CHATTAHOOCHEE-OCONEE NATIONAL FORESTS APPENDIX H BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT Biological Assessment of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Revision of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan Prepared by: Cindy Wentworth – Botanist and Ecologist Jim Wentworth – Wildlife Biologist Jeff McDonald – Planning Biologist Mitzi Cole – Aquatic Biologist Lead Contact: Jeff McDonald Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest 1755 Cleveland Highway Gainesville, Georgia 30501 706 297-3007
[email protected] DESCRIPTION OF PLANNING AREA The planning area for this analysis consists of the 749,755 acre Chattahoochee National Forest and the 115,210 acre Oconee National Forest. The Chattahoochee NF is located across the northern portion of the state with lands in 18 counties. The Oconee NF is located in the central portion with lands in eight counties. The two National Forests in Georgia are administered by one Forest Supervisor, headquartered in Gainesville, GA. KEY FINDINGS Twenty-four species were evaluated (Table 1). The determination of effect for twenty- three of the twenty-four T&E species was “not likely to adversely affect.” A “no effect” determination was made for the Relict Trillium (Trillium reliquum). FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT H-1 APPENDIX H CHATTAHOOCHEE-OCONEE NATIONAL FORESTS INTRODUCTION The Chattahoochee NF comprises approximately 750,000 acres in north Georgia. It is generally characterized by Appalachian oak forest typical of the southernmost reaches of the Appalachian Mountains. The westernmost portion of the forest is somewhat different. It is located in the Ridge and Valley ecological section, and consists of an oak-hickory-pine forest type. The southeastern corner of the forest is also distinctive.