CENTER HORSE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECT Seeley Lake Public Meeting January 19, 2016
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CENTER HORSE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECTSeeley Lake Public MeetingJanuary 19, 2016
Tonight… Overview of the Center Horse Landscape Restoration
Draft EIS
Why Here, Why Now?
Project Area
Purpose and Need
Alternatives
Alternative A - No Action
Alternative B - Proposed Action (commercial)
Alternative C – Non-commercial
Summary of Effects
Resource area break-outs for specific questions
30-35 min.
60 min.
Why Here, Why Now – The Beginning
Monture NFMA – Began in 2004 (guided by the Lolo NF Plan)
Center Ridge Project – 2007 – based on Monture NFMA & MFRC Principles Focus on retention and recruitment of ponderosa pine
Early discussions on restoration and collaboration – TWS, MFRC/LRC, CRC, Blackfoot Challenge
SWCC CFLRP Project – Collaborative Proposal accepted 2010. Three main objectives: Fuels mitigation
Forest restoration
Watershed improvement
Center Ridge evolved into Center Horse – Late 2010 Down stream/down valley actions by landowners and
partners
Public Involvement
Scoping, Summer 2012 Public meetings/field trips
29 comments received
Draft EIS, December 2015
Approximately 61,300-acre Project Area
Analysis Area OverviewPhysical Properties
Elevation: 4,100 ft. to 7,800 ft. Precipitation: 20 inches/yr. to 80 inches/yr. Habitat Types: Ponderosa Pine to Whitebark Pine Aspect: Primarily South-facing Geology/Terrain: Glaciated Metasedimentary rock Watersheds: Cottonwood and Monture Creeks drain from north
to south
Biological Significance Lynx Critical Habitat Grizzly Bear Recovery and Core Areas Elk Transitional Range (migratory corridor between summer
ranger and Clearwater Game Range) Bull Trout Critical Habitat Pure Westslope Cutthroat Trout Habitat Whitebark Pine Howell’s Gumweed, Western Pearlflower, Camas
Historical & Current Activities Timber Harvest
Grazing
Agriculture
Recreation
Roads
Fire
Land Ownerships
Cultural
Noxious Weed Control
Existing ConditionsRoads – High road densities, undersized stream crossings, poor road locations
Increased road maintenance costs
Simplified aquatic habitat conditions
Fish passage barriers
Impaired wildlife and riparian habitats
Presence of noxious weeds
Overall decrease in watershed resiliency
Existing Conditions
Vegetation – Past timber harvest, changes in ownership, fire suppression
Changes in age class/size class and stand structure from historic
Deviation from historic fire return interval esp. in mixed severity
Increased competition for resources in some stands
Increased susceptibility to insects and disease
Increased risk of uncharacteristic wildfire
Associated decrease in habitat diversity/biodiversity, especially in the non-lethal and mixed severity fire regimes
Desired Future Conditions Promote variety of vegetative structural stages, age
classes, and tree densities increasing resistance and resilience to disturbance.
Watershed resilience, such that watersheds absorb and release precipitation in a manner that maintains water flow, water temperature, channel characteristics (fish habitat), and aquatic populations.
Purpose and Need1. Improve/restore forest composition, spatial
arrangement and structure2. Restore fire-adapted ecosystems
1. Improve water quality
2. Restore or enhance fish and wildlife habitat
3. Conserve and improve soil resources4. Right size the existing transportation network to
meet public and administrative needs while at the same time eliminating unneeded roads and trails.
Veg. Treatment for Meeting P&N Reduce density of smaller diameter trees Reduce density of overstory trees, while still
retaining large trees, to promote fire-resilient stands
Use prescribed fire to mimic natural patterns and processes with resultant increases in habitat and native species diversity
Proposed Transportation Treatments Decrease overall miles of road, reducing long-term maintenance costs & impacts to aquatic/ watersheds through:
Road decommissioning
Road storage
Culvert removal
Decrease impacts of retained road system by: Road relocation
Culvert upgrades (capacity and AOP)
Increase drainage (BMPs)
Road narrowing and surfacing (where applicable)
• Weed Treatment coincides with these activities
Issues & Alternative DevelopmentConcerns expressed include:
Potential ecological harm due to thinning
Effects on white bark pine and sensitive/threatened plants
Old growth Suggested diameter limit
No treatment - focus on recruitment
No logging or roads
Effects of temporary roads
Effects on wildlife from harvest
Effects on private access
Effects of burning on noxious weeds
Alternatives
Alternative A – No Action No restoration, fuels reduction, or reforestation activities
would be implemented to accomplish project goals. However, ongoing Forest management activities would continue.
Ecosystem maintenance burning would occur on approximately 1,200 acres in Dick Creek, Monture, and Cave Creeks.
