Biological Opinion Activities Affecting the Northern Long-Eared Bat on Eastern Region National Forests FWS Log #03E00000-2015-F-0001 Prepared by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Regional Office Bloomington, Minnesota November 3, 2015 Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... iv Consultation History .................................................................................................................... viii Biological Opinion .......................................................................................................................... 1 1 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 Action Area ........................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Description of the Proposed Action ...................................................................................... 3 1.2.1 Timber Harvest ............................................................................................................... 4 1.2.2 Prescribed Burning ......................................................................................................... 6 1.2.3 Road Construction/Reconstruction/Maintenance/Decommissioning ............................. 6 1.2.4 Trail Construction/Reconstruction/Maintenance/Decommissioning ............................. 7 1.2.5 Habitat Improvement/Non-Timber Clearing .................................................................. 7 1.2.6 Design Criteria ................................................................................................................ 7 1.2.7 Summary of Proposed Action......................................................................................... 8 1.3 Tables and Figures for Proposed Action ............................................................................... 9 2 Status of the Species/Critical Habitat ........................................................................................ 14 2.1 Species Description ............................................................................................................. 14 2.2 Biology ................................................................................................................................ 15 2.2.1 Hibernation ................................................................................................................... 15 2.2.2 Migration ...................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.3 Reproduction ................................................................................................................ 16 2.2.4 Foraging Behavior ........................................................................................................ 17 2.2.5 Home Range ................................................................................................................. 17 2.3 Distribution and Abundance ................................................................................................ 18 2.4 Habitat ................................................................................................................................. 19 2.4.1 Winter Habitat .............................................................................................................. 19 2.4.2 Spring Staging .............................................................................................................. 20 2.4.3 Summer Habitat ............................................................................................................ 20 2.4.4 Fall Swarming............................................................................................................... 23 2.5 Threats ................................................................................................................................. 23 2.6 Summary of Species’ Status ................................................................................................ 27 2.7 Tables and Figures for Species’ Status ............................................................................... 27 3 Environmental Baseline ............................................................................................................. 27 3.1 Status of the Species within the Action Area ...................................................................... 28 3.1.1 Distribution and Abundance ......................................................................................... 28 3.1.2 Estimation of Forest Populations .................................................................................. 28 3.2 Factors Affecting Species’ Environment within the Action Area ....................................... 33 3.3 Summary of Environmental Baseline ................................................................................. 34 3.4 Tables and Figures for Environmental Baseline ................................................................. 35 4 Effects of the Action .................................................................................................................. 38 4.1 Effects Analysis Methodology ............................................................................................ 38 4.2 Timber Harvest .................................................................................................................... 41 4.2.1 Literature Review for Effects of Timber Harvest ......................................................... 41 4.2.2 Stressor-Exposure-Response Pathways for Timber Harvest ........................................ 44 4.2.3 Estimation of Population Effects from Timber Harvest ............................................... 46 4.3 Prescribed Burning .............................................................................................................. 47 4.3.1 Literature Review for Effects of Prescribed Burning ................................................... 47 4.3.2 Stressor-Exposure-Response Pathways for Prescribed Burning .................................. 49 4.3.3 Estimation of Population Effects for Prescribed Burning ............................................ 51 4.4 Road Construction/Reconstruction/Maintenance/Decommissioning ................................. 52 4.4.1 Literature Review for Effects of Roads ........................................................................ 53 4.4.2 Stressor-Exposure-Response Pathways for Roads ....................................................... 53 4.4.3 Estimation of Population Effects from Roads .............................................................. 54 4.5 Trail Construction/Reconstruction/Maintenance/Decommissioning .................................. 55 4.5.1 Literature Review for Effects of Trails ......................................................................... 55 4.5.2 Stressor-Exposure-Response Pathways for Trails ........................................................ 55 4.5.3 Estimation of Population Effects from Trails ............................................................... 56 4.6 Habitat Improvement/Non-Timber Clearing ....................................................................... 56 4.6.1 Literature Review for Effects of Non-Timber Clearing ............................................... 56 4.6.2 Stressor-Exposure-Response Pathways for Non-Timber Clearing .............................. 56 4.6.3 Estimation of Population Effects from Non-Timber Clearing ..................................... 58 4.7 Interrelated and Interdependent Actions ............................................................................. 58 4.8 Summary of Effects ............................................................................................................. 59 4.9 Tables and Figures for Effects of the Action ...................................................................... 62 5 Cumulative Effects ..................................................................................................................... 77 6 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 77 ii 7 Incidental Take Statement .......................................................................................................... 81 7.1 Amount or Extent of Take Anticipated ............................................................................... 83 7.2 Effect of the Take ................................................................................................................ 85 7.3 Reasonable and Prudent Measures ...................................................................................... 85 7.4 Terms and Conditions ......................................................................................................... 86 7.5 Monitoring and Reporting Requirements ............................................................................ 88 8 Conservation Recommendations ............................................................................................... 89 9 Reinitiation Notice ..................................................................................................................... 89 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................