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

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Final Environmental Impact Statement Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project species are common in mixed-conifer forests, many of which also occur in the spruce-fir system on the Rio Grande National Forest. Avian species of management interest include the American three-toed woodpecker (Forest Service Region 2 (R2) Sensitive), olive-sided flycatcher (R2 Sensitive and Colorado Bird Conservation Plan {BCP} Priority Species), boreal owl (R2 Sensitive and Colorado BCP Priority Species), hermit thrush (management indicator species (MIS)), brown creeper (MIS) and the Hammond’s flycatcher (Colorado BCP Priority Species). Other spruce-fir associated species that occur or may occur in the Rio de los Pinos Analysis Area include the mountain chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, pine grosbeak, pine siskin, and ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets. Mammal Species: Some mammals that occur or may occur in the Rio de los Pinos Analysis Area include Rocky Mountain elk (MIS), mule deer (MIS), Canada lynx (Federally Threatened), American marten (R2 Sensitive), black bear, short-tailed and long-tailed weasels, southern redbacked vole, least chipmunk, red squirrel, snowshoe hare, porcupine, heather vole, hoary bat, and little-brown bat. Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects Threatened, Endangered, or Proposed Species Table 3.8-1 is a summary of the findings for Threatened, Endangered, or Proposed wildlife species. Table 3.8-1. Summary of Findings for Threatened, Endangered, or Proposed species. Species General Habitat 1 No Action Canada lynx Felix lynx canadensis Mexican spotted owl Strix occidentalis lucida Southwestern willow flycatcher Emidonax trailii extimus Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly Boloria acrocnema Mixed conifer forests and aspen/willow/shrub- steppe. Steep canyons with a Douglas-fir, white fir, ponderosa pine/pinyonjuniper component Riparian habitats along rivers, streams or other wetlands, where dense growths of willows or other shrub and medium-sized trees are present Alpine habitat above 11,000 feet with a snow willow component 2 Full Salvage Harvest (Proposed Action) NLAA NLAA NLAA NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE 3 Reduced Salvage Harvest Chapter 3 – Affected Environment & Environmental Consequences Page 3-36
Final Environmental Impact Statement Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project The Biological Assessment prepared for Threatened and Endangered (T&E) species considered four species and determined that suitable habitat exists for only one, the Canada lynx. Canada lynx is further analyzed in each alternative for the Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project. Mexican Spotted Owl, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, and Uncompaghre Fritillary Butterfly were not further analyzed due to lack of suitable habitat present within the analysis area. For this project, there will be no effect to the Mexican Spotted Owl, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, or Uncompaghre Fritillary Butterfly or their habitat. The Rio de los Pinos Analysis Area occurs within the Rito Archuleta Lynx Analysis Unit (LAU). This LAU encompasses approximately 94,118 acres in size. Potential effects on the Canada lynx were assessed by comparing the LAU baseline conditions to changes predicted from the alternatives, in addition to analyzing how the project meets the Objectives, Standards, and Guidelines in the Southern Rockies Lynx Amendment (2008). Alternative 1 – No Action Under this alternative there are no potential direct impacts upon lynx as no new human activity would occur. The analysis area would slowly convert into lynx winter foraging or other habitat. Through time, a patchy distribution of deadfall, dead standing and newly regenerating trees and shrubs would likely occur across the landscape. Some areas would continue to provide denning or foraging habitat for lynx, and may even improve in quality as an abundance of coarse woody debris becomes available for denning, and as areas open up and the understory vegetation is released. Alternative 1 is expected to result in short-term negative influences on lynx due to tree mortality and loss of canopy cover. These changes may affect the manner in which lynx could potentially use the Analysis Area for denning, foraging, or travel purposes, with utilization of the area being reduced as canopy cover is reduced due to natural tree mortality and then, in the longer term, the area might provide good winter foraging habitat and some potential den sites. Changes may also affect the habitat of lynx primary prey, the snowshoe hare. Overall, changes within this area would be expected to benefit snowshoe hare as increased light and nutrients reach the ground and understory vegetation is released, providing food and cover for snowshoe hares (one of the primary prey items for lynx). This area is adjacent to other areas having a backcountry or wilderness prescription, which will not be harvested, in addition to being adjacent to the southern County Line vegetation management project areas (which are being treated somewhat differently than treatments proposed in this area). Cumulatively, if this area is not harvested, it will be expected to respond to this event very similarly to the backcountry and wilderness areas surrounding it, resulting in more homogeneous habitat across the landscape than would be expected under either of the action alternatives. Chapter 3 – Affected Environment & Environmental Consequences Page 3-37
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