Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ROGUE RIVE-SISKIYOU NATIONAL FOREST WILD RIVERS RANGER DISTRICT

Charter Communication’s Fiber Optic Interconnect Project

Biological Evaluation (BE) for Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive , Lichen, and Fungi

And

Invasive Plant Risk Analysis

PREPARED BY: /s/ Stuart Osbrack DATE: October 02,2012 Stuart Osbrack District Botanist

1 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

PROJECT PROPOSAL

Charter Communication (Charter) plans to construct an aerial fiber interconnect between Grants Pass, and Crescent City, . Charter has requested approval from the Siskiyou National Forest to build approximately 3.6 miles of the project on forest lands. The fiber optic line will be built within an existing Pacific Power and Light (PP&L) easement. This project will provide critical telecommunications redundancy to rural communities in Northern California and Southern Oregon that will increase the reliability of telemedicine and educational and public safety networks.

Charter is requesting a 20-foot-wide easement to construct the aerial fiber interconnect within the outer western edge of the existing right-of-way. The wood poles for the project will be offset approximately 47 feet from the existing PP&L utility poles. Poles will be between 35- to 45-feet tall. Existing access roads will be used to access the pole sites. No new roads will be constructed for this project. In some cases, existing dirt berms may need to be removed to allow equipment and vehicle access. Once construction is complete in an area, any berm that was removed for construction access will be restored.

The work area around each pole site is expected to be approximately a 20-foot radius. Vegetation clearing will only be needed in the area where the pole will be set. Additional vegetation clearing may be necessary to allow equipment access, but it is expected that the majority of access will on existing access roads or by driving over low growing vegetation. An auger will be used to dig a hole approximately 6 feet deep; the diameters of the holes are not expected to exceed 2 feet. Poles will be placed in the excavated hole and the area around the pole will be backfilled with native material. If rock is encountered, a jack hammer may be used to excavate the hole. Guy wire anchors will be required at a majority of the pole locations (14 poles require anchors on forest land); anchors will be installed with the auger or jack hammer, depending on substrate.

Spans between poles will range between approximately 200 and 1500 feet. The fiber optic line will be “shot” from pole to pole using a gun powder-charged system (4570 caliber rifle) that will shoot the line cross country up to 1000 feet depending on the size of the charge. Several shots may be required depending on the length of the span. In these cases, the person conducting this work will walk to the end location of the previous shot and continue shooting the line until it reaches the pole location. Tensioning of the line will be done at each pole location. Vehicles or equipment will not be required between spans for this operation.

Unused spoils not used for backfill or that cannot be spread at the pole site will be removed for off-site disposal. Disturbed areas will be recontoured and stabilized as needed to prevent erosion. Erosion and sediment control devices needed to prevent sediment from leaving the work area will be left in place until stabilization has been established. As noted above, any existing road berms will be restored after construction is complete in the area.

2 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

FOREST SERVICE POLICY

THREATENED & ENDANGERED SPECIES It is mandate that the Forest Service (FS) conduct its activities and programs to assist in the identification and recovery of threatened and endangered plant species and avoid actions which may cause a species to become threatened or endangered. The FS will not approve, fund or take any action that is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of threatened and endangered species or destroy any habitat necessary for their conservation unless exemption is granted pursuant to subsection 7(h) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (FSM 2601.2).

FS SENSITIVE SPECIES It is FS policy to maintain habitats for all existing native and desired non-native plant species and manage such species to maintain at least viable populations. In achieving this objective, habitat must be provided for the number and distribution of reproductive individuals to ensure the continued existence of a species throughout its geographic range (FSM 2601.2). Proposed management actions must not result in a loss of species viability or create significant trends toward Federal listing (FSM 2670.32).

