National Forests in Alabama June 2012 Environmental Assessment Enhanced Invasive Plant Control National Forests in Alabama Bibb, Calhoun, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Covington, Dallas, Escambia, Franklin, Hale, Lawrence, Macon, Perry, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, and Winston Counties, Alabama For Information Contact: Ryan Shurette Supervisor’s Office 2946 Chestnut St Montgomery, AL 36107 334.241.8143 Bicolor lespedeza (Lespedeza bicolor) infestation on the Talladega District. Bicolor displaces native herbaceous vegetation and can alter the fire regime in a stand, due in part to the properties of its leaf litter. This species currently threatens federally-endangered Red-cockaded woodpecker habitat on the NFsAL and is proving to be very difficult to eradicate. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) should contact the USDA's Target Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ii Summary All six Ranger Districts of the National Forests in Alabama (NFsAL) have individual district decisions in place to treat Non-native Invasive Plant Species (NNIPS) infestations. The current decisions cover a variety of control methods, including mechanical, hand-pulling, and some herbicide treatments. However, during the past several years of fighting invasive species issues on the districts, each of these decisions has been identified to have some specific limitations with regards to which invasive species, herbicides, and applications are covered for use. These limitations vary widely and therefore there is a need to revisit the Forest’s needs holistically, in response to invasive plant threats. NFsAL proposes to incorporate additional Forest Service risk- assessed herbicides, additional application methods, and additional non-native and selected undesirable native invasive species into the existing strategies. The proposed alternative in addition to the current NNIS decisions will increase the effacy of treatment activities used to control invasive plants in terrestrial, aquatic, and rare community settings. The project area will encompass the Bankhead Ranger District of the Bankhead National Forest, the Conecuh Ranger District of the Conecuh National Forest, the Oakmulgee, Talladega, and Shoal Creek Ranger Districts of the Talladega National Forest, and the Tuskegee Ranger District of the Tuskegee National Forest. This action is needed because it will allow more timely response to threatening invasive species not covered under the existing decisions, and provide for more efficient herbicide applications, which in some cases should result in a reduction of the total herbicide volume per infestation applied. Further, the proposed alternative will improve long-term health of forest lands and will better achieve the NFsAL Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (RLRMP) forest-wide goals, objectives and standards with regards to invasive species and Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR). In summary the proposed action is expected to improve the overall health of the forest, support the on-going, long-term process of replacing NNIPS-infested areas with native vegetation, reduce wildfire potential in some cases, provide protection for listed and/or rare plant populations, improve wildlife habitat, and meet the goals and standards of the RLRMP. In addition to the proposed action, the Forest Service also considered the following alternatives: No action – This alternative provides for no additional methods or herbicides in the management of nonnative and undesirable native invasive plants. This alternative continues current management, implementing existing decisions for NNIS treatment and control. Non-native invasive species treatment only – Under this alternative only non- native invasive plant species treatment would be allowed within the project area. Under this alternative, no native terrestrial or native aquatic weeds would be treated, outside of those covered by other decisions. No herbicide – Under this Alternative no herbicides would be used. Only non-chemical means would be used for this alternative and no herbicides would be used outside of those covered by existing decisions. iii Figure 1: Kudzu infestation on FSR 930, Tuskegee Ranger District iv Chapter 1 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Document Structure The Forest Service has prepared this Environmental Assessment in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations. This Environmental Assessment discloses the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts that would result from the proposed action and alternatives. The document is organized into four parts plus appendices: (1) Introduction: This section includes information on the history of the project proposal, the purpose of and need for the project, and the agency’s proposal for achieving that purpose and need. This section also details how the Forest Service informed the public of the proposal and how the public responded. (2) Comparison of Alternatives, including the Proposed Action: This section provides a more detailed description of the agency’s proposed action as well as alternative methods for achieving the stated purpose. These alternatives were developed based on significant issues raised by the public and other agencies. This discussion also includes possible mitigation measures. Finally, this section provides a summary table of the environmental consequences associated with each alternative. (3) Environmental Consequences: This section describes the environmental effects of implementing the proposed action and other alternatives. This analysis is organized by Alternative. Within each section, the affected environment is described first, followed by the effects of the No Action Alternative that provides a baseline for evaluation and comparison of the other alternatives that follow. (4) Agencies and Persons Consulted: This section provides a list of preparers and agencies consulted during the development of the environmental assessment. (5) Appendices: The appendices provide more detailed information to support the analyses presented in the environmental assessment. Additional documentation including more detailed analyses of project-area resources and annual treatment areas can be found at the respective Ranger District offices. 1.2 Background Southern forest systems, both public and private are currently being threatened by Non-native Invasive Plant Species (NNIPS). Their prevention and control is critical to the stewardship responsibility of the Forest Service. Invasive species know no boundaries. They span landscapes, ownerships and jurisdictions and are spreading at an estimated rate of 1.7 million acres per year across forests and grasslands, and cost the United States billion of dollars each year. Invasive plants threaten ecosystem function, water availability, economic stability, forest production and human health. Second only to direct habitat destruction, invasive species are the greatest threat to native biodiversity and alter native communities, nutrient cycling, hydrology and natural fire. 1 On February 3, 1999, Executive Order #13112 was issued establishing the National Invasive Species Council. This order also directed Federal Agencies to prevent the introduction of invasive species, to provide for their control, and to minimize the economic, ecological and human health impacts that invasive species cause. The invasive species threat has been identified by the former Chief of the Forest Service as one of the four significant issues affecting National Forest System lands. In 2008, the National Forests in Alabama (NFsAL) completed the NFsAL Non-native Invasive Plant Species (NNIPS) Strategy with intent to reduce, minimize or eliminate the potential for introduction, establishment, spread and impacts of invasive species across the national forests and the surrounding lands. All six Ranger Districts of the NFsAL currently have individual district decisions in place to treat NNIPS infestations. The current decisions cover a variety of control methods, including mechanical, hand-pulling, and some herbicide treatments. To date, several infestations have been successfully treated and have now been eradicated from some locations. Although NFsAL continues to actively treat invasive species annually, there are still many extant infestations on stands. The past several years of fighting invasive species threats on the districts has brought to light specific limitations in each of the existing district decisions, with regards to which invasive species, herbicides, and applications are covered for use. These limitations vary widely and therefore there is a need to revisit the Forest’s needs holistically, in response to invasive plant threats. The Tuskegee NNIPS Control EA (2009) was the latest and most inclusive decision and will serve as the general the template for this analysis. NFsAL proposes to incorporate