Project3030 Draft License Application Sec
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
4. WILDLIFE AND Botanical RESOURCES According to the National Ecological Classification Framework of Ecological Units, the Project is located in the following ecological unit: Domain: Humid Temperate Division: Warm Continental Province: Laurentian Mixed Forest Province #212 Section: Northern Lacustrine Influenced Lower Peninsula #VII Subsection: Leelanau and Grand Traverse Peninsula #VII.5 Sub-Subsection: Traverse City # VII.5.2 The Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) classifies land within the state using a four digit land type association code by major landform, landform modifier, soil drainage class and soil textural class. The ERCOL is classified as #6121: a flat lake plain with well-drained sand, dominated by northern hardwoods in the uplands, conifer swamps in the lowlands and American beech/hemlock forests in between (MNFI 1999). The Northern Hardwood forest community is the northernmost deciduous forest community in eastern North America. In general, this community is dominated by three deciduous tree species: Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), Suger maple (Acer saccharum) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia). Two coniferous species, Eastern hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis) and White pine (Pinus strobus), are also typically found in abundance in this forest community. 4.1. UPLAND HABITATS The plant communities within the Project Vicinity are the same as those found within the larger ERCOL. The Project Vicinity contains three of Michgan’s 43 terrestrial plant communities and seven of Michigan’s 31 palustrine plant communities. Of the 1,815 plant species present in the state, more than 400 are found within the Project Vicinity (MNFI 2009d). While residential, urban and agricultural activities have removed a considerable amount of the predevelopment vegetation, the Project Vicinity’s predominant watershed land cover remains upland forest (34%) (See Table E.1.3 and Figure E.1.4). Of this forest cover, 67% is Mesic Northern Forest, 26% is Dry Northern Forest and 7% is Dry Mesic Northern Forest (Figure E.4.1). Consequently many native plants, trees and shrubs are still found in the area. MNFI has developed Community Abstracts for the plant communities found in Michigan. Each of the communities has been given a Global Rank and a State Rank related to the extent the community is imperiled and its occurrence. The most imperiled rank is 1 and the least imperiled rank is 5. The three forest types within the Project Vicinity have all been ranked as S3 – moderately imperiled and rare or uncommon in the state (on the order of 21-100 occurrences) (MNFI 2009c). Mike Meriwether, Antrim County Forester, recently evaluated the ecological quality of the forest communities within the Project Vicinity as poor due to over-harvesting, fragmentation, and generally poor forest management practices. There are no stands of old growth forest. Antrim County, in which much of the Project Vicinity and most of the ERCOL lies, does not have an Elk Rapids Hydroelectric Project - Antrim County License Application FERC Project No. 3030 E50 December 21, 2012 FOREST TYPE Mesic Northern Forest Grand Traverse Dry Northern Forest Bay Dry Mesic Northern Forest Project Vicinity THE PROJECT Elk Lake Skegemog Lake ¯ 2 1 0 2 4 Miles Figure E.4.1 Forest Cover within the Project Vicinity (Source: MGDL 2012) Elk Rapids Hydroelectric Project - Antrim County License Application FERC Project No. 3030 E51 December 21, 2012 overall forest management plan, however, the County does have plans for most of the individual parcels owned by the County. These plans are currently being updated and mapped. Many private landowners also have management plans for the forests on their properties (Meriwether 2009). Dry Mesic Northern Forest Descriptions of the typical composition of each of the forest communities found in the Project Project Vicinity Vicinity are set forth below. 4.1.1 Mesic Northern Forest (67%) These forests are found chiefly on coarse-textured ground and end moraines, but they also occur on silty/clayey lake plains, thin glacial till over bedrock, and medium-textured moraines. Locally, Mesic Northern Forests are found on kettle-kame topography, moderately well-drained to well- drained sandy lake plains and sand dunes. Presettlement forests dominated by Eastern hemlock and Yellow birch were frequent on moderate to poorly drained till plains and outwash plains. Mesic Northern Forests were predominantly found around lake and bog margins and in complex mosaics with Suger maple-Hemlock forests on the surrounding better-drained soils. Like the canopy, the ground and shrub layer of Mesic Northern Forests is diverse (Table E.4.1). Communities of Beech and Suger maple have relatively few shrubs but support many spring ephemerals and perennial herbs. A unique feature of this forest type is the presence of chlorophyll-free, parasitic and saphrophytic seed plants such as Indian pipes (Monotropa unifolia), Coral root orchids (Corallorhiza spp.) and Beech drops (Epifagus virginiana) (when Beeches are present) (MNFI 2009b). 