LOCATION The propose project is located along FS Road 4402 in Josephine County Oregon on the Wild Rivers Ranger District, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest:  Cave Junction USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle: T 40S, R 9W, Section 34  Chetco Peak USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle: T 41S, R 9W, Sections 4 and 17  Shelly Creek Ridge USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle: T 41S, R 9W, Section 17

3 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

PRE-FIELD REVIEW

REVIEW OF PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED SPECIES The area was examined using Rogue River-Siskiyou NF archived rare plants files and GIS layers. Although negative findings are not always well documented within FS archived files, all positive findings (T&E, S&M, & FS Sensitive) are archived within the Rogue River- Siskiyou rare plants database. These databases & the original paper site forms were referenced during pre-field review to identify any known rare plant locations documented within the proposed project area.

FIELD RECONNAISSANCE

SURVEY HISTORY Field work was conducted July 2012. All species with potential habitat were considered during field work. However, GIS analysis of nearby known occurrences, soil type, elevation, aspect and habitat type were used to focus surveys toward locating species with the highest likelihood of occurring within the project area.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS There will be no effect to any federally threatened and endangered plant species. The Rogue River-Siskiyou NF sensitive plant species howellii (Howell’s jewel-flower) and Calochortus howellii (Howell’s mariposa-lily) was identified during project surveys within the project footprint.

EXISTING CONDITION AND AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

EXISTING CONDITION The project area is within an existing power line easement on serpentine soils. There are a shrub dominated plant communities in areas with forbs and graminoids other areas are dominated by sparse forbs and graminoids.

FOREST SERVICE SENSITIVE SPECIES PRESENT Streptanthus howellii (Howell’s jewel-flower) The Forest Service sensitive plant Streptanthus howellii (Howell’s jewel-flower) is a member of the (Mustard) family. It is a strict serpentine endemic and the range is southern Oregon (Josephine, Curry, and Jackson counties) and northern California (Del Norte and Mendocino counties). The status and ranking for the species in Oregon is S2: imperiled; in California the status is S1.2: critically imperiled; and its Global rank and status is G2: imperiled. It is a candidate for state listing in Oregon. The Oregon Biodiversity Information Center ranks the species as a list 1, endangered or threatened throughout their range.

Streptanthus howellii is an herbaceous perennial that produces a glabrous, glaucous stem that is 30 to 80 centimeters in length. It is generally un-branched. The ephemeral basal leaves are similar to cauline leaves and have fleshy blades that are broadly spatulate-obovate to

4 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

suborbicular with smooth or toothed edges, borne on petioles. Mid-cauline leaves are petioled, 1.5–10 cm long, broadly obovate to round and entire to wavy or obtusely dentate, base wedge- shaped to attenuate. Flowers occur at intervals along the upper stem. Each has a bell-shaped calyx of oblong purple 5 to 8 mm long with purple-tipped yellow petals emerging from the tip. The petals are 8 to 12 mm long and 0.5 to 1 mm wide. The fruit is a spreading-ascending silique, 5.5–12 cm, 2.5–3.2 mm wide, straight to ± incurved, not constricted between seeds; valves glabrous, midvein distinct. Fruits produce 24-44 seeds and the seeds are 3–4 mm, broadly oblong to ± round; the wing is 0.5–1.1 mm wide, continuous.

The species blooms in June and July and is restricted to serpentine soils where it grows on dry, rocky slopes and ridges, open conifer/hardwood forests and is also found on roadsides at an elevation of 600 to 800 meters.

According to the California Native Plant Society, there are 21 occurrences in California. In Oregon it occurs on the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest where there are 35 sites and 1305 plants. Streptanthus howellii also occurs on BLM land on the Medford District where it is classified as C-1 (Special Status Plant for the Medford District) and BS (BLM sensitive). It is threatened by mining and fire suppression. The Oregon Department of Agriculture’s ongoing propagation research has not had luck germinating seeds. Timber harvest and ground disturbing activities could reduce survival ship and seed production of mature plants.

