BANKHEAD NATIONAL FOREST LIAISON PANEL PUBLIC MEETING SUMMARY JULY 26, 2007 MOULTON, ALABAMA Liaison Panel Member Attendees Additional Attendees Ron Eakes, Alabama Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries Becky Gold, Resident Dave Borland, The Nature Conservancy Larry Barkley, Resident Vince Meleski, Wild South Mimi Barkley, Resident Laverne Matheson, Smith Lake Advocacy, Inc. Mark Kolinski, Wild South Charles Borden, Forest Landowner, Recreation Stewart Horn, Wild South Jody Buttrum, Recreation Ted Kuzma, Wild South Anthony Hood, Recreation Hank Byrnes, Wild South Gene Gold, Blue Clan, Echota Cherokee Kristen Bishop, The Decatur Daily Mike Henshaw, Alabama Extension Service Bill Snoddy, Treasure Forest Landowner Randy Feltman, Logger Forest Service Attendees Glen Gaines, District Ranger Stephanie Love, Silviculturist Allison Cochran, Wildlife Biologist Tom Counts, Wildlife Biologist Blake Addison, Timber Management Assistant Meeting Agenda 6:00 Welcome Glen Gaines USFS, Bankhead 6:15 Presentation of Watershed Project Analysis Results § Existing Vegetation Stephanie Love § Desired Watershed Conditions USFS, Bankhead § Proposed Treatments by Alternative § Predicted Affects/Changes to Forest Community by Alternative § Predicted Affects/Changes to Tom Counts Terrestrial Wildlife Habitats by Alternative Allison Cochran • Canyon Prescription Allocations by Alternative USFS, Bankhead 7:00 Group Review and Discussion on Analysis and Initial Findings 7:30 Group Review and Discussion on Treatments to Achieve the Desired Watershed Conditions 8:00 Finalize Group Recommendations for the Project 8:15 Timber/Thinning Monitoring Report - May 22 Field Trip Vince Meleski WildSouth 8:30 Closeout and Schedule Next Meeting Glen Gaines Presentation of Watershed Affects Analysis Effects to Forest Vegetation Stephanie Love presented the findings of the initial effects analysis for forest vegetation for the three alternatives begin analyzed for the Rockhouse/Hoghouse Watershed Project and the Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Project. Rockhouse and Hoghouse Existing Condition Dry­Xeric Longleaf Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine Forest Dry­Xeric Dry­Xeric Longleaf Woodland Woodland 11% Shortleaf Pine Forest 0% 36, 1% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Woodland 0% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Dry­Xeric Oak Forest 2% Woodland Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) 11% Mixed­Mesophytic Dry­Xeric Oak Woodland (Cove) 0% Oak and Oak­Pine Forest 14% Oak and Oak­Pine Forest Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­Oak Forest 9% Dry­Xeric and Dry­ Mesic Loblolly Pine Forest Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Oak Woodland Dry­Xeric Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine Forest Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Forest Dry­Xeric and Dry­Mesic Loblolly Pine Forest 53% Rockhouse and Hoghouse Desired Future Condition Dry­Xeric Longleaf Woodland Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine Forest 3% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Dry­Xeric Oak Forest Woodland 19% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Forest 36, 1% Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) Dry­Xeric Oak Woodland 8% Dry­Mesic Oak and Oak­Pine Forest Dry­Xeric and Dry­ Mesic Loblolly Pine Forest Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­Oak Forest 293, Dry­Xeric Oak 7% Woodland Dry­Xeric Oak Dry­Xeric and Dry­Mesic Forest Loblolly Pine Forest 0% Dry­Xeric Longleaf Dry­Xeric Pine Forest Longleaf Woodland Dry­Mesic Oak and Oak­Pine Forest 1806,43% 7% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Forest Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) 11% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Woodland 0% Rockhouse and Hoghouse Watershed Treatments (Alternative #2 = Preferred Alternative) 1400 1153 1200 1000 800 612 550 600 400 200 63 49 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch SPB Treatment Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Longleaf and Longleaf and Hardw ood Restoration Restoration Rockhouse and Hoghouse Watershed Treatments (Alternative #3 = Increasesed Rate of Restoration) 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch SPB Treatment Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Longleaf and Longleaf and Hardwood Restoration Restoration Grindstone, Mill and Inman Watersheds Existing Condition Dry­Xeric Oak Forest Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­Oak Oak and Oak­Pine Forest Forest 1% Dry­Xeric Oak Forest Loblolly Woodland 1% 0% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine Forest Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) Forest 3% 23% Dry­Xeric and Dry­Mesic Loblolly Forest Dry­Xeric and Dry­Mesic Loblolly Forest Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine 55% Forest Oak and Oak­Pine Forest Loblolly Woodland 14% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­ Forest Oak Forest 3% Grindstone, Mill and Inman Watersheds DFC Dry­Mesic Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Longleaf Woodland Dry­Mesic and Dry­Xeric Loblolly Forest Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine 0% Dry­Xeric Oak Forest Forest Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Woodland 9% 1% Dry­Mesic Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Oak