Malheur National Forest PROGRAM OF WORK
2018
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Contents Contents ...... 1 2017 Forest Statistics and Accomplishments Summary ...... 3 Protecting Sacred Site ...... 4 Restoring First Foods ...... 6 Forest-wide ...... 9 Map: Forest-wide Projects ...... 11 Forest-wide Ongoing Project Update ...... 13 Forest Plan Revision: Umatilla, Wallowa-Whitman, Malheur National Forests ...... 17 LIDAR Acquisition and Expansion: Crow Project...... 18 Blue Mountain Ranger District ...... 19 Map: Blue Mountain Ranger District Projects ...... 21 Blue Mountain Ranger District Ongoing Project Update...... 23 First Foods Component Projects ...... 26 New Project Name: Austin Project ...... 27 New Project Name: Roundtop Complex Allotment Management Plans Project ...... 28 New Project Name: Bear Creek Aquatic Restoration ...... 29 New Project Name: Cedar Grove Botanical Area Improvements...... 30 New Project Name: Magone Fish Passage Restoration ...... 31 Prairie City Ranger District ...... 33 Map: Prairie City Ranger District Projects ...... 35 Prairie City Ranger District Ongoing Project Update ...... 37 New Project Name: John Day Headwaters Access Management ...... 43 New Project Name: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Aspen Exclosure ...... 44 New Project Name: Interpretive Sign Installation ...... 45 New Project Name: Summit Creek Restoration Planting (Turkey Federation) ...... 46 New Project Name: Logan Valley Willow Exclosure ...... 47 New Project Name: Rail Post Fire Planting ...... 48 New Project Name: Wild and Scenic Rivers Fence Relocation ...... 49 New Project Name: Lower Field Corner fence ...... 50 New Project Name: Sullens Fence ...... 51 New Project Name: Crane Prairie Corral relocation ...... 52 New Project Name: Rocking Chair Fence ...... 53 Emigrant Creek Ranger District ...... 55
1 Map: Emigrant Creek Ranger District Projects ...... 57 Emigrant Creek Ranger District Ongoing Project Update ...... 59 New Project Name: Campground Tree Protection Project ...... 61 New Project Name: Soldier Project ...... 62 New Project Name: Rattlesnake Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project ...... 63 New Project Name: Calamity and Beaverdam Creeks Restoration Project ...... 64 New Project Name: Emigrant Creek District Wide Danger Tree Removal Project ...... 65 New Project Name: Rattlesnake Creek Restoration Project ...... 66 New Project Name: Lonesome Aquatic Restoration Project ...... 67 New Project Name: Cow Creek Restoration Project ...... 68 New Project Name: Recreation Site Improvements Project ...... 69 New Project Name: Soldier Creek Restoration Project ...... 70
2 2017 Forest Statistics and Accomplishments Summary TOTAL FOREST ACRES 1.7 Million Acres
FOREST LEADERSHIP TEAM TIMBER OUTPUTS Forest Supervisor Steve Beverlin Timber Awarded: 45.98 MMBF Deputy Forest Supervisor Ryan Nehl Timber Harvested: 44.66 MMBF Administrative Program Specialist Vacant *MMBF - Million Board Feet Blue Mountain District Ranger Dave Halemeier Offered 73.95 MMBF Prairie City Ranger District Ed Guzman Emigrant Creek Ranger District Christy Cheyne RESTORATION Fire and Aviation Management Roy Walker Precommercial thinning 5,440 acres Vegetation Management Gerald Dixon 820 acres for the 10-Year Stewardship Planning and Natural Resources Amy Unthank 4,900 acres within the CFLRP boundary Budget & Administration Judy Morgan Reforestation surveys 7,900 acres Recreation, Engineering, Lands Stand exam contract 5,457 acres of stands and Minerals Mike Montgomery sampled using 1,015 plots Public Affairs Officer Mike Stearly Project areas sampled with stand exams Health and Safety Lisa Rynearson 109,782 acres (Crow & Austin) Law Enforcement Officer John Soules Commercial thinning 7,600 acres awarded
NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM ROADS BOTANY National Forest System Roads 9,637 miles Invasive Plant Species Treated 2,450 acres Road Maintenance 975 miles Treatments Monitored 2,686 acres Rare Plants Surveyed ~12,000 acres RECREATION MANAGEMENT New Rare Plant Sites 32 Campgrounds 35 Cabin Rentals 5 RANGE MANAGEMENT Trailheads (developed) 49 Number of Grazing Permits 85 Miles of Hiking Trails 286 Sheep Allotments 2 Miles Snowmobile Trails 549 Cattle Allotments 109 Sledding Hill 1 AUM’s Cattle Permitted 123,845 Boating 3 AUM’s Sheep Permitted 7,198 Viewpoints 2 AUM’s Horse Permitted 71 Interpretive Sites 6 Wildhorse Territory 1
HERITAGE BOTANY, AQUATICS AND WILDLIFE Total number of recorded sites 5,251 Fish Habitat Restored 74 miles of stream Total number of acres surveys 1,257,643 Wildlife Habitat Restored 27,824 acres Sites monitored 75 Stream Inventory 80 miles of stream Permanent monitoring sites established 0 Soil/Water Habitat Improved 11,768 acres Projects monitored 10 Lake Habitat Restored 509 acres Project acres monitored 500 New sites recorded 20 FIRE MANAGEMENT Field surveys 5 Hazardous fuels treated 53,580 acres New acres surveyed 3,000 Underburning 14,120 acres Passport In Time volunteer (PIT) projects 0 Number of lightning caused wildfires 84 Number of volunteers 1 Acres Affected 22.22 acres Volunteer days of work 110 Number of human caused wildfires 17 Acres Affected 2.60 acres
3 Protecting Sacred Site
Program Area: Cultural Resources and Heritage Program Project Contact: Allen Madril – Umatilla NF, 541-278-3719, [email protected] Sarah Crump – Wallowa Whitman NF, 541-523-1249, [email protected] Don Hann – Malheur NF, 541-575- 3081, [email protected]
CTUIR Board members have expressed concern with the lack of a clear policy and process to manage and protect sacred sites on Forest Service lands. The National effort to address this issue has slowed down and the CTUIR and local Forests believe that sacred sites protection is too important to wait for National consensus. We agreed to have technical discussions between the CTUIR Cultural Resources Committee and Staff and the respective Forest Heritage Program Managers to develop an appropriate process.
Current Status: CTUIR Cultural Resources Protection Program and Forest Service archaeologists met on September 19, 2017, to discuss sacred sites and Historic Properties of Religious and Cultural Significance to Tribes. At the meeting, the Forest Service archaeologists tentatively agreed to the following: Consider the locations identified in the CTUIR’s Place Names Atlas (Hunn et al. 2015) as HPRCSTs. o Fill out site forms for these resources during cultural resource inventories which include these locations. o These will generally remain unevaluated for listing on the National Register and so managed as potentially eligible. o The tribe can provide shapefile boundaries for these resources as required. Insert HPRCST into the cultural resource section of the Blue Mountains Forest Plan. o Will not trigger additional analysis- simply clarifies that these are a type of cultural resource that are managed under the NHPA. Document Spring Mountain on UMA as a HPRCST on a site form and submit to the Oregon SHPO following standard processes.
Definitions: The following definitions and confidentiality discussion from the National Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Regarding Interagency Coordination and Collaboration for the Protection of Indian Sacred Sites and related documents may be useful as a starting point for developing a locally relevant sacred sites policy.
Executive Order 13007 of May 24, 1996 defines a sacred site as: any specific, discrete, narrowly delineated location on Federal land that is identified by an Indian tribe, or Indian individual determined to be an appropriately authoritative representative of an Indian religion, as sacred by virtue of its established religious significance to, or ceremonial use by, an Indian religion; provided that the tribe or appropriately authoritative representative of an Indian religion has informed the agency of the existence of such a site.