Calochortus howellii (Howell’s mariposa-lily) The Forest Service sensitive plant Calochortus howellii (Howell’s mariposa-lily) is a member of the Liliaceae (Lily) family. It is a strict serpentine endemic and the range is southern Oregon (Josephine County). The global status for the species is G3: vulnerable. In Oregon its status is an S3: imperiled. Calochortus howellii is listed in the state of Oregon as threatened. The Oregon Biodiversity Information Center ranks the species as a list 1, endangered or threatened throughout their range.

The perennial Howell’s mariposa-lily is 2-4 dm tall. The plant produces a single green leathery large basal leaf that average 30 cm in length. Calochortus howellii has showy flowers with three white to cream-colored petals 2.7-3 cm long, each petal has a lime green petal spot that is covered with dark purple hairs. Each stem usually has one or two flowers, which develop into 2-cm-long erect capsules.

Blooms last from mid-June and into August under ideal conditions. There are more vegetative individuals than reproductive individuals in typical occurrences. Numbers of individuals within populations vary annually depending on conditions. Calochortus howellii is restricted to rocky dry serpentine soils in the Illinois River valley.

This species can be locally abundant with some large population sizes. Nature Serve lists the number of known occurrences at about 50 and total plants numbers at least 65,000. Threats to the species include mining for gold, chromium, and nickel on serpentine soils.

5 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

EFFECTS ANALYSIS

For the proposed Charter Communication’s Fiber Optic Interconnect Project:  There would be no affect to Fritillaria gentneri (Gentner’s fritillaria), Arabis macdonaldiana (MacDonalds rock-cress), Lomatium cookii (Cook’s Lomatium), or any other plant species listed as threatened, endangered, proposed for listing, or candidates under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This determination is based on the absence of suitable habitat within the project area and the absence of individuals known or expected to occur within the project area.

 May affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of viability for Streptanthus howellii (Howell’s jewel-flower). This species is known from the project area, mitigations to protect this species have been created including: individuals within the project area will be avoided and project implementation will occur during the year when there are no above ground structures. However, this species may be negatively affected during project implementation if undetected individuals or populations are present but were not detected within the project area where suitable habitat occurs.

 May affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of viability for Calochortus howellii (Howell’s mariposa-lily). This species is known from the project area, mitigations to protect this species have been created including: individuals within the project area will be avoided and project implementation will occur during the year when there are no above ground structures. However, this species may be negatively affected during project implementation if undetected individuals or populations are present but were not detected within the project area where suitable habitat occurs.

 There would be no affect to the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest vascular sensitive plant species, sensitive bryophytes species, or sensitive lichens species:

Sensitive Species Adiantum jordanii (California Maiden-hair), Allium peninsulare (Peninsular Onion), Arabis suffrutescens (Crater Lake rockcress), Arctostaphylos hispidula (hairy manzanita), viscosa (Shasta arnica), Asplenium septentrionale (grass fern), Bensoniella oregana (bensonia), Botrychium pumicola (pumice grapefern), Calochortus howellii (Howell’s mariposa-lily), Camassia howellii (Howell’s camas), Camissonia graciliflora (slender-flowered evening primrose), Carex capitata (capitates sedge), Carex comosa (bristly sedge), Carex crawfordii (Crawford’s sedge), Carex klamathensis sp. nov.(sedge), Carex nervina (Sierra nerved sedge), Castilleja schizotricha (split-hair paintbrush), Cheilanthes covillei (Coville’s lip-fern), Cheillanthes intertexta (coastal lip-fern), Chlorogalum angustifolium (narrow-leaved amole), Ciciendia quadrangularis (timwort), Collomia mazama (Mt. Mazama Collomia), Cryptantha milo-bakeri (Milo Baker’s Cryptantha), Cupressus bakeri (Baker’s cypress), Cyperus acuminatus (short-pointed cyperus), Cypripedium fasciculatum (clustered lady-slipper), Delphinium nudicale (red larkspur), Dicentra pauciflora (few-flowered bleeding heart), Drab howellii (Howell’s whitlow-grass), Epilobium oreganum (Oregon willow-herb), Epilobium siskiyouense (Siskiyou willow-herb), Ericameria arborescens (golden fleece), Erigeron cervinus (Siskiyou daisy), Erigeron petrophilus (Cliff daisy), Erigonum lobbii (Lobb’s buckwheat), Erythronium howellii (Howell’s adder-tongue), Eschscholzia caespitosa (gold poppy), Eucephalus vialis (wayside aster), Frasera umpquaensis (Umpqua Swertia) Gentiana newberryi (Newberry’s gentian), Gentiana plurisetosa (elegant gentian), Gentiana setigera (Waldo gentian), Hackelia bella, (beautiful stickseed), Hastingsia Bracteosa var. atropurpurea (purple rush-lily), Hastingsia Bracteosa var. bracteosa (large-flowered rush-lily), Hiericium horridum (shaggy hawkweed), Horkelia hendersonii (Henderson’s horkelia), Horkelia tridentata ssp. tridentata (three-toothed horkelia), Iliamna latibracteata (California globe-mallow), Keckelia lemmonii (bush beardtongue), Lewisia leeana (Lee’s lewisia), Limnanthes floccosa ssp. bellingeriana (Bellinger’s meadow foam), Limnanthes gracilis ssp. gracilis (slender meadow foam), Lomatium engelmanii

