I. Introduction This document provides supplemental information to the Two Bit Vegetation Management Survey and Manage Compliance Document, dated March 22, 2010 (USDA Forest Service 2010a). Prior to the completion of the Two Bit Vegetation Management Final Environmental Impact Statement, changes occurred in the survey requirements for Survey and Manage category B fungi species. This document addresses those changes. The Category A & C vascular plant species Cypripedium montanum (CYMO2), Cypripedium fasciculatum (CYFA), and Eucephalis vialis (EUVI8) and the Category A bryophyte species, Ptilidium californicum (PTCA5) have been discussed in detail in the Two Bit Botany Biological Assessment/ Evaluation (USDA Forest Service 2010b) and will therefore not addressed in this document. This document focuses on the Survey and Manage Category B fungi. Botanical review for Survey and Manage (S&M) bryophyte, lichen, fungi, and vascular plant species has been completed for the Two Bit Vegetation Management Project, Happy Camp/ Oak Knoll Ranger District, Klamath National Forest. A. Location Information The Two Bit Vegetation Management Project encompasses all, or portions of the Louse, Two Bit, Bare, Snowbrush, Classic Hill, Kemper Gulch, Runaway, Doolittle, Bald Hornet, Grey Eagle, Kelly Lake and Twin Valley compartments on the Happy Camp Ranger District, Klamath National Forest. These compartments are located within the Indian Creek Watershed. The project area is north and west of the community of Happy Camp. Indian Creek is the primary drainage in the project area, and Mill Creek and Doolittle Creek are tributaries to Indian Creek. The legal description is all or portions of: Humboldt Meridian: Township (T)16N Range (R) 6E Sections 1- 4, 11; T17N R6E Sections 1- 4, 9- 16, 21- 28, 33- 36; T17N R7E Sections 2- 35 ; T17N R6E Sections 1- 5, 8-17, 20-30, 32- 36 ; T18N R7E Sections 3-10, 15- 22, 26- 35; T19N R6E Sections 32- 36; T19N R7E Sections 31- 33 Willamette Meridian: T41S R6W Sections 7- 9, 15- 18; T41S R7W Sections 12-14 For a map of the proposed project area, see the Two Bit Vegetation Management Final Environment Impact Statement (USDA Forest Service 2012). B. Species of Concern Only those species of concern that have potentially suitable habitat or documented occurrences in the proposed project area are discussed in this document. In summary, Category A&C species, “surveys required”, and Category B, D, and E species, “manage known sites”, are listed in Attachment 1, List of Survey and Manage Species and Category Assignment (USDA 2011a). Page 2 of 21 Two Bit Vegetation Management Project Supplemental Review of Survey and Manage Fungi C. Preliminary Botanical Review Pre-field review procedures were followed in accordance with currently available survey protocols. An office pre-field review was conducted to determine if suitable habitat was present within the proposed project area (USDA Forest Service 2009a). All S&M species requiring pre- disturbance surveys were considered during this review (USDA Forest Service 2009a). All areas proposed for ground-disturbing activities were assessed for the presence of suitable habitat. The objective of this review was to determine if protocol surveys would be required. Pre-disturbance surveys were not required for any fungi species. Botanical Pre-field Review: Appendices A-1, October 2, 2009; A-2, September 24, 2009; and A-3, September 30, 2009. Two Bit Vegetation Management Project file (USDA Forest Service 2009a). In 2010, a Survey and Manage compliance report was completed that addressed all species and categories for both the 2001 ROD and 2003 ROD (USDA Forest Service 2010a). A revised Appendix A-1 and A-2 were completed in June 2012 to reflect the current Survey and Manage species list provided as part of the 2011 Settlement Agreement (USDA Forest Service 2012a). As of 2012, one Category D fungi species, Cantharellus subalbidus, is known to be present within the project area, but not in an area where ground disturbing activities would occur. II. Current Management Direction (Regulatory Direction) In 1994, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management adopted standards and guidelines for the management of habitat for late-successional and old-growth forest related species within the range of the northern spotted owl, commonly known as the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) (USDA/USDI 1994). Mitigation measures were included for management of known sites, site-specific pre-habitat disturbing surveys, and/or landscape scale surveys for about 400 rare and/or isolated species, known as Survey and Manage, Protect from Grazing, and Protection Buffer species. In 2001, these agencies amended the Standards and Guidelines for these species to add clarity and provide more concrete direction for management of these species (USDA/USDI 2001). The document, referred to as the 2001 ROD, (Record of Decision and Standards & Guidelines) divided these species up into six categories (USDA 2001, Table 1-1) depending upon management objectives. The