defined by a national hierarchical system, which delineates hydrologic drainage in nested multi-level subdivisions (FGDC, 2002). The watershed level subdivides the “sub-basin” level (4th level). The 5th level watershed in this situation is the Middle North Umpqua, which is subdivided by eight smaller subwatersheds (6th level).

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Figure 9. The Eight Subwatersheds Subdividing the Middle North Umpqua Watershed and the location of the Oak Flats Restoration Project.

The Oak Flats activity area is in the Copeland Creek subwatershed that encompasses about 22,978 acres. Copeland Creek flows into the North Umpqua River in the Middle North Umpqua Watershed. The Middle North Umpqua Watershed is about 145,063 acres. Stream density for the Copeland Creek subwatershed, based on the current stream mapping is about 3.12 miles of stream per square mile of subwatershed, which is similar to lower Fish Creek subwatersheds. However, the western part of the proposed activity area is a gentle landscape, which contributes to a lower stream density. The low stream density reduces the risk to water quality because of the infrequent number of streams that would be potentially near surface disturbance (timber harvest, fuel treatment, and road construction or reconstruction, and stream crossings).

The streams within the activity area are all intermittent. Near some of the road crossing of these intermittent streams, small (less than 0.1 acres) seasonal wetland depressions are present in the flatter landscape. There are no fish in the activity area. These intermittent streams flow directly and indirectly into Copeland Creek or are interrupted and do not flow into Copeland Creek. Copeland Creek has both resident and anadromous fish (see Fisheries section).

BENEFICIAL USES OF WATER The relevant inclusive beneficial uses of the Umpqua River and its tributaries, including the North Umpqua River and Copeland and its tributaries as determined by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality are: 1) public and private domestic water supply; 2) industrial water supply; 3) irrigation; 4) livestock watering; 5) resident fish and aquatic life; 6) wildlife and hunting; 7) fishing; 8) water contact recreation; and 9) aesthetic quality (ODEQ 2003).

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Relevant Standards and Guidelines The relevant standard and guidelines specifically from the Umpqua Land Resource Management Plan (LRMP) related to the water quality, streamflow, and fluvial erosion include:

Water Quality/Riparian Areas S&G #6, p IV-60: Directional felling methods would be used to meet riparian objectives and protect water quality during timber harvest (e.g.; Timer Sale Contract Provision C6.51 and C6.41).

Water Quality/Riparian Areas S&G #12, p IV-63: The application Best Management Practices (BMP's) for the protection of water quality and beneficial uses (e.g.; aquatic life or wildlife and hunting) would be monitored on ground disturbing activities.

Watershed Cumulative Effects and Water Quality, S&G #1, p IV-64: The beneficial uses of waters must be identified and management activities planned so they would not interfere with or be injurious to the beneficial uses of adjacent and downstream waters.

Watershed Cumulative Effects and Water Quality, S&G #2, p IV-64: Beneficial uses of water and aquatic habitats would not be degraded by turbidity, sediment, or scoured stream channels caused by timber harvest, road construction, and related activities.

Watershed Cumulative Effects and Water Quality, S&G #4, p IV-64: Beneficial uses of water and aquatic habitat (water quality) would not be degraded by increased peak flows caused by canopy removal from timber harvest, road construction, and related activities.

WATER QUALITY The Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis (USDA, Umpqua NF 2001) stated that reference water temperatures were probably cooler in the tributaries with more moderate daily fluctuations. The cumulative effects from timber harvest and road building within the riparian areas that removed shade along perennial streams influenced higher stream temperatures. Removal of streamside vegetation during harvesting activities along smaller perennial streams was a common practice throughout the subwatershed from initial entry in the mid 1950’s, until the mid 1980’s. However, riparian shade harvested prior to the mid 1980’s has today mostly recovered while roads within the primary riparian shade zone maintain openings and debris torrent channels remain widened (Holaday 1992).

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) identified Water Quality Limited Streams throughout the State of Oregon, including the Middle North Umpqua Watershed (Table 29). Copeland Creek was identified on ODEQ’s 303(d) list for exceeding the spawning and rearing stream temperature (ODEQ, 2002). In April of 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency approved the Umpqua Basin, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL): Water Quality Management Plan that established management protocols for impaired waters, thus removing Copeland Creek’s 303(d) listing. The effective vegetative shade remains largely intact along the lower reaches of Copeland creek. However, primary shade from riparian vegetation at road crossings associated with Road 2800 and 2801 do not represent natural levels. Forest Service wand Pacific Corp water monitoring data (2002-2010) indicate that the lower reaches of Copeland Creek continue to exceed the State temperature criterion. Other water quality parameters, which include dissolved oxygen and pH, are not exceeding the Oregon

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standards for the protection of beneficial uses. The tributaries to Copeland Creek that are within the Oak Flats Planning area are intermittent and do not flow during the summer months when stream temperature is critical for spawning and rearing. Therefore, the proposed activities will not further contribute to elevated temperatures in Copeland Creek (Table 29).

Table 29. Water Quality Parameters near the Oak Flats Restoration Activity for Copeland Creek and Downstream for the North Umpqua River. Waterbody List\Delist Watershed River Mile Parameter Season TMDL Name Date

Copeland MIDDLE NORTH Summer - 0 to 11.6 Temperature 1998/2007 April, 2007 Creek UMPQUA rearing

Copeland MIDDLE NORTH Summer - 0 to 11.6 Temperature Creek UMPQUA spawning 1998/2007 April, 2007

North Umpqua MIDDLE NORTH 34.8 to 65.9 Temperature Spring/Summer River UMPQUA 1998/2007 April, 2007

Professional judgment rendered in the Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis (USDA, Umpqua NF, 2001) indicates that the current delivery of fine sediment to tributary channels is elevated in comparison to the reference period. However, the landscape associated with the Oak Flats Restoration Project is gentle and not potentially a chronic or unstable sedimentation source. The road transportation network is an integral component influencing sediment generation within the Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis area. Nevertheless, the period of major road construction has past. New road locations with large numbers of stream crossings are not likely to occur today as they have in the past. This present situation is supported by the Late-Successional Reserve land allocation in the watershed. The current road activities are maintenance, rehabilitation, and restoration to reduce sediment input into streams.

Direct and Indirect Effects Direct effects are defined here as those that are triggered immediately as a result of the Oak Flats Restoration Project. Indirect effects are those that would occur later in time within the activity or downstream of the activity at the subwatershed or watershed scales over the duration of a decade. The project area is intersected by a network of intermittent streams and ephemeral channels. In typical years, the intermittent streams flow largely uninterrupted from late fall to early summer. The ephemeral channels host flowing water episodically following persistent or intensive rain events. During the summer months, no flowing surface water was observed in or directly adjacent to the proposed activity units. In all of the intermittent channels small, fragmented, stagnant pools hold water year round, during typical water years. However, these pools are not connected by surface flow during summer months.

Activities associated the Oak Flats Restoration Project will not have a direct or indirect effect on stream temperature. There are no perennial streams within the activity areas and thus no hydrologic contribution to Copeland Creek during the critical summer period for salmon spawning and rearing. Additionally, riparian vegetation will be preserved both prescriptively and through buffers. We are proposing variable buffers as opposed to standard buffers to better capture and protect more shade tolerant vegetation, down wood, snags and unstable channel banks. Fuels treatments will be designed to minimize impacts to riparian vegetation by piling outside of established buffers and ensuring that

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firing personnel do not actively ignite within the established buffers. These buffers will be laid out by a hydrologist prior to implementation to ensure these values are preserved. Proposed activities within riparian would improve overall health and vigor of the remaining riparian reserve trees including the Oregon white oak and ponderosa/sugar pine and provide for potential future channel recruitment of large wood, while reducing the risk of wildfire impact on the riparian.

Table 30. Proposed activities (Alternative 2) and associated hydrography (unnamed) with mitigations. Stream Unit # Stream Prescription Buffer Comments # Class 1 N/A Intermittent N/A None This stream is approximately 400’ away from the nearest activity unit. No additional buffer will be applied. No detectable effects are anticipated. 2 4A Ephemeral Harvest, Variable No scour present in these 3 11, Pile, Less channels (except at road 6 (Alt. 2) Underburn than 25 ft crossing). Equipment should exercise care when operating around these channels to minimize soil disturbance and erosion. 4 6 (Alt. 2) Ephemeral Harvest, Variable No equipment in identified wet Pile, Less areas to minimize ground Underburn than 25 ft disturbance and protect associated vegetation/snags. 5 6 (Alt. 2) Intermittent Harvest, Variable Equipment should not cross this Underburn 10–50 ft stream. Potential for increased erosion if bank is disturbed. 6 7(Alt. 2) Ephemeral Harvest, Variable No scour present in this channels. Underburn Less Equipment should exercise care than 25 ft when operating around these channels to minimize soil disturbance and erosion. 7 7(Alt. 2) Intermittent Harvest , Variable Equipment should not cross this 10, 13 Underburn 10–50ft stream. Potential for increased erosion if bank is disturbed. 8 13 Intermittent Underburn None Minimize fire intensity to avoid impacts to riparian vegetation.

Broad overland flow channeled through fords and culverts on Road 2800-700, the road running through the project area, has incised the down-stream outlet and created pockets of localized bank instability. The ground is flat from both approaches to all existing fords. The road approaches and the channel bed are stable and do not show evidence of persistent erosion. Fords would be used when the channel is dry. Therefore, sedimentation would not be directly or indirectly affected on all crossings.

The Road 2800-700 haul route includes five crossings, but only three are connected downstream and have 36-inch culverts. The other crossings are fords that have interrupted flow immediately downstream of the crossing and do not connect to Copeland Creek. Below these fords, there is no definable channel or evidence of annual scour/deposition. Road work proposed for Road 2800-700 would correct standing water

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and driving surface concerns at the fords and existing bank and bed erosion at the culvert crossings. The crossing work would reduce on-site and potential downstream sedimentation. The proposed road improvements associated with harvest activities should improve the flow characteristics with these crossings, resulting in better bank stability and lower average velocities.

Figure 10. Stream Channels within the Oak Flats Project Area.

No detectable level of nutrient enrichment during wet season flow or in Copeland Creek and downstream locations is expected from this action. While clearcut harvesting typically releases nitrogen that can leach to adjacent surface waters during runoff periods (Brown, 1972 and 1973; Sollins et al., 1980; Sollins and McCorison, 1981; Harr and Fredriksen, 1988; McDonald and Smart, 1991; Beschta et al., 1995), thinning treatments typically do not result in nitrogen delivery to streams. Since mobile nitrogen that would potentially leach to surface water is directly proportional to the size of openings created by tree removal (Prescot, 2002; Lindo, 2003), the reduction of openings to individual tree harvest, that is a thinning, would limit any mobile nitrogen increase in the soil or potential delivery to surface water. However, in units designed specifically for oak/pine savanna restoration, large openings will be created that will

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initially increase nitrogen availability to surface waters. The rapid development of herbaceous vegetation will mitigate nitrogen availability. Additionally, nutrient losses at the site scale would also be mitigated by maintaining the carbon supply on the ground, which is the presence of organic matter. Organic matter has been found to regulate nitrogen mobility in the soil by encouraging microorganism uptake (Stark and Hart, 1999; Prescott, 2002; Prescott, 2003).

Although the underburning would potentially release nitrogen to the soil, a detected increase would be limited to the surface soil (Monleon et al., 1997; Wan et al., 2001). The mobile nitrogen would remain local and likely utilized on-site by microbial activity and/or vegetation uptake by the residual trees and other vegetation. This limited response for similar actions was disclosed in the Wapiti Environmental Analysis (USDA, 2006). Studies of prescribed underburning have found that any potential mobile nitrogen increase in the soil profile would return to pre-unburned levels within one season (Monleon and others, 1997). Therefore, any release of nitrogen associated with this action would not be expected to impact water quality at the site scale or downstream at larger scales.

Cumulative Effects Past harvesting of perennial stream shade occurred up until mid-1980 at both the subwatershed and watershed level and contributed to elevated stream temperature. Nutrient release and leaching to surface water probably occurred from former clearcutting, intense broadcast burning, road erosion, and aerial fertilization. These water quality conditions likely influenced cumulative effects at the subwatershed and watershed levels.

Oak Flats would not affect shade along perennial streams or increase sedimentation. Nutrient release would be limited to the site surface soil and would not reach adjacent surface water. The nutrients released would be utilized by microorganisms or vegetation uptake and immobilized by the organic matter not consumed by the fuel treatments. Therefore, this action would not cause stream temperature, sedimentation, or nutrient increases that would incrementally add to past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future activities as a cumulative effect at the subwatershed or watershed scales.

Aquatic Conservation Strategy No impacts to water quality or the associated beneficial uses of water are expected from this proposed activity including those actions occurring in the riparian reserve land allocations. This proposed activity incorporates the relevant standard and guidelines and is framed by the Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis (2001), which identified Oak Flats for vegetation restoration. The action was designed to contribute to broad landscape objectives addressing natural disturbance processes, and to contribute to restoring the 5th level watershed over the long term which is in keeping with the intent of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy.

