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

Final Environmental Impact Statement Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project
Alternative 3 – Reduced Salvage Harvest
The same direct and indirect effects as Alternative 2 would apply. By not harvesting timber in
the wet areas, substantial increases in herbaceous vegetation growth and increased access to
permitted livestock would not occur in those sites. It may be beneficial to not create an attractant
or access for permitted livestock in these wet areas for ease of rangeland management in the
monitoring and management of the livestock.
Cumulative Effects:
There would be no cumulative effects to rangeland or rangeland management within the Rio de
Los Pinos Analysis Area.
Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of the Resources
There would be no irreversible or irretrievable commitment of resources if the proposed action is
implemented.
3.15 Transportation
Scope of Analysis
This section addresses the travel ways that could be used to assess, monitor, and haul timber
from the Analysis Area. The type of work required for each road and the costs associated with
the required work are displayed for the action alternatives. The direct and indirect effects of the
road system on the various Forest resources are addressed in the individual resource sections of
this document.
The transportation network that would be required to accomplish the objectives of the action
alternatives has been carefully analyzed and planned using aerial photography interpretation,
map analysis, and field reconnaissance. The main goals in preparing the transportation plan were
to minimize construction disturbance and to control impacts to the environment while safely and
efficiently accomplishing the goals of the proposed action.
Past Actions that have affected the Existing Condition
The transportation system into the Rio de Los Pinos Analysis Area was constructed to allow
access for recreation, range management, timber harvest, and fire suppression. Forest System
Road (FSR) 118 and FSR 118.1C provide vehicle access into the Analysis Area road network
from State Highway 17. Roads were constructed into the mid-portion of the drainage to
construct the Trujillo Meadows dam in 1956. The Analysis Area road network was added later
for timber, grazing, and recreation access. The original FSR 118 accessed the Trujillo Meadows
dam and continued in a north-west trend up the Rio de Los Pinos drainage to the present-day trail
head location that is used to access the South San Juan Wilderness. This road was originally
used for logging access. The upper part of Forest System Road 118 was later accessed by a
Chapter 3 – Affected Environment & Environmental Consequences Page 3-79