Wildlife Specialist report

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Topic Wildlife - Mexican Spotted Owl 1 Wildlife - Mexican Spotted Owl 2 Wildlife - Mexican Spotted Owl 3 Wildlife - Mexican Spotted Owl 4 Wildlife - Northern Goshawk 1 Wildlife - Northern Goshawk 2 Wildlife - Northern Goshawk 3 Wildlife - Northern Goshawk 4 Wildlife - Threatened & Endangered Species 1 Wildlife - Threatened & Endangered Species 2 Wildlife - Threatened & Endangered Species 3 Wildlife - Threatened & Endangered Species 4 Wildlife - Threatened & Endangered Species 5 Direction 7C (page 213) Twin Sisters Creek, Cameron Creek 7D (page 218) Walnut Creek 7E (page 224) Goose Lake, Sheep Corral Creek, Gila River, Cow Creek, Bear Creek, Walnut Creek 7F (page 231) Meadow Creek, Trout Creek, Sapillo Creek, Gla River, Watson Mountain, Mogollon Creek 7G (page 237) 74 Mountain, Rain Creek, Mogollon Creek, Sacaton 8A (page 242) North Mesa, Brushy Mountain 9B (page 261) Slaughter Mesa, Gallo Mountain, Escondido Mountain, Mangas Mountain 9C (page 266) Mangas Mountain, Alamocito Canyon 9D (page 271) Sand Flat, Bull Camp, Gallo Mountain, Slaughter Mesa 9E (page 276) Apache Mountain, Negro Canyon, Whiskey Creek Limit human activity in protected activity centers during the breeding season. X Road or trail building in PACs should be avoided but may be permitted on a case-by-case X basis. Generally allow continuation of the level of recreation activities that was occurring prior to X listing. Emphasize maintenance and restoration of healthy riparian ecosystems through conformance X with forest plan riparian standards and guidelines. Management strategies should move degraded riparian vegetation toward good condition as soon as possible. Damage to riparian vegetation, stream banks, and channels should be prevented. Limit human activity in protected activity centers during the breeding season. X Limit human activities in or near nest sites and post-fledgling family areas during the breeding season so that goshawk reproductive success is not affected by human activities. The breeding season extends from March 1 through September 30. Emphasize maintenance and restoration of healthy riparian ecosystems through conformance with forest plan riparian standards and guidelines. Management strategies should move degraded riparian vegetation toward good condition as soon as possible. Damage to riparian vegetation, stream banks, and channels should be prevented. Manage road densities at the lowest level possible. Manage threatened and endangered animal, fish and plant habitat to achieve delisting in a manner consistent with the goals established with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish in compliance with approved recovery plans. Consult with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish on forest projects which may affect state endangered wildlife species. Threatened, endangered and sensitive species habitats found during project or management planning phases will be evaluated on the basis of best information available. Management requirements needed to maintain or enhance habitats for these species will be incorporated into implementation plans for individual areas. Habitat requirements for threatened, endangered, and sensitive species will take precedence over requirements for other species. When management practices are proposed in or likely to affect listed species habitat, a Biological Assessment and Evaluation will be conducted to assess impacts and determine needs for consultation or conference with the Fish and Wildlife Service or the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Consultation will be initiated for situations where listed or proposed listed species may or is likely to be affected. Monitor management within occupied and potential habitat of plants listed as threatened, endangered, or on the Regional Forester’s Sensitive Plant List. Manage sensitive species to sustain viability and prevent the need for listing as threatened or endangered. Forest- Wide X X X X X X X X 18
Issues identified during scoping related to terrestrial wildlife species Motorized Routes The proposed motorized routes specifically the type, extent, level of use and location of motorized routes may lead to resource, recreation, social and economic impacts. Motorized Dispersed Recreation Motorized dispersed camping within proposed designated corridors and areas may lead to resource, recreation, social and economic impacts. Motorized Big Game Retrieval The proposed motorized big game retrieval (MBGR) may lead to resource, recreation, social and economic impacts. Area The proposed designated area specifically for OHV activities may lead to resource, recreation, social and economic impacts. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES Ungulates Table 9: Ungulate species selected to be analyzed and rationale for selection Species Analyzed Rationale For Selection Elk Game species identified as species of concern during scoping Pronghorn Game species identified as species of concern during scoping Bighorn sheep Forest Service Sensitive Species The Arizona Game and Fish Department document that research related to road effects on ungulates did not begin until the 1970’s (Gagnon et al., 2007). Gagnon et al. (2007), literature review concentrated on traffic levels or road type effects on ungulates. Of the 53 sources reviewed 47% of the papers suggested deer were affected by traffic/road type, 84% elk, 80% bighorn sheep, and 100% pronghorn (Gagnon et al., 2007). Their findings suggest that wild ungulates do not always respond to the same level. As described in the analysis factor section, motorized and recreation effects to ungulates can be grouped into two analysis factors: 1. A greater potential for harvest or direct effects, and/or 2. Disturbance or indirect effects, avoiding or changing behavior in the area adjacent to where these type activities are occurring. Increases in ungulate harvest are associated with increased access. Rowland et al. (2005) states that elk vulnerability to harvest increases as open road density increases. This statement is supported by the literature (Unsworth et al. 1993, Gratson and Whitman 2000, and Hayes et al. 2002). Diefenbach et al. (2005) reported that deer hunters are 19
