State Forest Environmental Assessment
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INDIANA STATE FORESTS: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 2008 - 2027 Increased Emphasis on Management & Sustainability of Oak-Hickory Communitiesnities On the Indiana State Forest System DECEMBER 2008 Indiana Department of Natural Resources DIVISION OF FORESTRY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Increased Emphasis on Management and Sustainability of Oak-Hickory Communities On the Indiana State Forest System 2008-2027 DECEMBER 2008 Indiana Department of Natural Resources DIVISION OF FORESTRY INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES The mission of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is to serve as stewards of the natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources for the benefit of present and future generations. STATE FOREST ENABLING LEGISLATION The legislation that provides the foundation for the management of state forests (IC 14-23-4-1) states: “It is the public policy of Indiana to protect and conserve the tim- ber, water resources, wildlife, and topsoil in the forests owned and operated by the divi- sion of forestry for the equal enjoyment and guaranteed use of future generations. How- ever, by the employment of good husbandry, timber that has a substantial commercial value may be removed in a manner that benefits the growth of saplings and other trees by thinnings, improvement cuttings, and harvest processes and at the same time provides a source of revenue to the state and counties and provides local markets with a further source of building material.” MISSION OF THE PROPERTY SECTION To manage, protect and conserve the timber, water, wildlife, soil and related forest re- sources for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations, and to demonstrate proper forest management to Indiana landowners. VISION OF THE PROPERTY SECTION We, the employees of the property section of the Division of Forestry, will demonstrate sound forest stewardship in our management of the Division’s public forest lands. These lands will provide forest products, outdoor recreation, educational opportunities and other benefits, both tangible and intangible. We will conserve, protect, enhance and make available the varied forest resources of state forest properties for the present and future citizens of Indiana. Table of Contents 1.0 Purpose and Need for Action ................................................................................5 1.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................5 1.2 Background ..........................................................................................................6 1.3 Purpose of the Proposed Action ...........................................................................8 1.4 Need for the Proposed Action ..............................................................................9 1.5 Management Activities used in the Proposed Action ........................................14 1.5.1 Timber Harvest Treatments ....................................................................... 14 1.5.2 Follow-up Harvest Treatments .................................................................. 17 1.5.3 Maintenance Activities .............................................................................. 19 1.5.4 Habitat Management ................................................................................. 21 1.6 Existing Monitoring and Quality Control Systems ............................................27 1.6.1 Continuous Forest Inventory ..................................................................... 27 1.6.2 Best Management Practices (BMP) Audits ............................................... 28 1.6.3 Forest Certification Audits ........................................................................ 28 1.6.4 Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment ............................................................ 28 1.6.5 Tract Management Guide Process ............................................................ 28 2.0 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action ......................................................32 2.1 The Proposed Action ..........................................................................................32 2.1.1 Proposed Timber Harvest by Property ...................................................... 33 2.1.2 Conservation Strategy ............................................................................... 34 2.2 Alternatives to the Proposed Action ..................................................................34 2.2.1 Alternatives Evaluated in Detail ............................................................... 34 2.2.2 Alternatives Given Brief Consideration and Rejected from Further Analysis ........................................................................................ 37 3.0 Affected Environment..........................................................................................39 3.1 Current Forest Cover ..........................................................................................39 3.2 The Natural Features of Indiana ........................................................................39 3.2.1 Highland Rim Natural Region .................................................................. 40 3.2.2 Shawnee Hills Natural Region .................................................................. 42 3.2.3 Southwestern Lowlands Natural Region .................................................. 43 3.2.4 Southern Bottomlands Natural Region ..................................................... 43 3.2.5 Bluegrass Natural Region ......................................................................... 44 3.2.6 Central Till Plain Natural Region ............................................................. 44 3.3 Soil and Water ....................................................................................................45 4.0 Environmental Consequences .............................................................................47 4.1 Amphibians and Reptiles ...................................................................................47 4.2 Mammals ............................................................................................................52 4.3 Birds ...................................................................................................................59 4.4 Fish and Freshwater Mussels .............................................................................70 4.5 Invertebrates (excluding freshwater mussels)…………………………………71 4.6 Plants ..................................................................................................................82 4.7 Environmental Impacts on the Nonliving Environment ..................................103 iii 4.8 Cultural and Unique Resources .......................................................................109 4.9 Socioeconomic Environment ...........................................................................109 4.10 Adverse Environmental Effects which cannot be Avoided ..............................113 4.11 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources ..............................114 5.0 List of Preparers .................................................................................................114 6.0 Consultation and Coordination with the Public and Others .........................114 7.0 Public Comments and Responses .....................................................................115 8.0 Literature Cited..................................................................................................128 List of Tables Table 1. DoF Management Actions ..............................................................................32 Table 2. Estimated Annual Timber Harvest by Property ..............................................33 Table 3. Cover Types on 12 State Forests Based on Percentage of Sample Plots Assigned to Each Cover Type in the DOF 2005 System-Wide Inventory ......................................39 Table 4. Estimated Sawtimber and Veneer Value by DNR/DoF Property (System-Wide Inventory 2005 ..............................................................................................................112 Table 5. Comments received and DoF response .........................................................115 Table 6. List of respondents ........................................................................................126 List of Figures Figure 1. Indiana State Forest System ............................................................................7 Figure 2. DNR/DoF Lands by Physiographic Region in the State of Indiana ..............41 Cover photo by John Seifert iv 1.0 Purpose and Need for Action 1.1 Introduction This document is an Environmental Assessment of the timber management program on the State Forests of Indiana conducted by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Division of Forestry (DoF). Although the DoF is exempt from the requirements of IC 13-12-4 by IC 14-23-4-1(b), the intent of this document is to summarize and evalu- ate any potential environmental impacts. This document outlines the activities of the State Forest Timber Program for the 20-year period from 2008 through 2027. In 2006, the Indiana General Assembly amended IC 14-23-4-1 to exempt forestry man- agement practices of the Division of Forestry from the requirements of IC 13-12-4 that requires an environmental assessment. Prior to 2006, the Division of Forestry operated under one or more categorical exemptions from the requirement to perform an environ- mental