STREAM FLOWS Winter peakflows are an important hydrologic process in many watersheds throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the Oak Flats activity area in Copeland Creek subwatershed. The planning area is within the transient snow zone, which is between 2,000 and 5,000 feet in elevation, on the Umpqua National Forest. The transient snow

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zone is the elevation range where greater likelihood of shallow snowpacks and warm rain and wind can occur and quickly contribute to runoff. In this zone, warm rain can follow a colder snow storm causing rapid snowmelt. The rapid release of water stored in the transient snowpack coupled with warm rain often produces tremendous snowpack outflow that causes soil saturation and induces rapid groundwater flow to stream channels. The lag time between snowmelt outflow and stream flow response is often relatively short which is typical of Western Cascade geology in this activity area. In the Upper Willamette sub-basin, approximately 88 percent of floods with a return period of greater than 6 years were associated with rain-on-snow events (Harr, 1979; Christner, 1981).

The forest canopy has a major influence on snow accumulation, distribution, and melting rates by affecting the snow interception and accumulation, local microclimate, and energy balance of the snowpack. An area is considered hydrologically recovered when the forest canopy closure is 70 percent and the average tree diameter is eight inches (USDA, Umpqua NF, 1990). When the canopy is sizably opened by some form of disturbance, there is greater snow accumulation and snowmelt can potentially occur more rapidly.

An Umpqua Forest Plan standard (Watershed and Water Quality Standard #4 [LRMP; p. IV-64]) requires an analysis of forest canopy conditions. This Hydrologic Recovery Procedure (HRP) was used to estimate the hydrologic recovery or overall canopy condition at the subwatershed and watershed scales that includes the Oak Flats Restoration project. The hydrologic recovery level represents an area compilation of forest canopy redevelopment following disturbance and fully recovered canopy within the transient snow zone. It indicates the potential response of the streamflow and potential influence on the channel during floods. A hydrologic recovery of 75 percent was established by the above Forest Plan standard as a level of concern. Conditions below this value (i.e., lower levels of hydrologic recovery) would be further evaluated for potential peak flow cumulative effects to the hillslope and associated channels from rapid snowmelt during rain-on-snow storms. A hydrologic recovery of 75 percent or greater would maintain current peak flows and avoid adverse change to physical channel condition and associated factors such as water quality and fish habitat. Research indicates that statistically discernible increases in peak flows have occurred when greater than 25 percent of smaller drainages have been harvested (loss of canopy) and included roads (Jones and Grant, 1996; Thomas and Megahan, 1998); that is, the hydrologic recovery was less than 75 percent.

The Watershed Analysis evaluated the hydrologic recovery of Copeland Creek Watershed and the subwatersheds in 2001 and found that the level of recovery was greater than the level of concern (i.e., each scale was greater than 90 percent). Therefore, under the existing condition, the risk of increased peak flow response to rain- on-snow events, as influenced by forest canopy conditions, is not a concern.

The influence of the existing soil compaction and road network at the subwatershed or watershed scale has not likely increased streamflow peaks or accelerated the timing of storm peaks through channel network extension. Peak flow studies evaluating the effect of compaction have found that the influence was evident when about 12 percent or greater of the area was compacted (Beschta et al., 1995). The current level of road compaction for the subwatersheds and watershed scales is less than one percent. According to the watershed analysis, water yield response depends on the type and

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amount of cover removed (Bosch and Hewlett, 1982) and removal of less than 20 percent of the vegetation is undetectable. The current unrecovered level is less.

Indirect Effects Runoff or peak flows represent an accumulative area response rather than a site-specific direct effect. The Umpqua National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA, Umpqua NF, 1990) identified an analysis area of at least 1,000 acres, which influences a fishery stream, be used to evaluate potential peak flow response. As such, only downstream indirect effects and cumulative effects are discussed here.

The Oak Flats project would harvest less than 1 percent of the subwatershed and even less at the watershed scale. Therefore, this activity would not reduce canopy closure to the level of concern (75 percent) that would cause a peak flow response in Copeland Creek subwatershed or in Middle North Umpqua Watershed. However, this activity would result in much less risk of a stand replacement fire and loss of the old-growth Oregon white oak and ponderosa/sugar pine, which is a long-term beneficial effect. If a wildfire occurred in the planning area, the harvest and fuel treatments would have broken up the existing continuous fuel beds and alleviated dense stand conditions that cause a surface fire to torch into the crowns. Thus, the action would exert much less risk of peak flow increases from wildfire loss of canopy and the associated aquatic ecosystem impacts.

Underburning also would occur on less than 1 percent of the subwatershed and on even less at the watershed scale. Even with the loss of some small trees during treatment, underburning would not reduce the hydrologic recovery at the subwatershed and watershed scales because of the relative few acres that would be treated. Annual water yield and summer low flow would not change because of the types of silvicultural treatments and the relatively few acres treated (Beschta, 1995). Therefore, the Oak Flats project would not result in any indirect effects to the streamflow regime at the subwatershed or watershed scales.

Cumulative Effects Since no indirect peak flow effect was identified for Oak Flats, it would not therefore incrementally add to past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future activities to cause a cumulative peak flow response that would adversely change physical channel condition and associated factors such as water quality and fish habitat.

Aquatic Conservation Strategy No impacts to flow regimes or the associated beneficial uses of water are expected from the Oak Flats activity including those actions occurring in the riparian reserve land allocations such as restorative thinning. Since this activity applies all relevant standards and guidelines, is framed by the Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis, and developed to contribute to restoring the 5th level watershed over the long term, it is in keeping with the intent of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy.

FLUVIAL EROSION Fluvial erosion is the erosion of stream banks and stream beds from the forces of water. Stream channels change both spatially and temporally under the fundamental influences of climate, geology, and topography (i.e., relative position and elevation). These factors

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help determine the streamflow and sediment regimes, as well as riparian vegetation which provides instream wood. Both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused) disturbances can impact these variables and affect stream channel form (e.g., longitudinal shape, width, depth, and gradient) and the equilibrium between sediment input and output in a segment of channel. The existing stream channel form or morphology integrates past and present disturbances. Therefore, a stable stream channel has the ability, over time and in the present climate, to transport both sediment and flow produced at the subwatershed or watershed scale without either aggrading or degrading the stream channel.

The Oak Flats Planning Area proposal is located in a geomorphic (shape or surface configuration of the earth) landform type (gentle sloping/lava flats/benches/tablelands and weakly dissected gentle-moderate sideslopes), which reflects the local geology and topography (USDA, Umpqua NF, 2001). The flatter landscape of the planning area is referred to as “tablelands” geomorphic landform. The stream density is low. These geomorphic landforms represent the most stable landforms in Copeland Creek subwatershed. Streams are not deeply incised because of the limited stream energy that is associated with a gentle landform. Bank erosion is not common and the substrate is often small (i.e., sand, gravel and smaller cobble).

Direct and Indirect Effects Direct effects to fluvial erosion involve those processes that are initiated or dominated within a harvest area or at haul route crossings in the riparian reserves and would occur during this activity. The indirect effects would occur later in time or beyond the unit downstream at the subwatershed or watershed scale.

The Oak Flats activity would not increase peak flows or accelerate sedimentation, which would affect fluvial erosion. Activities proposed within riparian reserves would improve overall health and vigor of the remaining riparian trees and the potential future channel recruitment of large wood, while reducing the risk of wildfire impact on the riparian reserves. Therefore, no direct or indirect effect to fluvial erosion in the planning area stream or downstream would occur.

Cumulative Effects Oak Flats would not cause a cumulative fluvial erosion effect. Since the Oak Flats activity would not cause any direct or indirect fluvial erosion (as described above) then there would not be any effects that could incrementally add to past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future activities at any of the analysis scales.

Aquatic Conservation Strategy Large historic wildfires were the primary drivers of fluvial erosion when occasional stand replacement fires killed large areas of tree canopies causing peak flow increases. Since the advent of industrial forestry and fire exclusion, clearcuts and roads are the primary drivers of peak flow increases and associated impacts from fluvial erosion.

No impacts to fluvial erosion or the associated beneficial uses of water are expected from the Oak Flats activity including those actions occurring in the riparian reserve land allocations such as restorative treatments. Since this activity applies all relevant standards and guidelines, is framed by the Copeland-Calf Watershed Analysis and

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developed to contribute to restoring the 5th level watershed over the long term, it is in keeping with the intent of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy.

RIPARIAN RESERVES The riparian reserve land allocation was established in the Northwest Forest Plan as part of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy (USDA/USDI, 1994). This riparian reserve analysis is based on the guidance in the Northwest Forest Plan which, in general, is defined for this analysis as one site potential tree height on non-fish bearing streams (either perennial or intermittent) and two site potential tree heights on fish bearing streams. A site potential tree height is the average maximum height of the tallest dominant tree at 200 years or older for a given area. The height of site potential trees in the planning area has been established at 180 feet.

The Aquatic Conservation Strategy was developed to restore and maintain the ecological health of watersheds and aquatic ecosystems. This strategy is in part based on natural disturbance processes. Proposed riparian actions are assessed in relation to the watershed’s existing condition and any short- or long-term effects to such conditions.

Existing and Desired Conditions The riparian reserves in the Oak Flats Planning Area are largely intact. Breaks in riparian vegetation occur at road crossings and along the powerline corridor running through the activity units. The riparian reserves in and adjacent to planned activity units have departed from the structural characteristics that defined the Oak Flats landscape prior to Euro-American settlement. Fire exclusion has led to a subdominant conifer cohort that limited the propagation of shrubs and oak in the riparian zone. These natural wildfires and prescribed fires used by Native Americans likely occurred at frequent intervals (~10 years) (Carloni, 2005). This high fire return interval was critical for the propagation of both oak and pine as oaks are not resilient to high intensity fires and pines require low intensity fires for seed germination. In order to maintain healthy populations of oak and pine in the unique landscape, densities of the subdominant conifers must be managed to reduce ground fuel source and vegetative competition in the riparian reserves.

Relevant Standards and Guidelines The standards and guidelines for riparian areas (per the 1990 Umpqua National Forest LRMP) and riparian reserves (per the1994 Northwest Forest Plan) specifically related to the Oak Flats alternatives include:

Umpqua LRMP C-2-VIII, IX, X. Prohibit timber harvest and site preparation…except to meet riparian objectives. Yarding corridors are permitted at designated locations with full log suspension over the streambank and protected vegetation. Corridors must minimize disturbance to riparian vegetation and meet riparian objectives. Incorporate activities that minimize both prescribed fire and wildfire damage to riparian vegetation.

Northwest Forest Plan TM-1 (c). Prohibit timber harvest except where silvicultural practices are applied to control stocking, to acquire desired vegetation characteristics needed to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.

Northwest Forest Plan FM-1. Design fuel treatments to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives, and to minimize disturbance of riparian ground cover and

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vegetation. Strategies should recognize the role of fire in ecosystem function and identify those instances where fire suppression could be damaging to long-term ecosystem function.

Northwest Forest Plan FM-4. Design prescribed burning and prescriptions to contribute to attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.

Proposed Riparian Reserve Treatments The action alternatives would apply restorative silvicultural treatments to riparian reserves using various logging methods and activity fuel reduction techniques as described in Table 31.

Table 31. Treatment Effects to Riparian Reserves.

Alternatives Primary Effect Riparian/ Riparian (Beneficial and/or Duration Stream Actions Adverse) Change 1 2 3

Beneficial – improved species and structural diversity/late-successional 30 years Lower tree

characteristics, lower risk density & less of severe fire effects crown closure

Adverse – dryer 10–20 years microclimate, less litter to

Treatments Treatments streams/forest floor

7.2 0 11 ac al ac

Adverse – loss of Silvicultur 30 years suppression mortality in Change in snag smaller-sized trees and down wood

recruitment Beneficial –accelerated process growth of leave trees for Up to 60 years future recruitment

Beneficial –reintroduction

of excluded process 20-30 years Underburn of 29.7 18.4

natural fuels 0 acres acres Fuels Adverse – Treatment Less than1 year Surface erosion

Direct Effects Direct effects to riparian forest conditions are defined as those occurring within the confines of the riparian reserve over the course of one to two decades.

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The silvicultural and fuels treatments under the action alternatives would lower the existing canopy closure. These reductions in canopy would allow more light penetration, resulting in warmer and drier riparian forest conditions compared to Alternative 1. Silvicultural treatments under the action alternatives also would lower the rate of litter input to streams and the riparian forest floor which represents important nutrient cycling and food bases of aquatic and terrestrial organisms. This effect may decrease local populations of dependent aquatic organisms. Such effects would gradually subside as canopy closure returns over time. Chan et al. (2006) reported that percent skylight through the canopy following a variety of thinning treatments rapidly decreased by an average of 2 percent per year in the Oregon Coast Range as the crowns of leave trees and understory vegetation respond to the thinning with rapid growth. However, in units identified for oak/pine savanna restoration, openings would be created and maintained with fire to move the stand structure towards desired pre-settlement landscape conditions. The loss of shade in these stands would have no effect on stream temperature because there is no flowing water during the hottest parts of the year when water temperature would be a concern in Copeland Creek. Under the action alternatives, we expect to restore much of Oak Flats to pre Euro-American settlement characteristics. In contrast, under Alternative 1, the succession of the current stand conditions will progressively diminish the survivability of both oak and pine through competition and high-severity fire risk. Additionally, all of the streams that are within or directly adjacent to the activity units are intermittent and thus not flowing during the proposed harvest activities or during periods where water temperature is critical in Copeland Creek.

The prescribed underburning can be expected to negatively affect existing down wood by consuming some of the advanced decay class logs now present on the riparian forest floor. It is also expected to increase the recruitment of new snags and down wood, which would help to off-set these losses. Underburning is expected to create exposed soil and these areas are more prone to surface erosion and noxious weed introductions. These effects are typically short-term, since ground vegetation quickly recovers within the first year following burning, so the magnitude of such effects would be limited. These impacts are described further in the soil and noxious weeds sections of this Chapter. The action alternatives are very similar in their amount of such burning so no real differences in effects can be expected among them.

