Environmental Assessment FOREST HEALTH INITIATIVE PROJECT December, 2017 Project Number: 47969 Mark Twain National Forest Ranger Districts: Willow Springs, Salem, Potosi, Eleven Point, Poplar Bluff Missouri Counties: Douglas, Howell, Dent, Iron, Washington, Reynolds, Shannon, Oregon, Carter, Ripley, Butler, and Wayne Mark Twain National Forest Forest Health Initiative Project Environmental Assessment 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). 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Mark Twain National Forest Forest Health Initiative Project Environmental Assessment Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 – PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION ............................................................................ 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1 Forest Health Initiative Project Location ................................................................................................. 1 Background and Project Area Setting ...................................................................................................... 3 Forest-wide Direction and Goals ............................................................................................................. 6 Forest Health Initiative Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action ....................................................... 8 Forest Health Initiative Proposed Action .............................................................................................. 10 Decision Framework .............................................................................................................................. 15 Public Involvement ................................................................................................................................ 16 Issues ...................................................................................................................................................... 17 Relationship of the Forest Health Initiative project to other documents ............................................... 18 CHAPTER 2 – ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED .................................................................................. 21 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Formulation of Alternatives ................................................................................................................... 21 Alternatives to be Evaluated in Detail ................................................................................................... 21 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study .............................................................. 24 Comparison of Key Issues and Treatments by Alternative ................................................................... 24 Mitigation Measures Common to All Action Alternatives.................................................................... 25 CHAPTER 3 – AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .......... 28 Background ............................................................................................................................................ 29 Physical Environment ............................................................................................................................ 33 Soils ................................................................................................................................................... 33 Hydrology Resource .......................................................................................................................... 45 Transportation .................................................................................................................................... 61 Biological Environment ......................................................................................................................... 69 Vegetation and Forest Health ............................................................................................................ 69 Wildlife Resources ............................................................................................................................. 82 Social and Economic Environments .................................................................................................... 114 Recreation ........................................................................................................................................ 114 Historic Properties ........................................................................................................................... 121 Economics ........................................................................................................................................ 127 Visuals ............................................................................................................................................. 132 Environmental Justice ...................................................................................................................... 145 CHAPTER 4 – PROJECT COORDINATION.................................................................................... 151 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................... 153 Appendix A: References ................................................................................................................ A-1 Appendix B: Glossary and Acronyms ............................................................................................ B-1 Appendix C: Compartment/Stand Treatment Activity Table ......................................................... C-1 Appendix D: Standards and Guidelines, Mitigation Measures and Best Management Practices . D-1 Appendix E: Oak Decline Phones .................................................................................................. E-1 Appendix F: Forest Health Initiative Project Maps ........................................................................ F-1 Mark Twain National Forest Forest Health Initiative Project Environmental Assessment (Page intentionally left blank) Mark Twain National Forest Forest Health Initiative Project Environmental Assessment CHAPTER 1 – PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION Introduction The Forest Service prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other relevant federal and state laws and regulations. This Environmental Assessment will disclose the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts that would result from the proposed action and alternatives. It also provides the supporting information for a determination to prepare either an Environmental Impact Statement or a Finding of No Significant Impact. Preliminary investigation via aerial detection flights and analysis of recent weather patterns indicate that areas of the Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) subjected to drought events are experiencing various stages of oak decline and mortality. This proposal is based on the need to harvest the declining red oak group (red oak, black oak, scarlet oak) and white oak in specific areas before they die. Some oak sprouting occurs by cutting trees before they die, which will help retain oak in those stands. Since dead oak stumps do not stump sprout, in areas with mortality, the dead oaks may be replaced by brushy fields consisting of mixed species (including suppressed trees from the understory). The composition of the remaining species would depend on numerous variables. However, this could result