This definition was retained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Regarding Interagency Coordination and Collaboration for the Protection of Indian Sacred Sites (effective December 4, 2012) with some important additions:
Such sacred sites may also be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places as historic properties of religious and cultural significance to Indian tribes.
4 Sacred sites often occur within a larger landform or are connected through features or ceremonies to other sites or a larger sacred landscape. Agencies should consider these broader areas and connections to better understand the context and significance of sacred sites. Sacred sites may include, but are not limited to geological features, bodies of water, archaeological sites, burial locations, traditional cultural properties, and stone and earth structures.
This at least partially addresses a couple issues brought forward by the CTUIR and other American Indian tribes during the National “listening sessions”:
For sacred sites where listing on the National Register of Historic Places is appropriate they are potentially eligible as historic properties of religious and cultural significance to Indian tribes. This provides the clearest and most enforceable legal protection to the sites but may conflict with CTUIR members need to limit the dissemination of sacred information.
“Sacredness” is often difficult, if not impossible, to limit to “specific, discrete, narrowly delineated location{s}” as called for in the definition provided by Executive Order 13007. The 2012 MOU recognizes this complexity by noting that specific sacred sites are often components of larger sacred landscapes.
Confidentiality of information about sacred sites provided by the CTUIR to the Forest Service is an important concern. The Policy Statement on the Confidentiality of Information about Indian Sacred Sites dated July 2015 offers guidance to Federal Agencies on how to approach this issue:
When consulting with tribes to determine whether culturally sensitive locations may be affected by federal actions, federal agencies shall respect tribal desires to keep information about such locations confidential to the extent legally possible. Many tribes cannot disclose, for cultural reasons, information about the location, the significance, and even the existence of traditional religious and cultural properties and places. Federal agencies must respect and recognize tribal ownership of information.
Agencies should seek to preclude, to the greatest extent possible, the possibility that disclosure of sensitive information may be required by the Freedom of Information Act or other authority. To that end, agencies and their contractors should request and record only that information about sacred sites that is absolutely necessary to support required administrative decisions.
If a sacred site is determined to be an historic resource or an archaeological resource, then the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) may offer some protection of information. If, however, neither ARPA nor the NHPA apply, federal agencies may find it impossible to keep information about a sacred site confidential, and should so advise the Tribe or religious leader prior to requesting sensitive information.
For more information, please visit the Forest Service-Tribal Relations: Sacred Sites webpage: https://www.fs.fed.us/spf/tribalrelations/sacredsites.shtml.
5 Restoring First Foods
Leadership of the Malheur National Forest order as described in the Umatilla River recognizes the significance of First Foods to Vision, with beneficial restoration projects the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla listed under them. Indian Reservation and the utility of the concept to help model ecosystem 1. Water (and related riparian systems) restoration. As described in the Tribe’s a. Aquatics Restoration EA Umatilla River Vision: i. Summit Watershed restoration ii. Malheur Headwaters Springs First Foods is a cultural strategy for iii. Summit Creek Meadow natural resource management that iv. Aspen Spring development may be a useful counterweight to v. Logan Valley Riparian address limitations and unintended Fencing ecological consequences of vi. Marshall Creek stream privatized and extractive resource restoration use. It also integrates natural vii. Poison Creek spring resources management with tribal development and fence resource needs. viii. Long Creek large wood The initial presentation of water in ix. Big Creek reach 4 tribal ceremonies underscores the x. Bear Creek restoration importance of water both as a xi. Magone fish passage resource in its own right and as a restoration critical resource for supporting the b. Range permit reauthorization NEPA production of remaining First Foods. i. Roundtop Complex ii. Blue Dollar Allotment The primary significance of water and iii. Izee Allotment sustainable use of natural resources is also iv. Central Malheur Allotment reflected in founding legislation of the c. Malheur Headwaters riparian Forest Service- the Organic Act of 1897: fencing project d. Malheur River Basin Water Quality …to improve and protect the forest... Restoration Plan securing favorable conditions of water e. Austin Water Development Fencing flows, and to furnish a continuous f. Phipps Meadow Beaver Forage supply of timber for the use and g. Summit planting
necessities of citizens of the United 2. Salmon (chinook, steelhead, lamprey, States. mussels, trout, whitefish, suckers) a. Aquatics Restoration EA Landscape scale restoration of terrestrial and i. See project list under Water above aquatic ecosystems, which is generally b. Fish passage improvement advantageous to First Foods, is the primary projects goal of the Malheur’s accelerated restoration c. John Day Headwaters acquisition program. d. Camp Creek Restoration e. Davis Creek Bridge Most projects being planned and f. Crane Creek Fence implemented on the Forest are part of the g. Malheur River Fencing accelerated restoration program. First h. Summit Rock fence Foods are listed below by their serving i. John Day River bridge 6 replacement j. Wiwaanayt Creek (formerly Sq*** Creek) Fish Passage Access by the Confederated Tribes of k. Robert’s Creek Fish Passage the Umatilla Indian Reservation to First Foods is a treaty protected right and we 3. Deer (mule deer, rocky mountain elk, believe the landscape scale restoration white tailed deer, bighorn sheep, efforts taking place on the Malheur mountain goat) a. John Day Headwaters acquisition National Forest will help ensure the b. Landscape scale fuels reduction availability of these culturally significant projects (thinning and prescribed resources well into the future. To borrow fire) a final quote from the Umatilla River i. Austin Vision: ii. Ragged Ruby iii. Magone …progress is measured by the iv. Big Mosquito Confederated Tribes of the v. Summit Umatilla Indian Reservation vi. Cliff Knox community’s continued ability to vii. Elk 16 access, harvest, and process, viii. Pine Creek WUI preserve, and share First Foods ix. Wolf at the longhouse and in their x. Dove homes. xi. Marshall Devine xii. Dairy xiii. Flat c. Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration multi-party monitoring d. Wildlife Aspen Thinning
4. Cous (celery, camas, bitterroot) a. Canyon Meadows dam removal and restoration camas inventory b. Meadow encroachment thinning projects c. Range permit reauthorization NEPA i. See project list under Water above
5. Huckleberry (chokecherry) a. Big Mosquito huckleberry restoration units b. Chokecherry Restoration Aquatic Restoration c. Landscape scale fuels reduction projects (thinning and prescribed fire) i. See project list under Deer above
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Forest-wide
Steve Beverlin, Forest Supervisor 431 Patterson Bridge Road John Day, Oregon 97845 (541) 575-3073 [email protected]
Ryan Nehl, Deputy Forest Supervisor 431 Patterson Bridge Road John Day, Oregon 97845 (541) 575-3050 [email protected]
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M a l h e u r N a t i o n a l F o r e s t F o r e s t - W i d e F Y 2 0 1 8 P r o g r a m o f W o r k
52 51 25 23 73
207 RITTER
10 SPRAY
MONUMENT
395
402 SUMPTER KIMBERLY
HAMILTON 410
LONG CREEK
7 11 19 FOX CFLR Multi-Party Monitoring 7
36 AUSTIN JCT
PRAIRIE CITY 12 245
DAYVILLE 26 UNITY
JOHN DAY
MT VERNON
CANYON CITY
13
49 21 16
24
SENECA
CFLR Multi-Party Monitoring
IZEE 15
SILVIES
17 14 VAN
37
47 31
28 43
41 45
395
20
BURNS
HINES 78 RILEY 205 Miles 0 1.75 3.5 7 10.5 14
Aquatics and Watershed Malheur National Forest Engineering - Roads Adjacent National Forest Lands and Minerals Range Wilderness Recreation US or State Highway Special Use Permits Vegetation Management Major Road Special Project Forest-wide Ongoing Project Update (Presented in past year’s POW packets)
NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline Aquatic Restoration NEPA: Completed – The Decision Notice (DN); Analysis and Malheur National Forest signed on September 30, Implementation continues to use the forest- 2014. Implementation on- wide Aquatic Restoration going. Environmental Assessment (EA) NEPA to more efficiently implement 17 categories of aquatic restoration work. Proposed projects that meet project design criteria can be expedited. They are identified on an annual cycle by the Ranger Districts and Forest. The pre-project notification is available to the public under Aquatic Restoration at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/land /malheur/landmanagement. Collaborative Forest Includes various projects The Southern Blues Landscape Restoration across the Forest that were Restoration Coalition (CFLR) Multi-Party approved through the project is a partnership Monitoring Program collaborative groups for with the two local multi-party monitoring. The collaborative groups, work monitors effectiveness Harney County Restoration of forest restoration Coalition and Blue projects and provides Mountain Forest Partners. recommendations for This partnership as well as adaptive management and many other partners has future proposed actions. helped bring to the Work is ongoing and will be Malheur National Forest an primarily accomplished additional $4 million through partnerships, annually to complete including USFS Rocky restoration work across Mountain Research Station, 877,288 acres of the Oregon State University, forest. This work includes and others. upland resiliency treatments such as thinning and prescribed fire as well as riparian restoration, fish passage improvements, wildlife habitat enhancement, and noxious weed treatment projects. In 2017, over
13 NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline 32,000 acres received these treatments and the number of acres treated is expected to increase in 2018. Included with these funds is an expectation to complete on the ground monitoring of these treatments to ensure they are meeting the objectives expected or if adjustments need made going forward. With the help of the two collaborative groups, a very successful multi-party monitoring program has been set up that includes Oregon State University. Travel Management NEPA: Developing This project will begin in (Subpart B) proposals – Implement the the spring of 2018 with 2005 National Travel pre-scoping public Management Rule meetings and coordination designating trails, roads, with Tribes and local and possibly areas for governments. We motorized travel. Will estimate that the Notice of analyze potential for Intent will be published in motorized game retrieval the Federal Register of and access for dispersed May or June of 2018. camping. Will not impact current firewood guidelines. Will result in publishing of Malheur Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). Aquatic Monitoring/Survey No NEPA decision; Region Monitoring and 6 Stream Surveys are implementation ongoing. completed on a subset of streams across the Forest each year (amount depending on funding). The focus is on condition of fish habitat, additional information is collected on fish occupancy and redds in coordination with the Burns Paiute Tribe, and Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.
Additional monitoring for water temperature, Pacfish- Infish Biological Opinion
14 NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline (PIBO), aquatic mussels surveys, riparian green-line monitoring associated with livestock grazing also occur.
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16 Forest Plan Revision: Umatilla, Wallowa-Whitman, Malheur National Forests
Contact: Peter Fargo, 541-523-1231, [email protected]
Overview: The Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision will update the land management plans for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests – guiding how the Forest Service manages approximately five million acres of public lands. We expect to complete the final stages of the land management planning process in 2018.
Where we have been: Prior to 2014, we developed a range of Alternatives for the Draft EIS with input from a diversity of government entities, stakeholder groups, and the public. In 2014, we published the Draft EIS and received over a thousand letters during the formal public comment period. In 2015, to add context to the public comments, we followed up with a series of public listening sessions in communities across the Blue Mountains region. In 2016, in response to formal comments, listening-session input, and revised recommendations by resource specialists, we decided to analyze two additional Alternatives in the Final EIS. In 2016-2017, we re-initiated Tribal consultation. We also engaged with other government entities, including Counties, State Departments of Fish and Wildlife, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition to the complexities of the EIS analysis, addressing questions and concerns from government entities in 2017 contributed to a longer Plan Revision timeline. To keep everyone informed on our progress, we shared periodic public updates through newsletters, audio broadcasts, and online FAQs. In early 2018, the Final EIS, Revised Forest Plan(s), and Draft Record(s) of Decision are to be finalized and staged for publication.
Next steps: Our anticipated timeline includes the following milestones. Spring 2018: Conclude Endangered Species Act consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service. Publish the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS), Revised Forest Plan(s), and Draft Record(s) of Decision and announce with a Federal Register Notice of Availability. Spring through Fall 2018: Objection and Resolution process Fall-Winter 2018: Final Record(s) of Decision
For more information, please visit: http://fs.usda.gov/goto/BlueMountainsPlanRevision.
17 LIDAR Acquisition and Expansion: Crow Project
Program Area: Forest Silviculture Analyst Project Contact: Nathan Poage – Malheur NF, 541-575-3192, [email protected]
The Crow expansion was funded through $48,000 of previously unobligated “swept” funds, for which the Malheur National Forest successfully competed regionally. Acquisition of the 150-square mile Crow Expansion was leveraged by USFS partners, such as Harney County SWCD, NRCS, DOGAMI, and others, enabling them to complete LIDAR acquisition of the 750-square-mile Silver Creek drainage in 2017.
Project Project Category Project Ranger District Acres Square Miles LIDAR Crow Emigrant Creek 33,876 52.9 LIDAR Crow Expansion* Emigrant Creek 111,616 174.4 Total = Crow + Crow Expansion Emigrant Creek 145,492 227.3
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Blue Mountain Ranger District
Dave Halemeier, District Ranger 431 Patterson Bridge Road John Day, Oregon 97845 (541) 575-3401 [email protected]
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M a l h e u r N a t i o n a l F o r e s t B l u e M o u n t a i n R a n g e r D i s t r i c t F Y 2 0 1 8 P r o g r a m o f W o r k
52 51
73
RITTER
10
MONUMENT
395
402 Long Creek HAMILTON Large Wood Project
LONG CREEK 19 45
7
FOX
7 Ragged Ruby Magone Camp Lick 36 AUSTIN JCT
Roundtop Complex Allotment Managemeni t Area Plan
PRAIRIE CITY Austin 12
26 JOHN DAY 395 MT VERNON
CANYON CITY
Laycock Creek Meadow Fencing 13 Fields Peak Riparian Fencing
49 21
Murderer's Creek Wild Horse 16 Joint Management Area Plan
Starr Aspen 24
Rosebud Spring/Aspen Protection Projects
SENECA
IZEE 15
SILVIES
17 14 VAN
37 31 28 47
Miles 43 0 1.25 2.5 5 7.5 10
Blue Mountain Ranger District Scotty Creek Spring Aquatics and Watershed Development Project Engineering - Roads Malheur National Forest Lands and Minerals Adjacent National Forest Range Wilderness Recreation Special Use Permits US or State Highway Vegetation Management Major Road Special Project Blue Mountain Ranger District Ongoing Project Update (Presented in past year’s POW packets)
NEPA Process and Project Name Project Status Timeline Murderer’s Creek Wild Horse NEPA: Developing BLM/FS NEPA MOU Joint Management Area Plan proposals – Malheur NF signed. Interagency EIS. and Bureau of Land Agreement between Management (BLM) BLM, ODFW, and FS Prineville District Office are signed. jointly developing draft Purpose and Environmental Impact Need/Proposed Action and Statement (EIS); Appropriate Management estimated decision date Level (AML) spring of 2020. determinations. Once these two foundational items are established, Enterprise TEAMS would conduct the bulk of the work. Ragged Ruby NEPA: Under analysis – Environmental Resource specialists are Impact Statement currently analyzing the (EIS); comment impacts of the project’s period on the draft alternatives. 33,767 total EIS expected to project acres. begin spring of 2018. Estimated decision date winter 2018/2019. Camp Lick NEPA: Under analysis – Environmental The project has gone Assessment (EA); through the objection Estimated decision filing and resolution in spring of 2018. periods on the Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) and Draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI). 38,838 total project acres. Magone NEPA: Completed Decision Notice (DN) signed May 2017. Implementation is ongoing. Starr Aspen NEPA: Completed. Decision Notice (DN) signed August 2016.