The above direct effects from silvicultural treatments and burning would occur on a small scale in terms of the riparian reserve network in the watershed. Moreover, no-cut buffers on all perennial streams and most of the intermittent streams would help moderate these effects providing a cooler, dense forest paralleling all the buffered channels.

The logging in riparian areas would also result in effects to riparian conditions under the action alternatives. Soil disturbance results in a loss of site productivity, and vegetation clearing results in habitat modification. However, soil disturbance associated with this project will be minimal because a bed of wood chips/biomass/slash will be applied over some temporary roads and forwarder trails as a cultural resource mitigation. Under Alternative 1, no soil disturbance or vegetation removal from logging or activity fuel burning would occur, thus no organisms would be killed, no bare soil would be exposed, and no productivity losses would occur in riparian reserves. Additionally, all action alternatives were designed to minimize impacts to riparian vegetation. No temporary road construction will occur within the riparian reserves and equipment will not cross any intermittent channel nor operate in immediate proximity to any stream channel.

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In summary, several types of direct adverse effects to riparian forest conditions can be expected to occur under both action alternatives. The magnitude of these effects at the site-scale in relation to the planning area and the broader watershed scale are inconsequential. This is because both the extent and the duration of these impacts (as described above) are predicted to be low.

Indirect Effects The indirect effects to riparian reserve forests are those that would occur within the riparian reserves of the harvest units over the long-term (continue for more than two decades), or that would occur beyond the immediate Oak Flats treatment areas.

Silvicultural treatments under the action alternatives would lower snag and down wood recruitment rates compared to Alternative 1, by removing trees that would die from suppression mortality. The majority of the snag recruitment loss would be from smaller- sized trees because suppression mortality typically kills smaller, suppressed trees rather than the larger dominate trees. In the context of the riparian reserve network at the watershed level, this amount is inconsequential.

The action alternatives would result in long-term beneficial effects to riparian forest structure and composition with the development of more desired riparian structural conditions sooner than Alternative 1. As such, under the action alternatives, S&G TM-1 (c) would be met because the silvicultural practices applied to control stocking in the riparian reserve contribute to meeting the desired vegetation characteristics needed to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.

CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION All action alternatives present some risk of water contamination due to the use of fuel products and dust abatement chemicals that have the potential to enter streams if spilled or misapplied. Though its need is uncertain, dust during haul may be abated through the application of magnesium chloride. Excessive rates of application could potentially increase either the surface runoff or the migration of the material through the soil to stream channels. The primary risk of water contamination would occur with a spill near a waterway.

Magnesium chloride is highly soluble and moves through the soil with water. The movement is largely dependent on the rate of application, the frequency and intensity of rainfall, the drainage characteristics of the area of application and the chemical and physical nature of the soil. During periods of long duration or high intensity rainfall, in areas of high surface runoff, or in areas of high soil permeability, magnesium can move considerable distances either as surface runoff or as soil leachate (materials dissolved in water that is within the soil). Surface runoff typically drains into streams, lakes, or ponds whereas leachates feed ground water. Under these conditions it is the constituent ions of magnesium and chloride (Mg2+, and Cl-) that migrate through the environment.

Magnesium ions are readily held by soil particles while chlorides tend to remain in solution and potentially infiltrate ground water or runoff into surface waters. Magnesium is a very common element in soil and water and because they readily bond with soil particles they typically do not migrate far from their point of application, which is the case of dust abatement chemical application (USDA, 1997). Because chlorides do not bond

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well with soil particles and tend to migrate, their effects are more widespread. Although chloride is present in all natural waters it usually occurs in concentrations of less than 50 ppm (parts per million). Trout begin to suffer serious effects from chlorides when concentrations reach 400 ppm. Concentrations in excess of 10,000 ppm place all fresh water biota in immediate jeopardy. At typical application rates these concentrations would not be expected to occur (USDA, 1999).

Direct Effects Alternative 1 would have no direct effects relative to chemical contamination because no chemicals would be applied as a result of this alternative.

Under Alternatives 2 and 3, a dust abatement spill or petroleum spill could potentially result in direct effects to aquatic resources and the beneficial uses of water. Dust abatement may be applied to Forest Service Roads 2800-700 and 2800-620 for approximately 4 miles. The haul is rather simple and short, consisting of 3.1 miles of paved road (2800) paralleling Copeland Creek and two segments of gravel roads totaling approximately 4 miles. A risk exists, albeit minor, that equipment or haul transport could have an accident. If an accident were to occur near a stream, fuel or dust abatement chemicals could enter live waterways. This could result in immediate physical harm from a truck entering a waterway, water pollution that could kill or otherwise harm aquatic organisms, and the additional disturbance associated with cleanup.

The risk of water contamination due to the application of dust abatement is minimized under all action alternatives by several mitigation measures that would be required under the timber sale contract. Dust abatement with chemical compounds under all action alternatives include maintaining an average 25 foot no treatment buffer at perennial stream crossings and maintaining a 1-foot no treatment area adjacent to the outside edge of the ditch line. Moreover, the application of dust abatement materials would normally occur only once per year in a window of time when no rain is forecast for at least three days. The buffering of applications away from perennial stream crossings has been found to effectively mitigate pollution of adjacent waters (USDA, 1999). The rate of application of dust abatement compounds in the planning area would be “typical” and therefore is not expected to contribute to adverse riparian or aquatic effects.

Magnesium chloride is typically used on a limited basis and at low application rates, as compared to study areas where the most noticeable effects have been seen. Based on the literature review and typical application rates for dust abatement purposes that would be used in the Oak Flats planning area, effects from these compounds to plants and animals in the riparian and aquatic environments would be negligible under all action alternatives.

Timber sale purchasers would be required to have spill prevention and recovery equipment on site, they would be required to develop spill prevention plans if substantial amounts of fuel or other pollutants are stored in sale areas, and traffic control measures would be required in the timber sale contract. All these requirements associated with all action alternatives, detailed in Chapter 2 and in the Best Management Practices Checklist (Project Record), function to diminish the chances that potential direct effects to aquatic resources and the beneficial uses of water from project-related pollutants would actually occur. Thus, risk of chemical contamination is considered to be low for all action alternatives.

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Indirect Effects Under Alternatives 2 and 3 pollution of off-site or downstream water is possible if trucks transporting fuel or dust abatement compounds were to spill into a river or stream en route to the project area. The likelihood of this occurring is proportional to the amount of fuel and dust abatement used in the various action alternatives. Alternative 1 would not utilize these compounds and would result in no risk of indirect effects to downstream beneficial uses due to water contamination. Alternatives 2 and 3 would present more risk of indirect effects to downstream beneficial uses because of the amount of potentially polluting products transported to the project area. The action alternatives present similar risks of an accidental spill contaminating off-site or downstream waters and the beneficial uses of those waters. The likelihood of an accidental spill is believed to be low under all alternatives; however no mitigation measures would be applied to the transport of potential pollutants outside the timber sale areas.

Cumulative Effects Most past and ongoing land management operations throughout the Umpqua River basin such as silvicultural activities, timber sales, and all forms of road work use a variety of potentially polluting products (e.g., dust abatement, petroleum, concrete, adhesives, cleansers, herbicides) that pose a risk of entering waterways if spilled or mishandled. The level of timber harvest and associated road work on Federal land has diminished over the last two decades relative to the previous three decades. Therefore, the level of additive effects that can contaminate water from such actions has also diminished.

Potential contamination of waters within the Umpqua River basin associated with private industrial forestry operations, intensive agricultural operations (using pesticides, fertilizers, other petroleum products, and herbicides), and city and town development and use by people (sewage, plus all the above mentioned potential pollutants and others not mentioned) has not diminished. Water contaminations from these sources can be expected to increase as demand for food and natural resources increases with the human populations. Therefore, the lower areas of the Umpqua River basin are where the cumulative effects of all the additive forms and sources of water contamination would be most likely realized.

The chances of any of the Oak Flats action alternatives resulting in any cumulative effects to water contamination hinges on whether a substantial spill of petroleum or dust abatement products occurs. Should a spill occur and clean-up measures fail, a cumulative effect could be realized. This is particularly true the further downstream an accidental spill occurs.

None of the Oak Flats alternatives are expected to appreciably affect water quality over the long-term (decades, or longer), and none are expected to degrade the chemical contamination/nutrients indicator considered by NOAA Fisheries unless an accidental spill were to occur. The chances of such a spill are offset as much as possible by a series of Best Management Practices required in the timber sale contract of the action alternatives. Any impacts to water quality associated with contamination of water due to an accident associated with timber sale operations would be short-term and likely localized. As such, the broad-scale goals of the ACS would not be impacted.

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EROSION, MASS WASTING, AND SEDIMENTATION Erosion and sedimentation are geomorphic processes that shape the physical appearance of the landscape and strongly influence aquatic ecosystems. The range of natural variability for sediment delivery to streams and wetlands within the planning area is considered to be very large, because erosion processes are influenced by infrequent natural disturbance events such as floods and wildfire. Sedimentation rates to streams are typically inconsequential on a year to year basis but can spike several orders of magnitude during large storm events. Land management has the potential to accelerate erosion rates and the volume of sediment entering streams and wetlands. Within the planning area, sediment enters the aquatic environment through mass wasting, fluvial erosion, and surface erosion.

Mass wasting is the dominant mechanism of sediment production within temperate rain forests of the Pacific Northwest (Naiman et al., 1990) which includes the Oak Flats Planning area. The potential mass wasting processes within the planning area include rapid-shallow landslides such as debris avalanches and in-channel debris flows, and slow-moving deeper-seated forms of mass-movement that include rotational slumps, earthflows, and soil creep. Topography has a strong influence on the type of landslides. Concerns for mass wasting are addressed in all action alternatives by applying standards and guidelines.

A majority of the acres proposed for harvest occur in Western Cascades geology. Earthflow terrain is gently-sloping and weakly-dissected where soils are fine-textured, fairly deep, and poorly drained (Swanson and Swanston, 1976). Earthflow terrain within the planning area is largely dormant (inactive) in the present day climatic regime. Movement of earthflows appears to be more strongly influenced by long-term increases in precipitation rather than high intensity rainfall events (Swanston, 1991). The upland plateau terrain is characterized by elevated, gently sloping, smooth land surfaces. Thousand foot-thick rocks resistant to erosion have preserved these gentle surfaces. Upland plateau stream gradients and stream densities are low (USDA, 1995). Most of the natural fuels burning will occur in landslide complex terrain which is composed of a mixture of steep and gentle slopes.

The desired condition is to meet ACS objectives through improved road drainage and stream crossings resulting in less risk of mass-wasting, in keeping with ACS objective 5 of restoring the sediment regime.

Relevant Standards and Guidelines LRMP Soil S&G 5. Prepare a risk and hazard analysis when the potential exists for triggering slope mass-movements as a result of proposed land management activities. Alternative prescriptions or mitigation measures are required when management activities might substantially increase the potential risk or hazard of accelerating landslide activity and when that landslide activity may result in damage to aquatic resources.

RF-2e. For each existing or planned road, meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives by minimizing disruption of natural hydrologic flow paths, including diversion of stream flow and interception of surface and subsurface flow (USDA/USDI, 1994).

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RF-3a. Meet ACS objectives by reconstructing roads and associated drainage features that pose a substantial risk (USDA/USDI, 1994).

RF-4. Existing stream crossings determined to pose a substantial risk to riparian conditions will be improved to accommodate at least a 100-year flood. Crossings will be maintained to prevent diversion of streamflow out of the channel and down the road in the event of crossing failure (USDA/USDI, 1994).

Direct and Indirect Effects The proposed activities under the various action alternatives are not expected to trigger any rapid-shallow landslides, mostly due to the gentle topography of the landscape and the continued presence of tree roots in the activity units. Both of these factors will substantially lower the risk of rapid-shallow landslides. Moreover, risk modeling, aerial photo interpretation, soil inventory review, and intensive field review satisfied LRMP soil standard and guideline 5. There were no sites deemed unstable or eliminated from the harvest units.

With respect to the road work under the action alternatives, none of the new temporary road construction would likely trigger landslides even in the event of a major storm. Steps will be taken to ensure that water will not concentrate in temporary roads or promote mass wasting. All temporary roads will be stabilized before winter weather begins. As such, the new temporary roads would not create any new water concentrations or diversions, so no new instability problems are expected.

None of the action alternatives are expected to result in any meaningful adverse short- term direct effects or longer-term indirect effects to the aquatic environment as a result of rapid-shallow landslides from harvest due to field evaluations and subsequent removal of lands that appear to be unstable.

Cumulative effects Since there are no predicted adverse direct or indirect effects of sustained or increased mass wasting under the action alternatives it could not combine with other past, present, or future conditions to result in a cumulative effect to aquatic environments due to mass- wasting.

SURFACE EROSION Surface erosion occurs when mineral soil is exposed to the erosive forces of water, wind and gravity. Surface erosion can result as an indirect effect as a result of forest management and fuel treatments when the protective surface layer of duff and other materials such as wood and rock is removed or displaced, exposing mineral soil to erosive forces. Activities such as dragging trees across the ground during yarding, burning activity-created fuels, road building, reconstruction, or decommissioning, and timber haul on existing dirt or gravel roads all can result in sedimentation of the aquatic environment.