Page 1 and 2: Gila National Forest Travel Managem
Page 3 and 4: that are on the Regional Forester S
Page 5 and 6: ALTERNATIVES and MITIGATION MEASURE
Page 7 and 8: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT The Gila Natio
Page 9 and 10: In 1977, a study was published by a
Page 11 and 12: Regional Forester Sensitive Species
Page 13 and 14: MacGillivray’s Warbler HP Painted
Page 15 and 16: Barriers to Animal Travel or Moveme
Page 17: occupied sites, etc.). For habitat
Page 21 and 22: Elk (Game Species identified as spe
Page 23 and 24: Table 12 summarizes the harvest ind
Page 25 and 26: Table 14: Pronghorn Analysis Area -
Page 27 and 28: Bighorn Sheep (Forest Service Sensi
Page 29 and 30: Mule Deer (Gila Management Indicato
Page 31 and 32: Wide Ranging Carnivores Table19: Wi
Page 33 and 34: from a road, except when feeding. K
Page 35 and 36: HUC 1303020202 Hot/Cold Springs 195
Page 37 and 38: Percent Change -0.17% -20.66% -45.4
Page 39 and 40: Mountain Lion and Black Bear (game
Page 41 and 42: So under this alternative through t
Page 43 and 44: microhabitat in the desert landscap
Page 45 and 46: Southern red-backed vole (Forest Se
Page 47 and 48: largely unknown, but it is thought
Page 49 and 50: Small Mammals-Effects by Alternativ
Page 51 and 52: Beaver (Gila Management Indicator S
Page 53 and 54: White-nosed Coati, Western Red Bat,
Page 55 and 56: 2% in the Hooded Skunk and Botta’
Page 57 and 58: The literature documents that a lar
Page 59 and 60: iparian (cottonwood/sycamore), and
Page 61 and 62: Reptiles and Amphibians-Effects by
Page 63 and 64: effects to the species and its habi
Page 65 and 66: Arizona Toad and Narrow Headed Gart
Page 67 and 68: Under this alternative you continue
Page 69 and 70:
from grassland areas, and game bird
Page 71 and 72:
Spotted Owl and determined that roa
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and Miller, 1997, Hamann et al, 199
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Shrub/Grassland vegetation types, a
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Table 49: Mexican Spotted Owl Criti
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The potential disturbance area in P
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Table 51: Mexican spotted owl feder
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Northern Goshawk (Gila MIS Species,
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Peregrine Falcon (Forest Service Se
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dates the species’ successful nes
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NMPIF High-Priority Species Alt. B
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Cavity Nesting Birds-Effects by Alt
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Findings: Table66: Hairy woodpecker
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2008). The GBMA is primarily manage
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trees, and succulents dominated by
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New Mexico, where it is resident in
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Table 71: Analysis Area - Existing
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In these analysis areas the area of
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Neotropic Cormorant (Forest Service
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the Wilson’s phalarope analysis a
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NMPIF High Priority Species Common
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Gray Vireo (Forest Service Sensitiv
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Song Bird Summary: Table 82 list ro
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Costa’s Hummingbird (Forest Servi
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Plains Titmouse (Forest Service Sen
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For the focal species and their ass
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the forest edge (New Mexico Partner
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conifers with dense foliage. Limiti
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Merriam’s Wild Turkey (Ponderosa
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Findings: Table 96: Mearn’s quail
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showed an increase in numbers from
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Insect - Effects by Alternative A M
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Dashed Ringtail (Forest Service Sen
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area. These routes continue to caus
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ecreational activities, game manage
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6 th codes remains between 1.5 to 2
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Table 107: 5th Code 6th Code Waters
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MSO PACs Analysis Area 187,083 Acre
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HUC 1302020804 Alamocito Canyon Tot
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6th Code Watershed Alt B Alt C Alt
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Forest Plan and Other Laws and Regu
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Topic Threatened & Endangered Speci
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Appendix A Gila National Forest Neo
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Oak-Juniper Acorn Woodpecker Dark-e
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Ponderosa Pine Acorn Woodpecker Chi
Page 159:
Marsh/Open American Avocet Clark’
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