Environmental Assessment

ALTERNATIVE DESCRIPTION – ALTERNATIVE –TREATMENTS CHAPTER 2
Access to harvest units C311, C313, C314, and P322 would require the construction of 1.05 miles of
temporary road. These roads would be obliterated upon completion of harvest activities. Closure
methods would be the same as described for Alternative 2.
Mechanical harvest and temporary road construction activities proposed by this alternative are projected
to result in detrimental soil damage (compaction) above the 20 percent standard in a total of nine (9)
medium tree harvest units (C302, C303, C305, C308, C314, C324, C332, C336, and C339) including
seven (7) that also include small tree harvest (C303, C308, C314, C324, C332, C336, and C339).
Approximately 47 acres would be subsoiled to reduce detrimental soil impacts to either at or below 20
percent for those units that currently do not exceed the standard (units (C302, C303, C305, C308, C314,
C324, C332, and C339)) and to either current levels or below for those units that currently exceed the 20
percent standard.(unit C336). An additional one (1) acre associated with the decommissioning of system
roads would also be done in small tree harvest units P305, P317, and P321.
Fuel Reduction Treatments in Xeric Shrublands and Forest Stands
This alternative also proposes fuel reduction treatments on an additional 10,108 acres. Of this total, 5,658
acres, units F04, F05, F11, F15, F20, F21, F23, F34, F36, F38, F39, would include pretreating by the
falling of all trees four (4) inches dbh and smaller using chain saws and then underburning. Pretreatment
would eliminate ladder fuels. Treatments would create a mosaic of treated and untreated areas. With the
exception of units F05, F15, F20, and F21, 60 to 80 percent of each unit would be treated. In unit F20, 40
to 60 percent of the unit would be treated. In units F05, F15, and F21, 50 to 70 percent of the unit acres
would be treated. In units F05 and F21, underburning would be concentrated in areas of extreme fire
behavior potential along Road 18 and feathering the treatment away from the road. Where the fire
behavior potential is rated as moderate, no pretreatment or underburning would be implemented.
A total of 101 acres along Roads 18 and 23 would be pretreated by felling all trees four (4) inches dbh
and smaller to reduce ladder fuels, grapple piled, and the piles burned followed by mowing of understory
shrub vegetation as described under Alternative 2 (units F29, F31, and F40). Slash would be piled using a
ground based machine with a grapple arm capable of reaching out 18 to 20 feet and would be restricted to
a single pass to minimize soil disturbance. No acres would be treated by the combination of pretreatment,
machine piling, burning the piles, and underburning. In units F31 and F40, located along Roads 23 and
18 respectively, the unit width would average approximately 150 feet on each side of the road.
Approximately 60 to 80 percent of each unit would be treated resulting in a mosaic of treated and
untreated areas.
A total of 341 acres (units F09 and F17) would be pretreated by felling all trees four (4) inches dbh and
smaller to reduce ladder fuels, hand piled, the piles burned, and units underburned. Unit F09 would be
underburned in stages because of slope and stand conditions. Unit F17 surrounds and includes the Pine
Mountain Observatory special use permit site. Portions of the unit near and below the observatory would
require full treatment; the remaining other portion would be underburned. Moderate levels of treatment
would be implemented around the Pine Mountain campground. Approximately 60 to 80 percent of each
unit would be treated resulting in a mosaic of treated and untreated areas.
A total of 138 acres (units F14, F35, and F41) would be pretreated by felling all trees four (4) inches dbh
and smaller to reduce ladder fuels followed by mowing and underburning as described under Alternative
2. Approximately 60 to 80 percent of each unit would be treated resulting in a mosaic of treated and
untreated areas. In units F14 and F35, located along Roads 18 and 2017 respectively, unit widths would
average approximately 150 feet along each side of the road.
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