The proposed harvest units located on gentle to moderate slopes are first entry harvest units. Despite this fact there has been compaction from wheeled traffic from previous human activity. This activity has left signs of roads and trails generated by people crossing the area or more recently by hunters accessing the gentle landscape in wheel

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vehicles. While erosion of the surface from this activity was likely high (25.1-40 t/ac) vegetation has reestablished in most areas that were disturbed and erosion has subsided as Effective Ground Cover (EGC) returned.

The transport of detached materials from graveled roadbed (e.g., 2800-700 Rd.) is accomplished by water running over the surface of the road and in the ditches. Water then hydrates road sediment which leaves the road in runoff. Without water on the road surface, there would not be much transport that could send sediment to streams. The transport of materials by water is much greater on rutted roads and loaded log trucks hauling in wet weather can create ruts. The presence of ruts increases the amount of material that would potentially deposit in a stream because concentrated water in the ruts detaches and transports road surface materials into ditches or directly into streams if the ruts direct the flow into streams. During rainstorms the ditches may also be flowing water, which aids in the transport of loosened road materials to streams.

Regular road maintenance is critical to keeping the levels of road-related surface erosion in check particularly with increased use. Road maintenance has declined sharply in the last two decades because fewer timber sales have occurred to help pay for road maintenance. Annual road maintenance is limited to main-use roads, which are part of the primary road system identified in the Forest’s Access and Travel Management Plan (USDA, Umpqua NF 2003).

In general, all action alternatives would contain contract language stating that haul would be curtailed to avoid resource damage including road-related sediment production from timber haul. Haul should be curtailed during wet conditions anytime during the operating period if such damage is possible.

All haul roads that would be used under all the action alternatives were assessed for their ability to withstand the haul associated with the Oak Flats Restoration project. All paved and aggregate surface haul roads are adequate to support timber haul during the season of June 1 through October 31 with the proposed road maintenance, as long as haul is shut down during times of intermittent wet weather that can potentially occur anytime during this period. “Unseasonable weather” could result in either a longer or a shorter acceptable season for haul, based on site specific road and weather conditions. Work may be shut down anytime during the operating season if substantial rainfall occurs and creates conditions where sediment, turbid runoff or soil compaction could occur. Waivers to operate outside this period may be granted and would be heavily dependent on prevailing weather patterns at the time, the type of work, the road conditions and if activity would not impact water quality.

Roads subjected to heavy truck traffic under the action alternatives, may be treated with dust abatement (magnesium chloride) to reduce surface wear, to mitigate traffic visibility problems, and to prevent road dust from entering streams. Without dust abatement excessive rutting and wash boarding would develop, leading to greater potential for surface erosion, especially on steeper road grades. Dust abatement binds the aggregate surface together, greatly reducing the amount of detachment of surface particles, as well as making for a longer lasting road surface without washboards or rutting. Road blading would occur as part of the dust abatement application process.

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The desired condition is to maintain lower amounts of long-term chronic surface erosion associated with both system roads and harvest created trails.

Relevant Standards and Guidelines The relevant standards and guidelines related to surface erosion are found in the Umpqua NF Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA, Umpqua NF, 1990).

Soil S&G 2 requires the establishment of a minimum amount of effective ground cover in order to meet acceptable levels of surface soil loss resulting from gravity, water, or wind action. The ground cover must exist within the first year following the end of a ground disturbing activity. Based on a moderate to high levels of erosion risk, effective ground cover levels would be 65 percent in all areas. The prescription for 65 percent effective ground cover would be obtained under low intensity – short duration spring-like underburning. If adequate ground cover is not present, straw mulch and/or grass seed would be applied as needed.

Soil S&G 11 requires monitoring during and immediately following the implementation of individual unit burning to assess the adequacy of EGC during underburning with adjustments, as needed, in order to meet the requirements.

Soil S&G 13 requires the use of erosion control measures such as seeding with native plants, weed-free straw, or other forms of mulch, where existing ground cover is lost in an area in excess of 0.5 acres.

Soil S&G 16 requires the identification of erosion control in existing developed areas where pre-existing surface erosion is ongoing.

Direct Effects Direct effects are defined as the short-term effects of sedimentation that might occur within planning area streams as an immediate result of the proposed activity from road work, timber haul, logging and treatment of activity fuels with fire.

The potential for hill slope erosion and runoff from roads to deliver sediment to streams was evaluated using the Umpqua Soil Resource Inventory or SRI (USDA, 1976) and Disturbed WEPP; a soil erosion model. The SRI provided textural data for the model and this information was validated through site visits during planning. Disturbed WEPP utilizes historic data from local weather stations, soil texture and rock cover information from the SRI along with slope and slope length data obtained through GIS mapping.

Sediment is the small portion of the surface erosion that reaches the stream channel. Some of the proposed units did not register a measurable amount of sediment under Alternative 1. Those units that displayed a response in background sedimentation were all less than one ton/ac/year, with most requiring a least a six year rainfall event to produce sediment with the model. Modeled sediment delivery is presented as a relative comparison but the models tend to over-predict, thus delivery rates in this analysis represent a worst case scenario.

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Table 32. Dominant soil and texture by harvest unit and estimated sediment delivery.

Sediment modeled with WEPP Texture -1 Unit (ton/ha ) using averaged precipitation over a 30-year period

Alt #110 Alt # 2, 311 Wildfire12 1A Clay Loam 0.00 0.02 0.49 1B Clay Loam 0.01 0.01 0.78 2 Loam 0.06 0.20 2.07 3 Loam 0.11 0.11 2.18 4A Silty Loam 0.02 0.07 1.06 4B Clay Loam 0.01 0.01 0.69 4C Clay Loam 0.04 0.04 1.16 5 Silty Loam 0.00 0.01 0.15 6 Silty Loam 0.01 0.02 0.42 7 Silty Loam 0.01 0.02 0.45 8 Silty Loam 0.01 0.03 0.53 9 Silty Loam 0.01 0.03 0.60 10 Clay Loam 0.06 0.06 1.83 11 Clay Loam 0.04 0.04 1.16 13 Silty Loam 0.01 0.03 0.69 Average

(tons/acre) 0.04 0.70 14.26

Most units show low increases over background sediment delivery under all the action alternatives; this risk will be heightened immediately after harvest and decline to background levels within three years (Elliot et al., 1999). These increases are considered low risk (0–10 t/ac/year). All action alternatives have a potential benefit of reducing the potential for sediment delivery risk associated with a wildfire at the site scale. The harvest and proper disposal of slash coupled with fuels treatments would reduce the risk of wildfire and thus, reduce the risk of a much larger sediment delivery occurring from the harvest units following a fire. Untreated acres would be burned and would expose greater amounts of soil for sediment delivery within the first three years after wildfire (Elliot et al., 1999).

Pile burning has the potential to leave areas of exposed soil surface. However, as previously described multiple project design features and mitigations activities (e.g., effective ground cover requirements) would be applied under both action alternatives to limit the duration and magnitude of all proposed activities on surface erosion. Though this activity will not be directly mitigated, leaving the surface exposed; the EGC provided

10 WEPP assumption is 100 percent Effective Ground Cover. 11 WEPP assumption is a 5 year-old forest. This is consistent with the cover between trails where the brush, grass, or young trees provide soil residue cover. 12 WEPP assumed ground cover is at low intensity wildfire.

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between burn piles and streams should prevent most if not all erosion or sediment to streams.

Grading and graveling dirt roads under the action alternatives would help to decrease erosion by more effectively dispersing surface water before it becomes concentrated runoff over road surfaces. The potential benefit from increased road maintenance in the planning area would be similar between action alternatives, reducing the potential for sediment delivery over the next ten years from roads.

Under the action alternatives, the controlled haul provision under the timber sale contract, restriction of wet season haul to paved and aggregate surface roads, use of dust abatement, and required blading to remove ruts as they develop during the haul would limit the amount of surface materials transported to streams from the roadbed. On sections of road without dust abatement (i.e., where restricted immediately adjacent to perennial stream crossings) blading may be required more often than where dust abatement is used. Blading would be kept as current as possible when wet weather is anticipated.

If a light rain occurs on a non-rutted road surface for a short period of time, any detached particles are likely to be transported a short distance and deposited back onto the roadbed surface. Very minimal sediment delivery from haul-related dust is expected under any action alternative because dust abatement would mitigate almost all effects. Alternative 1 would result in no direct effects to the aquatic environment or the beneficial uses of water because no haul would occur under this alternative.

Some of the temporary road disturbance would occur on roads previously used during past entries and abandoned. Most of these roads will be subject to heightened mitigation, such as wood chip roads or other design criteria, reducing the overall amount of exposed soil roadbed; thus minimizing the risk of sediment delivery. Because of location and no new stream crossings, sediment delivery from temporary roads would not produce large differences between action alternatives. When considering haul as a factor, Alternative 3 would have slightly less risk for delivering sediment to streams than Alternative 2.

Installation of stream crossing improvements and rolling dips on system road 2800-700 would have a net benefit of reducing the potential sediment delivery in all action alternatives once new soil disturbance on the roadside has been revegetated.

Given the nominal increase in surface erosion modeled and the avoidance of wet weather haul and other proven mitigation measures, the amounts of sediment reaching the stream channel would likely be undetectable; therefore the increased risk to beneficial uses further downstream is very low.

Cumulative Effects Given the short duration and limited extent of the surface erosion associated with the harvest activities under the action alternatives, the overall magnitude of direct and indirect adverse effects to the aquatic environment and aquatic organisms from surface erosion is considered to be low (0–10 t/ac/year). The sediment sources associated with the action alternatives (the creation of bare ground from logging, burning, and road- related work) would only last for 1–2 years following implementation and mitigation

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measures for erosion control, timing of the project work and timber haul, and temporary road obliteration all serve to help reduce the risk of surface erosion and the magnitude of potential sedimentation impacts on the aquatic environment. Given the very limited or benign effects of the action alternatives associated with surface erosion, it is unlikely that any of the Oak Flats Restoration alternatives would result in an incremental additive impact to the aquatic environment due to harvest related surface erosion.

Cumulatively, when considering past, present and foreseeable activities, there would be no adverse or unacceptable net effect from sediment delivery to streams as a result of soil disturbance from yarding logs, roadwork and haul, and fuel treatments. Other commercial thinning sales that have been implemented on the district in the past 10 years have not resulted in a measurable change to streams. Alternative 1 would result in no cumulative impacts to the aquatic environment from surface erosion because no ground-disturbing activities would occur.

EFFECTS OF HARVEST AND BIOMASS REMOVAL ON CARBON SEQUESTRATION Forest carbon sequestration has recently become a consideration when thinking about forest management (DeLuca & Aplet, 2008; Hudiburg et al., 2009). Most soil carbon and available nutrients for plants are retained in the upper ten inches of forest soils. Fine roots and mycorrhizal fungi activity occur in the surface two inches of soil. Fine root development plays an important role in capturing (sequestration) of soil carbon (Lal, 2005) to improve long-term soil fertility (Marcot, 2003). However, finding activities that can play a direct role in sequestration may not be easy (Busse, 2009). The conversion from biomass to sequestered carbon is not quick (Froberg et al., 2007). Down woody material, litter, and soil organic matter, is a critical element to site productivity and soil development; however it may not play a large role in carbon sequestration into the soil (Garter, 2008). So even without substantial soil disturbance from erosion, soil carbon can remain relatively constant with small increases through time (Smith et al., 2006, Gartner, 2008).

Another input of carbon sequestration can be fire. When fire enters a wildland setting, it can create charcoal which aids soil development or can be lost from erosion (Deluca & Applet, 2008). Once in the soil, charcoal is highly stable, having mean residence times 30–100 times longer than that of wood (Deluca & Applet, 2008). The amount of charcoal contributed to the soil is dependent upon the occurrence of fire events and intensity of those events. Thinning is the preferred path to introduce charcoal into the forest soil of ponderosa pine stands (Dore et al., 2010), consistent with the desired condition of this project. This is because thinning offers the most desirable alternative of maintaining carbon stocks and soil productivity when compared to intensively burned forests (Dore et al., 2010),

A minimum level of effective groundcover (65 percent) has been prescribed to mitigate both the risk of soil erosion and the need to maintain soil organic matter for long-term site productivity; as required by the 1990 LRMP standards and guidelines. All alternatives would meet or exceed this prescription.

FISHERIES

Existing Conditions

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The Middle North Umpqua and Copeland-Calf Watershed Analyses provide detailed descriptions of fish habitat in the planning area and are incorporated by reference into this document. The Fisheries Biological Evaluation and Essential Fish Habitat Determination analyzed potential effects of the project on Habitat Indicators also is incorporated by reference. Key information regarding habitat conditions relevant to the Oak Flats Restoration Project is summarized in the following paragraphs.

Middle North Umpqua River (5th Field Watershed) Approximately 17.5 miles of the North Umpqua River runs through the Middle North Umpqua 5th Field Watershed, splitting the north and south side of the watershed into distinctly different areas. The river canyon itself is a unique feature of the watershed and provides habitat for some species rarely seen in the Cascade Mountains.

The river is characterized by forced pool-riffle morphology, or a series of pools and bars created by flow obstructions, such as bedrock outcrops, boulders, or large wood. Large wood is not a common feature because the river has a high capacity for floating it downstream. Debris jams at bends, constrictions, or channel margins may locally influence channel morphology and habitat, causing additional scour or sediment deposition and, on rare occasions, contributing to the formation of a side channel and/or island habitat. Channel gradients are predominantly 1 to 2 percent, with steeper gradients present for short stretches. Large boulders and abundant bedrock outcrops create pools and provide channel complexity. Bedrock ledges are divided by deep troughs through which most of the bedload is carried and stored.

