Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Biological Assessment/Evaluation Motorized Travel Management Plan Stanislaus National Forest Stanislaus National Forest Pacific Southwest Region USDA Forest Service November 2009 Prepared By: /s/ Jason Pyron Date: 2/4/2009 Jason Pyron Wildlife Biologist Revised By: /s/ Aileen M. Palmer Date: 11/6/2009 Aileen M. Palmer Wildlife Biologist Approved By: /s/ Crispin Holland Date: 11/6/2009 Crispin Holland Journey-level Wildlife Biologist Approved By: /s/ Steve Holdeman Date: 11/6/2009 Steve Holdeman Journey-level Aquatic Biologist TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 2. CONSULTATION TO DATE ......................................................................................................... 2 3. CURRENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION .................................................................................... 2 4. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................... 3 Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) .................................................................................................. 3 Alternative 2 (No Action) ............................................................................................................. 6 Alternative 3 (Cross Country Prohibited)..................................................................................... 8 Alternative 4 (Recreation) ........................................................................................................... 8 Alternative 5 (Resources) .......................................................................................................... 11 Mitigation and Other Requirements Common to All Alternatives .............................................. 12 5. ASSUMPTIONS .........................................................................................................................14 6. EFFECTS OF THE PROJECT ALTERNATIVES .......................................................................14 General Effects .......................................................................................................................... 14 Terrestrial Wildlife ...................................................................................................................... 17 Threatened and Endangered Species .................................................................................. 17 Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle, Desmocerus californicus dimorphus ....................... 17 Sensitive Species .................................................................................................................. 23 American Marten, Martes americana ............................................................................... 23 Pacific Fisher, Martes pennanti pacifica ........................................................................... 32 California Wolverine, Gulo gulo luteus ............................................................................. 39 Sierra Nevada Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes necator .............................................................. 43 Townsend’s Big-eared Bat, Corynorhinus townsendii ...................................................... 47 Western Red Bat, Lasiurus blossevillii ............................................................................. 48 Pallid Bat, Antrozous pallidus ........................................................................................... 48 Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus ............................................................................. 50 California Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis occidentalis ..................................................... 57 Great Gray Owl, Strix nebulosa ...................................................................................... 116 Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis ............................................................................. 125 Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus ............................................................................... 149 Willow Flycatcher, Epidonax traillii ................................................................................. 152 Aquatic Wildlife ........................................................................................................................ 156 Effects Common to all Aquatic Wildlife ............................................................................... 156 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................................ 158 Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi ............................................ 158 California Red-legged Frog, Rana aurora draytonii ....................................................... 161 Sensitive Species ................................................................................................................ 171 Foothill Yellow-legged Frog, Rana boylii ........................................................................ 171 Mountain Yellow-legged Frog, Rana muscosa ............................................................... 180 Western Pond Turtle, Clemmys marmorata ................................................................... 189 Yosemite Toad, Bufo canorus ........................................................................................ 202 Hell Hollow Slender Salamander, Batrachoseps diabolicus .......................................... 211 7. COMPLIANCE WITH THE FOREST PLAN AND FWS MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES AND PROJECT DESIGN CRITERIA ............................................................................................. 213 American Marten ............................................................................................................ 213 Pacific Fisher .................................................................................................................. 213 California Spotted Owl .................................................................................................... 214 Northern Goshawk .......................................................................................................... 214 Bald Eagle ...................................................................................................................... 215 Peregrine Falcon ............................................................................................................ 216 Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle ................................................................................. 216 Lahontan Cutthroat Trout ............................................................................................... 217 California Red-legged Frog ............................................................................................ 218 Western Pond Turtle ....................................................................................................... 220 8. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................222 1. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this document is to evaluate and disclose the effects of the Stanislaus National Forest (STF) Motorized Travel Management project to threatened, endangered, and sensitive wildlife species; pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, the National Forest Management Act (1976), Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2670.32, the Stanislaus National Forest Land Management Plan (USDA 1991), as amended by the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (SNFPA) Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) (USDA 2004). The STF “Forest Plan Direction” presents the current Forest Plan management direction, based on the original Forest Plan as modified through the Forest Plan appeals and amendment processes (USDA 2005). On April 4, 2008, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) website (USDI 2008) was accessed to obtain a list of threatened and endangered species that may occur on the STF (Table 1). It was re-accessed on October 27, 2009, to verify the list (USDI 2009). The Regional Forester’s list of Sensitive Species for Region 5 identifies sensitive species that may occur on the STF (Table 1) (USDA 2007a). For detailed descriptions of these species and their habitat preferences, the reader is referred to the SNFPA FEIS (USDA 2001). Table 1. Endangered, Threatened, and Sensitive species considered in this analysis. Addressed in Detail in Common Name Scientific Name Status1 this BA/BE Invertebrates Desmocerus californicus Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle dimorphus T X Fish Delta Smelt Hypomesus transpacificus T Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi T X Paiute Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarki seleniris T Central Valley Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss T Hardhead Mylopharodon conocephalus S Reptiles and Amphibians California Red-legged Frog Rana aurora draytonii T X California Tiger Salamander Ambystoma californiense T Relictual Slender (Hell Hollow) Salamander Batrachoseps relictus S X Limestone Salamander Hydromantes brunus S Yosemite Toad Bufo canorus S X Foothill Yellow-legged Frog Rana boylii S X Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Rana muscosa S X Western Pond Turtle Clemmys marmorata S X Birds Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus S X California Spotted Owl Srix occidentalis occidentalis S, MIS X Great Gray Owl Strix nebulosa S X Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis S X Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni