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

Final Environmental Impact Statement Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project
relatively abundant in this analysis area. Harvesting spruce within this analysis area would not
appreciably change this relationship.
Alternative 3 – Reduced Salvage Harvest
Approximately 7.4% of the analysis area would be affected by treatment. The effect of timber
harvest on Structure Class is shown in Table 3.12-2. Treatment would affect the spruce/fir cover
type. There would be a reduction in Structure Class 5 with a corresponding increase in the other
Structure Classes. The analysis area would still be dominated by Structure Class 5 to the degree
that it has not already been fatally impacted by spruce beetles. Harvesting would thin these
stands, creating a more open-canopy plant community. There would be no direct impact on old
growth, since none is proposed for harvest in the analysis area. Structure class 5 in the analysis
area would continue to evolve and be shaped by predominantly natural processes under this
Alternative.
Cumulative Effects:
The cumulative impact of this Alternative would be a small increase in the harvested acres
within the analysis area over time. There would be a small temporary reduction in latesuccessional
forest. However, the salvage action itself would not create a cover type conversion
or create a permanent land-use allocation change on the landscape. Late-successional forest is
relatively abundant in this analysis area. Harvesting spruce within this analysis area would not
appreciably change this relationship.
3.13 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive (TES) Plant Species
Scope of Analysis
This analysis discusses plants that are Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, or Forest Service
designated Sensitive. The analysis area for this discussion is defined by the areas proposed for
management treatment under Alternatives 2 and 3.
Past Actions that have affected the Existing Condition
There have been previous activities in this Analysis Area. See Chapter 3, section 3.5 Forest
Management/Silviculture under the same heading for more information.
Existing Condition
There are presently no reported records or suspected occurrences of Threatened or Endangered
plants on this Forest. Threatened and Endangered plants in Colorado have unique habitats or
ranges that do not occur on this Forest. There are also no plants Proposed for listing by the US
Fish and Wildlife Service that occur on the Rio Grande National Forest. Therefore, no further
effects analysis is conducted below.
Chapter 3 – Affected Environment & Environmental Consequences Page 3-75