United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Draft Biological Evaluation for the Columbia County and Plum Creek Land Exchange U.S. Forest Service National Forests in Florida Baker, Columbia and Union Counties, Florida Prepared by: Jason Drake, Ecologist, National Forests in Florida [email protected], 850-523-8560 and Jeff Gainey, Wildlife Program Manager, National Forests in Florida [email protected], 850-523-8553 June 2014 National Forests in Florida Columbia Co. and Plum Creek Land Exchange I. Introduction This Biological Evaluation (BE) summarizes and documents the process and makes determinations regarding the effects on the Regional Forester’s Sensitive Species (RFSS) of the Osceola National Forest for management activities as proposed within the Columbia County and Plum Creek Land Exchange (CCPLE) Project. The proposed project would convey a 6.3 acre right-of-way easement on the Osceola NF (“Rail Spur Area”) to Columbia county for construction of a rail spur connecting to the adjacent RACEC Catalyst Project site in exchange for a 6.3 acre permanent easement for the Florida National Scenic Trail along the western perimeter of Plum Creek’s land (“FNST Area”). The affected areas are shown on the maps in Sections II and III of this document. A complete description of the proposed action is in the Environmental Assessment for this project, available with supporting document on the project website (http://goo.gl/aID2s4). All U.S. Forest Service planned, funded, executed, and or permitted programs and activities require a biological evaluation (BE) as outlined in Forest Manual (FSM) Section 2672.41. A separate Biological Assessment documenting the effects of the proposed exchange on species listed under the Endangered Species Act was prepared for consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. II. Affected Areas A. Rail Spur Area The rail spur area on the Osceola NF consists primarily planted slash pine (Pinus elliottii) overstory on areas that were historically flatwoods communities (mesic, wet, and scrubby) based on current vegetation and hydrology (Table A1, Figure A1). The two stands that the rail spur easement would cross (Compartment 28, Stands 11 and 23) are both approximately 30 years old and have not been thinned. A few relic longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) occur along the northern boundary with the existing railroad right- of-way. There is an east-west oriented woods road that dissects the parcel approximately 230m north of US 90. The flatwoods north of this road appears to have burned within the last two years and south of the road shows evidence of fire that occurred within the last four to six years. In a 1957 aerial photograph the area south of the woods road had been cleared and possibly used for cattle pasture. The northern portion appears largely undisturbed within the 1938, 1949, 1957, and 1970 aerial photographs. As a result of past land use and fire history the ground cover north of the east-west oriented woods road remains largely intact. No invasive exotic plants on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) list were documented on the property. Approximately 70% of the parcel was historically mesic flatwoods that currently is planted with slash pine and has a moderately dense shrub layer consisting primarily of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) and gallberry (Ilex glabra) (Table 1). Occasional shrub species include gopher apple (Licania michauxii), Chapman’s oak (Quercus chapmanii), Draft Biological Evaluation 2 National Forests in Florida Columbia Co. and Plum Creek Land Exchange running oak (Quercus pumila), coastalplain staggerbush (Lyonia fruticosa), and shiny blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites). In some areas typical mesic flatwoods groundcover species remain and include wiregrass (Aristida stricta), Curtiss’ dropseed (Sporobolus curtissii), and lopsided Indiangrass (Sorghastrum secundum). Approximately 15% of the parcel consists of scrubby flatwoods with dominant shrubs including saw palmetto, water oak (Quercus nigra), Chapman’s oak, sand live oak (Quercus geminata), turkey oak (Quercus laevis), gopher apple, and sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum). Because of past disturbance it is difficult to definitively determine if portions of the scrubby flatwoods community may have been sandhill, a rare natural community on Osceola National Forest. The Rail Spur scrubby flatwoods groundcover is sparse and typically includes tall nutgrass (Scleria triglomerata) and a few small populations of wiregrass. The remaining portion of the Rail Spur parcel consists of wet flatwoods with a thick shrub layer dominated by gallberry, saw palmetto, large gallberry (Ilex coriacea), and sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana). The groundcover is