Appendix G – MIS Population Trends Monitoring and Evaluation Report FY2008 through FY2014 for the 1993 George Washington National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and 2004 Jefferson National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan George Washington and Jefferson National Forests Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 Identification of Management Indicator Species .................................................................. 1 1993 George Washington Plan Management Indicator Species ........................................................ 1 2004 Jefferson Plan Management Indicator Species ......................................................................... 2 Trends in Forest Service Management Activities Associated with MIS Habitats .............. 3 Forested Age Class Distribution Trend ................................................................................. 9 Monitoring and Evaluation of Management Indicator Species .......................................... 11 Ecological, Biological Community, or Special Habitat Indicators ...................................................... 11 Cave Dwelling Bats ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Cow Knob Salamander .................................................................................................................................... 24 Eastern Tiger Salamander ............................................................................................................................... 27 Brook Trout and Wild Trout ............................................................................................................................. 30 Sunfish Family ................................................................................................................................................. 43 Yellow Pine Community ................................................................................................................................... 49 Old Growth Forest Types ................................................................................................................................ 53 Northern Flicker ............................................................................................................................................... 56 Brown-headed Cowbird ................................................................................................................................... 59 Pileated Woodpecker ...................................................................................................................................... 63 Ovenbird and Worm-eating Warbler ................................................................................................................ 66 Hooded Warbler .............................................................................................................................................. 71 Scarlet Tanager ............................................................................................................................................... 74 Pine Warbler .................................................................................................................................................... 77 Eastern Towhee .............................................................................................................................................. 80 Acadian flycatcher ........................................................................................................................................... 83 Chestnut-sided Warbler ................................................................................................................................... 86 Threatened and Endangered Species .............................................................................................. 90 Indiana Bat....................................................................................................................................................... 90 Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel...................................................................................................................... 90 Blackside Dace ................................................................................................................................................ 92 James Spinymussel ......................................................................................................................................... 95 Peaks of Otter Salamander ........................................................................................................................... 100 Shale Barren Rockcress ................................................................................................................................ 104 Swamp Pink ................................................................................................................................................... 108 Northeastern Bulrush ..................................................................................................................................... 110 Virginia Spiraea ............................................................................................................................................. 114 Virginia Roundleaf Birch ................................................................................................................................ 121 Small Whorled Pogonia ................................................................................................................................. 124 Peregrine Falcon ........................................................................................................................................... 127 Bald Eagle ..................................................................................................................................................... 129 FY 2008 to 2014 M & E Report Appendix G – MIS i George Washington and Jefferson National Forests Demand Species ........................................................................................................................... 131 White-tailed Deer ........................................................................................................................................... 131 Black Bear ..................................................................................................................................................... 134 Wild Turkey .................................................................................................................................................... 136 Viability of Forests’ MIS ...................................................................................................... 140 References ........................................................................................................................... 144 Table Index Table 1. GWNF Plan Management Indicator Species (MIS) ......................................................................................1 Table 2. JNF Plan Management Indicator Species (MIS) ..........................................................................................2 Table 3. Transportation System Trend on the JNF ....................................................................................................3 Table 4. Transportation System Trend on the GWNF ................................................................................................3 Table 5. Management Activities Trend on GWNF Only .............................................................................................4 Table 6. Management Activities Trend on JNF Only ..................................................................................................5 Table 7. Combined Management Activities Trend Across Both Forests ....................................................................7 Table 8. Age Class Distribution for All Forested Land 1989, 2007, and 2014 ...........................................................9 Table 9. Bat Population Trend in Clark’s Cave ....................................................................................................... 15 Table 10. Bat Population Trend in Hupman’s Saltpetre Cave ................................................................................. 15 Table 11. Bat Population Trend in Mountain Grove Saltpetre Cave ....................................................................... 16 Table 12. Bat Population Trend in Starr Chapel Cave ............................................................................................ 16 Table 13. Indiana Bat Populations Within Hibernacula On or Near the GWJNF .................................................... 17 Table 14. Trend in “Take”, as expressed by acres of disturbance to vegetation in Indiana Bat habitat ................. 20 Table 15. Trend in Indiana Bat Habitat Meeting Conditions Required by USFWS Biological Opinion ................... 23 Table 16. Trend in Cow Knob Salamanders Captured and Recaptured On Shenandoah Mountain ..................... 25 Table 17. Trend in Tiger Salamanders Captured and Recaptured at Big Levels ................................................... 29 Table 18. Wild Trout Biomass from Selected Streams in kilograms/hectare .........................................................