RIPARIAN BO (FWS-SB/WRIV-08B0680-09F0227) ANNUAL REPORTING 2017 BY THE SAN BERNARDINO NF Table 4. Design Criteria for Riparian Obligate Species UTS ARTO MYLF SWWF LBVI SBKR DOLE General Measures X = All known occurrences for that species; otherwise specific sites are listed. G-2: Appropriate personnel will be provided maps of T/E X X X X X X X occurrences and critical habitat and be given the avoidance/minimization direction for those sites and species. This includes Forest employees, volunteers and liaisons involved with activities such as road maintenance, trail maintenance, OHV patrols, adopt-a-trail programs, developed recreation and administrative sites, fire management, dispersed area patrols, environmental education, restoration/planting, fire crew training (e.g., line construction, tree felling). G-2 2017 Actions: SBNF biologists/botanists continue to coordinate and educate appropriate personnel on an ongoing basis to raise awareness of the issues, concerns, and locations. Hard copy map books were not created in 2017 but coordination and communication to ensure awareness of sensitive areas continued with appropriate staffs. Fire staff and Line Officers were provided the 2017 Updated Aerial Retardant Avoidance Area Map Books and pre-season training about the need to coordinate for activities in those areas. The mapped avoidance areas highlighted in the Aerial Retardant Avoidance Area Map Books cover the riparian T/E sites of concern. SBNF biologists continue to work with the GIS personnel to develop a layer of important source sites for coordination with internal and external entities. SBNF RIPARIAN BO MONITORING CY2017 (FWS-SB/WRIV-08B0680-09F0227) 2 G-12: Activities authorized under Special Use Permits that use X X - Condensed X - X - No X - No X X roads, trails, or developed sites in the habitat and disturbance uses, Condensed motorized motorized buffers and in critical habitat of T/E sites will follow these motorized or uses, vehicle vehicle events guidelines and the species-specific guidelines in the adjacent non- motorized or events would would be row: motorized, non- be permitted permitted Permit administrators will coordinate with Forest should be motorized, within the within the biologist/botanist. avoided at should be disturbance disturbance Only system roads, trails, and developed sites would be stream avoided at buffer of buffer of considered for events and special use permit (SUP) crossings stream SWWF SWWF activities. during crossings. occupied occupied No staging or stops will be allowed as part of the breeding habitat or habitat or event/activity in occupied T/E habitat during the season. No night-time within within critical breeding/flowering season. activities critical habitat during No night-time would be habitat the breeding Within one year of receiving the biological opinion, the San activities allowed. during the season. Non- Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) will send a letter to those would be breeding motorized groups that have annual motorized events using SBNF allowed. season. Non- uses (runs, roads/trails requesting that they plan their future events motorized mountain following these avoidance guidelines. uses (runs, bikes) would mountain be allowed At sites where T/E occurrences intersect or are close to system bikes) would year-round if roads or motorized vehicle trails, the SBNF may use counters be allowed associated to determine baseline levels of vehicle use on weekends and year-round if noise levels weekdays. These data may be used in the future to evaluate associated are SUP requests at those sites. noise levels considered are negligible. considered negligible. The relevant roads and sites include (but are not limited to): 3N61, 3N08, 3N93, Santa Ana River Road, 3N09; 2N56, SBNF RIPARIAN BO MONITORING CY2017 (FWS-SB/WRIV-08B0680-09F0227) 3 Table 4. Design Criteria for Riparian Obligate Species UTS ARTO MYLF SWWF LBVI SBKR DOLE Thurman Flats Picnic Area G-12 2017 Actions: Instead of sending a letter, the SBNF has determined that a different approach may be more effective and feasible. Over the past few years, event promoters that have been conducting events on an annual basis have been informed about the avoidance areas and advised to select routes that do not have seasonal restrictions or change the date of their event to outside the LOP. When an application from a new event promoter is received, these design features are included as conditions for any motorized event permit. Event coordinators can choose to use the seasonal avoidance guidelines by rerouting their events or changing the timing of the event. Otherwise, they have to work with the SBNF to conduct NEPA (likely with USFWS consultation). Aircraft Use A-1: Helicopter use would be avoided at sites with known X – during X – same as occurrences of T/E birds unless one of the listed exceptions is breeding SWWF met. Where these conditions cannot be met during fire-fighting season. operations (e.g., imminent threat to