6 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

(Engelman’s desert-parsley), Lotus stipularis (stipuled trefoil), Lupinus lepidus var. ashlandensis (Mt. Ashland lupine), Lupinus tracyi (Tracy’s lupine), Meconella oregana (white fairypoppy), Mimulus bolanderi (Bolander’s monkeyflower), Mimulus congdonii (Congdon’s monkeyflower), Nemacladus capillaris (slender nemacaldus), ophioglossum pusillum (adders-tongue), Pellea andromedifolia (coffee fern), Pellea mucronata ssp. mucronata (birds-foot fern), Perideridia erythrorhiza (red-rooted yampah), Phacelia leonis (Siskiyou Phacelia), Pilularia americana (American pillwort), Pinus albicaulus (Whitebark Pine), Plagiobothyrs figuratus ssp. corallicarpus (coral seeded allocarya), Plagiobothrys greenei (greene’s popcorn flower), Poa rhizomata (timber bluegrass), Polystichum californicum (California sword-fern), Rafinesquia californica (California chicory), Rhamnus ilicifolia (redberry), Rhynchospora alba (white-beaked rush), Ribes divaricatum var. pubiflorum (straggly gooseberry), Romanzoffia thompsonii (Thompson’s mistmaiden), Rorippa columbiae (Columbia cress), Saxifragopsis fragarioides joint-leaved saxifrage), Scheuchzeria palustris var. americana (sheuchzeria), Schoenoplectus subterminalis (water clubrush), Scirpus pendulus (drooping bulrush), Scoliopus bigelovii (California fetid adderstongue), Sedum moranii (Rogue River stonecrop), Sidalcea malviflora ssp. patula (coast checker bloom), Silene hookeri ssp. bolanderi (Bolander’s catchfly), Solanum parishii (Parish’s horse-nettle), Sophora leachiana (western sophora), Streptanthus glandulosus (common jewelflower), Tauschia howellii (Howell’s tauschia), Trillium kurabayashii (Sisikiyou trillium), Utricularia minor (lesser bladderwort), Viola primulifolia ssp. occidentalis (western bog violet), Wolffia Columbiana (Columbia water-meal), Zigadenus micranthus var. fontanus (small-flowered death camas)

Sensitive Bryophytes Anastrophyllum minutum, Andreaea schofieldian, Bryum calobryoides, Calypogeia sphagnicola, Cephaloziella spinigera, Codriophorus deppressus, Cryptomitrium tenerum, Encalyptra brevicollis, Encalyptra brevipes, Entosthodon fascicularis, Harpanthus flotovianus, Helodium bolanderi, Meesia uliginosa, Orthodontium gracile, Orthodontium pellucens, Phymatoceros phymatodes, Porella bolanderi, Psuedocalliergon trifarium, Schistidium cinclidodonteum, Schistostega pennata, Splachnum ampullaceum, Tomentypnum nitens, tortula mucronifolia, Tritomaria exsectiformis

Sensitve Lichens Bryoria subcana ,Heterodermia leucomela, Leptogium cyanescens, Lobaria linita, Ramalina pollinaria

This determination is based on the absence of individuals known or expected to occur within the project area and/or the absence of suitable habitat within the project.

