DECISION MEMO Prescribed Burn and Commercial Thinning ...

VIII. MITIGATION MEASURES
The Interdisciplinary Team discussed the potential impacts to soil productivity and wildlife
from prescribed burning.
While there are potential risks to impact soil productivity, the dormant season burns should
not reduce soil productivity. The recommended mitigation measures developed would ensure
a cooler burn, which reduces litter and duff removal. Relevant mitigation measures that limit
impacts to soil and water include, but are not limited to:
1. Water bar and seed all fire lines after the burn is complete.
2. Use hand tools when it is necessary to tie a fireline into stream channels.
3. Ensure that no more than 15% of an area will have mineral soil exposed as a result of the
burn.
4. Construct water bars at frequent intervals to slow surface runoff (See BMPs for
recommended
spacing for water bars).
5. Construct firelines in the floodplains with tracked equipment only when soil moisture
conditions are not excessively wet and rutting is not occurring.
6. Consolidate blocks for burning, where feasible, to limit the number of fire lines
constructed, which reduces erosion and sedimentation.
7. Limit fire in riparian areas. Fire entering these areas will be backing fires of low intensity.
(Under dormant season burning conditions, riparian areas are usually damp and fire does not
carry in these areas.)
8. No burning on weekends in Compartments 63 to protect forest visitors that might be
utilizing State Highway 176.
9. Use wet lines or backfires adjacent to private lands to protect private property from hot
fires that might damage facilities.
The District Zone Wildlife Biologist, along with consultation with US Fish and Wildlife
Service, identified mitigation Measures that limits the impacts to wildlife species, including
PETS species (USDA, 2011):
1. If a bald eagle roost site or nest occurs within the project area, the following protective
measures shall be followed: Sumter National Forest biological staff shall delineate a
protection zone around the roost site or nest that extends a minimum of 660 feet. Activities
that modify the forest canopy within this zone are prohibited. All management activities not
associated with bald eagle management and monitoring are prohibited within this zone during
the periods of use. (Roost use periods are determined through site-specific monitoring;
breeding use periods are defined from October 1 through June 15.)
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