HABITAT EVALUATION: GUIDANCE FOR THE REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTS EPA Contract No. 68-C0-0070 work Assignments B-21, 1-12 January 1993 Submitted to: Jim Serfis U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Federal Activities 401 M Street, SW Washington, DC 20460 Submitted by: Mark Southerland Dynamac Corporation The Dynamac Building 2275 Research Boulevard Rockville, MD 20850 CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ... ...... .... ... ................................................. 1 Habitat Conservation .......................................... 2 Habitat Evaluation Methodology ................................... 2 Habitats of Concern ........................................... 3 Definition of Habitat ..................................... 4 General Habitat Types .................................... 5 Values and Services of Habitats ................................... 5 Species Values ......................................... 5 Biological diversity ...................................... 6 Ecosystem Services.. .................................... 7 Activities Impacting Habitats ..................................... 8 Land Conversion ....................................... 9 Land Conversion to Industrial and Residential Uses ............. 9 Land Conversion to Agricultural Uses ...................... 10 Land Conversion to Transportation Uses .................... 10 Timber Harvesting ...................................... 11 Grazing ............................................. 12 Mining .............................................. 12 Water Management ...................................... 13 Recreational, Military, and Other Activities ....................... 13 Types of Impact to Habitats.. .................................... 14 Destruction ........................................... 15 Fragmentation ......................................... 16 Simplification ......................................... 17 Degradation ........................................... 17 Vulnerability to Impacts ................................... 17 General Mitigation Procedures ..................................... 18 Habitat Integrity ........................................ 18 Mitigation Guidance ..................................... 19 Mitigation Principles ..................................... 2 1 Habitat Buffers ................................. .. 21 Habitat Corridors .................................. 22 Mitigation Measures ..................................... 22 Timber Harvesting Mitigation Methods ..................... 23 Grazing Mitigation Methods ............................ 23 Monitoring for Mitigation Compliance .......................... 24 Habitat Evaluation iii Introduction NORTH HABITAT REGION-NORTHERN LAKES AND FORESTS .............. 25 Geographical Description of the Region ................................... 25 Habitats of Concern ................................................ 26 Habitat Values and Trends ........................................... 26 Northeastern Forests .......................................... 27 Northern Lakes Forests ......................................... 27 Forest Values ............................................... 28 Old-Growth and Mature Forest .................................... 28 Great Lakes Coastal Ecosystems ................................... 29 Wetlands and Aquatic Systems.. .................................. 29 Activities and Impacts Affecting Habitats .................................. 29 Land Conversion ............................................ 30 Timber Harvesting ........................................... 31 Recreational Activities ......................................... 31 Mitigations of Impacts .............................................. 31 Land Conversion ............................................ 31 Timber Harvesting ........................................... 32 Guidelines for Reviewers ............................................ 34 Contacts and Information Sources ....................................... 35 MIDWEST HABITAT REGION-MIDWEST CROPLAND ..................... 37 Geographical Description of the Region ..................... .. ............ 37 Habitats of Concern ................................................ 38 Habitat Values and Trends .......................... ................ 38 Savanna .................................................. 39 Grasslands ................................................ 39 Forests.. ................................................. 39 wetlands ................................................. 40 Activities and Impacts Affecting Habitats .................................. 40 Land Conversion ............................................ 41 Agricultural Impacts .......................................... 42 Impacts on Aquatic Systems ..................................... 42 Mitigations of Impacts .............................................. 42 Land Conversion ............................................ 43 Agricultural Impacts .......................................... 43 Wetlands ................................................. 43 Guidelines for Reviewers ............................................ 44 Contacts and Information Sources ....................................... 45 SOUTHEAST HABITAT REGION - SOUTHEASTERN FORESTS AND CROPLAND .... 47 Geographical Description of the Region ................................... 47 Habitats of Concern ................................................ 48 Habitat Values and Trends ........................................... 49 Forests ................................................... 49 Habitat Evaluation iv Introduction Grasslands, Barrens, and Scrub Habitats .............................. 51 Wetlands ................................................. 52 Aquatic Systems ............................................. 53 Activities and Impacts Affecting Habitats .................................. 53 Land Conversion ............................................ 54 Agricultural and Grazing Impacts .................................. 55 Timber Harvesting .................................. ........ 55 Mining ................................................... 56 Water Management ........................................... 56 Military Activities ............................................ 57 Mitigations of Impacts .............................................. 57 Timber Harvesting ........................................... 57 Land Conversion ............................................ 59 Mining ................................................... 59 Military Activities ............................................ 60 Guidelines for Reviewers ............................................ 61 Contacts and Information Sources ....................................... 62 GREAT PLAINS HABITAT REGION - GREAT PLAINS AND PRAIRIES ........... 63 Geographical Description of the Region ................................... 63 Habitats of Concem ................................................. 64 Habitat Values and Trends ........................................... 64 Grasslands ................................................ 64 Texas Habitats .............................................. 65 Riparian Areas .............................................. 66 Wetlands ................................................. 67 Activities and Impacts Affecting Habitats .................................. 67 Land Conversion ............................................ 68 Agricultural Impacts .......................................... 68 Grazing .................................................. 69 Riparian Areas .............................................. 69 Water Management ........................................... 70 Mitigations of Impacts .............................................. 70 Land Conversion ............................................ 71 Grazing ................................................... 71 Wetlands ................................................. 73 Guidelines for Reviewers ............................................ 73 Contacts and Information Sources ........................................ 74 WESTERN RANGELANDS HABITAT REGION - WESTERN .................. 75 GRASSLANDS AND DESERTS Geographical Description of the Region ................................... 75 Habitats of Concern ................................................ 76 Habitat Values and Trends ........................................... 76 Woodland and Shrubland ....................................... 78 Habitat Evaluation V Introduction Grasslands ................................................ 78 Deserts .................................................. 79 Riparian Areas ........... .... ... ... ...................................... 79 Wetlands ................................................. 80 Aquatic Systems ............................................. 81 Activities and Impacts Affecting Habitats .................................. 81 Land Conversion ............................................ 82 Agricultural Impacts .......................................... 83 Grazing .................................................. 83 Riparian Areas .............................................. I34 Mining ................................................... 85 Water Management ........................................... 85 Recreational Activities ......................................... 85 Military Activities ............................................ 86 Mitigations of Impacts .............................................