 There would be no affect to the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest sensitive fungi. No FS sensitive fungi are known to occur within the project area and no project activities will be taking place in habitat, therefore no effect is expected to sensitive fungi species:

Sensitve Fungi Albatrellus ellisii, Arcangeliella camphorata,, Boletus pulcherrimus, Chamonixia caespitosa, Dermocybe humboldtensis, Gastroboletus vividus, Gymnomyces fragrans, Phaeocollybia californica, Psuedorhizna californica, Ramaria amyloidea, Ramaria spinulosa var. diminutiva, Rhizopogon chamaleontinus, Rhizopogon ellipsosporus, Rhizopogon exiguous, Stagnicola perplexa

BOTANY DESIGN FEATURES AND MITIGATIONS

Streptanthus howellii (Howell’s jewel-flower)  3 proposed pole locations, #s 349, 449, and 649, have Streptanthus howellii individuals around or near the stakes for the poles and guide wires and along the access routes. For the 3 proposed pole locations and access routes: o Alternate locations for these poles have been identified and flagged. Proposed pole locations will be moved to the alternate flagged areas to prohibit impacts to existing individuals. o There are Streptanthus howellii individuals all along the access roads leading to the pole #s 349, 449, and 649 and areas around the stakes. Implementation will occur when the plants have no above ground structures. Implementation will be prohibited from June 1st –September 1st.

7 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

Streptanthus howellii locations highlighted in yellow

Calochortus howellii (Howell’s mariposa-lily)  4 proposed poles locations, #s 245, 246, 346, and 446, have Calochortus howellii individuals around or near the stakes for the poles and guide wires including the access roads. For the 4 proposed pole locations and access routes: o Alternate locations for these poles have been identified and flagged. Proposed pole locations will be moved to the alternate flagged areas to prohibit impacts to existing individuals. o There are Calochortus howellii individuals all along the access roads leading to pole #s 245, 246, 346, and 446 and areas around the stakes. Implementation will occur when the plants have no above ground structures. Implementation will be prohibited from June 1st –September 1st.

Calochortus howellii locations highlighted in yellow

8 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

Additional Design Features and Mitigations  If any Threatened or Endangered plant species or Forest Service sensitive plant, lichen, or fungi species are found prior to or during implementation there will be an amendment to this BE and additional mitigation may be created.

9 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

INVASIVE PLANT RISK ASSESSMENT

FOREST SERVICE POLICY

For any ground disturbing activity on ROR-SIS NF it is required to determine the risk of introducing and/or spreading invasive plant species. If it is determined that a project has a moderate to high risk of introducing invasive plant species the project decision document must identify invasive plant species control measures to be undertaken during project implementation (Forest Service Manual 2080, Amendment No. 2000-95-5, effective November 29, 1995). The manual allows for the use of contract and permit clauses to prevent the introduction or spread of invasive plant species by contractors and permit holders (FSM 2081.3).

STANDARDS, GUIDELINES, GOALS & OBJECTIVES

In the past, management standards, goals and objectives for invasive plants came from the 1988 Record of Decision for Managing Competing and Unwanted Vegetation (1988 ROD) and 1989 Mediated Agreement. These documents were integrated into Land and Resource Management Plans (Forest Plans) in Region Six and they remained the overriding management direction. The 2005 Record of Decision for Invasive Plant Standards from the Pacific Northwest Region Invasive Plant Program, Preventing and Managing Invasive Plants, amends the forest plans by adding desired future condition statements, standards, goals and objectives (2005 ROD).

Table 1. Goals, objectives and standards applicable to this project have been abbreviated from the 2005 ROD; for a complete reference refer to the ROD (October, 2005).

