Albion – Raft River Aspen United States Department of Agriculture Habitat Restoration Project Forest Service Scoping Report February 2017 Minidoka Ranger District, Sawtooth National Forest Cassia County, Idaho and Box Elder County, Utah Photo looking south towards Almo Park, Albion Division by Scott Soletti, October 6, 2014 1 For More Information Contact: Stacy Smith Minidoka Ranger District Office 2306 Hiland Ave South Burley, ID 83318 (208) 678-0430 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD- 3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. 2 Scoping Report Introduction and Current Conditions Aspen has been identified as a keystone species within ecosystems, contributing to not only vegetative biodiversity but also abundance of vertebrae and invertebrate organisms (Campbell and Bartos, 2001.) Quaking aspen (Populous tremuloides) is considered a pioneer species which regenerates following disturbance through root system clones. Research suggests that sage-brush and conifer replaces aspen cover types in the absence of frequent fires and heavy livestock and wildlife browsing (Campbell and Bartos, 2001.) These threats to the aspen cover-type are currently present on the Minidoka Ranger District (MRD). The fire return interval on the landscape has significantly been impacted by humans. Areas that historically burned frequently (for aspen, fire return intervals average between 20 to 60 years) have not burned in 100+ years. Lack of fire has allowed conifers and sage-brush to encroach within previously functioning aspen stands. Properly functioning aspen ecosystems provide benefits for many species and within the project area including mule deer, moose and elk along with cavity nesting birds, raptors and migratory birds that all use aspen for completion of their life cycle. Locally, aspen is a critical forage source for big game, especially during the summer and fall months. During the spring months, multi-age aspen stands provide excellent cover for mule deer fawns. The areas identified for the project encompass some of the larger aspen stands in close proximity to each other. Within the project area, the landscape is naturally broken and has numerous non- target acres included within the analysis area that are dominated by shrub species. However, proposed treatment will specifically target acres that have the potential to regenerate healthy, functioning aspen stands. Prescribed fire is proposed for the majority of treatments to restore aspen stands, however in some areas, hand treatment and pile burning is proposed where broadcast burning is not feasible. Figure 1 below shows the proposed treatments. Project Area This project is located in the Logger Springs area in the south end of the Albion Mountain Range near Elba, Idaho and in the George Peak area on the west end of the Raft River Mountains near Lynn and Yost, Utah. See Figure 1 below. 3 Scoping Report Figure 1. Project Area Map 4 Scoping Report Purpose and Need The purpose of this project is to restore aspen ecosystems in key wildlife habitats on the Minidoka Ranger District. Implementation of proposed treatments will progress towards meeting the Sawtooth National Forest Plan goals and Idaho Department of Fish and Game goals under the Mule Deer Initiative as they relate to aspen habitats. The need for this project is to ensure that the aspen component within these ecosystems does not decline to a point where it becomes eradicated from particular areas of the landscape where it exists now. In addition, these communities currently lack the multi-age structure described in healthy, thriving aspen habitats. Objectives of the Minidoka Aspen Restoration Project Improve wildlife habitat and overall biodiversity by restoring and regenerating aspen stands encroached by conifer. Improve overall ecosystem conditions by creating a “Properly Functioning Condition” (Campbell and Bartos, 2001) that is resistant and resilient to future disturbance. To reduce encroaching conifer species within targeted aspen stands Trigger aspen re-generation of 1,500 stems per acre from burning, on average. Improve big game summer and fall habitats to locally support viable, robust big game populations that meet population goals outlined in state big game management plans. Proposed Action The proposed action includes lop and scatter (slashing), cut and hand-pile, and prescribed fire treatments to reduce conifer encroachment and restore aspen. In areas with very little conifer encroachment, lop and scatter treatments would be used to remove conifers. In most areas, conifer encroachment has reached the point where prescribed fire would be used to set back the conifer species and spur aspen regeneration (Shepperd et. al., 2006.). Cut/hand-pile and/or lop and scatter treatments would be used for acres where prescribed burning is not feasible due to resource concerns or holding issues. Currently, 6,210 acres are identified for slashing and broadcast burning and 2,080 acres for hand cutting and pile burning. No broadcast burning is proposed in the Raft River Division. To achieve the desired mortality in the conifer species, slashing may be needed prior to burning in order to generate fuel loadings that would in turn, create the necessary fire behavior. Slashing broadens the prescription window so that a helitorch may be used on the target acres with minimal risk to the non-target acres and lessening the risk of an escape. Other options for burning would be hand-lighting and plastic sphere dispenser (PSD). Hand-lighting would occur anytime a black line is needed as a holding feature. Using drip torches allows crews on the ground to more easily regulate fire intensity and determine whether the unit is in prescription. In 5 Scoping Report turn, a heli-torch generates more fire intensity than a PSD, so depending on the environmental and weather factors the burn boss can choose the correct tool for the job. Pre- and post-treatment monitoring will occur to ensure project objectives are being met. As post-burn monitoring occurs, project design should provide room for managers implementing these treatments to adapt their fuels and prescribed fire treatments using adaptive management techniques to accomplish the project objectives. Based on the need for aspen restoration and guidelines set forth in the Forest Plan, the goal of these treatments will be to: Description of Treatment Prescriptions Three possible treatments would be available depending on the level of conifer encroachment within aspen stands. Stands with fewer than 50 conifer trees per acre would be lopped and scattered. This would involve cutting all conifer trees existing within the aspen clone to set back the conifer encroachment. Slash generated from the cutting would not exceed 24” (2 feet) in depth and would be scattered away from the bole of the tree to provide nutrients over a broad area as the material decomposes. Any aspen stems damaged during treatment would also be cut in order to spur new regeneration to create a multi-aged stand. The second treatment would target stands with more than 50 conifer trees per acre (on average). Lopping (slashing) treatments would be applied here as well, although the target would be to generate desired fuel and fire behavior conditions for prescribed burning. Prescribed burn objectives would be to create 80-100% mortality of conifer trees within aspen clones, on average. Cutting of conifer within these prescribed burn areas would be dependent on current fuel loading and only done where necessary to generate adequate fire behavior. Some areas may be determined to already possess sufficient ground fuels to generate the targeted fire intensity. The final treatment would be reserved for areas identified as needing treatment, but where underburning is not feasible. In these cases, conifer would be cut and hand-piled and then the piles burned at a later date. These prescribed fire treatments would be done using a helitorch under conditions that limits fire spread outside of target vegetation. Fuel loading generated from slashing and ability to generate heat with the helitorch allows fire managers to burn and meet objectives within the timber without posing a threat to non-timber vegetation. Short runs caused by preheating above timber stands would be expected, however, the further away from the heat pulse generated by the timber, the greater the decrease in pre-heating and associate fire behavior/spread.