Under the Survey & Manage Provision of the Northwest Forest Plan
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Survey Protocols for A MPHIBIANS Under the Survey & Manage Provision of the Northwest Forest Plan Version 3.0 October 1999 As the Nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interest of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in Island Territories under U.S. administration. BLM/OR/WA/PT-00/033+1792 United States Forest Bureau of Land United States Department of Service Management Department of Agriculture R-5/6 Interior OR/WA/CA Reply Refer To: 1920/2600 (FS)/ 1736-PFP(BLM) (931)P Date: October 18, 1999 EMS TRANSMISSION 10/19/99 FS-Memorandum BLM-Instruction Memorandum No. OR-2000-004 Expires: 09/30/2001 To: USDI Bureau of Land Management District Managers (Coos Bay, Eugene, Lakeview, Medford, Roseburg, Salem) and Field Managers (Arcata, Klamath Falls, Redding, and Ukiah) and USDA Forest Service Forest Supervisors Within the Area of the Northwest Forest Plan Subject: Survey and Manage Survey Protocols - Amphibians v. 3.0 The Standards and Guidelines for Management of Habitat for Late-Successional and Old- Growth Forest Related Species within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl include the requirement to conduct surveys for particular amphibians prior to all ground-disturbing activities that will be implemented in FY 1997 or later (page C-5, Component 2). Surveys are required within the known or suspected range and within the habitat types or vegetative communities associated with the amphibian species identified within Component 2. Enclosed are the standard protocols (Version 3.0) for conducting surveys for amphibians. This version and transmittal letter replace the March 12, 1996 draft protocol that was transmitted by a cover letter dated March 18, 1996, memoranda dated October 2, 1997, June 29, 1998 (BLM Information Bulletin No. OR-98-246), and June 29, 1998 (R-6, File Code 2670) concerning amphibian survey protocol adjustments. This memorandum transmits 5 amphibian protocols to field officials for immediate implementation. Survey methods and survey conditions in the 1996 draft protocol are more comprehensive than those in version 3.0. Therefore, surveys initiated following the draft protocol meet the requirements of the present Version 3.0 protocol. The protocols are designed so that there is a high probability of finding populations of these species, if present. Please follow the standard protocols as closely as possible. Although the protocols may be revised in the future, projects surveyed according to these protocols will be considered as meeting the requirements of Component 2. District Managers, Field Managers, Forest Supervisors, and District Rangers 2 Please address any questions to Cheryl McCaffrey (BLM), Sarah Madsen (FS R-6), or Paula Crumpton (FS R-5). They can be reached at: Cheryl - 503-952-6050; E-mail: [email protected] Sarah - 503-808-2673; E-mail: smadsen/[email protected] Paula - 530-242-2242; E-mail: pcrumpton/[email protected] Signed By Signed By Al Wright Bradley E. Powell ALFRED W. WRIGHT BRADLEY E. POWELL Acting State Director, CA Acting Regional Forester, Region 5 USDI Bureau of Land Management USDA Forest Service Signed By Signed By William L. Bradley (for) Robert J. Devlin (for) ELAINE Y. ZIELINSKI NANCY GRAYBEAL State Director, OR/WA Acting Regional Forester, Region 6 USDI Bureau of Land Management USDA Forest Service Authenticated by Mary O’Leary Management Assistant Enclosure (under separate cover) Distribution: BLM Forest Service District Field Forest Supervisors Forest Supervisors Managers Managers Region 6 Region 5 Oregon Coos Bay Arcata Deschutes Klamath Eugene Klamath Falls Gifford Pinchot Lassen Lakeview Redding Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Mendocino Medford Ukiah Mt. Hood Modoc Roseburg Okanogan Shasta Trinity Salem Olympic Six Rivers Rogue River BLM Distribution: Siskiyou FS Distribution: WO-230 (Room 204LS)-1 Siuslaw R5: CA-330 (P.Roush)-1 Umpqua Shasta Trinity, Paula Crumpton CA-930-1 Wenatchee Orleans RD, John Larson OR-912 (A.Agnew)-1 Willamette R6: OR-931 (C.McCaffrey)-1 Winema NR, Sarah Madsen OR-934 (P. Teensma) R6-SP - 1 REO Distribution: Research Units: Belisle -1 PNW - 1 Mohoric -1 PSW - 1 Sims -1 Watson -1 SURVEY PROTOCOLS FOR AMPHIBIANS UNDER THE SURVEY AND MANAGE PROVISION OF THE NORTHWEST FOREST PLAN Version 3.0 OCTOBER 1999 Deanna H. Olson, Editor and Subgroup Lead Survey and Manage Amphibian Subgroup Chapter Authors David R. Clayton Charles M. Crisafulli Lawrence L.C. Jones