Aerial weed treatments would occur in the Horseshoe West project area, directly adjacent to and west of the analysis area. About 1,000 acres has been done and more will follow (640 acres planned in fall 2016/17).
Routine road (culvert replacement, road drainage, etc.) and trail maintenance would continue to occur, as would maintenance of all existing facilities, and wildland fire suppression and noxious weed control.
Approximately 40 miles of road would have BMP installed
Alternative B – Proposed ActionModifications from original Proposed Action (scoped)
Treatment acres reduced from 16,545 to 9,164 acres (excluded high quality lynx foraging habitat)
Culvert removals/replacements from 8 to 14
Removing small tree thinning acres within Lynx Analysis Units (28 acres)
Increase in temporary roads needed
Alternative B - Proposed Vegetation Treatments to Meet P&N
Treatment Type Acres in Analysis Area
Improvement Cut 35Improvement Cut/Slash/Underburn 859
Small Tree Thinning / Hand Pile and Burn/ Underburn 1,225
Regeneration Harvest / Slash / Underburn / Plant 40
Prescribed Fire 2,208
Prescribed Fire (Stand-Replacing Fire Regimes) 1,468Biomass or Small Tree Thinning / Machine or Hand Pile and Burn / Underburn
2,115
Variable Retention Harvest / Slash / Underburn / Plant 1,214
Total 9,164
Center Horse Landscape Restoration Project
Alternative BVegetation Treatments
Proposed Road TreatmentsProposed Treatment Approx.
MilesAdd to Official Road System (Total)
Add to Official Road SystemReconstructReconstruct & Add to Official Road System for Reroute
15.814.40.21.2
Construct System Road for Reroute 3.3Convert to Trail 4.5Decommission
Non-system RoadsSystem Roads
15714017
Store Existing Road (Total)Add to Official Road System & StoreStore NF System Road
27.616.311.3
Temporary/Short-term Specified Road *Alternative B onlyNew Construction – no previous roadNew Construction – on historical road template
217
14Travel Management Change 2.3
Alternative – C All proposed vegetation activities are non-commercial
Proposed road work is the same with some exceptions No temporary construction
Road BMPs on 40 miles vs. 100 miles
Alternative C - Proposed Vegetation Treatments to Meet P&N
Treatment Type Acres in Analysis Area
Improvement Cut 0Improvement Cut/Slash/Underburn 0
Small Tree Thinning / Hand Pile and Burn/ Underburn 3,340
Regeneration Harvest / Slash / Underburn / Plant 0
Prescribed Fire 2,208
Prescribed Fire (Stand-Replacing Fire Regimes) 1,468
Biomass or Small Tree Thinning / Machine or Hand Pile and Burn / Underburn 0
Variable Retention Harvest / Slash / Underburn / Plant 0
Total 7,016
Center Horse Landscape Restoration Project
Alternative CVegetation Treatments
Summary of Effects
Effects on Forested Vegetation
Effects IndicatorAlternative A
% ofLandscape
Alternative B% of
Landscape
Alternative C% of
LandscapeReduced tree and stand susceptibility to MPB and improved stand resilience if attacked
0 7 6
Reduced susceptibility and improved resilience to DFB 0 8 5
Reduced Stand Density (BA) 0 15 11
Increased Average Tree Diameter 0 15 11
Acres moved toward Historic Range of Variation (HRV) and Fire Return Interval (FRI)
0 15 11
Increased percent composition of at-risk shade-intolerant species on the landscape
0 15 11
Change of Species Composition Distribution 0 15 11
Effects on Fisheries and HydrologyAlternative A Short-term
Sediment spikes from culvert upgrade/removals
Long-term benefits Due to increase in accessible habitat
Sediment reduction from BMPS on 40 miles of road
No long-term benefits to watershed resiliency (no road decommissioning or re-routes)
Alternative B Short-term
Sediment spikes from culvert upgrade/removals
Sediment increases due to log haul and construction of temporary roads and road reroutes
Long-term benefits Due to increase in accessible habitat
Sediment reduction from BMPS on 100 miles of road
Benefits to watershed resiliency (road decommissioning and re-routes) (improved hillslope hydrology and improved road location)
No measureable increase in water yield Improved stream channel conditionsAlternative C
Same as B without the short-term impacts from log haul and temporary road construction
Effects on Other Resources Fire and Fuels
Sensitive Plants
Noxious Weeds
Soils
Wildlife
Range
Recreation
Inventoried Roadless Areas
Scenery
Heritage Resources
Economics
Air Quality
What’s NextDEIS Comment Period Ends on February 16th
Specific, concise, clear, relevant comments
Solution-oriented, management opportunities
IDT will review and respond to comments and adjust the DEIS to develop:
Final EIS and Draft Record of Decision (Spring 2016) Initiate consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Objection Period (Summer 2016)
Final Record of Decision (Fall 2016)
Implementation of some activities may begin in 2017
Questions?
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