sparse with occasional small populations of Curtiss’ dropseed and chalky broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus var. glaucus) (FNAI 2014). Draft Biological Evaluation 3 National Forests in Florida Columbia Co. and Plum Creek Land Exchange Figure A1. The natural communities of the Rail Spur parcel on Osceola National Forest (2013 aerial photograph). Table A1. The areal extent of each natural community delineated on the Rail Spur parcel on Osceola National Forest. Natural Community Acres Percentage Mesic flatwoods 4.35 69% Scrubby flatwoods 0.97 16% Wet flatwoods 0.96 15% TOTAL 6.28 B. FNST Area The proposed FNST easement on Plum Creek property traverses approximately 16 kilometers primarily through short rotation pine plantations. Years of mechanical site preparation on what was formerly mesic and wet flatwoods natural communities have impacted the groundcover. No wiregrass (Aristida stricta) or many of the other typical flatwoods herbaceous species were observed along the proposed hiking trail route. Additional natural communities encountered along the corridor included basin swamp, dome swamp, floodplain swamp, mesic hammock, bottomland forest, blackwater stream and depression marsh. The trail was routed 15 times onto adjacent gravel or woods roads when a wetland was encountered for a total road distance of approximately 1962 meters. However, the trail still traverses portions of 11 natural wetlands for a total of 567 meters (FNAI 2014). III. Proposed Action A. Rail Spur Area Under the proposed exchange, a right-of-way easement on the Osceola NF would be conveyed to Columbia Co. for construction of a rail spur connecting the RACEC Catalyst Project site (part of the larger 2,600-acre mixed use development owned by Plum Creek) to the CSX Railroad mainline. The easement would be approximately 1,700 feet long and 100 feet wide; the total area of the easement would be approximately 6.3 acres (Figure 2). The southernmost 700 feet (~ 1.6 acres) of the rail spur easement would be in compartment 28, stand 23 of the Osceola National Forest, and the northern 1,000 feet (~5.7 acres), including the interchange and diverging tracks, would occur in compartment 28, stand 11. Draft Biological Evaluation 4 National Forests in Florida Columbia Co. and Plum Creek Land Exchange Figure A2. Location of proposed rail spur on Osceola National Forest. Recent management activities in this compartment have included roller chopping of understory palmetto to favor native perennial fire-dependent graminoid species. Prescribed burning is the primary ongoing activity in this area. Future management activities will likely include thinning of young slash pine plantations that are adjacent to the rail spur. B. FNST Area Under the proposed action the easement for the FNST would be 10 feet wide (5 feet on either side of the trail’s centerline) and would extend for a distance of approximately 10 miles through Plum Creek’s land. Approximately half of this distance (totaling 6.27 acres) would formally be included in the exchange to comply with equal value requirements in Forest Service land exchange regulations (36 CFR 254.3(c)). The other half would be conveyed by a donation from Plum Creek to the Forest Service to allow a continuous path for the FNST. The interest in land to be conveyed to the United States would be a permanent public trail easement that would run with the land in perpetuity (i.e., the easement would remain even if Plum Creek sold the land). When connected to existing portions of the FNST, the expectation is that the section of trail currently running through Plum Creek’s Lake Butler Forest would be relocated to the easement. C. Related Activities Draft Biological Evaluation 5 National Forests in Florida Columbia Co. and Plum Creek Land Exchange The action (actual exchange of easements) would not have any environmental effects, but the expected activities resulting from the exchange (construction of a railroad spur and construction, rerouting and connecting a trail) and donation of trail easement may affect a range of resources. Therefore, in the analysis below, the proposed uses of the easements are considered as connected actions when evaluating the environmental effects of the exchange. On the rail spur easement, construction would entail clearing all trees and vegetation within the easement, excavating to a depth of approximately 3ft below the rail line, leveling and stabilizing the bed of the track with ballast and using a variety of heavy equipment that would compact and rut soil throughout the area. Maintenance of the rail spur would be similar to that along the CSX main line, including herbicide use, brush removal and occasional repair. Developing the rail spur would increase train frequency on the CSX line through the Osceola National Forest, though the magnitude of that increase is unknown.