Substrate other than bedrock includes a mix of medium-diameter cobbles. Under reference conditions, large gravel bars were likely uncommon due to channel confinement and high sediment transport capacity. Gravel deposits were more likely associated with bedrock and less commonly with large wood. Accumulations of cobble and gravel tend to be found in the tail out areas of large deep pools, islands, large boulder complexes, or along the margins of the channel. The extent of bedrock under reference conditions is unknown, although it is assumed that at least a portion of the bedrock reaches in the mainstem and tributaries are largely natural in origin.

Forest management activities and the 1964 flood have substantially altered the river channel and aquatic habitats. Disturbances, including road construction and timber harvest, contributed to fluvial erosion in the river’s tributaries. Highway 138 has increased the local fine sediment supply due to erosion of the cut slopes and ditch lines and failures of fill slopes. Portions of the highway were constructed on the flood plain, reducing channel-floodplain interactions, stream shading, and large wood recruitment to the channel. Channel confinement has been increased by Highway 138 in certain areas where modest channel widening or meandering and sediment deposition may have previously occurred. Changes to channels have likely degraded habitat conditions for anadromous salmonids and other aquatic organisms, reducing pool area, gravel availability, and habitat complexity, while increasing the proportion of glide habitats and bedrock substrates.

Due to the inherent resiliency of the mainstem channel, the general appearance and resultant habitat elements are likely similar today to historical conditions. However, much of the fine-textured and uncommon attributes, such as large wood, side channels, backwater areas, and relatively wide vegetated floodplains, are likely altered and/or reduced in both number and extent. It is these rare and unusual attributes that provide

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high-quality habitat elements for a large suite of aquatic organisms, including potentially limiting life-history stages for resident and anadromous fish. The dominant coarse features provide for an abundance of adult resting and older-age juvenile rearing habitat. The non-abundant habitats, such as spawning, incubation, and some rearing habitats (early, post-emergence, and over-wintering), have been further diminished by dams, floodplain development, wood removal, channelization, fill, and rip-rap armoring.

Fish species in the Middle North Umpqua Watershed are diverse. Umpqua Oregon chub (Oregonichthys kalawatseti) is a resident of the mainstem of the Umpqua basin and prefers slow and warmer water habitat. The chub are known to exist in the North Umpqua River approximately 31 miles downstream from the project area. However, this species is so far removed from the Action Area that it is not discussed further. Five anadromous fish species occur within the Middle North Umpqua Watershed, including Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha), steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki). The distribution of all five species should be increased when the fish ladder is completed at Soda Springs Dam in 2012.

The Pacific lamprey is a parasitic fish species that is widely distributed in the Middle North Umpqua Watershed up to the current extent of anadromy at Soda Springs Dam. Amoceotes (juvenile lamprey) were recently observed below Soda Springs Dam. The Pacific lamprey is not listed under either the ESA or as a Forest Service Sensitive species.

The coho salmon, which uses the Umpqua basin, is currently listed as a Threatened species under the ESA. The coho salmon listing is not watershed-specific. Rather, it is listed as part of the larger Oregon Coastal coho salmon species. Distribution occurs up to Soda Springs Dam and in tributaries to the mainstem.

The chinook salmon is listed as a Sensitive species by the U.S. Forest Service. The mainstem of the North Umpqua River provides habitat for two life histories of chinook salmon: spring Chinook and fall Chinook salmon. Adult fall Chinook spawning takes place in the lower reaches of the North Umpqua River during October and November. Few, if any, fall Chinook make it into the Wild and Scenic portion of the North Umpqua River. Both spring and fall Chinook use the mainstem North Umpqua River and its tributaries for spawning and rearing, and as migration routes. Spring Chinook, like steelhead, cutthroat and coho, are present in the mainstem North Umpqua River year round. Distribution occurs up to Soda Springs Dam.

The steelhead trout is listed as a Sensitive species by the U.S. Forest Service. Steelhead trout are currently the most abundant anadromous salmonids within the upper portion of the North Umpqua basin. Both summer and winter steelhead use the mainstem North Umpqua River and its tributaries for spawning, rearing, and as a migration route. Distribution occurs up to Soda Springs Dam.

The cutthroat trout is listed as a Sensitive species by the U.S. Forest Service. The Umpqua watershed provides habitat for three life histories of cutthroat trout, including sea-run (anadromous), river-migrating (potamodromous), and nonmigratory (resident). All three life histories of Umpqua Basin cutthroat may use the mainstem North Umpqua River during various portions of their life cycle. However, it is reasonable to assume that

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most cutthroat using the mainstem have a migratory component to their life history. Adult and juvenile cutthroat may be found within the mainstem North Umpqua year-round.

Copeland Creek (6th Field Watershed) Copeland Creek has a channel mainstem length of approximately 11.5 miles. The valley bottom of Copeland Creek is somewhat variable throughout the mainstem length. In general, the valley bottom is “V-shaped”, with floor widths of less than 100 feet and side slopes of 30 to 60 percent. All reaches are Rosgen “B” type channels. A section of inner- canyon gorge exists in the lower portion of the drainage as the stream enters the North Umpqua River. Tributaries to the mainstem also are Rosgen “B” channels. They are generally “V-shaped”, with steep channel gradients, narrow floodplains (less than 50 feet), and very steep sideslopes.

The Copeland Creek channel mainstem is divided into five reaches, based on gross channel morphology and flow changes from tributaries. The substrate of all five reaches is dominated by cobble-sized material, with strong bedrock and boulder components present. The distribution of gravel-sized material is limited and patchy. The larger deposits are typically associated with the tailouts of deep pools or the presence of Large Woody Debris (LWD). Very low levels of LWD were present in the lower 2/3 of the stream channel prior to 2006–2007 when introduction of LWD was conducted. In the middle of Reach 4 (where the road ends), the frequency of LWD presence increases sharply and remains at a higher level throughout the remainder of channel length surveyed. The pool frequency in Copeland Creek decreases from the mouth to headwaters, from a pool:riffle ratio of about 38/62 in Reach 1, to 22/78 in Reach 5. The channel gradient increases over this same distance from 2.5 percent near the stream mouth to 8 percent in the uppermost reach surveyed. The riparian area of the stream is dominated by mostly contiguous, large Douglas-fir and large amounts of red alder (Alnus rubra).

The stream is influenced by 30 tributaries and many small seeps throughout the channel length. The following five tributaries appreciably affected the flow regime: Foster Creek contributed about 5 percent of the total discharge, West Copeland Creek contributed approximately 15 percent, East Copeland Creek about 20 percent, Raven Creek about 25 percent, and an unnamed tributary entering approximately 1.5 miles upstream from East Copeland Creek accounted for about 20 percent.

The aquatic habitats of Copeland Creek have been degraded by past timber harvesting, associated road building, stream cleanout, and fire suppression activities (reduction of LWD input) across the watershed. It is possible that the dominant channel substrate in the lower reaches have shifted from one of coarse gravel and small cobble to one currently of medium cobble, boulders and bedrock. This shift may have taken place due to a lack of instream LWD combined with an increase in peak runoff and channelization from management activities. Past activities also may have reduced the amount of off- channel habitat (i.e., side channels, pocket pools, backwater pools etc.). Areas of riparian habitat, primarily in the area of lower order tributaries, have been degraded by past logging and roading. However, most reaches currently contain vegetation providing good canopy closure (shade) and provide for good potential LWD recruitment.

Fish known to utilize Copeland Creek include a number of native anadromous and resident fish. Anadromous salmonids that use the basin include summer and winter steelhead trout, coho salmon, and spring chinook salmon. Steelhead also are known to

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use the lower 3.3 miles of Copeland Creek. Further passage upstream is blocked by a waterfall. Coho salmon are confined to the lower 1.5 miles by Copeland Creek falls, a waterfall that blocks their migration further into the basin. Chinook salmon distribution is restricted to the lower one mile of stream and is generally dictated by low water conditions in the fall.

Native resident salmonids present within the basin include rainbow, and possibly cutthroat trout. Rainbow trout are ubiquitous throughout the Copeland Creek mainstem and are also present in the tributaries Raven Creek, Mud Lake Mountain Creek, West Copeland Creek, and the previously mentioned unnamed tributary to Copeland Creek. Cutthroat trout were almost certainly present historically, and likely abundant, but current utilization appears to be very low to non-existent. Snorkel surveys conducted on the Copeland Creek mainstem and tributaries in 1998–2000 did not detect the presence of cutthroat trout. However, due to the uninhibited connection of the Copeland Creek mainstem to the North Umpqua River, some use of lower Copeland Creek by migratory cutthroat trout could be occurring. No observations of Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentatus) have been reported. At least one species of sculpin (Cottus spp.) has been observed in Copeland Creek. Small numbers of introduced German brown (Salmo trutta) trout inhabit the North Umpqua River and have been known to enter Copeland Creek. The presence of other exotic fish in Copeland Creek has not been documented.

Aquatic Biological Evaluation and Essential Fish Habitat The North Umpqua River system historically contained anadromous fish distribution extending upstream to Toketee Falls. The construction of Soda Springs Dam in 1952 reduced upstream anadromous fish distribution in the North Umpqua River to near river mile 70. The confluence of Copeland Creek and the North Umpqua River is near river mile 60. No fish exist in the project activity area.

Species considered in the analysis included Oregon Coast coho salmon, Oregon Coast chinook salmon, Oregon Coast coastal cutthroat trout, and Oregon Coast steelhead. The coho salmon are listed as “Threatened” under the ESA. The chinook salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout are currently listed as Forest Service “Sensitive Species”. Umpqua Oregon chub, a fish species listed as Sensitive, is a resident of the mainstem of the South and North Umpqua Rivers and is known from a 1998 survey to exist approximately 31 miles downstream from the project area. Due to the distance, there was no potential for effects to the Umpqua Oregon chub. Therefore, the chub was addressed no further.

The action area, as defined under the ESA, is the area to be affected directly or indirectly by the federal action and not merely the immediate area involved in the action (50 CFR § 402.02). The action area encompasses the immediate area disturbed by the project and any related activities, as well as downstream reaches that may be affected indirectly. Potential effects were analyzed within the Middle North Umpqua 5th Field, the Copeland Creek 6th Field, and the Lower Copeland Creek 7th Field Watersheds.

Per the Analytical Process, the environmental baseline and the biological needs of the species were used when determining the effect of the Project Element on the Habitat Indicator. Analysis used the following Habitat Indicators developed by NOAA Fisheries to evaluate the potential effects of the proposed action on environmental parameters: temperature, sediment, nutrients/chemical contamination, physical barriers, substrate,

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large wood, pool characteristics, off channel habitat, refugia, width/depth ratio, streambank condition, floodplain connectivity, peak/base flows, drainage network increase, road density and location, disturbance history, and riparian reserves.

Potential effects of the various Project Elements on Habitat Indicators were analyzed by action alternative in the Biological Evaluation and Essential Fish Habitat Determination for the Oak Flats Restoration Project. Additional analysis was conducted under the Water Resources Report- Water Quality, Streamflow, Fluvial Erosion, & ACS Disclosures (USDA, 2011) for the Oak Flats Restoration Project. In many cases, these documents are incorporated by reference.

Direct, indirect, and cumulative effects to the species and habitat were considered in the analysis. Direct effects are those effects potentially occurring in the immediate vicinity of the project over the short-term as a result of the proposed action. The immediate vicinity is considered to be where effects would first initiate in the nearest stream channel. Short-term is considered to be during project implementation, and shortly thereafter. Indirect effects considered in this analysis are those effects that may occur over longer time periods (more than 3 years) or that may occur downstream of the project area. These definitions are based on observations of the recovery time for inchannel and bank disturbances associated with road reconstruction, obliteration, and instream restoration projects. Cumulative effects are those effects that when combined with other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable actions, incrementally contribute to further degradation of water quality or instream habitat.

The project has been designed to provide the maximum protection possible for the various natural resources while still allowing for the meeting of objectives. This is accomplished through numerous Best Management Practices (BMPs), Mitigation Measures, Project Design Features, and monitoring. Specifically “General Water Quality Best Management Practices” are incorporated as mitigating measures prescribed to protect the beneficial uses of water and to address water quality objectives as required by the Federal Clean Water Act and the 1990 Umpqua National Forest LRMP, as amended. Analysis of effects is therefore based on implementation of proposed activities incorporating pertinent mitigating measures.

Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 proposes no activities that would modify or otherwise affect fish or habitat. For this reason there are no potential direct impacts associated with this alternative and it is not discussed further. Alternatives 2 and 3 both propose a suite of activities designed to restore unique oak/pine savanna vegetation communities and associated wildlife habitats.

Alternatives 2 and 3 would provide for 147 and 125 acres of timber harvest, respectively. This would be under the oak/Savanna and thinning prescriptions. Twenty-two acres of additional Oak/Pine Savanna prescription in Alternative 2 would not alter effects over Alternative 3. According to the Water Resources Report, Water Quality, Streamflow, Fluvial Erosion, & ACS Disclosures (USDA, 2011), riparian shading has largely recovered in the Copeland Creek Watershed and neither alternative’s proposed Oak/Pine Savanna harvest and thinning prescriptions would have an effect on stream temperature because streams in the planning area are intermittent or ephemeral and not flowing during the critical summer period. In addition, all effective shading will be maintained through proper

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riparian buffers designated by a hydrologist. No vegetation would be removed from within the riparian area of Copeland Creek itself. Associated temp road construction/removal will remain outside riparian areas.

