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BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT/EVALUATI ON, NON-NATIVE SPECIES RISK ASSESSMENT, WILDLIFE AND BOTANY REPORTS, and MANAGEMENT INDICATOR SPECIES EVALUATIONS for the RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAIN OHV TRAILS PROJECT Mountaintop Ranger District San Bernardino National Forest Botany Sections Prepared by: /s/ Scott Eliason November 12, 2015 Scott Eliason, District Botanist Date Wildlife Sections Prepared by: /s/ Drew Farr November 12, 2015 Drew Farr, Wildlife Biologist Date Wildlife Sections Reviewed by: /s/ David Austin November 12, 2015 David Austin (Forest Biologist) /s/ Robin Eliason November 12, 2015 Robin Eliason (Mountaintop District Biologist) Page 1 SUMMARY This report addresses the potential effects of the proposed project on Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive species; San Bernardino National Forest Watch list species; non-native invasive species; Management Indicator Species; general vegetation, and general wildlife that are known or likely to occur in the Rattlesnake Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trail analysis area. The proposal is to designate 8.1 miles of OHV routes and restore approximately 25 miles of unauthorized routes in the Rattlesnake Mountain area of the Mountaintop Ranger District. The proposed Rattlesnake Mountain OHV trails are located entirely on National Forest System lands on the San Bernardino National Forest. Table 1 displays the known and potential occurrences of special status species in the analysis area and summarizes the “Determinations of Effects” for each. Federally-Listed Wildlife Species and Designated Critical Habitat There are no known occurrences or suitable habitat for any federally-Threatened/Endangered (T/E) wildlife species in or near the analysis area and federal action area (Table 1). No proposed or designated Critical Habitat for any animals occurs within the analysis area or with the range of potential effects. The determination of effects for T/E wildlife species and designated Critical Habitat is “no effect”. Federally-Listed Plant Species and Designated Critical Habitat Two federally-listed Endangered plant species and their designated Critical Habitat occur within the analysis area and federal action area (Table 1). No additional listed plant species are known to occur within analysis area, federal action area, or within the reach of direct or indirect effects of the project. The project would not affect these species or their designated Critical Habitat. The determination of effects for T/E plant species and designated Critical Habitat is may affect “not likely to adversely affect”. We anticipate that Section 7 Endangered Species Act compliance will be achieved through informal consultation and concurrence. Forest Service Sensitive Species Nine Forest Service Sensitive wildlife species are known or expected in the analysis area. The determinations of effects for all of the Sensitive wildlife species with potential to occur in the analysis area are “may impact individuals or habitat but not likely to lead in a trend toward federal listing” (Table 1). Nine Forest Service Sensitive plant species are known from the analysis area. The determinations of effects for all of the Sensitive plant species known or with potential to occur in the analysis area are “may impact individuals or habitat but not likely to lead in a trend toward federal listing”. SBNF Watch List Species No threat to the viability of any of the SBNF Watchlist animals or plants, or other potentially vulnerable species, is expected from the proposed project. Page 2 Summary of Determinations Table 1 provides a summary of species known to occur in or adjacent to the analysis area or those with a high probability of occurrence. Other sections of this document display all of the species considered in this evaluation. In addition, the following Management Indicator Species were evaluated for this project: mule deer, mountain lion, and song sparrow. Table 1. Summary Of Effects Determinations For TESW Species In And Near the Analysis area Common Name Occurrence Information 1 Determinations 2 Threatened and Endangered Animals California condor Potential foraging NE Threatened & Endangered Plants Acanthochyphus parishii var. Known occurrences; Designated Critical Habitat NLAA goodmaniana Eriogonum ovailifolium var. vineum Known occurrences; Designated Critical Habitat NLAA Forest Service Sensitive Animals San Emigdio blue butterfly P MIIH Arrowhead Blue Butterfly Y(Coxey meadow) MIIH Ehrlich’s checkerspot Butterfly Y(host plant in area) MIIH Vernal Blue Butterfly Y(within 1 mile of Coxey meadow, Little Pine Flat) MIIH Large/yellow-blotched ensatina P @ springs MIIH California legless lizard P MIIH southern rubber boa P MIIH three-lined boa P