United States Department of Environmental Assessment Agriculture Forest Kisatchie National Forest Service April 2010 Proposed Plan Amendment Prohibiting Dog-Deer Hunting Claiborne, Grant, Natchitoches, Rapides, Vernon, Webster, and Winn Parishes in Louisiana Responsible Official: Elizabeth Agpaoa Regional Forester, Region 8 USDA Forest Service Atlanta, GA For additional information, contact: Carl Brevelle Project Team Leader Kisatchie National Forest 2500 Shreveport Hwy Pineville, LA 71360 318-473-7154 [email protected] Kisatchie NF Dog-Deer Hunting Environmental Assessment April 2010 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or 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, audiotape, etc.) should contact 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, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 2 Kisatchie NF Dog-Deer Hunting Environmental Assessment April 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents 1 Introduction: Purpose of and Need for Change............................................. 5 1.1 Proposal ................................................................................................. 5 1.2 Purpose and Need .................................................................................. 5 1.3 Forest Plan Amendment ......................................................................... 6 1.4 Related and Referenced Documents ...................................................... 6 1.5 Location .................................................................................................. 7 1.6 Decision to be made ............................................................................... 7 1.7 Public Involvement ................................................................................. 8 1.8 Scoping Summary .................................................................................. 9 1.9 Issues ................................................................................................... 10 1.9.1 Significant Issues........................................................................... 11 1.9.2 Related Issues or Concerns .......................................................... 12 2 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action ................................................. 14 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 14 2.2 Descriptions of the Alternatives ............................................................ 14 2.2.1 Alternative 1 (No Action) ................................................................ 14 2.2.2 Alternative 2 (Proposal) ................................................................. 15 2.2.3 Alternative 3 (Designated Dog-Deer Hunting Areas) ..................... 15 Alternatives Eliminated from Detailed Study ................................................... 16 2.2.4 OA-1 – Different Arrangements of Dog-deer Hunt Areas .............. 16 2.2.5 OA-2 – Different Controls on Hunting Method ............................... 16 2.3 Comparison of the Alternatives ............................................................. 17 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ........................... 20 3.1 Public Safety (Issue 1) .......................................................................... 20 3.1.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 20 3.1.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 23 3.2 Recreation and Other Land Uses (Issue 2) .......................................... 24 3.2.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 24 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 25 3.3 Social and Economic Impacts (Issue 3) ................................................ 27 3.3.1 Social and Cultural ........................................................................ 27 3.3.2 Economic ....................................................................................... 33 3.4 Biology of White-tailed Deer (Concern 1) ............................................. 38 3.4.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 38 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 41 3.5 Disparity with State/Private Land Use Policies (Concern 2) ................. 42 3.5.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 42 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 45 3.6 Soil, Water, Air ...................................................................................... 46 3.6.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 46 3 Kisatchie NF Dog-Deer Hunting Environmental Assessment April 2010 3.6.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 47 3.7 Cultural Resources ............................................................................... 47 3.7.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 47 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 48 3.8 Vegetation – General ............................................................................ 48 3.8.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 48 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 49 3.9 Vegetation – Proposed, Endangered, Threatened, and Sensitive Species (PETS) ............................................................................................... 49 3.9.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 49 3.9.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 50 3.10 Wildlife – General Non-Rare Wildlife .................................................... 50 3.10.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 50 3.10.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 50 3.11 Wildlife - Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive, and Conservation species 51 3.11.1 Red-cockaded Woodpecker .......................................................... 52 3.11.2 Louisiana Black Bear ..................................................................... 53 3.12 Aquatics and Fish -- General ................................................................ 55 3.12.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 55 3.12.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 56 3.13 Aquatics and Fish – Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive, and Conservation species ...................................................................................... 56 3.13.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 56 3.13.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 57 3.14 Management Indicator Species ............................................................ 58 3.14.1 Affected Environment .................................................................... 58 3.14.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................... 59 3.15 Civil Rights and Environmental Justice ................................................. 60 4 List of Preparers .......................................................................................... 61 4.1 Core Interdisciplinary Team .................................................................. 61 4.2 Specialists ............................................................................................ 61 4.3 Other Contributors/Advisors ................................................................. 61 5 Individuals and Organizations Contacted .................................................... 62 5.1 Forest-wide Mailing List ........................................................................ 62 5.2 List of Government Agencies and Persons Consulted ......................... 66 5.3 Organizations and Media Sources ........................................................ 66 6 Bibliography ................................................................................................. 67 7 Appendices .................................................................................................. 69 7.1 Appendix A: Alternative 1 and 3 Maps ................................................. 70 7.2 Appendix B: Biological Evaluations ..................................................... 72 7.3 Appendix C: Rare Species on KNF ..................................................... 83 7.4 Appendix D: Response to Public Comments ....................................... 87 7.5 Appendix E: Social Issues and Effects Matrices