Wildlife Specialist report

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Merriam’s wild turkey analysis 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 to upland game 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 Mearn’s quail analysis area motorized dispersed camping is reduced by 93 to 100% under all action alternatives; and 95 to 100% in the Merriam’s wild turkey analysis area. For these focal species the area of potentially affected habitat for motorized big game retrieval is reduced by 100% under Alternative E, 94 to 96% under Alternative D, 20 to 95% under Alternative F, 93 to 96% under Alternative G, and 5 to 95% under Alternative C. Motorized areas are locations where we have had traditional uses like motorized camping and OHV use. In the Merriam’s turkey analysis area currently there are 3 acres of habitat being affect by a motorized area; and 9 acres of habitat in the Merriam’s wild turkey analysis area. Alternative E and D eliminate these acres of affected habitat, and the remaining action alternatives propose no change from the existing condition. Under Alternative D, E, F, and G miles of motorized routes and trails and acres of potentially affected habitat are reduced, respectively by 17, 25, 13, and 14% in the Mearn’s quail analysis area, and 30, 48, 20, and 21% in the Merriam’s wild turkey analysis area. Alternative C adds 15 miles of unauthorized routes in the Merriam’s wild turkey analysis area. In the Mearn’s quail analysis area the Alternative C reduces the mile of motorized routes by 7 miles. Alternative C is the only alternative that allows for an actual increase in miles of routes through the associated analysis areas. Because the Gila currently allows cross country travel most proposed routes even though unauthorized are currently being used. For the focal species and their associated analysis areas Alternative E adds 0 to 2 miles of routes, Alternatives D adds 3 to 8 miles, Alternative F adds 1 to 22 miles, Alternative G adds 2 to 23 miles, and Alternative C adds 3 to 53 miles of unauthorized routes. Alternative C is the only alternative that allows for an actual increase in miles of routes through the associated analysis areas. Because the Gila currently allows cross country travel most proposed routes even though unauthorized are currently being used. 126
Findings: Table 96: Mearn’s quail Gila National Forest management indicator species determination by alternative Management Indicator Species Alt. B Existing Condition Determination by Alternative Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E Alt. F Alt. G Mearn’s quail *NA NA NA NA NA Rationale for determination Under alternatives C, D, E, F, and G, the potential effects to upland game birds are reduced. The potential to affect individuals under all action alternatives still exists. Population and habitat trends for this species would not be affected by any of the action alternatives. *NA – No adverse effects to the population or habitat trends Table97: Merriam’s wild turkey determination by alternative Game Species Determination by Alternative Alt. B Existing Condition Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E Alt. F Alt. G Merriam’s wild turkey *NA NA NA NA NA Rationale for determination *NA – No adverse effects to the population or habitat trends Under alternatives C, D, E, F, and G, the potential effects to this upland game bird are reduced. The potential to affect individuals under all action alternatives still exists. Population and habitat trends for this species would not be affected by any of the action alternatives. Table98: Blue grouse New Mexico Partners in Flight high-priority species determination by alternative NMPIF High- Priority Species Alt. B Existing Condition Determination by Alternative Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E Alt. F Alt. G Blue grouse *NE NE NE NE NE Rationale for determination *NE – No effect Insects No motorized routes occur in spruce fir habitat; therefore, there would be no effect to this New Mexico Partners in Flight high priority migratory bird species or any other bird species that that occurs in this vegetation type. Table99: Insect species selected to be analyzed and rationale for selection Species Analyzed Rationale For Selection A notodontid moth FS Sensitive Nitocris fritillary FS Sensitive A may fly FS Sensitive Dashed ringtail FS Sensitive 127
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Gila National Forest Travel Managem
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that are on the Regional Forester S
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ALTERNATIVES and MITIGATION MEASURE
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AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT The Gila Natio
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In 1977, a study was published by a
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Regional Forester Sensitive Species