23 Implementation is ongoing. Fields Peak Allotment Riparian NEPA: Analysis completed Completed Aquatic Fencing Project (completed under the Restoration Aquatic Restoration Environmental Environmental Assessment Assessment (EA) (EA) Project) – Riparian checklists spring 2016. Implementation began in fencing will be installed 2016 and will be along Murderer's Creek and completed in 2018. Tex Creek in order to manage livestock use of the RHCAs and improve riparian habitat Laycock Creek Meadow NEPA: Analysis completed Completed Aquatic Fence Project (completed under the Restoration Aquatic Restoration Environmental Environmental Assessment Assessment (EA) (EA) Project) – checklists spring 2016. Laycock Meadow, in the Implementation began Hanscom Allotment, will be in summer 2017 and fenced to exclude livestock will be completed in use and to protect and 2018. improve riparian habitat Rosebud Spring and Aspen NEPA: Analysis completed Completed Aquatic Protection Project (completed under the Restoration Aquatic Restoration Environmental Environmental Assessment Assessment (EA) (EA) Project) – A checklist spring 2016. Implementation began in combination of fencing, 2017 and will be strategic tree felling, and completed in 2018. spring developments will be implemented at the Morgan Creek Spring, Dry Soda Spring, and Stonewall Spring to reduce access by wildlife, wild horses, and livestock and allow passive restoration to improve hydrologic, geomorphic and vegetative function to the sites
24 Scotty Creek Spring NEPA: Analysis completed Aquatic Development Project (completed under the Restoration Aquatic Restoration Environmental Environmental Assessment Assessment (EA) (EA) Project) – This project checklist will be will authorize 12 off-channel completed in 2018. water developments and 2 Implementation to begin stream crossings across 3 in 2018-2019. pastures within the Scotty Creek Allotment. These developments will facilitate the establishment of a high- intensity-short duration management style that will provide better options for resting pastures to improve forage plants, minimize impacts to stream banks, and reduce sediment inputs to streams. The proposed developments will additionally help decrease livestock pressure and use along streams and riparian habitat conservation areas, including habitat for Interior redband trout. Long Creek Large Wood NEPA: Analysis completed Completed Aquatic Project (completed under the Restoration Aquatic Restoration Environmental Environmental Assessment Assessment (EA) (EA) Project) – This project checklist in 2017. will occur in conjunction with Implementation will begin a restoration project on in 2018. private land downstream of the Forest Service boundary in partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation. Work will occur along approximately 0.25 miles of Long Creek, including floodplain berm removal and side channel reactivation, and large wood placement. This work will create fish habitat, enhance off-channel refugia areas, facilitate hydrologic complexity, and facilitate areas for riparian vegetation establishment. Native riparian vegetation will also be planted.
25 First Foods Component Projects NEPA Completed:
Project(s): Big Mosquito
Provide partially open canopies for huckleberry plants, target canopy closure of 30- 40% for huckleberry enhancement Huckleberry enhancement treatment – some units within the understory removal and free selection prescriptions are also designated for huckleberry enhancement. For these units the desired condition would be to reduce canopy cover 30 to 40 percent where huckleberry plants exist, while still remaining within prescription guidelines. Commercial harvest would be completed during the winter over snow cover so as to protect existing plants, and units would be prescribed burned. Approximately 800 acres are designated for huckleberry enhancement.
Project(s): Big Mosquito Huckleberry and other native plan populations may be improved by the reduction of fuel load via specific silviculture treatments.
Projects under analysis Project(s): Camp Lick, Ragged Ruby
Purpose and need includes an objective to maintain and increase the availability of traditional use foods within the planning areas (e.g., huckleberries, mushrooms, and riparian hardwoods).
Projects under developments Project(s): Austin Purpose and need includes an objective to maintain and increase the availability of traditional use foods within the planning areas (e.g., huckleberries, mushrooms, and riparian hardwoods).
26 New Project Name: Austin Project (Not yet presented) Blue Mountain Ranger District ______Project Name: Austin Project
Program Area: Integrated restoration
Project Contact: Kate Cueno, 541-575-3187, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Environmental Impact December 2019 2020 Statement (EIS)
Location: Bridge Creek, Dry Fork, Clear Creek, Mill Creek, Summit Creek, and Wiwaanayt Creek subwatersheds; surrounding Bates, Oregon.
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: This project is in the early stages of development and could include upland restoration, aquatic restoration, wildlife habitat restoration, prescribed burning and unplanned ignitions, road activities (such as road maintenance and temporary road construction), road system changes (such as road decommissioning, closure, opening, and relocation), recreation system changes (such as trail construction), designating wildlife connectivity corridors, and forest plan amendments.
27 New Project Name: Roundtop Complex Allotment Management Plans Project (Not yet presented) Blue Mountain Ranger District ______Project Name: Roundtop Complex Allotment Management Plans Project
Program Area: Range
Project Contact: Nick Stiner, 541-575-3496, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Environmental December 2018 2019 Assessment (EA)
Location: Beech Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Grub Creek-John Day River subwatersheds
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: Project will analyze and propose improved grazing strategies for livestock grazing on the Beech, Herberger, John Day, McCullough, and Roundtop allotments.
28 New Project Name: Bear Creek Aquatic Restoration (Not yet presented) Blue Mountain Ranger District ______Project Name: Bear Creek Aquatic Restoration
Program Area: Aquatics
Project Contact: Bob Hassmiller, 541-575-3433, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Aquatic Restoration Environmental Spring 2018 2018 Assessment (EA)
Location: Bear Creek, Bear Creek-Middle Fork John Day River subwatershed
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: The Bear Creek project is an aquatic restoration project developed to improve riparian and instream habitat conditions for listed steelhead and chinook. Fish connectivity to about 3 miles of Bear Creek was historically altered by dredge tail mining on the Middle Fork John Day River near Galena. Plans are in place to restore fish passage to Bear Creek in 2019 to 2021 as part of the tailings restoration project. Improving the conditions of Bear Creek will set up the processes and functions to be moving towards more functional habitats when connectivity is restored. Past timber and mining activities have negatively impacted the condition of Bear Creek and created a riffle dominated stream.
The project will construct 50 large woody debris jams throughout 1.3 miles of step pool stream channels to improve pool frequency; 25 large woody debris jams will be constructed throughout 0.25 miles of plane-bed, forced pool-riffle stream channels to increase pool frequency; and 30 beaver dam analogues will be constructed through 0.4 miles of potential beaver habitat to allow the expansion of wetland obligate plants across the floodplain. In addition, 769 feet of berms will be removed through two segments of stream to increase the width of floodplain that is inundated during bankfull events.
29 New Project Name: Cedar Grove Botanical Area Improvements (Not yet presented) Blue Mountain Ranger District ______Project Name: Cedar Grove Botanical Area Improvements
Program Area: Recreation / Botany / Range
Project Contact: Jared Bowman, 541-820-3863, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Aquatic Restoration Environmental Spring 2018 2018 Assessment (EA)
Location: Cedar Grove Botanical Area
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: A High Country News article highlighting the Cedar Grove Botanical Area is anticipated for release in the spring/summer of 2018. This trail is one of the only National Botanical Trails in the region, and showcases a unique, isolated stand of yellow cedar – the only stand in the Blue Mountains or east of the Cascade Range.
Visits to the site in 2017 revealed a need for upkeep and maintenance, including repairs or replacement of perimeter range fencing, entrance signage, interpretive panels, and trails. Thinning treatments are recommended to help reduce grand fir competition on young cedar seedlings sprouting in the wake of past fire activity.
