BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION FOR SENSITIVE PLANTS AND OTHER BOTANICAL RESOURCES Public Wheeled Motorized Travel Management Plan Stanislaus National Forest Pacific Southwest Region November 2009 Prepared by: _______________________________________________ Terri Walsh Botanical Resource Analyst Recreation Solutions Enterprise Team Washington Office Reviewed by: Sue Warren Travel Management ID Team Leader Approved by: Crispin Holland Forest Wildlife, Aquatics, and Botany Program Coordinator This biological evaluation has been prepared in accordance with direction in FSM 2672.4. It complies with 36 CFR 219.19 and 36 CFR 241.1. Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5 Purpose and Need .......................................................................................................... 5 Analysis Framework- Statutes, Regulations, Forest Plan, and other direction........ 5 Stanislaus National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) Standards and Guidelines 2005. ..................................................................................................................... 5 The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 USC 1531 et seq.) ................................................ 5 E.O. 13112 Invasive Species 64 FR 6183 (February 8, 1999................................................. 6 Forest Service Manual and Handbooks (FSM/H 2670).......................................................... 6 Monitoring ....................................................................................................................... 8 Mitigation and Other Requirements Common to All Action Alternatives.................. 8 Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................................... 8 Consultation to Date....................................................................................................... 9 Description of Project................................................................................................... 10 Alternatives Analysis.................................................................................................... 11 Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) ........................................................................................... 11 Alternative 2 (No Action) ..................................................................................................... 11 Alternative 5 (Resources) ..................................................................................................... 12 Analysis Area ................................................................................................................ 12 Existing Environment ................................................................................................... 15 Sensitive Plant Review ................................................................................................. 15 Sensitive Plant Species................................................................................................ 18 Species Accounts and Habitats ............................................................................................. 20 Upland and Midslope habitats .............................................................................................. 20 Moist Habitats – Meadows, Boggs, and Riparian areas: ...................................................... 23 Sensitive Plant Species Known or Expected to occur in Moist Habitat ............................... 23 Moist Habitat Descriptions for Sensitive Species:................................................................ 24 Lower Montane, Chaparral, and Woodland Habitats: .......................................................... 27 Watchlist Plant Species................................................................................................ 29 Effects to Watch List Species ............................................................................................... 29 Noxious and Invasive Weed Species .......................................................................... 30 Introduction........................................................................................................................... 30 Noxious Weed Management................................................................................................. 30 Habitat Vulnerability and Vector Methods........................................................................... 31 ISSUES AND INDICATOR MEASURES USED TO MEASURE EFFECTS .................. 34 Indicators Measures .............................................................................................................. 35 Measures used to determine effects to sensitive plant and sensitive plant habitats:............. 36 ASSUMPTIONS.............................................................................................................. 37 EFFECTS OF THE ALTERNATIVES............................................................................. 37 Impacts to Sensitive Plants ......................................................................................... 38 Effects to Sensitive Plants Common to All Alternatives........................................... 38 2 Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation Stanislaus National Forest Motorized Travel Management Direct Effects ........................................................................................................................ 39 Indirect Effects...................................................................................................................... 39 Meadows............................................................................................................................... 40 Weed Infested Routes ........................................................................................................... 40 Cumulative Effects................................................................................................................ 41 Past Management Activities: ................................................................................................ 41 Present and Foreseeable Management Activities: ................................................................ 42 Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) .................................................................................. 43 Alternative 2 (No Action) .............................................................................................. 47 Alternative 3 (Cross Country Prohibited) ................................................................... 50 Alternative 4 (Recreation – Action Alternative).......................................................... 52 Alternative 5 (Resources)............................................................................................. 56 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................... 59 Monitoring ............................................................................................................................ 59 Maintenance of Transportation Facilities ............................................................................. 59 Recommended Mitigations ................................................................................................... 60 Monitoring ............................................................................................................................ 61 MITIGATION FOR NOXIOUS/INVASIVE WEEDS......................................................... 63 EFFECTS SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 63 Determination of Effects....................................................................................................... 66 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 67 Appendix A Alternative 1 Additions to the NFTS with Direct Impacts to Sensitive Plants ........................................................................................................................................ 72 Appendix B Alternative 1 Additions to the NFTS with weed occurrences ............ 73 Appendix C Alternative 4 Additions to the NFTS with associated Direct Impacts to Sensitive Plants ............................................................................................................ 74 Appendix D Alternative 4 Additions with weed occurrences and associated Direct Impacts to sensitive plants .......................................................................................... 75 Appendix E Tables of Effects Alternative 5............................................................... 76 Appendix F Sensitive Plant and Watchlist Occurrences.......................................... 77 Appendix G Acres of Weed Infestation...................................................................... 78 Appendix H Comparison of Miles of Road Infested with Invasive Weed Species .79 List of Tables Table 1: Wheeled Over Snow Routes.....................................................................................11 Table 2 Sensitive Plant Species and Habitat Description .....................................................18 Table 3-Watchlist species ........................................................................................................29 Table 4 Noxious Weeds and Non-native