MIIH San Bernardino ringneck snake P MIIH San Bernardino mountain kingsnake Y (Furnace Cyn record, record btw Big Pine and MIIH Little Pine Flats, 3N14 NW of Rattlesnake Mtn) Two-striped garter snake Y (@Crystal Creek, Furnace Cyn, Coxey creek) MIIH gray vireo Y MIIH Townsend’s big-eared bat Y (North Peak wind study area) MIIH fringed myotis Y (North Peak wind study area) MIIH pallid bat Y (North Peak wind study area) MIIH San Bernardino flying squirrel P MIIH Forest Service Sensitive Plants Abronia nana var. covillei Known from analysis area MIIH Astragalus bicristatus Known from analysis area MIIH Astragalus lentiginosus var. sierrae Known from analysis area MIIH Boechera parishii Known from analysis area MIIH Boechera shockleyi Known from analysis area MIIH Calochortus palmeri var. palmeri Known from analysis area MIIH Castilleja plagiotoma Known from analysis area MIIH Dudleya abramsii var. affinis Known from analysis area MIIH Phlox dolicantha Known from analysis area MIIH SBNF Watchlist Animals Springsnails P @ springs/seeps NVT Dorhn’s elegant eucnemid beetle P NVT bicolored rainbeetle P NVT desert monkey grasshopper P @ lower areas (records for Cushenbury Canyon NVT area) San Bernardino Mountains silk moth P (records for Coxey Meadow) NVT August checkerspot butterfly N – no suitable habitat NVT Andrew's marble butterfly P – host plants are present NVT Monterey ensatina salamander P @ Crystal Creek and other drainages NVT Page 3 Table 1. Summary Of Effects Determinations For TESW Species In And Near the Analysis area Common Name Occurrence Information 1 Determinations 2 Zebra-tail lizard P@ lower areas (records for desert slopes near Deep NVT Creek) Mojave black-collared lizard Y @ lower areas NVT Desert night lizard P (Records for Cushenbury Springs and Cactus Flats) NVT coast patch-nosed snake P NVT mountain garter snake P NVT southwestern speckled rattlesnake P (nearby records for lower Marble Cyn) NVT turkey vulture (breeding) P NVT northern harrier P NVT sharp-shinned hawk (breeding) Y (Cushenbury Springs record) NVT Cooper's hawk (breeding) Y (Crystal Creek nesting; Cushenbury Springs NVT record; sightings @ analysis area) ferruginous hawk P (migration; not nesting) NVT golden eagle Y (nesting on North Slope, foraging in analysis area) NVT American peregrine falcon P for nesting NVT prairie falcon Y (Records from Cushenbury Springs; Burnt Flat, NVT Breeding @Deep Canyon, Dry Canyon, Crystal Creek) flammulated owl P NVT western screech owl P (records from Cushenbury Springs) NVT northern pygmy owl P NVT burrowing owl U NVT long-eared owl P in Crystal Creek (Records from Cushenbury NVT Springs) northern saw-whet owl P NVT common nighthawk P NVT Mexican whip-poor-will P NVT black swift Y (records from Deep Canyon) NVT calliope hummingbird P (record @ Cushenbury Springs and Jacoby Cyn) NVT Williamson's sapsucker P NVT Nuttall's woodpecker Y (records: Jacoby Cyn, Dry Cyn, Crystal Creek, NVT Cushenbury Springs, B-S analysis area) white-headed woodpecker Y (nearby records) NVT gray flycatcher Y @ analysis area NVT loggerhead shrike Y (nearby records) NVT plumbeous vireo Y (nearby records) NVT Cassin’s vireo Y (nearby records) NVT warbling vireo Y (nearby records) NVT pinyon jay Y(records in analysis area) NVT California horned lark (breeding) Y (nearby records) NVT tree swallow P (known from @Cushenbury Springs) NVT Swainson's thrush P (records @ Cushenbury Springs, Jacoby Cyn, deep NVT Creek) hermit thrush (breeding) P (migrant records @ Cushenbury Springs) NVT Bendire's thrasher P NVT LeConte's thrasher P (breeding records @Cushenbury Springs) NVT Virginia’s warbler (breeding) P (records @Cushenbury Springs) NVT yellow warbler Y@ Crystal Creek NVT MacGillivray's warbler P NVT common yellowthroat P NVT Wilson's warbler Y@ Coxey, P @ Chukar and other springs NVT Page 4 Table 1. Summary Of Effects Determinations For TESW Species In And Near the Analysis area Common Name Occurrence Information 1 Determinations 2 yellow-breasted chat P in Crystal Creek (record@ Cushenbury Springs) NVT hepatic tanager P NVT summer tanager P in Crystal Creek (record @ Cushenbury Springs) NVT Black-chinned sparrow Y NVT Lincoln's sparrow P NVT Lawrence's goldfinch P NVT western small-footed myotis Y (known from analysis area) NVT long-eared myotis Y (known from analysis area) NVT little brown myotis Y (known from analysis area) NVT long-legged myotis Y (known from analysis area) NVT Yuma myotis Y (known from analysis area) NVT spotted bat Y (known from analysis area) NVT pocketed free-tailed bat Y (known from analysis area) NVT western bonneted bat Y (known from analysis area) NVT lodgepole chipmunk Y (known from analysis area) NVT golden-mantled ground squirrel P NVT San Diego pocket mouse P NVT southern grasshopper mouse P NVT San Diego desert woodrat Y NVT Porcupine P NVT Ringtail Y NVT American badger P