30 New Project Name: Magone Fish Passage Restoration (Not yet presented) Blue Mountain Ranger District ______Project Name: Magone Fish Passage Restoration
Program Area: Aquatics
Project Contact: Dan Armichardy, 541-575-3391, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Aquatic Restoration Environmental Spring 2018 2018 Assessment (EA)
Location: East Fork Beech Creek and Tinker Creek, East Fork Beech Creek subwatershed
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: Replace existing fish passage barrier culvert on East Fork Beech Creek at National Forest System (NFS) Road 3200935 crossing with an aquatic organism passage (AOP) structure that would restore juvenile Middle Columbia River steelhead and redband trout access to 3 miles of habitat upstream of the existing crossing in East Fork Beech Creek and the primary tributary of McClellan Creek.
Replace existing fish passage barrier culvert on Tinker Creek at the NFS Road 36 crossing with an AOP structure to improve or restore adult and juvenile Middle Columbia River steelhead, and redband trout access to 1.8 miles of habitat upstream to the next fish passage barrier culvert (NFS Road 2620). Also to allow large sediment wedge (composed of gravels) upstream of undersized culvert on Tinker Creek to move downstream and be distributed throughout aquatic restoration work that occurred on East Fork Beech Creek in 2017.
Revegetate areas disturbed during culvert replacement with native riparian species that would occur under natural disturbance regimes. Work would include seeding as well as planting riparian hardwoods including willow, dogwood, and/or cottonwood. Conifers felled during culvert replacement and associated slash material may be used as a natural barrier, where appropriate, to reduce access by ungulates. Exclosure fencing may be considered if slash and trees provide insufficient protection.
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32 Prairie City Ranger District
Ed Guzman, District Ranger 327 Front Street Prairie City, Oregon 97869 (541) 575-3801 [email protected]
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M a l h e u r N a t i o n a l F o r e s t P r a i r i e C i t y R a n g e r D i s t r i c t F Y 2 0 1 8 P r o g r a m o f W o r k
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AUSTIN JCT 36
Wiwaanayt Creek Aquatic Restoration
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PRAIRIE CITY 12 26
UNITY
JOHN DAY
Strawberry CANYON CITY Gauging Station
John Day River Headwater Land Acquisition
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Rail Post Fire Summit Springs Planting Lake Creek Organization Protection-Phase 1 Camp Trail
Big Creek Trailhead Horse Corrals
Summit Watershed Aspen/Large Wood Projects Elk 16 Restoration
Summit Restoration
Malheur River Large Wood Project-Phase 1
Blue Dollar Complex Allotment Management Plans
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Cliff Knox Restoration Antelope Lookout SILVIES 14 17
28 VAN Miles 0 0.5 1 2 3 4 5
Prairie City Ranger District Malheur Headwater Spring Project Aquatics and Watershed Engineering - Roads Malheur National Forest Fence Construction Project Lands and Minerals Adjacent National Forest Range Wilderness Recreation Special Use Permits US or State Highway Vegetation Management Major Road Special Project Prairie City Ranger District Ongoing Project Update (Presented in past year’s POW packets)
NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline Cliff Knox Restoration NEPA: Developing proposals – Environmental Currently developing proposed Assessment (EA); actions and planning for scoping estimated decision period. February, 2019. Estimated implementation beginning in 2019. Summit Restoration NEPA: Completed. Environmental Assessment (EA); Decision date September 2017. Implementation is ongoing. Blue Dollar Complex Allotment NEPA: Completed. Environmental Management Plans Project Assessment (EA); Decision December 2017. Implementation in Spring 2018. Elk 16 Restoration NEPA: Completed. Environmental Assessment (EA); signed decision September 2015. Implementation is ongoing. Crane Creek Fence – Elk Creek NEPA: Completed – Funding Categorical Exclusion Flat Fencing secured. Collaborative Forest (CE) Decision Memo Landscape Restoration (CFLR) (DM); signed May funds will be used to support 2014. Project should be inmate crews. Implementation fully implemented by Phase I: Upper Little Crane 2020. Exclosure completed in 2016. Phase 2: 16 Road fence completed in 2016. Phase 3: Eastern side of Elk Flat fence completed 2017. Phase 4: Eastern side of Lower Little Crane Exclosure completed 2017. Phase 5: Halfway Creek Exclosure completed 2017. Phase 6: Northern portion of Crane and western portion of Lower Little Crane/Little Crane Campground Exclosure will be
37 NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline implemented in 2018. Phase 7: Crane Riparian southern fence relocation (1663 road to Buttermilk Creek) proposed implementation in 2019. Wiwaanayt Creek (formerly NEPA: Completed. Aquatic Restoration Sq*** Creek) on Middle Fork of Phase 1: Construction Environmental John Day. completed in 2015, planting of Assessment (EA); willow seedlings and willow signed September 30, and cottonwood stakes along 2014. 0.5 miles of stream in 2016 Phase 2: Construction completed in 2016 with historic channel reconnected for approximately 1 mile, and improvements made throughout 70 acre meadow to restore floodplain connectivity. Phase 3a: Construction completed in 2017 with approximately 1 mile of instream weir removal/large wood placement and replacement of one fish passage barrier culvert. Phase 3b: Proposed implementation in 2018 with approximately one mile of instream work including weir removal, large wood placement and historical channel re- activation. In addition, two fish barrier culverts are scheduled for replacement with Aquatic Organism Passage designed culverts. This project will aim to improve juvenile fish passage, spawning and rearing habitat and floodplain connectivity.
38 NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline Big Creek Trailhead Horse The proposed action is to NEPA – Checklist Corrals construct two metal, double-stall Categorical Exclusion corrals for horse users at Big (CE) document has Creek Trailhead. The corrals will been signed and direct horses and trailers away finalized, and work from the main parking area, will be conducted by reducing congestion. They will the summer also reduce soil and vegetation impacts by consolidating horse recreation crew in camping to designated locations collaboration with and eliminating the need to tether Oregon Equestrian horses to trees. Trails volunteers. Estimated completion date is August 2018. Lake Creek Organization Camp Improve 300’ of existing trail to NEPA – Project has Trail address drainage issues and been transferred from provide a universally accessible a proposed pathway. Work will include Categorical Exclusion erosion control and drainage to the Aquatic work, such as the replacement Restoration or installation of drainage dips Environmental or culverts and the realignment Assessment (EA). of some trail sections to avoid Estimated completion boggy areas or limit erosion. date is September 2018. Summit Watershed Aspen and NEPA: Completed – Ongoing Aquatic Restoration Large Wood Projects project using mule deer initiative Environmental funds to pay for fire crew. Assessment (EA); signed September 30, 2014. Expected completion by June 2018. Malheur Headwater Spring NEPA: Completed – Includes Aquatic Restoration Protection (8 springs) the installation of troughs and Environmental fence around the spring source. Assessment (EA); Implementation: 16 Ponds – signed September trough installed, fence to be 30, 2014. completed in 2018. Others to Implementation be done: DR Cabin, BC3, Old started 2016. Growth, Cage, Keg, Bastard, Proposed CB& JB. Ongoing as funds completion 2020. available Summit Creek Meadow NEPA: Completed. Aquatic Restoration Restoration Environmental Assessment (EA); signed September 30, 2014. Project completed in 2016.
39 NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline Antelope Lookout NEPA: Completed – Re- Categorical Exclusion establishment of the viewing area (CE) Decision Memo of the lookout; improvement of signed March 2015. defensible space of Estimated full project administrative site; and, by- completion 2018. product of project resulted in cut merchantable material made available for economic benefit of local community. Small Sale Forestry Program conducted deck sales on July 22, 2015. Sale consisted of 55 acres (2498 tons) around Antelope Lookout. Harvesting is completed. Thinning and fuel management are ongoing.
