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

More documents

Recommendations

Info

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
Final Environmental Impact Statement Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project moves into Units #2 and #1 there will be approximately 58-60 trees per acre and Unit #1 will begin to transition back into the contiguous stand of spruce evident outside the project boundary. Visitors will still see evidence of harvesting activities, but to a lesser extent in Unit #1 than in Unit #5. Figure 3.11-1 Photo showing the expected visual outcome with 38 trees/snags per acre in the south and 60 in the north. (Kelly Ortiz, Visual Nature Studio 2) Harvesting activities are expected to affect the Scenic Resources minimally, as most of the topography for this area is variable enough to allow the landscape to absorb harvesting activities without those activities dominating the landscape. In some areas along FSR 118 harvesting will be noticeable. However, these areas are not expected to dominate the landscape. Road construction and skid trail layout may affect the scenic resources of the area, as the overstory begins to disappear and more ground disturbance is evident. Cumulative Effects – Alternative 2 It is expected that loss of trees may additionally expose old disturbances from closed roads or may open viewsheds not yet known into previously harvested areas. This has the potential to expose to the visitor more harvesting activities than they may see if the standing trees were alive, Chapter 3 – Affected Environment & Environmental Consequences Page 3-71
Page 1 and 2:
United States Department of Agricul
Page 3 and 4:
Final Environmental Impact Statemen
Page 5 and 6:
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55 and 56: Final Environmental Impact Statemen
Page 105: Final Environmental Impact Statemen
Page 157:
Page 161:
µ Unit 3 Unit 4 Rio de los Pinos -
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
Page 172 and 173:
Page 175 and 176:
Jack Lewis Conejos Peak RD 15571 CR
Page 177 and 178:
Colorado Wild Page 3 Under alternat
Page 179 and 180:
Colorado Wild Page 5 to help provid
Page 181 and 182:
Colorado Wild Page 7 it is difficul
Page 183 and 184:
Colorado Wild Page 9 be avoided to
Page 185:
Colorado Wild Page 11 USDA Forest S
Page 188 and 189:
2-3 2-4 2-5 2-6
Page 190 and 191:
2-7 2-8
Page 192 and 193:
2-10 2-11
Page 194 and 195:
2-12 2-13 2-14
Page 196 and 197:
2-15
show all

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

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?