United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service March 2014 Environmental Assessment Post-Harvest Vine Control Project Nantahala Ranger District, Nantahala National Forest Macon and Jackson Counties, North Carolina For Information Contact: Joan Brown 90 Sloan Road, Franklin, NC 28734 (828) 524-6441 ext 426 www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 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Table of Contents Summary ............................................................................................................................................................... i Chapter 1 – Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 Document Structure .................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Purpose of and Need for Action .................................................................................................................. 3 1.2.1 Vicinity Map ....................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2.2 Description of the Project Proposal ..................................................................................................... 5 1.2.3 Description of the Project Area ........................................................................................................... 5 1.2.4 Description of Additional Alternatives ............................................................................................... 8 1.3 Project Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 8 1.3.1 Project Objectives ............................................................................................................................... 8 1.3.2. Decision to be Made ......................................................................................................................... 10 1.4 Scoping ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 1.5. Issues to be Addressed in the Analysis ..................................................................................................... 10 1.6. Issues Not Addressed in the Analysis ....................................................................................................... 11 2. Comparison of Alternatives ........................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Alternatives Considered ............................................................................................................................ 11 2.2 Alternatives Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail…………………………………………………… ……...11 3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Communities, Special Habitats, and Management Indicator Species (MIS) ............................................. 12 3.1.1 Aquatic Communties, Special Habitats and MIS……………………………………………… 13 3.2.2 Botanical Communities, Special Habitats and MIS .......................................................................... 17 3.2.3 Terrestrial Wildlife Communities, Special Habitats and MIS ........................................................... 21 3.2.4 Summary of Effects for all Species …………… ……………………………………………. 25 3.3. Proposed, Endangered, and Threatened Species ..................................................................................... 26 3.3.1 Aquatic Proposed, Endangered, and Threatened Species .................................................................. 26 3.3.2 Botanical, Proposed, Endangered, and Threatened Species .............................................................. 27 3.3.3 Terrestrial Wildlife Proposed, Endangered, and Threatened Species................................................ 28 3.3.4.Determination of Effects for all Species………………………………………………………… ..32 3.4. Forest Sensitive Species ........................................................................................................................... 32 3.4.1 Aquatic Forest Sensitive Species....................................................................................................... 32 3.4.2 Botanical Forest Sensitive Species .................................................................................................... 33 3.4.3 Terrestrial Wildlife Forest Sensitive Species .................................................................................... 34 3.4.4.Effects Determination for all Sensitive Species………… ……………………… ………..……….38 3.5. Forest Concern Species .......................................................................................................... …………...38 3.5.1.Aquatic Forest Concern Species………………………………………………………………………………...39 3.5.2 Botanical Forest Concern Species ......................................................................................................... 41 3.5.3 Terrestrial Wildlife Forest Concern Species ..................................................................................... 41 3.5.4.Effects Determination for all Forest Concern Species………… …………………………………..46 3.6. Additional Habitats and Biological Issues ............................................................................................... 46 ii Environmental Assessment Post-harvest Vine Control Project 3.6.1 Non-native and Invasive Species .......................................................................................................46 3.7. Soil and Water Resources .........................................................................................................................47 3.8 Air Resources .............................................................................................................................................48 3.9. Vegetation Management and Silviculture .................................................................................................49 3.10 Heritage Resources ..................................................................................................................................51 3.11 Recreation Resources...............................................................................................................................52 3.12 Scenery .....................................................................................................................................................53 3.13 Social and Economic Considerations ......................................................................................................54 3.14 Road Management ...................................................................................................................................55 3.15 Climate Change .......................................................................................................................................55 4 Agencies and Persons Consulted ..................................................................................................................... 57 4.1. Preparers ..................................................................................................................................................57 4.2 Agencies and Persons Consulted ...............................................................................................................57 4.3 Literature Cited ..........................................................................................................................................58 5 Appendices ....................................................................................................................................................... 60 5.1.Appendix A - Biological Evaluation…………………………………………………………………………… .61 5.2 Appendix B – Area Maps ....................................................................................................................... 111 Environmental Assessment Post-harvest Vine Control Project SUMMARY Proposed Action: Conduct grape and smoke vine control work in 17 Nantahala Ranger District compartments in Macon and Jackson counties near Franklin, North Carolina to provide for timber stand improvement in 38 young forest stands.