Strawberry Gauging Station NEPA: Completed – Install in- Decision Memo (DM) stream flow gauging station and signed November 2015. fish passage. Gauging station replacement complete. Fish passage to be completed by July/August 2018. Canyon Creek and Bald Sisters NEPA: Completed – Canyon Creek Spring Planting Reforestation in areas burned in Reforestation the Canyon Creek Fire. One Categorical Exclusion high-elevation unit in the Bald (CE); Decision Memo Sisters area to be planted in (DM) signed March 2017. Reforestation in the burned 2016. Project completion areas of Canyon Creek will anticipated by summer continue in 2017, and completed 2018. in 2018. Riparian Fencing NEPA: Completed – Ongoing Work being completed riparian fence construction. under Summit Logan Phase 1: Two exclosures along Environmental Impact Summit Creek in Sagehen Statement (EIS); Pasture – one completed in Decision Notice signed 2016, other to be completed in September 2013. 2018. Phase 2: two exclosures Implementation is along West Summit Creek, ongoing as funding completed 2016. becomes available. Phase 3: exclosures along Summit Creek in Little Logan Pasture. Phase 4: exclosures along Summit Creek in Summit Rock Pasture.
40 NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline Whitebark Pine Protection NEPA: Completed – Thinning Categorical Exclusion around Whitebark Pine to (CE), Decision Memo reduce competition and improve (DM); signed July 2016. growth space. Work postponed; anticipated completion summer 2017. Wildlife Aspen Thinning NEPA: Completed – Using youth Categorical Exclusion crews to thin conifers out of (CE), Decision Memo aspen exclosures. 11 exclosures (DM); signed July 2016. have been treated, agreement is Expected completion being extended. Summer 2017. John Day River Headwater Land 1990 Forest Plan land A watershed restoration Acquisition allocations were identified and plan developed by an updated. Land management interdisciplinary team allocations will be updated again will identify high priority as part of the revised Malheur work in both the upland Forest Plan. Proposed land and stream allocations under the new plan environments. can be found at the Blue Mountain Plan Revision website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail /wallowa-whitman/land Management/planning/?cid =stelprd3795806 Lake Creek Site Mitigation NEPA: No NEPA decision – No NEPA. Completed initial consultation on the proposed mitigation. Working on the draft MOA formalizing the mitigation. Completed excavation of two 1x1 meter test units in Fall 2015. Artifact analysis and testing report to be completed in Summer 2016. Draft National Register nomination form begun in Winter 2016. Malheur River Large Wood NEPA: Completed. Aquatic Restoration Project – Phase 1 Environmental Assessment (EA); signed September 30, 2014. Implementation will occur summer 2018.
41 NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline Summit and Bosonberg NEPA: Completed. Aquatic Restoration subwatershed RHCA roads Environmental decommissioning Assessment (EA); signed September 30, 2014. Implementation will start in 2018 and is expected to be ongoing. Summit Spring Protection – phase NEPA: Completed. Aquatic Restoration 1 Environmental Assessment (EA); signed September 30, 2014.
42 New Project Name: John Day Headwaters Access Management (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Headwaters Road Closures
Program Area: Wildlife
Project Contact: Colleen Malaney
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Categorical Exclusion April 1, 2018 2019 (CE)
Location: John Day Headwaters project T15 R35 sec(s) 1
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: In order to protect the John Day Headwaters area’s vital natural resources for fish, wildlife, and recreationist who enjoy remote forest settings, the Prairie City Ranger District is proposing to close and maintain four motorized vehicle Forest Service roads. The proposed closures will still allow pedestrian access for the public to enjoy the unique resources in this area, while simultaneously protecting the John Day Watershed (i.e. Robert's Creek) and providing security to local wildlife and fish. Project will require placement of 12 large boulders (2-4 ft. diameter) across road entrance and relocation of one gate using mechanical equipment. The primary impact of this action will be an increase in watershed health and wildlife habitat (security). Each site will be accessed by tracked and wheeled vehicles. Work will be conducted using excavator and dump truck resulting in ground disturbance and no change in (historic) access restrictions.
43 New Project Name: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Aspen Exclosure (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Aspen Exclosure
Program Area: Wildlife
Project Contact: Colleen Malaney, 541-820-3820, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
Aquatics Checklist April 1, 2018 2018
Location: Logan Valley
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: In an effort to protect aspen, the Prairie City Ranger District is proposing to construct a buck and pole style exclosure around a portion of an aspen stand near Logan Valley. In the fall of 2017 conifers were removed from the area being proposed for fencing. Materials cut during conifer thinning efforts will be used where possible as fence material (i.e. bucks and poles). Project work will be completed using Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Volunteer labor. Project work will require construction of a buck and pole fence using manual labor, chainsaws, and hand tools. Fence is estimated to be 1-2 acres in size.
44 New Project Name: Interpretive Sign Installation (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Headwaters/Logan Valley Interpretative Signs
Program Area: Wildlife
Project Contact: Colleen Malaney, 541-820-3820, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Categorical Exclusion April 1, 2018 2019 (CE)
Location: Logan Valley Location T16 R33½ 15 SE/SW, John Day Headwaters project T15 R35 1 NE/SE
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: The district proposal to install two interpretive signs: one in Logan Valley (wayside pullout along the 16 road) and one at the view site location of the John Day Headwaters project. These signs will include information to inform the public on wildlife and other resources in the vicinity of sign locations. This sign installation project will require excavation for post holes (a minimum quantity of four, maximum quantity of eight, dependent on the size of the signs), for which each excavation would be 3’ deep by 1’ wide, using hand held tools (post hole digger, shovel and pry bar).
45 New Project Name: Summit Creek Restoration Planting (Turkey Federation) (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Summit Creek Restoration Planting (Turkey Federation)
Program Area: Wildlife
Project Contact: Colleen Malaney, 541-820-3820, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
Aquatics Checklist July 2018 2018
Location: Summit Creek
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: During the fall of 2017, seed was collected from sites on Prairie City Ranger District from seed zones locations similar to Summit Creek. Seed was stratified, stored and is currently being grown out by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS). During the fall of 2018, stock grown by CTWS will be planted at identified areas along Summit Creek. This work was funded by the Wild Turkey Federation in an effort to improve habitat for Wild Turkeys and other wildlife species.
Plant species include; Hawthorne, Oceanspray, Mountain Ash, Red Osier Dogwood, Elderberry, Chokecherry, Bladder Sedge, Long Brec Sedge, Wildrose, Wax Currant, and Golden Currant.
46 New Project Name: Logan Valley Willow Exclosure (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Logan Valley Willow Exclosure
Program Area: Wildlife
Project Contact: Colleen Malaney, 541-820-3820, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
Aquatics Checklist April 1, 2018 2019
Location: Logan Valley (T16 R33½ )
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: In order to evaluate willow response to prescribe fire, Prairie City Ranger District is proposing to construct 1 to 12 small enclosures around willows in Logan Valley. Willows targeted for fencing will be a sample within the area treated with prescribed fire in the fall of 2017. Total area to be fenced is estimated to be an acre or less in area. Willows of various age classes and fire intensity exposure will be identified and excluded from browse by cattle and deer, elk and antelope to allow for evaluation of willow response to fire without grazing pressure. Project will require placement fence posts and woven wire or similar big game style fence.
47 New Project Name: Rail Post Fire Planting (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Rail Post Fire Planting
Program Area: Silviculture
Project Contact: Teri Corning-Sevey, 541-575-3842, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Categorical Exclusion September 2018 2019 (CE)
Location: South and East of Monument Rock Wilderness
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: Planting areas burned in the Rail fire in 2016. Many of these areas were previously planted after the Monument Rock fire in 2002, but fire went through many of these plantations and burned a large portion of the plantations. Other areas were also burned. After field verifying, we are proposing to plant approximately 1500 acres.
