Environmental Assessment

AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES CHAPTER 3
Species Habitat
American marten concentrations of down logs in mature forest
Ponderosa Pine Habitats – Alternative 1, No Action, does not address any of the conservation strategies
recommended by either of the landbird conservation strategies. No management actions are proposed
under this alternative that would reduce the risk of damage or loss of these habitats from uncharacteristic
wildfire or bark beetle epidemic. Recovery of habitat, particularly late seral habitat, would take decades.
Both action alternatives address management strategies, specifically thinning and prescribe fire, for these
habitat types. Neither alternative would harvest snags except for reasons of safety. Neither would
remove trees larger than 21 inches dbh. Alternative 2 would close or decommission approximately 19
miles of existing system roads; Alternative 3, approximately 41 miles. Both alternatives include design
criteria and other mitigation measures to prevent the spread or introduction of noxious weeds.
Both action alternatives have the objective of improving forest health. Both would also result in the
creation of single-story LOS stands over the long-term. However, Alternative 2 treats fewer acres than
Alternative 3 and therefore has less of an affect, specifically canopy reduction, on existing stands with
high canopy cover levels than does Alternative 3. Additional discussion on effects in these types of
stands can be found in the following MIS section discussion on the northern goshawk.
In the short-term, 10 to15 years, both alternatives would result in changes in habitat for the focal species
of this type. Habitat for chipping sparrows would increase due to created openings and the thinning of
overstory trees. Long-term, habitat for this species would begin a long, slow decline. Short-term, there
would little or no effect on habitat for pygmy nuthatches and white-headed woodpecker. No snags would
be lost. Long-term, 10 to 15 years and longer, habitat both species would increase in response to
increased tree growth resulting from the thinning and canopies again close. Habitat for the flammulated
owl may increase in quality in both the short and long-term with openings being created (short-term) and
the development of thickets and larger structure (long-term). This species, although identified as a focal
species in mixed conifer but not ponderosa pine, is also associated with ponderosa pine habitats.
This habitat would become more stable as treated stands respond to management activities and the risks
of uncharacteristic wildfire and bark beetle attack are reduced. Fuel loadings would be reduced
potentially allowing for the return of the historic fire regime. In the long-term, the habitat for all of the
associated ponderosa pine focal species would be expected to improve in quality. Both alternatives create
more LOS habitat. There is only a marginal difference in acreage treated between alternatives in terms of
potential LOS habitat so there is no measurable difference between the alternatives for these species.
Cumulative Effects - Ponderosa Pine Habitats
Vegetation and fuel reduction activities proposed or implemented in ponderosa pine stands in adjacent or
nearby planning areas that improve the stability and quality of ponderosa pine habitat and aid in
developing more late-seral, single-story ponderosa pine habitat would provide better distribution of the
focal species associated with this habitat group in conjunction with all three alternatives. Alternative 1,
because there would be no treatments in this habitat group, would not improve the stability or quality of
these habitats nor would it promote the development of late-seral, single-story ponderosa pine habitat. A
limited amount of high quality habitat would remain within the planning area. With the current and
projected levels of risk to bark beetle epidemics and/or uncharacteristic wildfire events remaining in these
stands, a reduction in habitat for at least some of the focal species could occur over the long-term. As a
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