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MacGillivray’s Warbler HP Painted
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Barriers to Animal Travel or Moveme
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occupied sites, etc.). For habitat
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Issues identified during scoping re
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Elk (Game Species identified as spe
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Table 12 summarizes the harvest ind
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Table 14: Pronghorn Analysis Area -
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Bighorn Sheep (Forest Service Sensi
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Mule Deer (Gila Management Indicato
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Wide Ranging Carnivores Table19: Wi
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from a road, except when feeding. K
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HUC 1303020202 Hot/Cold Springs 195
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Percent Change -0.17% -20.66% -45.4
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Mountain Lion and Black Bear (game
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So under this alternative through t
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microhabitat in the desert landscap
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Southern red-backed vole (Forest Se
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largely unknown, but it is thought
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Small Mammals-Effects by Alternativ
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Beaver (Gila Management Indicator S
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White-nosed Coati, Western Red Bat,
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2% in the Hooded Skunk and Botta’
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The literature documents that a lar
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iparian (cottonwood/sycamore), and
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Reptiles and Amphibians-Effects by
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effects to the species and its habi
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Arizona Toad and Narrow Headed Gart
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Under this alternative you continue
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from grassland areas, and game bird
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Spotted Owl and determined that roa
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and Miller, 1997, Hamann et al, 199
Page 75 and 76: Shrub/Grassland vegetation types, a
Page 77 and 78: Table 49: Mexican Spotted Owl Criti
Page 79 and 80: The potential disturbance area in P
Page 81 and 82: Table 51: Mexican spotted owl feder
Page 83 and 84: Northern Goshawk (Gila MIS Species,
Page 85 and 86: Peregrine Falcon (Forest Service Se
Page 87 and 88: dates the species’ successful nes
Page 89 and 90: NMPIF High-Priority Species Alt. B
Page 91 and 92: Cavity Nesting Birds-Effects by Alt
Page 93 and 94: Findings: Table66: Hairy woodpecker
Page 95 and 96: 2008). The GBMA is primarily manage
Page 97 and 98: trees, and succulents dominated by
Page 99 and 100: New Mexico, where it is resident in
Page 101 and 102: Table 71: Analysis Area - Existing
Page 103 and 104: In these analysis areas the area of
Page 105 and 106: Neotropic Cormorant (Forest Service
Page 107 and 108: the Wilson’s phalarope analysis a
Page 109 and 110: NMPIF High Priority Species Common
Page 111 and 112: Gray Vireo (Forest Service Sensitiv
Page 113 and 114: Song Bird Summary: Table 82 list ro
Page 115 and 116: Costa’s Hummingbird (Forest Servi
Page 117 and 118: Plains Titmouse (Forest Service Sen
Page 119 and 120: For the focal species and their ass
Page 121 and 122: the forest edge (New Mexico Partner
Page 123 and 124: conifers with dense foliage. Limiti
Page 125: Merriam’s Wild Turkey (Ponderosa
Page 129 and 130: showed an increase in numbers from
Page 131 and 132: Insect - Effects by Alternative A M
Page 133 and 134: Dashed Ringtail (Forest Service Sen
Page 135 and 136: area. These routes continue to caus
Page 137 and 138: ecreational activities, game manage
Page 139 and 140: 6 th codes remains between 1.5 to 2
Page 141 and 142: Table 107: 5th Code 6th Code Waters
Page 143 and 144: MSO PACs Analysis Area 187,083 Acre
Page 145 and 146: HUC 1302020804 Alamocito Canyon Tot
Page 147 and 148: 6th Code Watershed Alt B Alt C Alt
Page 149 and 150: Forest Plan and Other Laws and Regu
Page 151 and 152: Topic Threatened & Endangered Speci
Page 153 and 154: Appendix A Gila National Forest Neo
Page 155 and 156: Oak-Juniper Acorn Woodpecker Dark-e
Page 157 and 158: Ponderosa Pine Acorn Woodpecker Chi
Page 159: Marsh/Open American Avocet Clark’
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