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Botanical Survey for Regional Forester Sensitive Species Botanical Survey for Regional Forester Sensitive Species Mesabi Black Quarry Grout Pile Expansion Lake County, Minnesota SEH No. CSGCO 120845 November 2012 Mesabi Black Quarry Grout Pile Expansion Botanical Survey for Regional Forester Sensitive Species Lake County, Minnesota SEH No. CSGCO 120845 November 2012 For Review and Analysis in Support of and Inclusion in a Federal Environmental Assessment Prepared by the U.S. Forest Service U.S. Forest Service Superior National Forest 8901 Grand Avenue Place Duluth, MN 55808 I hereby certify that this report was prepared by me or under my direct supervision. I hereby certify that this report was prepared by me or under my direct supervision. Prepared by: Natalie White, MS, CWD | Biologist MN Certified Wetland Delineator, No. 1226 Reviewed by: Allyz Kramer, MS, PWS, CWD | Sr. Biologist, Project Manager MN Certified Wetland Delineator, No. 1023 Professional Wetland Scientist, No. 1884 MNDNR Approved Botanical Surveyor Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. 418 West Superior Street Duluth, MN 55802-1512 218.279.3000 Table of Contents Letter of Transmittal Certification Page Table of Contents Page 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................1 2.0 Site Location ..............................................................................................................1 3.0 Survey Methodology .................................................................................................1 3.1.1 Background Investigation and Sampling Design ..................................... 1 3.1.2 Survey Protocol ....................................................................................... 1 4.0 Results ........................................................................................................................2 4.1 General Habitat Description ................................................................................ 2 4.1.1 Northern Black Spruce Swamp (Basin) (FPn62a) ................................... 2 4.1.2 Poor Black Spruce Swamp (APn81a) ..................................................... 2 4.1.3 Graminoid-Sphagnum Rich Fen (OPn92b) ............................................. 3 4.1.4 Alder Swamp (FPn73a) ........................................................................... 3 4.1.5 Willow-Dogwood Shrub Swamp (WMn82a) ............................................ 3 4.1.6 Jack Pine Woodland (Bedrock) (FDn22a) ............................................... 3 4.1.7 Black Spruce-Jack Pine Woodland: Jack Pine-Balsam Fir Subtype (FDn32c1) ...............................................................................................4 4.1.8 Black Spruce-Jack Pine Woodland: Jack Pine-Black Spruce-Aspen Subtype (FDn32c3) .................................................................................4 4.2 Target Habitats for RFSS ....................................................................................4 5.0 Discussion ..................................................................................................................6 6.0 References .................................................................................................................7 List of Tables Table 1 Native Plant Communities in the Project Area .......................................... 5 List of Figures Figure 1 Project Location Map Figure 2 Field Survey Route Figure 3 Plant Community Map SEH is a registered trademark of Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. Botanical Survey for Regional Forester Sensitive Species CSGCO 120845 Mesabi Black Quarry Grout Pile Expansion Page i Table of Contents (Continued) List of Appendices Appendix A Resumes Appendix B Species Lists by Native Plant Community Appendix C Photographs Botanical Survey for Regional Forester Sensitive Species CSGCO 120845 Mesabi Black Quarry Grout Pile Expansion Page ii November 2012 Botanical Survey for Regional Forester Sensitive Species Mesabi Black Quarry Grout Pile Expansion 1.0 Introduction This report describes a botanical survey completed in support of and for inclusion in the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed non-usable rock (grout) pile expansion at Cold Spring Granite Company’s Mesabi Black Quarry. The U.S. Forest Service requested a botanical survey for Regional Forester Sensitive Species (RFSS), particularly targeting a number of species most likely to be found in the project area. This survey was completed August 20-24, 2012 by Ms. Natalie White, SEH Biologist and Ms. Allyz Kramer, SEH Sr. Biologist. 2.0 Site Location The project site is located in Sections 24 and 25 in Township 61 North, Range 11 West in the Superior National Forest, Lake County, Minnesota. The site is approximately 200-acres surrounding the existing Mesabi Black Quarry facility (Figure 1). The site is approximately 3.5 miles north of New Tomahawk Road on Forest Road 427 (FR 427). 