Goals and Objectives Most Applicable to the Proposed Action

Goal 1 - Protect ecosystems from the impacts of invasive plants through an integrated approach that emphasizes prevention, early detection, and early treatment. All employees and users of the National Forest recognize that they play an important role in preventing and detecting invasive plants. Implement appropriate invasive plant prevention practices to help reduce the Objective 1.1 introduction, establishment and spread of invasive plants associated with management actions and land use activities. Detect new infestations of invasive plants promptly by creating and maintaining Objective 1.3 complete, up-to-date inventories of infested areas, and proactively identifying and inspecting susceptible areas not infested with invasive plants. Control new invasive plant infestations promptly, suppress or contain expansion Objective 1.5 of infestations where control is not practical, conduct follow up inspection of treated sites to prevent reestablishment. Goal 2 - Minimize the creation of conditions that favor invasive plant introduction, establishment and spread during land management actions and land use activities. Continually review and adjust land management practices to help reduce the creation of conditions that favor invasive plant

10 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

Goals and Objectives Most Applicable to the Proposed Action

communities. Reduce soil disturbance while achieving project objectives through timber Objective 2.1 harvest or other activities that potentially may produce large amounts of bare ground Retain native vegetation consistent with site capability and integrated resource Objective 2.2 management objectives to suppress invasive plants and prevent their establishment and growth

Standards Invasive Plant Management Standards which apply to the proposed action.

2 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. 3 Use weed-free straw and mulch for all projects, conducted or authorized by the Forest Service, on National Forest System Lands. 7 Use only gravel, fill, sand, and rock that is judged to be weed free by District or Forest weed specialists. Treat or require treatment of infested sources before any use of pit material. 13 Native plant materials are the first choice in revegetation for restoration and rehabilitation where timely natural regeneration of the native plant community is not likely to occur.

EFFECTS ANALYSIS

INVASIVE PLANT IMPACTS (Excerpts from Volume 1, Chapter 3 Preventing and Managing Invasive Plants, FEIS).

The presence of invasive plants in not a new phenomenon. But the geographic scope, frequency, and the number of species involved have grown enormously as a direct consequence of expanding transport and commerce in the past 500 years, and especially in the past 200 years (Ewel et al. 1999)….Invasive plants can compromise healthy, native ecosystems if they persist and/or increase in abundance over time. Once established, they can be self-perpetuating, and can spread from site to site, often without human assistance (Randall, 1996). The impact of invasion can be permanent when economic and environmental factors limit the ability of a managing agency to restore the ecosystem to a healthy state (National Academy of Sciences, 2002).

11 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

Invasive plants have already caused permanent damage to public lands across the western United States (Asher and Surrier, 1998).

Table 0-1 Known Effects of Invasive Plants on Ecosystems Habitat change resulting from invasive plants Alter forage quality Decrease favored or nutritionally preferred food Lack of use of favored forage may affect plants previously evolutionarily favored, and affect mutualistic relationship Disrupt herbivore/plant ecological relationships Disrupt insect composition and plant relationships (e.g. butterfly/bee/pollinator/plant relationships, with cascading effects to other pollinator/plants.) Disrupt mychorrhizal fungi through plant changes; in turn, this may affect long-term habitat components pertaining to structure and function of vegetation Alter fire behavior; which can affect fire intensity, duration, and frequency Alter soil stability through loss of plant cover, debris, and detritus Change in local ecology of keystone plant species that has cascading effects on plant and wildlife composition and habitat use (e.g. beach grass, Japanese knotweed) Change in soil ph and chemistry Change in soil biota Habitat fragmentation and increased edge effect Other effects of invasive plants Impact to ecosystems already undergoing climatic change Direct and indirect changes in water availability and moisture regimes Loss of biological diversity, ecological integrity, and ecosystem structure/function

INVASIVE PLANT INFORMATION TRACKED ON THE RR-S NF

Numerous botanical surveys and invasive plant control efforts have occurred over the last decade. During these treatments and surveys workers collected information on target invasive plant species tracked on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Invasive plant data for target species are archived in the Wild Rivers Ranger District’s invasive plant database. This database was used to create ArcMap shapefiles intended for spatial display & mapping. The invasive plant shapefile & original paper site forms were referenced during pre-field review of the project area.