Copeland Creek was judged to have elevated levels of fine sediments in tributary streams in the Copeland/Calf Watershed Analysis, although the mainstem of Copeland Creek is supply limited, with substrate dominated by cobble-sized material. Some areas of unstable soils exist outside of the activity area, as well as road related erosion. Current road related activities in Copeland Creek are primarily of a maintenance, rehabilitation and restorative nature. Maintaining a no-harvest buffer along all streams would provide for vegetative/organic filtering and dispersal of overland flow before it reaches the streams. A no-harvest buffer delineated by a hydrologist would be sufficient in prescription to prevent any meaningful amount of additional sediment from disturbed ground from reaching stream channels.

All 7th Field Watersheds in Copeland Creek are considered hydrologically recovered and properly functioning. The Oak Flats Restoration Project would harvest through the Oak/Savanna harvest prescription and thinning harvest less than one percent of the Copeland Watershed. As no measurable increase in winter peak flows are expected from either of the alternatives, no impacts to fish bearing habitat during their overwintering life cycle would occur.

No reaches within Copeland Creek are designated for excessive nutrients or chemical contamination. Thinning treatments typically do not result in nitrogen delivery to streams. Nitrogen that could potentially leach to surface water is proportional to the size of the openings created by harvest. The relatively small amount of harvested area on relatively flat ground, combined with the harvest method, would limit available nitrogen. Any “mobile” nitrogen would remain local and likely utilized on site by microbial activity and vegetative uptake and would not reach adjacent surface water.

Alternative 2 and 3 proposes construction of 1.50 and 1.31 miles of temporary road, respectively, and both propose maintenance of 4.11 miles of existing road. There is no substantial difference in road mileage between either action alternative. All temporary roads would be removed. Maintenance would consist of grading and shaping, dust abatement, waterbar construction, asphalt cleaning, ditch maintenance, and cutting of roadside vegetation. As part of the maintenance plan, dust abatement may occur on about two miles of graveled haul route. Magnesium chloride would be applied. Application rates would conform to industry standards. Application would maintain a one- foot buffer along each road edge with no application within 25 feet of any live stream channel. The haul route consists of approximately two miles of aggregate surface road and three miles of paved road. The haul route is essentially the same for both action alternatives. Portions of the haul route are located parallel to coho and chinook salmon, and steelhead habitat as well as EFH.

Neither temporary road construction/removal or maintenance of existing roads will enter or remove effective shading from within riparian areas. Thus, this activity lacks a causal mechanism to have a direct effect on water temperature.

Temporary road construction/removal or maintenance of existing roads would not contribute to measurable increased suspended sediment in Copeland Creek as there is a dearth of routes and a landform which is primarily flat with mostly stable soils. The

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majority of the haul route is on paved road. Road maintenance prior to log haul would improve road drainage and assure stream extensions, due to ditch lines, are minimized by cleaning culverts and adding cross drains where necessary. Road crossing areas will be armored where necessary. In addition, blading and reshaping roads, where necessary, would decrease water channeling and ponding on the road surface. Haul during suitably dry conditions has no potential to create or deliver measurable road- derived sediment to live stream channels. Haul outside the June 1 to October 31 dates would not occur when precipitation events are imminent or excessive road deformity would occur during haul due to road moisture conditions. Furthermore, temporary roads will be eliminated and protected from erosion, vegetative/organic buffer filters will remain, and pertinent Standards and Guidelines/BMPs will be implemented.

Roading can affect peak and base flows through stream network extension. Based on the fact that roading associated with this project is small in scope and intensity and temporary in nature, effective road density would not be increased. There would be no causal mechanism to contribute to increased peak flows. Roading associated with the project contains no causal mechanism to influence a direct increase or decrease in nitrogen in the project area.

Both Alternative 2 and 3 propose to create snags from mature fir less than 24 inches in diameter to maintain existing dominant pine and oak trees. Alternative 2 would create snags on 14.1 acres of leave groups and 178.2 acres of prescribed fire units. Alternative 3 would do the same in 7.8 acres of leave groups and 178.2 acres of prescribed fire units. The only Habitat Indicators that could potentially be affected would be water temperature and peak flows. Effects to the water temperature indicator can be discounted due to the fact that snag creation will not reduce effective shading in riparian areas. Potential effects to the peak flow indicator can be discounted based on the small scope and low intensity of the activity.

Connected actions are those actions that depend on action alternatives to be implemented, and/or are mitigation or design features that may be required to implement an action alternative. Tables 33 and 34 illustrate the proposed connected actions associated with both action alternatives.

Table 33. Connected Actions Associated with Alternative 2 (Proposed Action). Action Amount Acres of reforestation and pruning (oak/sugar pine planting; sugar pine pruning) 18 Acres of native seeding 130 Acres of maintenance underburning 325 Acres of oak precommercial thinning 89 Acres of whip falling(conifer) 119 Acres of noxious weed treatment 20

Table 34. Connected Actions Associated with Alternative 3. Action Amount Acres of reforestation and pruning (oak/sugar pine planting; sugar pine pruning) 14 Acres of native seeding 108 Acres of maintenance underburning 297 Acres of oak precommercial thinning 67 Acres of whip falling (conifer) 108 Acres of noxious weed treatment 20

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Maintenance underburning and native seeding are the only connected actions with potential to affect Habitat Indicators. Based on the low intensity of the remaining connected actions, there would be no measurable effect to Habitat Indicators if they were implemented due to lack of a causal mechanism.

Alternative 2 proposes to underburn 325 acres while Alternative 3 proposes 297 acres. Both alternatives consist of implementing underburning to treat natural fuels only on 178.2 acres through jackpot burning around dominant and remnant pine and oak. The additional acreage of 146.8 in Alternative 1 and 118.8 in Alternative 3 consists of burning under the Oak/Savanna Prescription to treat both natural and activity related fuels. Underburning would be conducted on a continuing basis; probably every 5 to 15 years. There is no meaningful difference in fuels prescriptions in regard to effects to fisheries between the action alternatives.

Burning would occur outside of riparian areas designated by a Hydrologist. Burning would be conducted within prescription to prevent effects to the overstory. Fire would be allowed to back into the riparian area if it is determined that fuel loading would support a low intensity burn. Using this process, all effective shading will be maintained and there would be no increase in stream temperatures.

There is a very low probability that low intensity burning would contribute to increased suspended sediment in Copeland Creek as there is a dearth of routes and a landform which is primarily flat with stable soils. Riparian areas would remain intact and provide vegetative/organic sediment filtering. Harvest areas would be seeded with native grass species which may further inhibit sedimentation. Sedimentation would likely remain localized with the amount of any sediment actually routed being immeasurable and indistinguishable from background levels.

Large-scale loss of vegetation through high intensity, stand replacement fires can affect peak flows. Based on data in the Water Resources Report–Water Quality, Streamflow, Fluvial Erosion, & ACS Disclosures (USDA, 2011), the baseline for the peak flow indicator is “Properly Functioning”. Project-related underburning would be conducted within prescription to provide for a low intensity burn that would provide restorative effects to the treatment areas. Burning would leave a minimum of 65 percent effective ground cover to provide for sediment filtering and water flow retention. Thus, there would be no probability of a change in peak flow response.

Nitrogen that could potentially leach to surface water is proportional to the size of the openings created by burning. The relatively small amount of treatment area on relatively flat ground, combined with low intensity burning would limit the availability and mobility of nitrogen. Burning would release nitrogen to the soil, although the increase would probably be limited to the surface soil. This “mobile” nitrogen would remain local and likely be utilized onsite by microbial activity and vegetative uptake and would not reach surface water. Maintenance of a low-growing vegetation layer through native seeding and retaining effective ground cover (organic layer) when burning would help mitigate nutrient loss at the project level by encouraging nitrogen uptake on site. The probability of nitrogen or chemical contaminants in detectable amounts entering Copeland Creek are extremely low and would be immeasurable.

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Native seeding lacks a causal mechanism to affect the Habitat Indicators of water temperature and peak flows. The activity would have a beneficial effect at the project level by preventing localized soil erosion due to harvest, burning, and restoration of temporary roads. A beneficial effect also may be realized regarding nitrogen uptake from harvested and burned areas.

As proposed, neither action alternative would result in any measurable direct or indirect effects over the long term or in downstream areas, as revealed in the “Water Quality” section above. This includes the connected actions described in Chapter 2 under Alternatives 2 and 3. Most of these connected actions are minor activities of limited scope and duration. The only ongoing action would be occasional underburning to maintain the oak/pine savanna. In addition, Alternatives 2 and 3 may have beneficial effects to riparian forest conditions by lowering the risk and potential severity of fire at the site and landscape scale.

In conclusion, neither of the action alternatives would affect fish by measurably affecting downstream water quality or aquatic habitat in the activity area, Copeland Creek, or the North Umpqua River by increasing water temperature, the frequency or magnitude of peak flows, or through increased sediment or additional nutrients.

Cumulative Effects The Oak Flats Restoration Project action alternatives do not have the potential to result in cumulative effects to water quality, streamflows, or the sediment regime that would affect Sensitive or ESA listed fish species. This is due to the lack of measurable direct or indirect effects associated with these alternatives. Alternatives 2 and 3 have no meaningful or measurable effects to Habitat Indicators (either adverse or beneficial) that would incrementally add to any other past, present, or reasonably foreseeable actions in the affected 5th, 6th, or 7th field watersheds.

EFFECTS DETERMINATION FOR ESA LISTED SPECIES, SENSITIVE SPECIES, AND ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT

ESA and Sensitive Species The Oak Flats Restoration Project was designed to minimize negative effects to aquatic resources, while still meeting the resource objectives associated with the project. Project activities associated with either Alternative 2 (Proposed Action) or Alternative 3 would not cause direct, negative impacts to any Habitat Indicators at the 6th Field Watershed level. Lack of direct impacts to Habitat Indicators precludes indirect or cumulative effects to water temperature, chemical water quality, water yield, sediment or peak stream flows, or to beneficial uses at a larger watershed scale. Thus, the proposed action would not result in negative effects to pre-spawning, egg-to-smolt or upstream/downstream migration survival rates, or destruction or adverse modification of habitat for ESA listed or Sensitive Species. Based on this rationale, there would be “No Effect” (NE) to ESA listed or Sensitive species as shown in Table 35.

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Table 35. ESA Listed and Sensitive Species Effects Determinations (6th Field). Prefield Field Recon- Effects Review Process Review- Species Determination13 Habitat Present

Species Oregon Coast coho salmon Yes Yes NE Oregon Coast steelhead trout Yes Yes NE Oregon Coast coastal cutthroat trout Yes Yes NE Oregon Coast chinook salmon Yes Yes NE

Essential Fish Habitat The MSA defines EFH as those waters and substrate necessary to anadromous fish for spawning, breeding, feeding and growth to maturity. Essential habitat features for salmonids include suitable: substrate, water quality, water quantity, water temperature, water velocity, cover/shelter, food, riparian vegetation, space, and safe passage conditions. Adverse effects are defined as any impact that reduces the quality and/or quantity of EFH. Adverse effects include direct, indirect, site specific or habitat wide impacts, including individual, cumulative or synergistic consequences of actions. Effects to coho and chinook salmon habitat are considered for this project.

The proposed project would have neutral effects at the 5th and 6th Field Watershed level. Therefore, the proposed project, “Would Not Adversely Affect” (WNAA) EFH as documented in the EFH Effects Determination (Table 36).

Table 36. EFH Effects Determinations (6th Field) Review Prefield Review- Effects Process Habitat Present Determination14

EFH Yes WNAA

13 Determinations for species follow the nomenclature established by FSM 2672.42 (Standards for Biological Evaluations, 2/26/02). Determination nomenclature is as follows: NE= No Effect; NLAA= Not Likely to Adversely Affect; LAA= Likely to Adversely Affect. 14 EFH determinations: WNAA = Would Not Adversely Affect; MAA = May Adversely Affect.

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Social Environment

ECONOMICS The economic analysis focuses on the direct, indirect, and induced costs and benefits of the alternatives and the connected actions described in Chapter 2. Net present value and benefit/cost ratio are the primary criteria used to compare the direct effects of the alternatives to the Federal Government, termed economic efficiency analysis. Impacts to the general economy of the area are modeled using IMPLAN Professional, an input/output model developed by the Forest Service (IMPLAN, 2000). The most current IMPLAN data available is 2008. Assumptions regarding the economic analysis are footnoted where appropriate.

Most timber sales from the Diamond Lake Ranger District are purchased and operated by individuals and companies based in Douglas County. Total mill capacity in Douglas County in 2003 stood at 760 mmbf/year (Ragon, 2003). There have been two permanent mill closings since then: one sawlog mill and one plywood mill. A figure of 700 mmbf is used to estimate the contribution of each alternative towards meeting demand. Final demand is assumed to be wood products ready for shipment at the mill yards.

Douglas County Economic Situation Total employment in Douglas County is difficult to quantify exactly, as the Oregon Labor Market Information System (OLMIS), Census Bureau, and IMPLAN use different criteria to measure employment. Because of this, percentages and relative differences are used for analysis where possible instead of absolute numbers.

The 2008–2009 recession has impacted the timber industry in the county especially hard. Unemployment in Douglas County rose from 8.3 percent in January of 2008 to the highest point in May, 2009 at 16.5 percent (OLMIS). Unemployment stood at 14.2 percent in December, 2010. According to OLMIS, the county lost 270 logging and wood products manufacturing jobs in 2009, but has added back 110 jobs in 2010 through November.

