Wildlife Specialist report

the Wilson’s phalarope analysis area, and 95 miles of motorized routes in the low to
middle elevation riparian bird focal species analysis area. These routes continue to cause
habitat loss and the potential for direct effects like collision, poaching, and collection.
The potential disturbance zone for cormorant areas is 456 acres, 1,587 acres in red-naped
sapsucker area, 105 acres for Wilson’s phalarope area, and 3,586 acres for low to middle
elevation riparian bird species focal area. Within these potential disturbance zones
motorized routes continue to cause the potential for disturbance, displacement, avoidance
and harassment. Increase in the level of use on these routes through time would increase
the potential for indirect effects.
Under this alternative you continue to have motorized cross country travel, dispersed
camping, and big game retrieval allowed across the Gila National Forest. These three
types of uses continue to have potential effect riparian birds. Additionally, these three
types of uses perpetuate the development of additional roads and motorized trails;
potentially allowing for the development of higher road densities. Under the no action
alternative through time the potential for the direct loss of individuals and habitat would
increase, as would the potential for disturbance affects to these species.
Action Alternatives (C, D, E, F, and G): Under all action alternatives motorized cross
country travel (see assumption) is no longer allowed. The change from the existing
condition is a 100% reduction in motorized cross country travel. In the cormorant
analysis area motorized dispersed camping is reduced by 100% under all action
alternatives; sapsucker analysis area 87 to 100%; snipe analysis area 87 to 100%; and 93
to 100% in the low to middle elevation riparian bird analysis area. For these focal
species the area of potentially affected habitat for motorized big game retrieval is reduced
by 100% under Alternative E, 89 to 100% under Alternative D, 7 to 50% under
Alternative F, 88 to 100% under Alternative G, and 0 to 25% under Alternative C. The
wide range of change between focal species under Alternative F is a reduction of 8% in
the cormorant analysis area; 28% reduction in the sapsucker analysis area; 7% reduction
in the snipe analysis area; and 50% reduction in the low to middle elevation riparian bird
analysis area.
Motorized areas are locations where we have had traditional uses like motorized camping
and OHV use. Under all action alternatives no areas currently exist in the different
riparian bird analysis areas, and no areas have been designated.
Under Alternative C, D, E, F, and G miles of motorized routes and trails and acres of
potentially affected habitat are reduced, respectively by