3.0 Survey Methodology The floristic survey was conducted August 20-24, 2012. In this timeframe, target species should still be identifiable by leaves and fruits. Field staff conducting the survey are knowledgeable of the field survey protocol and the regional flora. Resumes of field staff are included as Appendix A. 3.1.1 Background Investigation and Sampling Design Regional Forester Sensitive Species (RFSS) targeted as particularly likely to occur in the survey area are: barren strawberry (Waldsteinia fragarioides), Canadian ricegrass (Oryzopsis canadensis), large-leaved sandwort (Moehringia macrophylla), small pyrola (Pyrola minor), cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus), fairy slipper (Calypso bulbosa), and ram’s head lady’s slipper (Cypripedium arietinum). Prior to the field botanical survey, herbarium specimens were reviewed to aid in developing a search image for the target species. Flora and field guides (references below in Section 6.0) for the region were used to identify likely habitats for the target species. 3.1.2 Survey Protocol The botanical survey was conducted using a combination search image approach (Goff et al. 1982) based on review of herbarium specimens and illustrations, along with a timed-meander search pattern (Nelson 1985). The surveyor attempted to cover the appropriate habitat CSGCO 120845 Page 1 walking a non-linear meander that explored potential micro-habitats thoroughly. A floristic inventory was conducted for each native plant community encountered on-site. 4.0 Results The survey for the seven (7) target species and other RFSS and rare species was completed August 20-24, 2012. Two biologists surveyed for a total of 58 person-hours in the project area, excluding the active mine site and grout pile. Two wetland areas previously permitted for impact were also excluded from the survey. The approximate survey route is shown in Figure 2. No populations of the target species or other RFSS/rare species were identified in the project area. Lists documenting all flora encountered during the August 2012 survey are included as Appendix B. 4.1 General Habitat Description The project area is located in the Laurentian Mixed Forest Province of Minnesota (MNDNR 2003). Following the MNDNR Ecological Classification System (2003), the project area lies within the Border Lakes (212La) subsection of the Northern Superior Uplands (212L) ecological section. The subsection is characterized by glacially scoured bedrock terrain with shallow soils made up of coarse glacial till. Pre-settlement vegetation (Marschner 1930) was likely jack pine barrens and openings, along with conifer bogs and swamps in lowland areas. Areas of earlier successional aspen-birch forest were also indicated nearby. Multiple native plant communities are present on-site, and descriptions of each as they were observed during the field survey are provided below. The plant community types and subtypes are summarized in Table 1. Representative photographs of the various native plant communities are included as Appendix C. [Note: the community classification may not be the same as plant community classifications used elsewhere in natural resources studies for the Mesabi Black Quarry Grout Pile Expansion project. For example, the communities identified below as “Northern Black Spruce Swamp (Basin) (FPn62a)” according to the MNDNR Field Guide (2003) classification would be identified as “coniferous bog” by the Eggers and Reed (1997) classification used for wetland regulatory purposes.] 4.1.1 Northern Black Spruce Swamp (Basin) (FPn62a) This plant community is common in the project area, present in multiple small basins north of the active quarry and a few larger basins to the south. FPn62a also occurs as a fringe of forested wetland between wetter, more open wetland communities and the surrounding upland. Canopy cover is 75-100%, and dominated by black spruce (Picea mariana). The shrub layer varies in percent cover, but is nearly always dominated by speckled alder (Alnus incana) and/or Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum). Sphagnum species are dominant in the ground layer, with bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) also very common. Soils in the FPn62a communities are shallow peat over bedrock. This plant community is potential habitat for the target species small pyrola and cloudberry. A conservative search effort for these target species was undertaken, however, none of these RFSS, nor any other RFSS plants, were observed despite the intensity of the search. All plant species encountered in this community were noted, and the complete list is attached as Appendix B-1. 4.1.2 Poor Black Spruce Swamp (APn81a) Similar
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