United States Department of Agriculture Environmental Forest Service Assessment 2015 Highwood Mountains Range Judith Ranger District, Lewis and Clark National Forest Cascade, Choteau and Judith Basin Counties, Montana For More Information Contact: Lewis and Clark National Forest Judith Ranger District Standford, Montana www.fs.fed.us/r1/lewisclark/projects 406-566-2292. 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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Environmental Assessment Table of Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................4 Location of the Proposed Project Area ..........................................................................................................4 Purpose and Need for the Proposal ...............................................................................................................5 Purpose for the Proposal ...........................................................................................................................5 Need for the Proposal ................................................................................................................................6 Who Will Make the Decision and What Will Be Considered .......................................................................8 Public Involvement ........................................................................................................................................9 Proposed Action and Alternatives .................................................................................................................9 Alternative 1- No Action(No Grazing) ................................................................................................... 10 Alternative 2-Current Grazing Management........................................................................................... 10 Alternative 3 – Proposed Adaptive Grazing Management ...................................................................... 11 Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action and Alternatives............................................................... 14 A: Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Activities ....................................................................... 14 B: Range .................................................................................................................................................. 14 Alternative 1 – No Grazing ................................................................................................................. 25 Alternative 2 – Current Management .................................................................................................. 25 Alternative 3 – Proposed Action - Adaptive Management .................................................................. 29 C: Watershed .......................................................................................................................................... 35 Alternative 1 – No-Action/No Grazing ............................................................................................... 46 Alternative 2 –Current Management ................................................................................................... 46 Alternative 3 – Proposed Action ......................................................................................................... 47 D: Fisheries ............................................................................................................................................ 49 Effects Common to All Alternatives ................................................................................................... 51 Conclusions by Alternative ................................................................................................................. 53 E: Economics ......................................................................................................................................... 57 Alternative 1 – No Grazing ................................................................................................................. 67 Alternative 2 – No Action (Current Grazing Program) ....................................................................... 69 Alternative 3 – Proposed Action ......................................................................................................... 70 Cumulative Effects .............................................................................................................................. 72 F: Wildlife .............................................................................................................................................. 73 Existing Condition ............................................................................................................................... 73 Threatened, Endangered, Candidate and Proposed Species ................................................................ 81 Sensitive Species ................................................................................................................................. 84 Sensitive Wildlife Species Analyzed ................................................................................................... 85 Management Indicator Species Analyzed ........................................................................................... 96 Migratory Birds ................................................................................................................................. 116 G: Soils .................................................................................................................................................. 126 Alternative 1 – No Action ................................................................................................................. 132 Alternative 2 – Current Management ................................................................................................ 133 Alternative 3 – Adaptive Management .............................................................................................. 134 H: Recreation ....................................................................................................................................... 136 Alternative 1 – No Action ................................................................................................................. 137 Alternative 2 – Current Management ................................................................................................ 138 Alternative 3 – Adaptive Management .............................................................................................. 138 I: Inventoried Roadless Areas .............................................................................................................. 139 Direct, Indirect and Cumulative Effects ............................................................................................ 140 J: Sensitive Plants ................................................................................................................................. 141 Existing Condition ............................................................................................................................. 141 i Name of Project Alternative 1 – No Action ................................................................................................................ 145 Effects Common to All Action Alternatives (2 and 3) ..................................................................... 146 K: Noxious Weeds .............................................................................................................................. 148 Alternative 1 – No Grazing .............................................................................................................. 150 Alternative 2 – Current Management ............................................................................................... 150 L: Heritage .......................................................................................................................................... 153 Alternative 1 - No Action ................................................................................................................. 156 Alternative 2 – Current Grazing Permits Renewed .......................................................................... 156 Alternative 3 – Adaptive Management Strategies ............................................................................ 157 Agencies and Persons Consulted .............................................................................................................