The logging, forestry and wood products sectors provided 9.6 percent of Douglas County’s employment, and 17.6 percent of the overall industrial output, according to the 2008 IMPLAN data. IMPLAN data through 2008 show actual total employment has declined since 2002 and Douglas County has undergone a 25.9 percent decrease in forestry, logging and wood products manufacturing since 2002. The average annual wage paid in the county is $33,238, compared to the forestry, logging, and wood products manufacturing average wage ($44,554) based on the 2008 IMPLAN data.

Economic Efficiency Analysis The direct economic effects of the alternatives are displayed in Table 37. The standard criterion for deciding whether a government program can be justified on economic principles is net present value (NPV) – the discounted15 monetized 16value of expected net benefits (OMB A-94).

15 Discounting is the process of calculating the present value of a future amount of money. 4 percent is the standard discount rate for long-term projects (OMB A-94). 16 Lit. “to give the character of money to.” A cost or benefit is monetized when it is expressed in terms of money.

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The action alternatives would be marketed as one competitively bid contract. This contract would be offered in a public auction to achieve the highest return possible17. It is anticipated that all post-sale mitigation requirements and sale area improvement work would be paid for by stumpage18 from the timber sales. The other connected actions described in Chapter 2 may be paid for with stumpage receipts if the sale is bid higher than expected. These connected actions are shown in Table 37 but not included in the net present value of each alternative.

All action alternatives show a positive net present value. These alternatives would be considered advantageous to the U.S. government from an economic standpoint due to their ability to fund many sale area improvements, and to return a sizeable amount to the Treasury. It is anticipated that the individual timber contract would be viable and would attract competitive bids.

Table 37. Economic Efficiency Analysis. Alt 2 Alt 3 19 Timber Volume (MBF) 3,353 2,879 Acres by Harvest Method Skyline 37 37 Ground-based 110 88 Helicopter 0 0 Total Acres 147 125 Volume (MBF)/Acre 22.7 22.0 Total Present Value Benefits

Gross Benefits $1,133,511 $973,271 20 Value/MBF $338 $338 Value/Acre $7,659 $7,430 Total Present Value Costs

FS Prep & Admin $90,424 $77,938 Logging $603,613 $531,976 Slash Disposal $167,298 $136,978 Road Work $18,021 $18,033

17 Individual timber sales would be appraised and offered at fair market value, or the minimum to cover reforestation costs and a $0.50/ccf return to the Treasury, whichever is higher. 18 Stumpage is the value of the timber “on the stump”. It is the timber sale contract minimum value and is determined by subtracting logging, road work, and slash disposal costs from the delivered log price. Timber sale purchasers may bid more in a competitive auction. The actual monetary return to the U.S. Treasury is determined by subtracting all post sale costs from the stumpage. 19 MBF is thousand board feet. The Forest Service estimates MBF using eastside Scribner rules, therefore the volume as shown, is higher than if westside, long log Scribner rules would be applied. This estimate also includes biomass material (non-sawtimber). 20 Westside delivered log prices derived from ODF log price surveys have been adjusted to reflect equivalent east side values due to the differences in scaling rules.

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Alt 2 Alt 3

Reforestation $29,885 $23,244 Sale Area Improvements $124,775 $102,618 Connected Actions (not included in total cost or NPV) $254,225 $232,669

Total Cost $1,034,016 $890,786 Cost/MBF $309 $309 Cost/Acre $6,987 $6,800 21 Net Present Value $99,495 $82,485 Stumpage (2011 dollars) $379,807 $315,598 Predicted Stumpage Price/MBF $113.27 $109.62 22 Potential Return to the Treasury $191,639 $162,468 23 B/C Ratio 1.10 1.09

Log prices fluctuate due to a variety of market forces, many of which are external to Douglas County and Oregon. Typically, log prices are higher in the winter months and lower in the summer/fall, reflecting the availability of logging due to weather. The recent recession and slowdown in nation-wide housing has caused the local log market to fall drastically. Figure 11 displays a composite log price average ($/mbf) for the local Douglas County market since 1990 using Oregon Department of Forestry log price information (ODF 2010). The data in Figure 11 are not adjusted for inflation and are equated to west side long log Scribner scaling rules.

The economic efficiency analysis displayed in Table 37 uses average local log prices from the most recent four quarters, adjusted for short log volume. Log prices hit historic lows during the 1st quarter of 2009 and have risen since. The outlook for recovery is tenuous, but indications are for housing to improve in mid-2012 and beyond. In the short-term, log prices could fluctuate based on import/export pressure, natural disasters, or general economic trends. If log prices decline, less money would be available for post-sale activities, and the value of the timber could reach a point where an individual sale may not be marketable. A decline in log prices of 18 percent or more from 4th quarter, 2010 local prices would likely result in no-bid sales. It would be speculative to predict the local markets at the time of sale offer or operation.

In terms of economic efficiency, Alternative 2 has the potential to return the most money to the Federal Treasury or fund other connected actions, and has the highest predicted stumpage price.

21 There is essentially no difference between the action alternatives in terms of Net Present Value. Sale area improvements were reduced for each alternative until the minimum return to the Treasury was reached. 22 This is calculated to at least cover the requirement for 25 percent Payments to Counties and 10 percent Road & Trail Fund. 23 B/C Ratio is the benefit/cost ratio, another standard criterion for economic efficiency. It is the product of the present value of benefits divided by the present value of costs.

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Figure 11. Average Composite Log Prices, Douglas County Market Area.

Economic Impact Analysis The economic impact analysis using IMPLAN considers changes in employment and income due to changes in the economic activity of the county from each alternative. An individual timber sale may not substantially change the overall economic activity of the county, since the amount of timber volume represents a small percentage of the total demand. Since 2005, Umpqua National Forest timber volume has been offered at a somewhat consistent level, at about 41 mmbf per year, or 6 percent of the total mill capacity in Douglas County. Timber sales from the National Forest are viewed as raw material available for the local industry, allowing production and support for jobs in the local economy to be sustained. Local National Forest timber would offset logs imported to the area, potentially reducing overall costs and increasing production.

Table 38 displays the results of the economic impact analysis by alternative. In general, the sale of timber from the National Forest would result in sustained or increased employment in the logging and wood products manufacturing sectors, in the forestry services (slash treatment, planting, etc.) and indirect and induced employment in many other sectors. Payments in lieu of taxes due to Douglas County from timber receipts are not included in these figures, as they are accounted for in the return to the Federal Treasury shown in Table 38.

Other direct, indirect, and induced benefits are derived from road reconstruction and other connected actions that may be funded by revenue from the timber sales or other funding sources. These work activities are treated as costs in the benefit/cost analysis since they reduce the revenue to the Federal Treasury, but they have economic benefits to the local community since most are contracted services. These benefits are included in the economic impact analysis and in the numbers reported in Table 38. The IMPLAN output files documenting the complete analysis by sector are in the Economic analysis file.

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The numbers in Table 38 are not intended to be absolute. The analysis should be used to compare the relative differences among alternatives. The percentages listed are percentage of the total Douglas county activity, including all sectors. The value of each activity included in the impact analysis was estimated from the cost and benefit analysis spreadsheets. An estimate was made of the percent of each activity’s value that would be spent locally. The value to the wood products manufacturing sector was estimated to be 40 percent of the delivered log price, reflecting the difference between end product value and log cost to the mill. This difference can be widely variable based on mill efficiency and the choice of end products, but it approximates the value given for all of Oregon in 1998 (Gebert, 2002). The percentage of value assigned to sawlog and veneer production is 80 percent and 20 percent, respectively, based on the average diameter of harvested trees in this project.

Table 38. Economic Impact Analysis. Alt 2 Alt 3 Value* % Value* % Change in Total Industrial Output +$1,814 0.07 +$1,564 0.06 Change in Employment +13 0.03 +11 0.02 Change in Labor Income +$655 0.04 +$555 0.04 Contribution to local mill capacity 0.5 0.4 * Dollar values are in thousands of dollars. Employment is number of jobs.

Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects Alternative 1 is not shown in Table 38 since by definition it would not change the conditions or level of economic activity in the County. This alternative may, however, contribute to a decline in the local timber industry, since it would keep federal timber from the market, at least in the short-term. No attempt was made to quantify that impact, as it would be speculative to estimate the current and reasonably foreseeable timber supply in the local area.

Alternatives 2 and 3 would provide essentially the same level of beneficial, direct effects to the local economy. These effects are relatively small in terms of the percentage of Douglas County activity in each category. Implementation of any of the action alternatives would contribute to a beneficial cumulative effect to the local economy. This project, when combined with other federal timber sales from the Umpqua National Forest, would contribute to a beneficial cumulative effect of sustaining the wood products infrastructure in Douglas County.

Specifically Required and Other Disclosures

RECREATION Recreation within the planning area can best be described as dispersed with minimal developed recreation opportunities. Primary activities within the planning area boundary include hunting, hiking, and camping at non-developed camping areas. The camping areas are used by hunters in the fall.

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Relevant Standards and Guidelines No specific Standards and Guidelines apply to the planning area. All general Standards and Guidelines for this area (primarily regarding dispersed recreation sites) would continue to be met with this project.

Direct and Indirect Effects There would be no direct, indirect or cumulative effects to recreation sites under Alternative 1 as no actions would occur that would impact recreationists or recreational opportunities. Ongoing activities such as road maintenance would continue to improve visitor experiences to the dispersed recreation sites in the area.

Dispersed sites would be minimally impacted by any activity in the area. The Oak Flats area is utilized by hunters during deer and elk season (fall). Logging and burning operations and implementation of connected actions that extend into the fall have the possibility of disrupting hunters by causing noise, limiting access while active yarding is occurring, and by reducing visibility during burning. However, these disruptions would be short term and would generally occur during the work week and not on weekends when use is heaviest.

Overall, the primary effects to recreationists and recreational opportunities (such as driving for pleasure) in the planning area under all action alternatives would include short-term noise disturbance during logging operations; short-term traffic congestion during yarding and logging operations; possible short-term access limitations (temporary road closures) during logging and yarding to protect the safety of forest visitors; and short-term air quality impacts (visibility) during fuel treatment operations. All effects to recreationists would be limited in extent and duration given that logging operations would take place during the normal operating season and would not likely extend year-round.

None of the connected actions would have any lasting effects on the recreation resources. Short term impacts include equipment blocking or taking up space on roads, fire or forestry personnel moving or driving throughout the forest, increases in traffic from logging operations, and a possible increase in dispersed recreation site use by forest workers. All of these impacts would be short term and seasonal, and are not expected to have a major effect on recreation in the area.

Indirectly, recreationists would likely find the area more visually appealing in the future, as shrubs and other more colorful species grow into the more open forest. Proposed management activities within the timber units include creating oak/pine savanna that would in turn enhance big game forage areas and as a result could potentially improve hunting in the planning area. Upgrades to the existing road system into the area would also improve the quality of visitor access.

Cumulative Effects The scale at which cumulative effects are analyzed is the planning area. In terms of cumulative effects, when combined with the past, ongoing, and reasonably foreseeable activities, the limited extent and duration of direct and indirect effects to recreationists under the action alternatives are not expected to contribute to any meaningful cumulative effect to people recreating in the area.

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VISUALS The Visual Management System is a management tool to recognize the scenic qualities of a specific area. It establishes criteria for identification and classification of the scenic quality as well as visitor’s concern for scenic quality. Each visual quality objective (VQO24) represents the degree of alteration from the natural appearing environment. The Umpqua LRMP applies the Visual Management System Inventory as a minimum standard that project proposals should achieve when implemented. The visual resources can also be described by the USDA’s National Forest Scenery Management System (SMS) (Agriculture Handbook Number 701). The Umpqua National Forest LRMP has not been amended to officially adopt this system. However, SMS terms are described in parenthesis where applicable, in order to provide information as to how the alternatives address visual resource protection.

Management of the visual resources requires proposed activities to comply with the assigned objective. All proposed activities in Oak Flats fall within background modification (low scenic integrity). In areas with a VQO of modification, management activities may visually dominate the landscape.

Relevant Standards and Guidelines Visual Standards and Guidelines are listed on pages IV-19 to IV-26. No visually sensitive areas listed in the LRMP would be affected by the proposed activities at Oak Flats. Specifically for this project, the Umpqua LRMP lists the following standards and guidelines: • The maximum percentage of created openings at any one time is based on the VQO objective and distance zone. For background modification, a maximum of 30 percent of the landscape may be in created openings. • A harvest unit is considered to be a created opening when the average stand height is less than 4.5 feet tall in background distance zones.

Direct and Indirect Effects The scale at which effects are analyzed is the background modification zone that encompasses all Oak Flats proposed activities. Alternative 1 would have no direct, indirect, or cumulative effects to the visual quality of the area because no ground disturbing activities would occur.

Alternatives 2 and 3 utilize harvest prescriptions and burning. Harvest prescriptions and fuels treatments are not proposed in retention or partial retention areas; thus, there would be no effects to visuals in these areas. Harvest and fuels treatments would not degrade the visual quality in the background modification VQOs. All thresholds for created openings (Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines) would be met.

24 The VQO inventory is divided into three components: the distance zone, the sensitivity level (constituent information), and the variety class (scenic attractiveness). The distance zones are described as FG- foreground, MG-middleground, and BG-background. The sensitivity level (1-highest, 2-average sensitivity, and 3-lowest) rates the concern for scenic quality. The visual inventory also describes the primary and sometimes the secondary place where a specific area can be viewed. This is usually from a prominent point of view or primary use area, or a particular road. Variety class relates to how distinct or common the visual resource is.

