Final Environmental Impact Statement Rio de los Pinos Vegetation ...

Final Environmental Impact Statement Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project
Even though forest insects and diseases are seen as a catastrophic event that only changes the
landscape character, constituents may be concerned that this landscape has changed so
dramatically within a short time period. This may cause a mixture of negative and positive
responses from forest visitors. It is expected that the strongest concerns will come from visitors
using FDR 118.1A, the Continental Divide Trail, and dispersed recreation areas along heavily
traveled or “Sensitivity Level 1 Roads and Trails”. It is also expected that constituents will have
concern over the amount of human caused disturbances on the landscape as a result of insects
and disease. It is expected that there will be strong opinions on both sides of this issue.
Cumulative Effects – Alternative 1
There is a potential for more roads and trails to be seen on the landscape as the canopy opens up
which can negatively affect the scenic resources. However, there is also the potential that as the
landscape begins to open, there will be additional scenic diversity as new openings are formed
and others close in. This scenario can happen in as little as a few hours (if a wind event blows
through the stand) or several decades as trees begin to die off and fall. Many dead trees can
remain standing on the landscape for decades before falling over.
Alternative 2 – Full Salvage Harvest
This alternative was designed to harvest trees in a visually sensitive manner while creating
openings that mimic the characteristic landscape throughout the Project Area. This Alternative
projects harvesting all 5 Units proposed.
This Alternative attempts to meet the next lowest Scenic Integrity Objective of “Moderate”
through management techniques of harvesting in patches as well as salvage prescriptions. The
harvesting techniques take into consideration the whole Rio de Los Pinos Viewshed and were
designed to mimic current characteristic openings (either natural meadows or rock outcroppings).
The placement of these openings within the landscape allows access to the stands and minimizes
the amount of visual impacts. In addition, this Alternative attempts to mimic natural processes
on the landscape with an attempt to blend harvesting activities into the characteristic landscape.
This increases the possibility that harvesting activities remain less evident on the overall
viewshed.
This area is highly visible from the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, Forest Road 118,
and general forested lands surrounding the project area. Timber harvesting has taken into
consideration the next lowest Scenic Integrity Objective of “Moderate” on the landscape, to
allow harvesting activities to take place. For Units #5 the design criteria of the harvesting
activity leaves 38-40 standing live or dead trees 8” and above per acre to meet the current Forest
Plan standards and guidelines. This also allows for texture and color on the landscape while the
landscape transitions from the previous harvesting and the blow-down in the County Line Area
to the contiguous stands of timber in the Rio de Los Pinos Area. It also allows for understory
trees to remain (with the exception of trees less than 8” or fir trees that will be removed to access
larger diameter standing dead trees). As harvesting activities move north from Unit #5 to Units
#4 and #3 the trees per acre are increased to 48-50 trees per acre (of standing live and dead trees
8” and above) with small openings that mimic characteristic landscape conditions. As harvesting
Chapter 3 – Affected Environment & Environmental Consequences Page 3-70