USFS-Pacific Northwest Region-6 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Forest Plans Amendment Forest Management Direction for Large Diameter Trees in Eastern Oregon and Southeastern Washington Environmental Assessment Pacific Northwest Region (R6) Oregon and Washington January 2021 Photo Credit: Mark Penninger, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, La Grande, OR Field Office 1 Adapting the Wildlife Standard of the Eastside Screens Responsible Official Jim Hubbard, Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment United States Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. 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USFS-Pacific Northwest Region-6 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Forest Service Planning Framework ................................................................................ 5 1.2 History of the Eastside Screens ....................................................................................... 5 1.3 Analysis Area ................................................................................................................... 7 1.4 Purpose and Need for Action .......................................................................................... 7 1.5 Need for Change .............................................................................................................. 8 1.6 Goals ................................................................................................................................ 9 1.7 Changes between Draft and Final Environmental Analysis ........................................... 10 1.8 Tribal Rights and Interests ............................................................................................. 10 1.9 Decision to be Made ...................................................................................................... 11 2 Proposed Action and Alternatives ......................................................................................... 11 2.1 Current Management Alternative ................................................................................. 12 2.2 Old Tree and Large Tree Guideline with Adaptive Management (Proposed Action) .... 13 2.2.1 Adaptive Management Strategy ......................................................................... 13 2.3 Old Tree Standard Alternative ....................................................................................... 15 2.4 Adaptive Management Alternative ............................................................................... 16 2.5 Standard with Exceptions Alternative ........................................................................... 16 2.6 Stability and Change Common to All Action Alternatives ............................................. 17 2.7 Alternatives Considered but Not Fully Analyzed ........................................................... 18 2.8 Compliance with NFMA-Substantive Requirements ..................................................... 19 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Effects ................................................................ 20 3.1 Vegetation ..................................................................................................................... 20 3.1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 20 3.1.2 Analysis Methods ................................................................................................ 20 3.1.3 Indicators ............................................................................................................. 20 3.1.4 Assumptions ........................................................................................................ 24 3.1.5 Affected Environment ......................................................................................... 28 3.1.6 Environmental Effects ......................................................................................... 33 3.2 Decaying Wood: Snags and Down Wood ...................................................................... 42 3.2.1 Composition, structure, and quality .................................................................... 42 3 Adapting the Wildlife Standard of the Eastside Screens 3.2.2 Green tree retention for future snag recruitment .............................................. 44 3.2.3 Down wood ......................................................................................................... 46 3.2.4 Affected environment ......................................................................................... 47 3.2.5 Effects to Decaying Wood ................................................................................... 51 3.3 Disturbance ................................................................................................................... 54 3.3.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................... 54 3.3.2 Effects Analysis .................................................................................................... 59 3.4 Social and Economic Resources ..................................................................................... 70 3.4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 70 3.4.2 Analysis Area ....................................................................................................... 70 3.4.3 Affected Environment ......................................................................................... 71 3.4.4 Environmental Effects ......................................................................................... 87 3.5 Aquatic Resources (Fisheries) ........................................................................................ 91 3.6 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................... 93 3.6.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................... 93 3.6.2 Environmental Effects and Indicators ............................................................... 105 3.7 Botany .......................................................................................................................... 120 3.7.1 Key Indicators .................................................................................................... 120 3.7.2 Analysis Methods .............................................................................................. 121 3.7.3 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 121 3.7.4 Environmental Effects ....................................................................................... 128 4 Cumulative Effects ............................................................................................................... 143 5 Public Involvement and Agencies and Persons Consulted .................................................. 146 5.1 Tribes ........................................................................................................................... 146 5.2 Stakeholder Engagement ............................................................................................ 146 5.3 Other Agencies ............................................................................................................ 147 6 GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................ 148 7 Literature Cited .................................................................................................................... 153 8 Appendix A-Botany Sensitive Species List ........................................................................... 192 9 Appendix B-Alternatives Crosswalk ..................................................................................... 207 10 Appendix C-1995 Eastside Screens ................................................................................. 219 11 Appendix D-Wildlife Effects Table .................................................................................. 232 12 Appendix E – Description of the Viability Outcomes ..................................................... 240 13 Appendix F – Related Plan Components ........................................................................ 241 USFS-Pacific Northwest