United States Department of Agriculture Environmental Forest Service Assessment for Silhouette Southern Region Ecosystem Management May 2018 Project Kisatchie National Forest, Catahoula Ranger District, Grant Parish, Louisiana T6N R1W and T7N R1W A 1937 version of the bordeaux sprayer being used on longleaf beds. Printed on recycled paper Month Year 2 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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Printed on recycled paper – May 2018 Content Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need ..................................................................................................... 5 Document Structure .................................................................................................................. 5 Location .................................................................................................................................... 5 Purpose and Need for Action .................................................................................................. 12 Decision Framework ................................................................................................................. 9 Relationship to the Forest Plan ................................................................................................. 9 Management Direction.............................................................................................................. 9 Public Involvement ................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2 – Alternatives ............................................................................................................. 13 Alternatives Considered in Detail ........................................................................................... 13 Design Features, Best Management Practices and Mitigation Measures Common to Alternative B and C ................................................................................................................ 16 Design Features, Best Management Practices and Mitigation Measures Specific to Alternative C .............................................................................................................................................. 16 Alternative B and C Implementation and Effectiveness Monitoring ...................................... 16 Chapter 3 - Environmental Consequences ................................................................................ 36 Soils and Watershed ................................................................................................................ 40 Air ........................................................................................................................................... 52 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................... 53 Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife .............................................................................................. 70 Threatened, Endangered and Proposed Species ...................................................................... 70 Plants ....................................................................................................................................... 86 Heritage Resources ............................................................................................................... 101 Recreation ............................................................................................................................. 102 Transportation ....................................................................................................................... 107 Scenery .................................................................................................................................. 109 Socio-Economics ................................................................................................................... 112 Climate Change ...................................................................................................................... 115 Public Health and Safety ....................................................................................................... 122 Chapter 4 - Consultation and Coordination ........................................................................... 126 ID Team Members: ............................................................................................................... 126 Federal and State Officials and Agencies.............................................................................. 126 Others .................................................................................................................................... 127 Chapter 5 – References ............................................................................................................. 129 Appendix A-Alternative B and C Maps ................................................................................ 137 Appendix B – Alternatives B and C Design Features, BMPs and Mitigation ...................... 147 Appendix C – Kisatchie NF Revised Land and Resource Management Plan Direction ...... 165 Appendix D – Alternative B and C Proposed Vegetation Treatments by Silvicultural Method, Stand, and Acres ....................................................................................................................... 1 Appendix E – Soil and watershed BMP’s ................................................................................. 5 Appendix F – Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) ..................................................... 13 Appendix G – Public Comment Summary ............................................................................. 46 Appendix H – Transportation Specialist Report ..................................................................... 49 Appendix I – Biological Evaluation........................................................................................ 68 Appendix J – Botany Report ..................................................................................................... 2 Appendix K – SHPO Concurrence ....................................................................................... 178 Appendix L – USFWS Concurrence ..................................................................................... 184 Environmental Assessment for Silhouette Ecosystem Management Project, Kisatchie NF i List of Tables Table 1. Summary of Alternatives Analyzed in Detail .............................................................. 3 Table 2. Alternative B and C Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) Roads to be Managed as Closed ............................................................................................................................. 15 Table 3. Alternative B and C Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) Closed Roads to be Managed as Open for Highway-Legal Vehicles Only .................................................................... 15 Table 4. Summary of Alternatives Analyzed in Detail ............................................................ 18 Table 5. Comparison of Environmental Consequences by Alternative ................................... 31 Table 6. Summary of Past Vegetation and Prescribed Fire Projects (2011 to 2016) ............... 38 Table 7. Summary of Current and Ongoing Vegetation and Prescribed Fire Projects ............ 38 Table 8. Current and Ongoing Other (Non Vegetation/Fire) Projects ..................................... 39 Table 9. Reasonably Foreseeable Projects Within the Project Area ........................................ 39 Table 10. Soil Types and Characteristics within the Silhouette Project Area ......................... 40 Table 11. Soil Erosion, Rutting and Compaction Potential by Soil Type ............................... 41 Table 12. Proposed, Committed and Predicted future Activities within Big Creek – Middle Subwatershed .................................................................................................................. 49 Table 13. Big Creek – Middle subwatershed Estimated Percent Increase in Sediment Yield 49 Table 14. Proposed, Committed and Predicted Future Activities within Big Creek - Upper Subwatershed .................................................................................................................. 50 Table 15. Big Creek - Upper Subwatershed Estimated Percent Increase in Sediment Yield .. 50 Table 16. Proposed, Committed and Predicted Future Activities within