S&M species, their category assignments, and the management direction for each category can be found within the 2001 ROD Standards & Guidelines, pp. 6-14, and in Table 1-1. That information will only be summarized here. Of the six categories of S&M plants, only category A and C require surveys prior to habitat- disturbing activities in addition to protecting known or high-priority sites. For these categories, the Management Direction (S&G p.8) states: Surveys will be conducted at the project level prior to habitat-disturbing activities, and in accordance with Survey Protocols, to avoid loss of undiscovered sites by habitat- disturbing activities. Species sites found as a result of these surveys will be managed as known sites. Page 3 of 21 Two Bit Vegetation Management Project Supplemental Review of Survey and Manage Fungi Survey protocols currently exist for bryophytes, fungi, lichens, and vascular plants (USDA 1997a, 1998a, 1998b, 1998c, 1999, 1999a, 2002c, 2003, 2003e, 2008, USDA/USDI 2006e). Management Recommendations have been issued for bryophytes, fungi, vascular plants, and lichens (USDA 1997b, 1997c, 1998d, 1999b, 2000, USDA/USDI 2002d). An annual species review requirement was a part of the 2001 ROD. As information is gathered about species associated with old growth and late-successional forests, modifications will be made to survey and manage requirements. The 2001 Annual Species Review (ASR) was the first review under this requirement (USDA/USDI 2002b). The ASR memorandum (June 14, 2002) changed the category placement for species displayed in Table 1-1 of the 2001 S&M ROD. The species review added four lichen species to the list requiring pre-project surveys (Category A & C). Survey protocols have been prepared for these species, effective date October 18, 2002. (USDA 2002c). Survey requirements for these species do not apply to activities for which NEPA decisions or decision documents are signed earlier than one year after the survey protocols’ official release (USDA 2002b, p. 2). The 2002 ASR memorandum changed the category placement for species displayed in Table 1-1 of the 2001 S&M ROD, as amended June 14, 2002 (USDA/USDI 2003). Some species were removed from the list, and others changed category within the list, and additional information was presented about the species’ habitat and range. The 2003 ASR memorandum changed the category placement for species displayed in Table 1-1 of the 2001 S&M ROD, as amended December 19, 2003 (USDA/USDI 2003c). Some species were removed from the list, and others changed category within the list and additional information was presented about the species’ habitat and range. In addition, three of the six categories of S&M plants, Categories B, D, and E, require that existing known sites be managed, or that high-priority sites be managed. The 2001, 2002, and 2003 ASR changed category placement of some of these species also, removing some from the list entirely and changing the category placement of others. Species in these categories are to be managed according to currently available Management Recommendations. S&M exemption – On October 11, 2006, a US District Court decision (Case 2:04-cv-00844- MJP) held that all Forest Service and BLM authorized activities must comply with the 2001 ROD (USDA/USDI 2001) except for several specific activities. These exempted activities include (among others) 1) thinning projects in stands younger than 80 years old and 2) the portions of projects involving hazardous fuel treatments where prescribed fire is applied, except for any portion of a hazardous fuel treatment project involving commercial logging where treatment stands are older than 80 years old (USDA 2006f). Category B species - For Category B species, the 2001 Survey and Manage ROD requires the Forest Service and BLM to conduct strategic surveys to find additional new sites and to characterize the habitat, improving the ability of the Agencies to know where to survey and how to manage and conserve the species (USDA/USDI 2001)). The Forest Service and BLM may not sign NEPA decision documents for habitat-disturbing activities in old-growth forest in FY 2006 Page 4 of 21 Two Bit Vegetation Management Project Supplemental Review of Survey and Manage Fungi (FY 2011 for fungi) or later unless the agencies have completed strategic surveys in the province in which the project lies or equivalent-effort surveys have been conducted in the old-growth habitat to be disturbed. On April 3, 2006, the agencies released an instruction memorandum (USDA/USDI 2006e) disclosing that strategic surveys have not been completed for 9 Category B species (2 lichens, 4 bryophytes and 3 mollusks). Thus, equivalent effort surveys are required for these species if the agencies intend to authorize logging in old growth forest. The six plant species are Bryoria subcana, Tholurna dissimilis, Kurzia makinoana, Marsupella emarginata v. aquatica, Orthodontium gracile, and Tritomaria exsectiformis. The Two Bit Vegetation Management Project is not within range and habitat of these species.