Peter C. Lewendal Richard S. Nauman Lisa M. Ollivier Deanna H. Olson Hartwell H. Welsh, Jr. Additional Appendix Contributor John S. Applegarth Version 3.0 2 Version 3.0 ABSTRACT Survey protocols were developed for Component/Strategy 2 amphibian species under the Survey and Manage provision of the federal Northwest Forest Plan. The goal of these protocols is to screen proposed project areas on federal lands for the presence of five endemic plethodontid salamander species: Shasta salamander (Hydromantes shastae), Siskiyou Mountains salamander (Plethodon stormi), Del Norte salamander (P. elongatus), Larch Mountain salamander (P. larselli), and Cascade Range populations of the Van Dyke's salamander (P. vandykei). This document is written to provide guidance to federal field crews implementing federally mandated surveys. Extensive reconnaissance level survey approaches that focus on species detection are presented. These protocols have undergone more than two years of field testing, and several rounds of peer, field-user, and manager reviews. Chapter I provides an overview of the species, survey methods, and identifies key changes from the draft protocols released by the Regional Ecosystem Office (Portland, OR) in 1996 (Olson et al. 1996). The similarities and differences in survey approaches among species are explained, and common elements of protocols are specified. Our recommended flexible and fixed survey elements are identified to aid subsequent management decisions regarding protocol implementation and the maintenance of regional data standards. Chapter II summarizes the procedures used to compile known site data, and provides our current known site data summaries and dot-maps of known site distributions. Each subsequent section (Chapters III-VII) focuses on the survey protocol for a single species, and each is written such that it may be read separately; field biologists or resource managers may need to apply only a single protocol. Hence, cross-referencing of information among protocols is minimized and some information is repeated among chapters. A separate document addresses the management requirements and recommendations for these species and provides a more thorough review of the known elements of the species' biology relevant for effective management (Olson 1999). 3 Version 3.0 4 Version 3.0 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I: Standardized Survey Protocols for Amphibians under the Survey and Manage and Protection Buffer Provisions by Deanna H. Olson ........................................................7 CHAPTER II: Survey and Manage Salamander Known Sites by Richard S. Nauman and Deanna H. Olson ...................................43 CHAPTER III: Survey Protocol for the Shasta Salamander (Hydromantes shastae) by Deanna H. Olson and Peter C. Lewendal ....................................79 CHAPTER IV: Survey Protocol for the Siskiyou Mountains Salamander (Plethodon stormi) by David R. Clayton, Lisa M. Ollivier, and Hartwell H. Welsh, Jr. ..................125 CHAPTER V: Survey Protocol for the Del Norte Salamander (Plethodon elongatus) by Lisa M. Ollivier and Hartwell H. Welsh, Jr. .................................163 CHAPTER VI: Survey Protocol for the Van Dyke’s Salamander (Plethodon vandykei) by Lawrence L.C. Jones ...................................................201 CHAPTER VII: Survey Protocol for the Larch Mountain Salamander (Plethodon larselli) by Charles M. Crisafulli ...................................................253 5 Version 3.0 6 Version 3.0 Chapter I Standardized Survey Protocols for Amphibians under the Survey and Manage and Protection Buffer Provisions Version 3.0 October 1999 Deanna H. Olson AUTHOR DEANNA H. OLSON is a research ecologist, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331 7 Version 3.0 8 Version 3.0 ABSTRACT This introductory chapter summarizes the need to develop standardized survey methods as a component of protective measures for five salamander species under the Northwest Forest Plan. Protocols in this volume are revised from those released in 1996. Main revisions are identified for all species in this chapter and reflect the tremendous efforts of field units across the region to implement surveys and provide their feedback to protocol authors. An overview of methods for terrestrial salamander sampling is provided, with corresponding rationale for the approaches opted herein. Streamlined survey methods are provided to meet the objectives of detecting target species presence at a site proposed for management, while minimizing