Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact South Fowl ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Trail closure standards and techniques are as follows: o The short hill leading to the bench area will be reshaped to its original contour and revegetated with species typical of the area. o Small trees (up to eight feet tall) will be transplanted to restore the affected area on the slope. o Transplanted trees will be added to the visible area from any road or trail intersection. o The segment overlapping the old Tilbury Trail will be obliterated with rocks, stumps and natural debris to prevent motorized incursion. If I, or any of my successors, determine that any one of the above criteria is met, that would trigger a switch from Alternative 2 to Alternative 4. Should the time come that the northern route will be closed; it will be done with physical measures similar to the Tilbury Trail. If conditions warrant a change, I am approving Alternative 4 for construction. Alternative 4 will be more of a standard design trail that includes the following actions: Clearing vegetation (tree and shrub, primarily with chainsaws) on a corridor 12-14 feet wide and approximately 1.9 miles long from McFarland Lake to the junction of South Fowl Road. Heavy equipment will be used to construct a 12 foot running surface for snowmobiles. There is a short exception to this; the new segment of trail constructed from Wooly’s Bluff Road through the woods to an intersection with Arrowhead Trail would be done with minimal heavy equipment use. That segment will be slower speed trail constructed by cutting as few trees as possible. The South Fowl Road would be used for the trail and during the winters when there might be logging and the road is plowed, safety signs will be used. The trail for the last 0.84 miles from South Fowl Road to the Lake would be widened to 12 to 14 feet similar to the section on the shoulder of Arrowhead Trail. The steep section of trail in section 11 will be constructed with switchbacks winding down the hill to create a trail wide enough for two sleds to pass each other, one going up and one going down. It will also have a design speed such that two snowmobilers can pass each other with reasonable safety. The parking area at the intersection of South Fowl and Arrowhead Trail will be bladed and resurfaced with crushed gravel. Signs will be placed to guide and regulate snowmobile traffic as well as warn other traffic at trail/road intersections. Barriers and gates will be installed to reduce opportunities for illegal OHV use of the Border Route Trail and other federal lands. Monitoring will be done by the Forest Service and potentially a cooperating group of citizens to assess any OHV use of this trail, to ensure erosion and sediment control measures are effective and to determine the presence or introduction of noxious non-native invasive plants. If determined to be a part of the grant in aid trail system, this alternative could be mechanically groomed. 14
Appendix A includes photos and discussion of trail layout and design. Specific design criteria and monitoring actions that are included with this decision are listed in Appendix B. All acreages and miles stated in the Decision Notice and South Fowl Lake Access Area EA are professional judgments based on computer analysis of G.P.S. locations. Small differences in actual on-the-ground harvest unit acreages and road and trail distances are possible. REASONS FOR THE DECISION In making my decision, I considered the environmental effects of the action and no action alternatives and how well each would meet the purpose and need of the McFarland South Fowl Lakes Area. I considered all issues and took into account the competing interests and values of the public. I am aware of the interactions between the various resources; the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of the proposed action on the different resources and have taken these into consideration in deciding to implement this project. Interestingly, the rationale for this decision is fairly simple. However the thought process behind the rationale is somewhat more complex and is outlined in the sections below. Safety-The Superior National Forest has a long standing policy of not permitting snowmobiles on the plowed surface of roads. Further, I have been working on a committee with Cook County to address similar concerns on County Roads. Alternative 2 completely separates snowmobile use from regular vehicle traffic, which I feel is the safest route. Scenery-Members of the public commented on the beauty of the topography above Royal Lake where Alternative 2 would be routed (see Figures 6 and A-10). It is an interesting thought that we should keep a form of recreation out of an area because of its beauty. My thoughts are different; one of the reasons I chose this route is because it does offer a glimpse of the outstanding beauty of the area to snowmobilers. Sights and Sounds of Snowmobiles-Public input has been interesting on this issue. People do not want to have their wilderness experience interrupted by the sounds or sights of snowmobiles. There are also cabin owners on McFarland Lake who do not want further impacts from noise of snowmobiles and the impacts of headlights along Arrowhead Road. Obviously one of these two groups will be impacted to some degree. Generally it could be said that sights and sounds outside a wilderness would be more common and acceptable. In this case all snowmobile use will be outside the wilderness. In reviewing the tradeoffs for this project, it is sure there are cabin users that will be impacted by sights and sounds from Alternatives 1, 3 and 4. In our patrols of the Royal Lake area we have yet to find evidence of winter BWCAW users, although someone may visit. I can conclude alternative 2 will affect the least people known to use the area. 15
Page 1 and 2: United States Department of Agricul
Page 3 and 4: INTRODUCTION This document describe
Page 5 and 6: Logged Area Logging trail ends here
Page 7 and 8: the “Lands Nobody Wanted”. This
Page 9 and 10: Congress clearly intended that land
Page 11 and 12: BWCAW) was revised following the co
Page 13: I am also approving the closure of
Page 17 and 18: has led me to believe those impacts
Page 19 and 20: Figure 7. Photo showing Tilbury Tra
Page 21 and 22: I will also mention that during thi
Page 23 and 24: “The Forest Service's oversight f
Page 25 and 26: “That is why it is so critical th
Page 27 and 28: CONSISTENCY WITH NATIONAL FOREST MA
Page 29 and 30: as orienteering, hunting, fishing,
Page 31 and 32: Royal Lake would not be affected by
Page 33 and 34: closure or the trail will be oblite
Page 35 and 36: soils. Where located on the bench a
Page 37 and 38: snowmobiles tried to ride down the
Page 39 and 40: Snowmobile Access Environmental Ass
Page 41 and 42: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact South Fowl ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?