48 New Project Name: Wild and Scenic Rivers Fence Relocation (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Wild and Scenic Rivers Fence Relocation
Program Area: Range
Project Contact: Jason Spence, 541-575-3849, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
CE 2017 2017-2019
Location: Along the eastern side of North Fork of the Malheur River T14S R35.2E sections 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 27, 28, 33, 34 and T15S R35.2E sections 3, 10, 11, 14, 23, 25, 26, 35, 36 and T16S R35E section 11 and T17S R36E sections17, 18, 19, 20.
The east and west side of the upper Malheur River T17S R33.2E sections 1, 2.
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: Three parts to this: 1) the upper North Fork Malheur River, 2) lower North Fork Malheur River or Skagway fence, and 3) upper Malheur River or Star Glade fence. The construction of new pasture fences off the river flood plain to the ridges and out of the Wild and scenic corridor to exclude cattle from the riparian areas. Actual fencing will be determined by the topography, access, resource concerns.
1) Fence on the North Fork Malheur River will start at the corner of the WW and Malheur boundary on the 269 road and parallel the river down to the fence corner of the North Fork Allotment and Flag Prairie Allotment near the 1675 road. Creating a new pasture to replace the North and South River Pastures of Spring Creek Allotment which are to be rested. The lower portion will then confine cattle off the river on the North Fork and Flag Prairie Allotments.
2) The lower North Fork Malheur River or Skagway fence will start at the Ott and Spring Creek Allotment boundary fence on Rattlesnake Ridge near Deadhorse Reservoir and contour around the Skagway drainage and along the rim of the river to the forest boundary to the south.
3) The upper Malheur River or Star Glade fences will exclude cattle from the portion of the Malheur River that flows through South Star Glade creating the Star Corridor. There are two fences with one on each side of the river to be located off the flood plain. They will tie in at the private land boundary to the north and to the pasture boundaries to the south.
49 New Project Name: Lower Field Corner fence (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Lower Field Corner fence
Program Area: Range
Project Contact: Jason Spence, 541-575-3849, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
CE April 2016 2018
Location: T16S R33.2E section 26 SE1/4 of SE1/4
The east and west side of the upper Malheur River T17S R33.2E sections 1, 2.
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: To fence off Bosenberg Creek where it cuts through the corner of the pasture. This will be a wildlife friendly fence of 4 wires, bottom wire will be smooth. Work will occur as funds and supplies available. Actual field work will be done when there will be minimal impact to the area.
50 New Project Name: Sullens Fence (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Sullens Fence
Program Area: Range
Project Contact: Jason Spence, 541-575-3849, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
CE 2018 2019
Location: T11 S R35.2E section 34 and T12S R35.2E sections 3,10,15, 22, 23, 24
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: Phase 1: fence off the west side of Wiwaanayt Creek making a critical habitat corridor. Phase 2: fence from south end of Squaw meadow over to the Malheur and WW boundary to the east. This would create a two pastures from the Savage Pasture. Fencing would be 4 wire with wildlife friendly techniques used.
51 New Project Name: Crane Prairie Corral relocation (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Crane Prairie Corral relocation
Program Area: Range
Project Contact: Jason Spence, 541-575-3849, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
CE 2019 2020
Location: Crane Prairie off the 1663 road to the east T 16S,R 35E, sec19 and 30
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: Relocate the corral off the Administration site (Crane Prairie Guard Station) over to the southeast, off the 1663 road, allowing easier access for the permittees. This would require the redesign of the surrounding holding pastures. The corral would be a log or railroad tie construction with small pens of post and rail off that and a loading chute. The outer holding pastures would be of wire construction.
The corral relocation would prevent unnecessary access to the Administration site through the year. The redesign of the holding pastures would give the permittees the chance to hold and possible separate cattle when moving from adjoining pastures.
52 New Project Name: Rocking Chair Fence (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Rocking Chair Fence
Program Area: Range
Project Contact: Jason Spence, 541-575-3849, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Summit Logan Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Blue 2017 2018 Dollar Complex Range NEPA
Location: Crane Prairie off the 1663 road to the east T 16S, R 35E, sec19 and 30
Affected Counties: Grant
Brief Description of Project: Construction of a new northern boundary fence on the Rocking Chair Pasture of the Dollar Basin Allotment. Fence would be wildlife friendly and follow the FS specs. The fence would be a 4 wire with the bottom wire smooth and the upper 3 barbed.
The Summit /Logan EIS allowed for the addition of the acreage to the Dollar Basin Allotment with the fence in accordance with a finished Range NEPA. Range NEPA was done on the Dollar Basin Allotment in the Blue Dollar Complex in 2017. This fence would allow for a water source on the northern portion of the pasture. The water would help spread the cattle over the pasture and improve the usage of forage. The ability to get improved use of this pasture will increase the ability to rest and rotate the other pastures in the allotment.
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54 Emigrant Creek Ranger District
Christy Cheyne, District Ranger 265 Highway 20 South Hines, OR 97738 (541) 573-4344 [email protected]
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M a l h e u r N a t i o n a l F o r e s t E m i g r a n t C r e e k R a n g e r D i s t r i c t F Y 2 0 1 8 P r o g r a m o f W o r k
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PRAIRIE CITY
DAYVILLE 26
JOHN DAY
MT VERNON 13
CANYON CITY
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SENECA
Wolf Project
IZEE 15
Izee Allotment Management Plan SILVIES
17 Flat Vegetation Management Project VAN
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Dove Project 47 31 14
28 43
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Rattlesnake Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project
Soldier Project
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BURNS
HINES
RILEY 78 205
Miles 0 1.25 2.5 5 7.5 10
Emigrant Creek Ranger District Lonesome Aquatic Restoration Project Aquatics and Watershed Engineering - Roads Malheur National Forest Campground Tree Protection Project Lands and Minerals Adjacent National Forest Range Wilderness Recreation Special Use Permits US or State Highway Vegetation Management Major Road Special Project Emigrant Creek Ranger District Ongoing Project Update (Presented in past year’s POW packets)
NEPA process and Project Name Project Status timeline Flat Vegetation Management NEPA: Under analysis – Decision Notice (DN); Project Estimated draft estimated decision Environmental Assessment date September 2017. (EA) out for 30-day Notice Estimated and Comment period April implementation Fall 2017. 2017/Winter 2018. Izee Allotment Management Plan NEPA: Completed –Activities Decision Notice (DN); include fencing, spring decision signed August developments, and riparian 14, 2015. vegetation restoration. Implementation started in 2016 and is on Environmental Assessment schedule to continue (EA) completed. Regular through 2020. permittee meetings and working with OWEB. Wolf Project NEPA: Completed – Activities Decision Notice (DN); include commercial timber decision signed July sales, pre-commercial 23, 2015. thinning, prescribed burning Implementation on- and road treatments going. Dove Project NEPA: Completed – Decision Notice (DN); Scoping signed October 23, estimated decision 2015. Draft Environmental date March 2017. Assessment (EA) out for 30- Estimated day Notice and Comment implementation period September 2016. Summer 2017. Central Malheur Allotment NEPA: Completed - Activities Decision Notice (DN); include fencing, spring decision signed May developments, juniper 11, 2015. Letter of removal, and riparian Concurrence (LOC) vegetation restoration. received from Fish and Wildlife Service on May 7, 2015. Implementation began in 2015 and is scheduled to continue through 2019. Marshall Devine NEPA: Completed - Activities Decision Notice (DN); include commercial timber signed June 2012. sales, pre-commercial Implementation on- thinning, and prescribed going. burning and road treatments. Dairy NEPA: Completed - Activities Decision Notice (DN); include commercial timber signed January 2012. sales, pre-commercial Implementation on- thinning, and road going. treatments.
