Draft Biological Evaluation for Sensitive Plants Report
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Revision of the Inyo, Sequoia, and Sierra National Forests Land Management Plans Draft Biological Evaluation for Sensitive Plants Report Developed for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement Prepared by: Michele Slaton Botanist for: the Inyo, Sequoia, and Sierra National Forests 5/24/2016 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). 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Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Draft Biological Evaluation for Sensitive Plants Introduction The purpose of this document is to analyze the potential effects of the proposed revised land management plans for the Inyo, Sequoia, and Sierra National Forests on plant species listed as sensitive by the Regional Forester of the Pacific Southwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service. This biological evaluation will determine whether or not the proposed plans will result in a trend toward Federal listing or a loss of viability for sensitive plant species. The Forest Service is directed by Forest Service Manual 2672.4 to complete a biological evaluation for all Forest Service planned, funded, executed or permitted programs and activities. Effects to threatened, endangered, and proposed species were analyzed in the Biological Assessment, with determinations given there and summarized in the draft environmental impact statement for the revised forest plans. Threatened, endangered, and proposed plant species will not be discussed further in this document. Current Management Direction Project Area The forests are currently being managed under the 1988 Inyo National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Inyo Forest Plan), the 1988 Sequoia National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Sequoia Forest Plan), and the 1992 Sierra National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Sierra Forest Plan), plus amendments to each of these plans, including the 2001 and 2004 Sierra Nevada Forest Plan amendments. These plans include management prescriptions, standards and guidelines, and other plan components that apply to all activities on the three national forests. Sensitive Species Sensitive species are designated by the Regional Forester of the Pacific Southwest Region. The most recent update to the Regional Forester's sensitive plant species list was formalized on July 3, 2013 (USDA Forest Service, 2013). United States Department of Agriculture Regulation 9500-4 directs the Forest Service to avoid actions which may cause a sensitive species to become threatened or endangered (Forest Service Manual 2670.12, Forest Service Manual 2670.22) (USDA Forest Service, 2005). Populations of all sensitive species of wildlife, fish, and plants must be maintained at viable levels in habitats distributed throughout their geographic range on National Forest System lands (Forest Service Manual 2670.22). Forest Service Handbook 2609.26, Chapter 10, provides detailed direction on management and conservation of sensitive plant species (USDA Forest Service 2014). Standards and guidelines of the Inyo National Forest, as stated in the Inyo Forest Plan, require the development and implementation of a consistent, systematic, biologically sound strategy to manage sensitive species and their habitats so that federal listing does not occur (USDA Forest Service, 1988a). For the Sequoia National Forest, standards and guidelines from the Sequoia Forest Plan require that sensitive plants be conserved (USDA Forest Service, 1988b). The Sierra Forest Plan, under goals and objectives, directs that habitat for sensitive fish, wildlife, and plant species be managed in a manner that prevents any species from becoming a candidate for threatened or endangered status. Standards and guidelines in the Sierra Forest Plan state that the Sierra National Forest is to manage sensitive plant species to avoid future federal listing, to ensure maintenance of genetic and geographic diversity and viable populations of sensitive plants; and to develop sensitive plant species management guides to 1 Draft Biological Evaluation for Sensitive Plants identify populations goals and compatible management activities that will maintain viability (USDA Forest Service, 1992). For all three national forests, the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment 2004 Record of Decision includes a standard and guideline requiring that field surveys for threatened, endangered, proposed, and sensitive plant species be conducted early enough in the project planning process that the project can be designed to conserve or enhance these plants or their habitat. Additional management direction for sensitive plants on the Inyo is described in the Inyo National Forest Sensitive Plant Management Plan (USDA Forest Service, 1991). The Sensitive Plant Management Plan states that District and Forest activities will not disturb any plant population or part of a sensitive plant's essential habitat until its status is determined through a biological evaluation. After an evaluation is completed, no action will be taken that will cause a population to fall below the number of individuals necessary to maintain a viable population. Description of Proposed Action The Inyo, Sequoia, and Sierra National Forests encompass nearly 4.6 million acres of National Forest System lands located at the southernmost extent of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Every national forest managed by the Forest Service is required to have a land management plan (forest plan) that is consistent with the National Forest Management Act of 1976. The three Forests are currently managed under land management plans identified in the section above. The three southern Sierra Nevada national forests began efforts to revise their forest plans in 2012 as part of a set of “early adopters” of the newly approved 2012 planning regulations (36 CFR 219, 2012). The Inyo, Sequoia, and Sierra National Forests are revising their existing forest plans to meet the legal requirements of the National Forest Management Act of 1976; to address changed conditions and provide consistent management direction (as appropriate) across the three national forests; to incorporate changes in law, regulation, and policy; and to use new scientific information. The general objectives of the revised land management plans are to develop a fully integrated plan to guide the management of land and resources of the plan area, and to display short- and long-term management intent for the plan area to the public, Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments (Forest Service Manual 1920.2). Three revision topics areas were originally identified to address in revising the forest plans: fire management, ecological integrity, and sustainable recreation and designated areas. Following distribution of the proposed action, the following issues were developed to respond to public concerns, resulting in a revised list of topics: 1. Ecological Resilience, Wildlife Habitat, and Wildfire 2. Forest Resilience and Forest Density 3. Fuels Treatments and Fire Management 4. Watershed Restoration 5. Protecting Aquatic Diversity 6. Recommended Wilderness Plan components, including desired conditions, and standards and guidelines were developed giving consideration to each of these issues. Because each has a potential tie to the viability of sensitive species, this biological evaluation evaluated several pieces of coarse scale and fine scale plan direction that may 2 Draft Biological Evaluation for Sensitive Plants affect these species. A full description of the proposed action and alternatives can be found in the draft environmental impact statement and draft forest plans for the Inyo, Sequoia, and Sierra National Forests. Further detail on plan components most directly linked to the viability of plant species is given in the Botany Specialist Report that accompanies the draft environmental impact statement and draft plans. Affected Environment