Cold River Vegetation Management Project White Mountain National Forest, Saco Ranger District Greetings, This newsletter is a new format I am using to share information about projects. It is intended to give a brief overview of why we are developing this project, what actions we propose, and what results we would like to see on the ground. Your comments about the project are encouraged during this initial scoping period. There will be another opportunity to provide comments once we have completed our analysis. Where The Cold River Vegetation Management Project (Cold River Project) is located on the Saco Ranger District of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) in Chatham, Carroll County, and Beans Purchase, Coos County, New Hampshire and South Oxford, Stow, and Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine. Why The purpose of the Cold River Project is to implement the management direction in the 2005 WMNF Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The project would manage forest vegetation in the Charles River Watershed portion of the Cold River Habitat Management Unit (HMU) to improve landscape resiliency and diversify wildlife habitat; provide a sustainable yield of high-quality forest products to support the local economy; complete a site-specific assessment and implement actions related to the transportation system; and maintain or enhance the existing Forest character and recreational user experience. Project information is available on the WMNF Projects website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55348 Please send me your thoughts or concerns about this project. I also welcome your comments about this newsletter format. - James Innes, Saco District Ranger How to Comment: Let us know what you think by April 22, 2019. Address your comments to Charles Sharp, Cold River Interdisciplinary Team Leader. In an effort to reduce paper use, the Forest Service is emphasizing electronic correspondence throughout this project. Please see the enclosed postcard for more information. Please submit your comments through the online comment form accessed by clicking on "Comment on Project" on the right hand side of the project website (https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55348). Comments may also be submitted in writing to: Cold River Project, Saco RangerCold District, 33River Kancamagus Project Highway, Conway,Area NH 03818. The Project Area includes approximately 6,000 acres of the western portion of the Cold River Habitat Management Unit (HMU). The Forest Plan allocates lands to a variety of Management Areas (MA), each of which emphasizes particular goals, objectives, and desired conditions. The project area consists of about 5,300 acres of land within MA 2.1 General Forest Management, 70 acres within Semi-Primitive Recreation (MA 6.1), and 550 acres within Semi-Primitive Non-motorized Recreation (MA 6.2) with the remainder private inholdings. Portions of the Wild River and Caribou-Speckled Mountain Forest Plan inventoried roadless areas are within the project area. The area contains a mosaic of stands comprising a diversity of young and mature tree species, including a mix of northern hardwoods, spruce-fir, hemlock, aspen-birch, oak-pine, and mixedwood forest types. A small portion of the project area contains non- forested openings dominated by grass or shrubs, ponds, wetlands, or rock outcrops. Recreation with the project area includes the Deer Hill mineral collecting site managed through a permit system, several snowmobile trails including Evans Notch / Corridor 19 Snowmobile trail, Basin and Cold River Campgrounds, a number of hiking trails including Deer Hill, Basin Trail, Mount Meader, and Bald Face Circle Trails, fishing, boating, and other water related activities at the Basin Pond Reservoir and wildlife viewing at the Deer Hill Bog viewing area. Need for Proposal Stands within MA 2.1 lands were delineated, and a preliminary assessment of current conditions, including general stand type (hardwood and softwood) and tree heights was completed using LiDAR and aerial photography. These data and mapped Ecological Land Types (ELTs) were used to prioritize follow up field reviews that more thoroughly assess current stand conditions and characteristics. The last recorded sale occurred in the Cold River HMU occurred in 1965. Field observations suggest the last vegetation treatment within portions of the HMU was completed about 35 to 45 years ago. With the exception of permanent wildlife openings (PWOs), no regeneration-age (0-9 years old) stands were identified, about 20 percent of the area is in a young age class and the remainder is mature forest. Although, some of the stands are too young to harvest, or natural processes are resulting in desired conditions without active management, there are many other opportunities within this area to manage vegetation in a manner that promotes Forest Plan goals and objectives. The Forest Plan directs us to manage in a manner that sustains a healthy forest and uses the latest scientific knowledge to restore the land and forest where needed. We are to use sustainable ecosystem management practices to provide a diversity of habitats across the Forest, including various forest types, age classes, and non-forested habitats. Within MA 2.1, the WMNF is to manage vegetation using an ecological approach to provide both healthy ecosystems and a sustainable yield of high quality forest products, with a special emphasis on sawtimber and veneer. The project is needed to help meet the goals and objectives for wildlife and vegetation described in the Forest Plan and to increase forest health and vitality and resiliency of the Forest within the project area to the effects of climate change including insect and disease outbreaks. In 2015, the WMNF completed a Forest-wide Transportation Analysis Process (TAP) for long-term administration of the transportation system. This project is needed to complete a site-specific transportation analysis to review, implement or revise the final recommendations provided in the TAP for roads within the project area. The Forest Plan includes a goal to contribute toward satisfying demand for hobby collecting of minerals through environmentally sound development. The Deer Hill collecting area (3 sites totaling about 2 acres) has been managed under a permit for nearly 20 years. This project is needed to enhance opportunities for hobby collecting of minerals within this collecting area. Portions of the Evans Notch Snowmobile Trail between Deer Hill Road and Route 113 are located in wet areas that are creating resource concerns. This project is needed to address resource concerns and develop a sustainable solution for these trail segments. Currently, a mature forest canopy dominates the Basin and Cold River Campgrounds. Many of these trees are declining in health, and mature trees present potentially hazardous conditions due to dead limbs overhanging roads and campsites. The closed canopy also reduces light penetration, hindering understory development and resulting in inadequate screening between campsites, and between campsites and public access and roads. This project is needed to enhance the recreational user experience by providing safer and more aesthetic camping opportunities. Basin Pond Reservoir is stocked by New Hampshire Fish and Game with trout to sustain a catchable fishery. Opportunities to fish from the shore of Basin Pond Reservoir are currently limited and are especially challenging for persons with disabilities. The project would promote shared stewardship by increasing partnerships and volunteerism. This project is needed to enhance recreation fishing opportunities for persons with disabilities at Basin Pond Reservoir. The Deer Hill Bog Dam was built for waterfowl and provides wildlife viewing opportunities. Addressing beaver activity results in extensive on-going maintenance of the dam. The wetland would likely persist naturally without the dam because of the beaver activity. Deer Hill Road crosses below the dam. This project is needed to identify a long-term solution for the maintenance of the dam and wetland. Basin Pond Reservoir is a healthy ecosystem currently free of known aquatic invasive species infestations. Recreational activities such as boating can spread aquatic invasive species. Invasive species from an infected waterbody can become attached to boats, or tangled in propellers, anchor lines, or boat trailers. This project is needed to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species into Basin Pond Reservoir As the project develops, resource specialists will gather additional data to further refine the project’s objectives and more fully develop the proposed action. Comments received during public scoping will also inform this process. Cold River Project-specific objectives include the following: • Provide sustainably managed forest products to benefit local economies and communities • Update the Land Suitably Class of MA 2.1 lands with the project area • Meet wildlife habitat diversity objectives within the Cold River HMU: o Gradually convert stands situated on non-compatible ELTs to forest types consistent with land capability; ELTs are based on underlying soil types and other ecological factors o Maintain and/or increase less common habitat types including spruce-fir, aspen birch, and oak pine o Increase age-class and tree species diversity o Increase early-successional habitat o Maintain and/or increase permanent wildlife openings o Establish disease resistant chestnut trees in permanent wildlife openings • Complete a site