Through inventory and mapping, FS personnel can assess infestation levels, however only target invasive plant species have been treated and mapped over the years on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RR-S NF). I.e., some ubiquitous (St. Johnswort) and/or difficult to control species (i.e. require extensive use of herbicides and/or are readily spread by birds) such as Himalayan and cut-leaf blackberry have not been mapped or treated. Similarly, a variety of non- native species which are not aggressive invaders have not been mapped (silver hairgrass, rat-tail fescue etc.). Thus, only species currently tracked and treated will be thoroughly addressed in this

12 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

invasive plant analysis document. The affects of project related activities upon the spread of species not tracked or treated by the RR-S NF will be unknown.

EFFECTS OF PROPOSED ACTION

The project area was found to be free of the Rogue River-Siskiyou NF’s Wild Rivers Ranger District target invasive plant species. Therefore, there will be a low risk for invasive plant introduction, establishment, and spread. This determination is based on the following:  There are no known invasive plants present in the proposed project area  There will be ground disturbance  Mitigations to prevent the spread or establishment of any new invasive plant infestations will be followed including: o Equipment used in the proposed project area will be cleaned prior to entering Forest Service lands to prevent the introduction of invasive plant material into the project area

INVASIVE PLANT MITIGATIONS

 Machinery, vehicles, tools, and all other equipment are required to be free of any soil, plants seeds, and plant materials. Machinery, vehicles, tools, and all other equipment will be pressure washed and cleaned each time before entering Forest Service lands and the proposed project area o Equipment will include any non-motorized and motorized equipment or vehicles. This includes picks, hammers, shovels, dozers, excavators, trucks, cars, ATVs, etc. o Cleaning will be necessary each time all equipment enter FS lands.  All gravel, fill, or other materials are required to be weed-free  The prosed project area will be monitored by WRRD Botany Department periodically for invasive plants  Any invasive plants found in the project area will be documented and the Wild Rivers District Botanist will be notified of the infestation location  Any invasive plant infestations will be treated and/or avoided

13 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

LITERATURE CITED

Nature Serve Explorer. [Online] Available at: http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/ (Accessed 10/2012)

Oregon Biodiversity Information Center. [Online] Available at: http://orbic.pdx.edu/

Oregon Department of Agriculture plant Programs, Plant Conservation. [Online] Available at: http://www.oregon.gov/oda/plant/conservation/Pages/profile_caho.aspx (Accessed 10/2012)

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, FSM 2000 National Forest Resource Management, Chapters 2080 Noxious Weed Management and 2670 Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Plants and Animals.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region. 1989. Land and Resource Management Plan, Siskiyou National Forest.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, General Technical Report PNW-GTR-476. 1999. Handbook to Strategy 1 Fungal Species in the Northwest Forest Plan.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Region 6. 20011. Regional Forester’s Sensitive Plant Species List.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, U.S. Department of Interior BLM 1994a. Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on Management of Habitat for Late-Successional and Old-Growth Forest Related Species Within theRange of the Northern Spotted Owl, Volume II-Appendices.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, A Guide to Rare Plants of the Siskiyou National Forest. New 2000 Edition.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, General Technical Report PNW-GTR-572. 2003. Handbook to Additional Fungal Species of Special Concern in the Northwest Forest Plan.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service 2005. Pacific Northwest Region Invasive Plant Program, Preventing and Managing Invasive Plants, Final Environmental Impact Statement Vol. 1-3 and Record of Decision.

14 of 15 pages Charter Communication Fiber Optic Line Botanical BE Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Invasive Plant Risk Assessment Wild River Ranger District October 02, 2012

15 of 15 pages