life and property), Exceptions emergency consultation under the Act may be required. include: 1) Protocol surveys have shown absence; or 2) heli- dipping/ drafting is limited to 2 hours on initial attack (total duration of use from first to last withdrawal) A-1 2017 Actions: FCRD: Three helicopter drafts from Lost Lake occurred on July 5, 2017, in support of the Cleghorn Fire. Total duration of drafting activities was one hour. MTRD: No helicopter operations occurred in any of the avoidance areas. SJRD: No helicopter operations occurred in any of the avoidance areas. SBNF RIPARIAN BO MONITORING CY2017 (FWS-SB/WRIV-08B0680-09F0227) 4 Table 4. Design Criteria for Riparian Obligate Species UTS ARTO MYLF SWWF LBVI SBKR DOLE A-2: For those T/E bird nest sites that are used frequently for X – during X – during heli-drafting or heli-dipping during emergencies, coordination breeding breeding with the appropriate Forest biologist is needed to delineate the season season best approach paths and hovering locations to reduce rotor wash in the nesting habitat. A-2 2017 Actions: The Riparian BO contains this Term and Condition: The Forest has developed a monitoring plan (Plan for Water Drafting /Extractions in Rare Species Habitats/Occurrences on the SBNF, signed January 2016) for willow flycatchers for areas subject to aerial water drafting. The Service was sent a copy of this plan in January 2016. In spring 2017, SBNF biologists conducted pre-season trainings with Fire personnel on the monitoring requirements in conjunction with the annual review for use of aerial fire retardant. MTRD=5/18/17; FCRD = 5/22/2017; SBATB = 5/22/2017 A-3: Non-emergency aircraft operations (e.g., routine law X – all X – all enforcement aerial reconnaissance, filming permits, and occupied occupied training exercises) will be maintained at a height to limit noise sites and sites and and rotor wash disturbance to nesting T/E birds. Where designated critical possible, the aircraft will maintain a height above-the-ground and habitat that does not result in rotor wash of riparian vegetation. SBNF proposed during law enforcement will share the maps with the areas of concern critical breeding with military cooperators and provide guidance regarding the habitat season need to avoid rotor wash. during breeding season A-3 2017 Actions: All helicopter-logging, filming permits, and other activities permitted under Special Use Permits (e.g., SCE powerline repairs and maintenance) that used helicopters on the SBNF used a height buffer over suitable/occupied SWWF/LBVI habitat during the breeding season or were rerouted away the habitat. A-4: Where possible, limit use of Type I helicopter to reduce Lost Lake Lost Lake impacts of rotor wash to nesting T/E birds while heli- and Jenks during the dipping/drafting. Lake breeding during season breeding season A-4 2017 Actions: See A-1 comments above. Fire Suppression and Law Enforcement FL-1: Continue coordination with Fire and Dispatch personnel X X X X X X X so that they know location of T/E occurrences and critical habitat to ensure that “resource advisors” are called on initial attack when fire or law enforcement activities occur. This includes annual coordination and distribution of maps delineating the T/E occurrences. SBNF RIPARIAN BO MONITORING CY2017 (FWS-SB/WRIV-08B0680-09F0227) 5 Table 4. Design Criteria for Riparian Obligate Species UTS ARTO MYLF SWWF LBVI SBKR DOLE FL-1 2017 Actions: Fire activity for 2017 on the SBNF was relatively light, with most fires being caught during initial attack. According to SBNF FICC dispatch, there was a total of 92 incidents for approximately 3,106 acres on NFS lands. Class G (5,000+ acres) = 0 fires; Class F (1,000-4,999 acres) = 1 fire (Holcomb); Class E (300-999 acres) = 2 fires (Mart and Manzanita); Class D (100-299 acres) = 1 fire (Tower); Class C (10-99 acres) = 6 fires; Class B (.26-10 acres) = 24 fires; and Class A (0-0.25 acres) = 58 fires. Fire and Dispatch use the Retardant Avoidance Area maps to assess the need for when Resource Advisors (READs) should be dispatched to fires. Typically, Resource Advisors are assigned to a fire during extended attack fires. In addition, Resource Advisors are usually contacted during initial attack if a fire is in/near a T/E area identified on the Retardant Avoidance Area maps. MTRD: For the Holcomb Fire, Drew Farr and Robin Eliason acted as READs. Dave Austin assisted with the aerial fire retardant mapping and reporting. Robin Eliason was assigned to the BAER team. SWWF habitat was affected by the fire (but not suppression or BAER actions). FCRD: Kim Boss or Angelica Mendoza acted as READs on the following minor fires: Dollar, Mias, Tower, Mart, Bryant 2, Hidden, Bridge, and Bridge 2 Fires. Scott Eliason acted as READ for the Bryant Fire. Retardant reporting for the Dollar Fire was conducted in July 2017 by Angelica Mendoza, though the mis-application occurred in a mapped water source, it did not occur in known T/E occupied habitat or Critical Habitat.