59 BLM Use of Snow Mountain NEPA: Completed. Decision Memo (DM); Communication Site signed June 6, 2016. CE complete. Implementing on-going.
60 New Project Name: Campground Tree Protection Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Campground Tree Protection Project
Program Area: Silviculture/Recreation
Project Contact: Eric Amstad, 541-573-4348, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Aquatic Environmental May 2018 2018 Assessment (EA)
Location: Idlewild, Joaquin Miller, Buck Springs, Rock Springs, and Delintment Lake campgrounds, Emigrant Creek Ranger District.
Affected Counties: Harney and Grant Counties
Brief Description of Project: The purpose of this project is to protect trees over 30 inches DBH from bark beetles in campgrounds by spraying with Carbaryl, an insecticide. Large trees have been heavily stressed due to a recent pine butterfly outbreak that caused defoliation in addition to multiple years of drought conditions and nearby overstocked stands. Additionally, occasional thinning of small diameter. This project is an effort to maintain the large trees in campgrounds that enhance the public experience.
61 New Project Name: Soldier Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Soldier Project
Program Area: Silviculture
Project Contact: Travis Swaim, 541-573-4324, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
Decision Memo December 2017 2018
Location: Rattlesnake, Cow, Armstrong Canyon, and Coffeepot Subwatersheds, Emigrant Creek Ranger District.
Affected Counties: Harney Counties
Brief Description of Project: The purpose of the Soldier Project is to reduce the risk or extent of, and increase the resilience to, insect (bark beetle) infestation in order to maximize the retention of old-growth and large trees. The Soldier Project area is experiencing widespread and high levels of ponderosa pine mortality due to several factors and expeditious treatment is necessary to maintain the desirable older trees in stands.
62 New Project Name: Rattlesnake Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Rattlesnake Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project
Program Area: Silviculture
Project Contact: Travis Swaim, 541-573-4324, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
Decision Notice (DN) August 2018 2018
Location: Cow, Coffeepot, Armstrong Canyon, and Rattlesnake Subwatersheds, Emigrant Creek Ranger District.
Affected Counties: Harney County
Brief Description of Project: Vegetation management project that would commercially harvest timber, restore aspen stands and meadows, landscape scale prescribed underburning, and road maintenance and management activities such as closing, decommissioning, and opening roads.
63 New Project Name: Calamity and Beaverdam Creeks Restoration Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Calamity and Beaverdam Creeks Restoration Project
Program Area: Hydrology
Project Contact: Howard Richburg, 541-573-4322, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Aquatic Environmental May 2018 2018 Assessment (EA)
Location: Calamity and Beaverdam Creeks, Emigrant Creek Ranger District.
Affected Counties: Harney and Grant Counties
Brief Description of Project: The goal of this project is to restore hydrologic processes and aquatic habitat along Beaverdam and Calamity creeks. Both Creeks exhibit conifer encroachment, lack of Large Woody Debris (LWD), and headcutting. The specific objectives are to:
Reduce conifer encroachment into meadow habitat
Stabilize incised stream channel to reestablish water storage capacity, flood control, aquatic organism passage and habitat
Increase water quantity and quality through conifer/juniper tree thinning within riparian zone
Reduce sedimentation from sloughing head-cuts and mitigate erosion to improve water quality
Improve/increase riparian and aquatic vegetation for fish and wildlife habitat
64 New Project Name: Emigrant Creek District Wide Danger Tree Removal Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Emigrant Creek District Wide Danger Tree Removal Project
Program Area: Public Safety
Project Contact: Melissa Ward, 541-573-4363, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
Decision Notice (DN) December 2017 2018
Location: All 2 and 4 digit roads on the Emigrant Creek Ranger District.
Affected Counties: Harney, Grant and Crook Counties
Brief Description of Project: The project includes removal of identified danger trees whose potential failure zone encompasses forest travel routes (two and four digit roads), campgrounds and other improvements and structures; some danger trees would be removed commercially, others would be cut down but left on site.
65 New Project Name: Rattlesnake Creek Restoration Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Rattlesnake Creek Restoration Project
Program Area: Hydrology
Project Contact: Howard Richburg, 541-573-4322, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Aquatic Environmental May 2018 2018 Assessment (EA)
Location: Rattlesnake Creek, Emigrant Creek Ranger District
Affected Counties: Harney County
Brief Description of Project: The goal of this project is to restore hydrologic processes and aquatic habitat along Rattlesnake Creek. The specific objectives are:
Stabilize incised stream channel to re-establish water storage capacity, flood control, aquatic organism passage and habitat
Increase water quantity and quality through conifer/juniper tree thinning within riparian zone
Reduce sedimentation from active sloughing head-cuts and mitigate erosion to improve water quality
Improve/increase riparian and aquatic vegetation for fish and wildlife habitat
66 New Project Name: Lonesome Aquatic Restoration Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Lonesome Aquatic Restoration Project
Program Area: Range
Project Contact: Noe Reyes, 541-573-4314, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Aquatic Restoration May 2018 2018 Project
Location: Lonesome Creek, Emigrant Creek Ranger District.
Affected Counties: Grant County
Brief Description of Project: The purpose of these projects are to redevelop the spring sources at 4 spring locations for improved livestock distribution during the time frames that livestock are scheduled to graze the allotments and/or pastures.
67 New Project Name: Cow Creek Restoration Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Cow Creek Restoration Project
Program Area: Hydrology
Project Contact: Howard Richburg, 541-573-4322, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Aquatic Environmental May 2018 2018 Assessment (EA)
Location: Cow Creek, Emigrant Creek Ranger District
Affected Counties: Harney County
Brief Description of Project: The goal of this project is to restore hydrologic processes and aquatic habitat along Cow Creek and its tributaries. The specific objectives are:
Stabilize incised stream channel and/or headcuts to re-establish water storage capacity, flood control, aquatic organism passage and habitat
Reduce off road travel impacts on soil and riparian zones
Increase water quantity and quality through conifer/juniper tree thinning within riparian zone
Reduce sedimentation from active sloughing head-cuts and mitigate erosion to improve water quality
Improve/increase riparian and aquatic vegetation for fish and wildlife habitat
68 New Project Name: Recreation Site Improvements Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Recreation Site Improvements Project
Program Area: Recreation
Project Contact: Eric Amstad, 541-573-4348, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year:
Decision Memo May 2018 2018
Location: Idlewild, Yellowjacket, and Rock Springs Campgrounds, Emigrant Creek Ranger District
Affected Counties: Harney and Grant Counties
Brief Description of Project: Various campground improvement projects. Signage would be updated in the Yellowjacket and Idlewild campgrounds as well as along forest roads and highways. Campsites would be realigned to allow for more pull through campsites. Various projects in the Idlewild campground would include bench constructions, historic fence reconstruction, and various trail extension or realignments.
69 New Project Name: Soldier Creek Restoration Project (Not yet presented) Prairie City Ranger District ______Project Name: Soldier Creek Restoration Project
Program Area: Hydrology
Project Contact: Howard Richburg, 541-573-4322, [email protected]
Decision Estimated Estimated Project Type: Decision Date: Implementation Year: Aquatic Environmental May 2018 2018 Assessment (EA)
Location: Soldier Creek, Emigrant Creek Ranger District
Affected Counties: Harney County
Brief Description of Project: The goal of this project is to restore hydrologic processes and aquatic habitat along Soldier Creek. The specific objectives are:
Stabilize incised stream channel to re-establish water storage capacity, flood control, aquatic organism passage and habitat
Increase water quantity and quality through conifer/juniper tree thinning within riparian zone
Reduce sedimentation from active sloughing head-cuts and mitigate erosion to improve water quality
Improve/increase riparian and aquatic vegetation for fish and wildlife
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