4.1.2 Dry Northern Forest (26%) Dry Northern Forests are Pine or Pine-hardwood dominated communities found on dry, sandy soils. They occur primarily on sandy glacial outwash and sandy lake plains and less often on sand ridges in peatland complexes on glacial outwash or glacial lake plains. Two distinct variants are included within this community type: Jack pine/Jack pine-hardwood dominated and Red pine dominated (Table E.4.2). Prior to European settlement, Dry Northern Forests typically arose in the wake of catastrophic fire. Frequent, low-intensity ground fires maintained Red pine systems. Due to fire suppression, many stands of Dry Northern Forest are or have succeeded to more shade-tolerant hardwood and Aspen forests. In many areas where Dry Northern Forests failed to regenerate, Red and White pine plantations have been established and maintained. The successional forests of Aspen and Birch that replaced some Dry Northern Forests have been maintained and expanded by intensive silvaculture and wildlife management geared toward promoting pulp production and providing favorable habitat for game species that prefer early successional hardwood forests, particularly White-tailed deer, Turkey and Grouse (MNFI 2009a). A unique feature of this forest type is the presence of Mosses (Dicranum spp.), Feather moss (Pluerozium schreber), Lichens (Cladina spp. and Cladina spp.) and Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Elk Rapids Hydroelectric Project - Antrim County License Application FERC Project No. 3030 E52 December 21, 2012 Dominant Canopy Trees Prevalent Herbs Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name Acer saccharum Sugar maple Carex dewyana Dewey sedge Acer rubrum Red maple Carex hirtifolia Hairy sedge Betula alleghaniensis Yellow birch Carex leptonervia Nerveless woodland sedge Betula papyrifera White birch Carex plantaginea Seersucker sedge Fagus grandifolia American beech Carex woodii Pretty sedge Fraxinus americana White ash Caulophyllum Pinus strobus White pine thalictroides Blue cohosh Quercus rubra Red oak Circaea alpina Enchanter’s nightshade Thuja occidentalis White cedar Clintonia borealis Blue-beard lily Tilia americana American basswood Cornus canadensis Bunchberry Tsuga canadensis Eastern hemlock Galium trifolium Bedstraw Maianthemum canadense Canada mayflower Dominant Subcanopy Trees Mitchella repens Partridge berry Scientific Name Common Name Osmorhiza claytoni Sweet cicily Abies balsamea Balsam fir Polygonatum Ostrya virginiana Hop-hornbeam pubescens Solomon’s seal Ulmus americana American elm Smilacina racemosa False spikenard Streptopus roseus Twisted stalk Dominant Shrubs Trientalis borealis Star flower Scientific Name Common Name Trillium cernuum Nodding trillium Acer pensylvanicum Striped maple Trillium Acer spicatum Mountain maple grandiflorum Common trillium Cornus alternifolia Alternate-leaved dogwood Uvularia grandiflora Bellwort Corylus cornuta Beaked hazelnut Dirca palustris Leatherwood Michigan Indicator Species Lonicera canadensis Fly honeysuckle Scientific Name Common Name Ribes cynosbati Wild gooseberry Aralia nudicaulis Wild sarsaparilla Sambucus pubens Red elderberry Betula Taxus canadensis Canada yew alleghaniensis Yellow birch Viburnum Botrychium acerifolium Mapleleaf Viburnum virginianum Rattlesnake fern Caulophyllum halictroides Blue cohosh Prevalent Herbs Circaea alpine Enchanter’s nightshade Scientific Name Common Name Corylus cornuta Beaked hazelnut Actaea pachypoda White baneberry Dirca palustris Leatherwood Actaea rubra Red baneberry Smilacina racemosa False spikenard Allium tricoccum Wild leek Aralia racemosa Spikenard Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-pulpit Table E.4.1 Mesic Northern Forest Community Composition (Source: MNFI 2009b) Elk Rapids Hydroelectric Project - Antrim County License Application FERC Project No. 3030 E53 December 21, 2012 Dominant Canopy Trees Prevalent Herbs Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name Betula papyrifera White birch Andropogon gerardii Big bluestem Pinus banksiana Jack pine Apocynum androsaemifolium Spreading dogbane Pinus resinosa Red pine Aralia nudicaulis Wild sarsaparilla Pinus strobus White pine Aster macrophyllus Big-leaved aster Populus grandidentata Bigtooth aspen Aster sagittifolius Arrow-leaved aster Populus trtemuloides Trembling aspen Brachyelytrum erectum Grass Prunus serotina Black cherry Campanula rotundifolia Bluebell Quercus ellipsoidalis Northern pin oak Carex lucorum Blue ridge sedge Quercus rubra Red oak Carex pensylvanica Pennsylvania