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All Standards and Guidelines would be met. No other direct or indirect effects from any other actions or connected actions would occur with these alternatives.

None of the connected actions would have any lasting effects on the visual resources. Short term impacts include equipment visible in and along roads, small piles visible along roads, charred vegetation visible after burning, and other minor changes to the visible environment; these are all considered normal forest activities that a visitor would reasonably expect to see in a National Forest.

Cumulative Effects The scale at which cumulative effects are analyzed is the Copeland Creek subwatershed. All past regeneration harvest was considered. All areas harvested after 1990 with proposed activities for this project would be well within the VQO objectives and thresholds for created openings.

The no action alternative has no cumulative effect on visuals, because it does not alter the landscape. As described above, Alternatives 2 and 3 would have minimal direct and indirect effects to visuals. Since the existing condition is far below the thresholds for visual impact, it is not possible to have a meaningful cumulative impact to visuals. When considering past projects, present activities and the lack of reasonably foreseeable activities in the planning area that would have the potential to affect visual quality, no cumulative effects are anticipated to occur with these alternatives.

HERITAGE RESOURCES The affected environment for heritage resources falls within the areas of proposed activities with the potential to affect those resources (timber harvest, fuels treatment, fireline construction, temporary road construction and decommissioning, system road reconstruction, subsoiling, planting, and landing construction).

Forest Plan goals and objectives and Cultural Resource (Heritage) Standards and Guidelines are listed in Chapter IV, pages 28-30 of the Umpqua National Forest LRMP. All applicable Standards and Guidelines have been met through the inventory and evaluation of the significant historic properties as required under the NHPA. All significant aspects of potentially eligible sites shall be protected through mitigation measures. The Forest Archaeologist will be on site during harvest activities that have the potential to affect archaeological resources to ensure their protection.

A heritage resource inventory was conducted as part of the compliance process of section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The Oak Flats Restoration North and South Project reconnaissance report will be completed and submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) as required. The Oak Flats Restoration North and South Project cultural resources inventory and monitoring meets the criteria for Case-by Case Review required by the Programmatic Agreement25 among the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region (Region 6), the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the Oregon State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Cultural Resources Management in the State of Oregon

25 The Stipulation III (B)2 Programmatic Agreement is between the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, and the United States Forest Service, Region 6.

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(PA). Dr. Dennis Griffin, State Archaeologist from Oregon State Historic Preservation Office has toured the project area.

The potential exists for unidentified heritage resources in the Oak Flats Restoration North and South project areas, and that those identified are larger than currently known. Mitigation measures described in Chapter 2 would protect undiscovered heritage resources, lowering the potential for effects to these resources. Overall, proposed project activities have met the criteria of historic properties avoided for known heritage resources. Standard contract provisions would provide for protection of heritage resources discovered during project implementation.

The Umpqua National Forest sent a cover letter with the quarterly copies of the Schedule of Proposed Action (SOPA) to each of the Tribes. Each quarter, the cover letter highlights new projects and projects that may be of interest to the Tribes; the Oak Flats Restoration North and South Project was identified as a new project when the project was first initiated. The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, Confederated Tribes of the Siletz, and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians were contacted by letter. Other contacts in the form of phone calls, letters, opportunities to participate in public tours and public meetings, and meetings at Tribal offices were also utilized to interact with the Tribes. Field trips were arranged for the Natural Resources Director and the Cultural Committee of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Members of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians will be monitoring the project during the years of implementation.

Under the treaties with the Tribes, no trust resources or reserved treaty rights are given for the lands managed by the Umpqua National Forest. Therefore, no effects to trust resources or reserved treaty rights would occur with any of the alternatives.

Based on the results of the heritage surveys, review and mitigation of known resources, mitigation of undiscovered sites, and consultation with tribes, there would be no direct, indirect, or cumulative effects on the known heritage resources as the result of implementing any of the proposed Oak Flats Restoration North and South Project alternatives. Mitigation measures have been established which will protect historic properties’ significance for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places affected by the project. The no action alternative would have no direct or cumulative effect on any heritage resources. Indirectly, a wildfire and associated suppression activities may have the potential to burn or damage existing heritage resources, especially if the fire was of high intensity under Alternative 1.

POTENTIAL WILDERNESS AREAS Areas of potential wilderness are identified using inventory criteria found in Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 1909.12, Chapter 71. This inventory of potential wilderness is not a land designation, nor does it imply or impart any particular level of management direction or protection. The inventory is not an evaluation of potential wilderness, as described in Chapter 72, or a preliminary administrative recommendation for wilderness designation, as described in Chapter 73. The inventory of potential wilderness areas does not change existing administrative boundaries.

No potential wilderness areas were identified within the Oak Flats Restoration planning area boundary. No roadless areas greater than 5,000 acres in size were identified

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(Criteria 1 and 3). As such, the Oak Flats Restoration Project has no direct, indirect, or cumulative effects on potential wilderness areas.

UNIQUE HABITATS Unique habitats are non-forested openings that vary in size from 1 to 75 acres and include meadows, hardwood stands, wetlands, ponds, caves, cliffs, and rock outcrops (USDA, Forest Service 1990). They are important due to their high value for wildlife and plants and their scarcity in the forest environment (Ch. 2 FEMAT 1994, USDA Forest Service 1990; USDA, Umpqua NF, 1995). Approximately 85 percent of the plant species diversity of the Western Cascades is found in non-forested habitats (Hickman, 1976) which make up about 3 percent of the Umpqua National Forest. Similarly, these unique habitats are utilized by 87 percent of the local wildlife for primary breeding and feeding purposes (USDA, Umpqua NF, 1995).

Oak Flats, with its associated open oak/pine habitat, is defined as unique habitat in the Forest Plan. The desired condition of all unique habitats is to maintain or improve vegetative composition and structure of the unique habitats for the benefit of wildlife (Umpqua LRMP, IV-200). The purpose and need of this project is to restore this uniqueness for the benefit of wildlife species that prefer this habitat type. The effects on this unique habitat and its associated species have been previously discussed in this Chapter under the Terrestrial section.

WETLANDS AND FLOODPLAINS Floodplains are associated with perennial streams and vary from only a few feet to much larger areas depending on the size of the stream and the topography of the streambanks and surrounding area. The action alternatives propose thinning and fuel treatments in riparian areas. The action alternatives would also include general road maintenance activities, reconstruction of stream crossings. Most of these actions would be improvements over the existing condition by reducing erosional risks. No new occupancy of project floodplains would occur; road work would occur within the original locations.

No effects to floodplains associated with timber harvest under any action alternative would occur since there are no perennial streams within in the proposed activity units or within the direct proximity of the proposed activity units.

PRIME FARMLANDS, RANGELANDS, FORESTLANDS, AND PARKLANDS No prime farmlands, rangelands, forestlands or parklands exist within the area; therefore; no direct, indirect or cumulative effects would occur.

POTENTIAL OR UNUSUAL EXPENDITURES OF ENERGY The action alternatives would require expenditures of fuel for workers to access the Oak Flats project for use of power equipment and to utilize the logging systems. The no action alternative would require no expenditure of fuel. No other direct, indirect, or cumulative effects are expected to occur with any of the action alternatives.

CONFLICTS WITH PLANS, POLICIES, OR OTHER JURISDICTIONS Implementation of any of the alternatives would not conflict with the plans or policies of other jurisdictions, including the Tribes. This project would not conflict with any other policies, regulations, or laws, including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act,

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and the National Historic Preservation Act. Effects to air quality and compliance with the Clean Air Act are described in this chapter.

CONSUMERS, CIVIL RIGHTS, MINORITY GROUPS, AND WOMEN Contracting procedures would ensure that projects made available to contractors through this project would be advertised and awarded in a manner that gives proper consideration to minority and women-owned business groups. Because of this consideration, there would be no direct, indirect, or cumulative effects to consumers, civil rights, or minority groups with implementation of any of the alternatives.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE On February 11, 1994, President Clinton signed Executive Order 12898. This order directs Federal agencies to address environmental justice by identifying and disclosing the effects of the proposed activities on minority and low-income populations. The effects of the alternatives on the economic conditions of the State and county are disclosed in the Economics section of this chapter.

According to 2006 statistical data for Douglas County, about 7 percent of the population is made up of minorities. Unemployment and poverty in the county is higher than the State average. The project occurs well away from any large population center that would be directly affected by the project. The community of Dry Creek lies along the haul route and has a small store that may see an increase in business during logging operations. The communities of Idleyld Park and Glide, which are to the west of the planning area, also may see an increase in business and an increase in traffic. Continued implementation of the Lobo, Tugboat, Wapiti, Upper Cavitt, and Emile projects would also contribute to an increase of log truck traffic. The reasonably foreseeable timber sales resulting from the D-Bug project on the Diamond Lake Ranger District also may contribute to log truck traffic; overall, this increase in traffic may be measurable, but would not be comparable to the logging that occurred in the area in the late 1980s. No other adverse direct, indirect, or cumulative effects to these communities are expected to occur.

The stands that would be treated have some recreational value, as described in the recreation section. Where there is dispersed recreation, the effects to those recreating in the area would be greatest. Minority groups or low-income groups that use these areas may be impacted during logging operations by the increase in log truck traffic. These groups may choose to recreate elsewhere. Adverse impacts to these groups would end when logging and other connected actions are completed. Overall, none of the action alternatives imposes any other additional hardships on minority or low-income communities; therefore, there would be no direct, indirect, or cumulative effects to environmental justice with any action alternative. Alternative 1 would have no direct, indirect, or cumulative effects to any low-income or minority populations that utilize the area for recreation.

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CHAPTER 4 CONSULTATION WITH OTHERS

Public Involvement Public involvement for the Oak Flats Restoration Project began with the May 2010 Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA). A scoping notice describing the project components and querying interest in a field trip was sent to 54 members of the public on May 10, 2010. Three members of the public attended a May 22, 2010 field trip. The formal scoping period ended on June 18, 2010. In total, four letters/e-mails were received during scoping.

The Oak Flats Restoration project record contains a detailed scoping summary that describes Forest Service outreach efforts, the scoping comments received for the project, and how the Forest Service addressed scoping comments in the Oak Flats Restoration EA. Agency and other Government Consultation The regulatory agencies charged with overseeing the Endangered Species Act (US Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries) were consulted as appropriate during the planning process. US Fish and Wildlife Service participated in a field trip on November 3, 2010 and provided recommendations for incorporation into the proposed action. Consultation with regulatory agencies will be finalized prior to the issuance of the Decision Notice.

The Tribal governments (Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians, Confederated Tribe of the Grand Ronde Indians, and the Confederated Tribe of the Siletz Indians) have been sent a letter describing the project, with a request for further information. To date, no responses have been received from the Grande Ronde or Siletz. The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians requested a field trip with key members of the IDT, including our archaeologists. This occurred on June 29, 2010.

INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM The following people are members of the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) that participated in the preparation or review of all or part of this environmental assessment:

Rick Abbott Silviculturist, IDT Leader, Writer/Editor Jim Archuleta Soil Scientist Bryan Benz Botanist Jeff Bohler Wildlife Biologist Mike Brown Fire/Fuels Specialist, Hydrologist Stu Carlson Logging Systems Specialist Richard Helliwell Botanist Mike Kinney Roads Steve Nelson Economics Beverly Reed Writer/Editor

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Angie Snyder Archaeological Technician Craig Street Fisheries Biologist

In addition, the following people assisted in developing the proposal or in the editing and review of this document:

Debra Barner Forest Archaeologist Eric Baxter Biological Technician (Plants) Josh Chapman Forest Wildlife Biologist Bill Gamble District Ranger Connie Harrington PNW Oak Group Leader Tony Martinez Acting District Ranger Angela Ngigi Geographic Information Systems Specialist Joyce Thompson Planning and Product Staff Officer Donni Vogel Forest NEPA Coordinator Stephanie Wessell-Kelly Silviculturist, Writer/Editor

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Coville, F.V. 1897. Notes on the plants used by the Klamath Indians of Oregon. Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 5(1):87–110

Kroeber, A.L. 1925. Handbook of the Indians of California. Bulletin 78 of the Bureau of American Ethnology of the Smithsonian Institution, Government Printing Office, Washington DC. 995 pp.

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Gould, P.J. and C.A. Harrington. 2008. Evaluation of Landscape Alternatives for Managing Oak at Tenalquot Prairie, Washington. PNW-GTR-745. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 45 pp.

Harrington, C.A. and W.D. Devine. 2006. A Practical Guide to Oak Release. PNW-GTR-666. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 24 pp.

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USDA/USDI. 1994. Record of Decision for the Final supplemental environmental impact statement on management of habitat for late-successional and old-growth forest related species within the range of the northern spotted owl, Appendix J2 – Results of additional species analysis. Portland, Oregon. 475 pp.

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Elliot, W.J., D.E. Hall, L. Dayna, and L. Scheele. 1999. WEPP interface for predicting forest road runoff, erosion, and sediment delivery. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station and San Diamas Tech. and Dev. Center.

Froehlich. H.A. and D.H. McNabb. 1984. Minimizing Soil Compaction in Pacific Northwest Forests. Pp. 159–192 in: Earl L. Stone (ed.) Forest Soils and Treatment Impacts. Proc. of Sixth North American Forest Soils Conference. Univ. of Tenn. Conferences, 2016 Lake Ave. Knoxville. June 1983.

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FIRE/FUELS Agee, J.K. 1993. Fire ecology of Pacific Northwest forests. Island Press, Washington D.C.

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