Environmental Assessment

ALTERNATIVE DESCRIPTION – ALTERNATIVE 2 – PROPOSED ACTION CHAPTER 2
No forest plan amendments would be required. Thermal and hiding cover levels would remain at current
levels.
Alternative 2 (Proposed Action)
This alternative would authorize the treatment of 6,468 acres of forest stands by commercial and noncommercial
harvest to reduce stand densities, reduce the risk of a large scale bark beetle attack, and
reduce fuel loadings. This includes 146 acres of regeneration harvest including 38 acres of clearcut
harvest in black bark ponderosa pine to reduce the incidence and spread of dwarf mistletoe and 108 acres
of shelterwood regeneration harvest in low vigor lodgepole pine to restock those acres with younger,
more vigorous trees and reduce the likelihood of insect attack. The remainder of the 6,468 acres treated
includes commercial thinning (trees between eight (8) and 21 inches dbh) on 1,620 acres; 2,355 acres of
commercial thinning with follow-up non-commercial thinning (trees generally less than eight (8) inches
dbh) of the residual understory; and non-commercial thinning of 2,347 acres.
Removal of small diameter material –posts, poles, biomass, and other solid wood fiber from noncommercial
harvest units may be permitted if economic conditions permit. Commercial harvest would
not remove any trees 21 inches dbh or larger for other than safety considerations. Within the treated
commercial and non-commercial harvest units 5,312 acres of non-harvest related fuel reduction
accomplished by a combination of underburning (3,704 acres) and burning beneath the tree dripline
(1,608 acres). Additionally, Alternative 2 includes 20,170 acres of fuel reduction treatments in xeric
shrublands and forest stands.
The proposed action includes the following activities:
Commercial Thinning Units
• Thin to create or maintain single story stands and culture large trees (1,620 acres);
• Thin to reduce stand competition, culture large trees and retain a combination of single story and
multi-story canopy (2,355 acres);
Regeneration Harvest Units
• Regeneration clearcut harvest to reduce the incidence and spread of dwarf mistletoe in ponderosa
pine (38 acre);
• Regeneration shelterwood harvest to reduce incidence of insects in lodgepole pine (108 acres);
Non-Commercial Thinning Units
• Thin to reduce stand competition, culture large trees and retain a single story canopy (2,347
acres);
Total: 6,468 acres
Fuels Reduction in Commercial Units
• Fuels Reduction units underburning (1,702 acres);
• Fuels Reduction units with burning beneath the tree dripline (1,323);
Fuels Reduction in Non-Commercial Units
• Fuels Reduction units underburning (2,002 acres)
• Fuels Reduction with burning beneath the tree dripline (285 acres)
Total: 5,312 acres Fuels Reduction within Commercial and Non-Commercial Treatments
Fuels Reduction in Xeric Shrublands and Forest Stands Units
• Underburning (5,299 acres);
• Burning beneath the tree dripline (2,064 acres) ;
• Pretreat (cut trees less than 4 inches dbh with follow-up underburn) and Underburn (9,553 acres);
• Pretreat, Machine Pile, Burn Piles, and Mow (147 acres);
2-2