T.F. Green Airport Improvement Program - FEIS Chapters - PVD

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationTable 4-35 Summary of Project Area Cover Types (2004)Approximate AreaCover Type Wildlife Utilizing Cover Type (acres)Forested Upland Small mammal, songbird nesting habitat 70Shrubland (Upland) Songbird foraging and nesting habitat 55.4Grassland and Agricultural Land Small mammal, songbird foraging habitat 121.1Forested Wetland Small mammals, songbird nesting/foraging habitat 42.6Scrub Shrub Wetland Songbird nesting/foraging habitat 38.4Emergent Wetland Songbird, waterfowl, muskrat 8.8Emergent Wetland Phragmites dominated Red-winged blackbird (poor quality habitat) 16.4Open Water (streams/ponds) Fish, migratory fish run, shellfish, waterfowl 9.2Tidal Habitats Waterfowl, wading birds, fish and shellfish 0Total Habitat Area 361.9In the Project Area, upland shrub cover approximately 55.4 acres and wetland scrub-shrub coversapproximately 38.4 acres. Upland shrub is also present in the landfill in the southern part of the Project Area,and is created and maintained in other parts of the Airport as part of the Vegetation Management Program.All of grassland habitats that occur within the Project Area are also located in the Study Area. Grasslands covermost of the Airport and are dominated by warm season grasses including little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium),poverty grass (Danthonia spicata), purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis), Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica),panic grass (Panicum sp.), and sheep fescue (Festuca ovina). Common forbs include bracted plantain(Plantago aristata), jointweed (Polygonella articulata), rabbit-foot clover (Trifolium arvense), and partridge-pea(Chamaecrista nictitans). Grasslands closest to the runways are mown frequently and have little value as wildlifehabitat (470 acres).Emergent wetland communities, including mown grassland, cattail stands, and common reed stands, occupyapproximately 25.2 acres of the Project Area. Wetlands dominated by the invasive common reed make up16.4 acres of this total and are especially prevalent in some reaches of Buckeye Brook south of Warwick Pondand south of Runway 16-34. The wetlands, waterways, and water bodies in the Buckeye Brook system east ofthe Airport provide important wetland wildlife and fishery habitat. Portions of Buckeye Brook and SpringGreen Brook support an anadromous (migratory) run of river herring from the coast into Warwick and SpringGreen Ponds. Shrub wetlands located in the Project Area mostly result from vegetation management wherewoody vegetation is periodically cut to maintain clear airspace.Approximately 42.6 acres of forested wetlands are present in the Study Area. This includes a small(approximately 1.4 acre) stand of Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) and 41.1 acres of broad-leaveddeciduous trees.Chapter 4 – Affected Environment 4-64 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH04_Affected_Env_JUL_2011.doc