Woodland 5% Dry­Xeric Longleaf Woodland 4% Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) 2% Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­Oak Forest Oak and Oak­Pine Forest 1% Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Oak Woodland Oak and Oak­Pine Forest 14% Dry­Xeric Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine Forest Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Woodland 42% Dry­Mesic and Dry­Xeric Loblolly Forest Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) 22% Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #2) 1200 1003 988 1000 816 734 800 s e r 600 c A 400 159 200 20 20 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch Restoration of Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Shortleaf Sparse SPB and Hardw ood Affected Stand Restoration Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #2) 1200 1003 988 1000 816 800 734 s e r 600 c A 400 159 49 200 20 20 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch Restoration of Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Shortleaf Sparse SPB and Hardw ood Affected Stand Restoration Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #2) 1200 1003 988 1000 816 800 734 s e r 600 c A 400 159 49 200 20 20 0 Precommercial Intermediate Midstory Patch Restoration of Thinning Thinning Treatment Cut/Shortleaf Sparse SPB and Hardw ood Affected Stand Restoration Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #3) 700 663 615 600 518 491 500 400 345 es 354 Acr 300 200 159 100 49 0 1 Grindstone/Mill and Inman Watershed Treatments (Alternative #3) 700 663 615 600 518 491 500 400 345 GM es 354 Inman Acr 300 200 159 100 49 0 1 Grindstone, Mill and Inman Watersheds Vegetation Effects (Alternative #2 ) Dry­Xeric Longleaf Woodland Dry­Xeric Oak Forest 2% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Woodland 1% Oak Woodland Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) Dry­Xeric 2% Virginia Pine­Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Oak Forest 1% 0% Oak and Oak­Pine Forest Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) 22% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Forest Loblolly Woodland 18% Dry­Xeric and Dry­Mesic Loblolly Forest Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine Forest Oak and Oak­Pine Forest, Loblolly Woodland Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine Forest 13% 1% Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Woodland Dry­Xeric Longleaf Woodland Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Forest 3% Oak Woodland Dry­Xeric and Dry­Mesic Loblolly Forest 56% Grindstone, Mill and Inman Watersheds Vegetation Effects (Alternative #3) Dry­Xeric Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Longleaf Woodland 2% Pine­Hardw ood Forest Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) 2% Oak Woodland Dry­Xeric Oak Forest Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Woodland 2% Oak and Oak­Pine or 1% 0% Pine­Hwd Forest Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­Oak Forest 1% Forest Mixed­Mesophytic (Cove) Dry­Xeric and Dry­Mesic Loblolly Woodland 22% 18% Loblolly Forest Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine Forest Loblolly Woodland Dry­Xeric Virginia Pine­ Dry­Xeric Longleaf Pine Forest Oak Forest 1% Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Woodland Dry­Xeric Longleaf Woodland Oak and Oak­Pine or Pine­Hwd Forest 12% Oak Woodland Pine­Hardwood Forest Dry­Xeric Shortleaf Pine Forest Dry­Xeric and Dry­Mesic Loblolly Forest 3% 36% Effects to Wildlife Habitats Tom Counts and Allison Cochran provided a discussion on initial analysis for wildlife, fish, and rare plants. They discussed findings from the Grindstone/Mill Watershed Project. Work is still in progress on the Inman and Rockhouse/Hoghouse Watersheds. Bankhead National Forest Introduction Watershed Prescriptions Rockhouse, Hoghouse, Inman, • Watershed Management Concept Grindstone and Mill • Species of Concern ­ T/E species Potential Project Effects on Native Wildlife and Plants • Compare Treatments / Practices By Bankhead Wildlife Staff – Effects of the Project on MIS Wildlife Tom Counts Allison Cochran Perspective/Scale of Project 181,734 Acres Operational Requirements within Bankhead National Forest • Total acres included • Rockhouse 2830 acres w/in these watersheds • National Forest Management Act • Hoghouse 1271 acres – Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, 2004 12,486 acres of Forest (RX 9C3 Southern Cumberland Plateau Native Service lands Ecosystem Restoration and Maintenance) • Inman 3530 acres • Endangered Species Act of 1973 • Mill 2822 acres – Consultation Process w/ FWS • Grindstone 2033 acres Federally Listed Species Protected Species The Full List of Potential Species • Gray Bat • Dark pigtoe • Endangered, Threatened, & FS Sensitive • Indiana bat • Ovate clubshell • Bald Eagle • Rough pigtoe Species • Red­cockaded woodpecker • Triangular kidneyshell • Flattened musk turtle • Pink mucket pearlymussel • Cumberlandian combshell Leafy prairie clover • Protection Mechanisms & Mitigation • Upland combshell • Lyrate bladder­pod • Turgid blossom pearly mussel • Mohr's Barbara's Measures (Forest Plan and ESA) • Fine­lined pocketbook • Kral's water­plantain • Orange­nacre mucket • Alabama streak­sorus fern • Alabama moccasinshell • Tennessee yellow­eyed grass • Coosa moccasinshell T&E Potentially