, 

STANISLAUS NATIONAL FOREST 

BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION FOR SENSITIVE PLANTS 

ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT: Rim Fire Recovery Environmental Impact Statement 

PROJECT: Rim Fire Recovery 

RANGER DISTRICT: Groveland and Mi-Wok Ranger Districts 

DATE: August 22,2014 

This biological evaluation has been prepared in accordance with direction in FSM 2672.4. It is 

in compliance with 36 CFR 219.19 and 36 CFR 241.1. 

Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation 

Rim Fire Recovery 

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Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................ 3

CONSULTATION TO DATE ............................................................. 4

CURRENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ................................................... 4

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT................................................... 5

Project Location ........................................................................ 5

Primary Purpose ....................................................................... 6

Proposed Action and Alternatives ..................................................... 7

Activities Common to All Action Alternatives .................................. 7

Alternative 1 ............................................................................... 11

Alternative 2 ............................................................................... 11

Alternative 3 ............................................................................... 12

Alternative 4 ............................................................................... 13

Sensitive Plant Protection ............................................................. 14

EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ............................................................ 16

Project Area Plant Communities ................................................... 16

Sensitive Plant Review ............................................................ 20

Current Project Surveys ............................................................ 22

Past Surveys .............................................................................. 22

Species Accounts and Habitat Status .................................................. 23

EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT .................................................... 53

General Discussion ....................................................................... 54

Alternative 1 Direct and Indirect Effects ........................................... 58

Alternative 1 Cumulative Effects .................................................... 61

Alternative 2 Direct and Indirect Effects ........................................... 62

Alternative 2 Cumulative Effects ..................................................... 62

Alternatives 3 and 4 Direct and Indirect Effects ................................... 63

Alternatives 3 and 4 Cumulative Effects ........................................... 63

Compliance with Management Direction ........................................... 63

DETERMINATION OF EFFECTS .............................................................. 63

Summary ............................................................................... 64

Determination ...................................................................... 65

MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................... 74

REFERENCES ............................................................................... 75
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INTRODUCTION.

The purpose of this biological evaluation is to determine whether implementation of the Rim Fire 

Recovery project would result in a trend toward Federal listing of any Sensitive Plant species.

A Sensitive Plant is defined as a plant species "identified by a Regional Forester for which 

population viability is a concern, as evidenced by: "a. Significant current or predicted downward 

trends in population numbers or density." and "b. Significant current or predicted downward 

trends in habitat capability that would reduce a species' existing distribution." (FSM 2670.5 (19).

The overall purposes of this project are to 

 Capture the economic value of hazard trees and dead trees which pays for their removal 

from the

 forest and potentially for other future restoration treatments.

 Provide for greater worker and public safety.

 Reduce fuels for future forest resiliency.

 Improve road infrastructure to ensure proper hydrologic function.

There are three action alternatives. Treatments under the proposed action, Alternative 1, are 

proposed for approximately 44,641 acres. Treatments under Alternative 3 are proposed for 

approximately 45,652 acres. Treatments under Alternative 4 are proposed for approximately

43,518 acres. For descriptions of the proposed activities, refer to Description of Proposed 

Project, pages 5 through 14.

Surveys for Sensitive Plants have been conducted within the analysis area under previous, prefire projects. Surveys were conducted in 2014 and would be completed in 2015 within areas 

where project activities are proposed in this Rim Recovery project. Surveys are prioritized 

according to blooming periods of the target species and following the same order as proposed 

sales would be offered if an action alternative is selected. The goal is to have surveys completed 

in each proposed sale area prior to implementation of project activities. There are known 

occurrences of Allium yosemitense, Balsamorhiza macrolepis, Botrychium crenulatum, 

Botrychium minganense, Botrychium pedunculosum, Bruchia bolanderi, Clarkia australis,

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Cypripedium montanum, Eriophyllum nubigenum, Erythronium 

taylori, Erythronium tuolumnense, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii, Lomatium stebbinsii,

Mielichhoferia elongata, Mimulus filicaulis, Mimulus pulchellus and Peltigera gowardii

(formerly known as Hydrothyria venosa) in the analysis area. There is unsurveyed suitable 

habitat within areas where activities are proposed under this project for these species plus the 

following additional species: Allium tribracteatum, Arctostaphylos nissenana, Botrychium 

ascendens, Botrychium lineare, Botrychium lunaria, Botrychium montanum, Botrychium 

pinnatum, Cinna bolanderi, Dendrocollybia racemosa, Eriastrum tracyi, Eriogonum luteolum 

var. saltuarium, Fissidens aphelotaxifolius, Helodium blandowii, Horkelia parryi, Hulsea 

brevifolia, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii, Meesia uliginosa, Mielichhoferia shevockii and

Tauschia howellii. For a complete list of Forest Sensitive Plants, refer to Table 3, page 20. 

Management requirements (pages 14 through 16) have been developed to reduce, minimize or 

alleviate adverse effects to occurrences of Sensitive Plants in this project (Description of 

Proposed Project, pages 5 through 14).
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CONSULTATION TO DATE.

A list of all Federally listed Threatened, Endangered or Proposed plant species which might 

occur on the Stanislaus National Forest was acquired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(USFWS 2014). As indicated by the latest list, dated September 18, 2011, there are no

occurrences of Federally listed plant species in the Stanislaus National Forest.

CURRENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION.

Management of Sensitive Plants in the Stanislaus National Forest is based on Forest Service 

policy set out in the Forest Service Manual (FSM 2670) and the National Forest Management 

Act of 1976 (NFMA), the Region 5 Forest Service Handbook (FSH 2609.25), the Stanislaus 

National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan), as amended and displayed 

in the “Forest Plan Direction” (USDA 2010c), the Stanislaus National Forest Sensitive Plant 

Management Guide (Beck and Hurley 1984) and, where applicable, Species Management 

Guides.

It is the Secretary of Agriculture's direction to "avoid actions 'which may cause a species to 

become threatened or endangered.'" (USDA 2008). Further, it is a Forest Service objective to 

"maintain viable populations of all native ... plant species in habitats distributed throughout their 

geographic range on National Forest System lands" (FSM 2670.22). Forest Service policy set 

out in FSM 2670.32 is to "avoid or minimize impacts to [Sensitive] species whose viability has 

been identified as a concern." Where it is determined that impacts cannot be avoided, "the line 

officer with project approval authority, [may make] the decision to allow or disallow impact, but 

the decision must not result in loss of species viability or create significant trends toward Federal 

listing." 

General direction for management of Sensitive Plants under the Forest Plan is to "provide for 

protection and habitat needs of sensitive plants, so that Forest activities will not jeopardize their 

continued existence." Forest Plan standards and guidelines advise to "modify planned projects to 

avoid or minimize adverse impacts to sensitive plants." 

Limited botanical investigations were conducted for Clarkia australis. Botanical investigations 

are "in-depth investigations of a species through its range, conducted in order to develop 

information on distribution, abundance, trends, ecological requirements, and management 

needs..." (FSH 2609.25). The study was conducted by Leslie Gottlieb, PhD of the University of 

California, Davis (Gottlieb and Ford 1999). Gottlieb determined that Clarkia australis is indeed 

distinct from it's more common look-alike Clarkia virgata. He also determined that the range for 

Clarkia australis extends northward into the previously defined Clarkia virgata range, and that

Clarkia virgata extends south into the previously defined Clarkia australis range. Also as a 

result of Gottlieb’s work, there appears to be a dividing line where Clarkia australis lies to the 

east and Clarkia virgata lies to the west. Although he attempted to find physical characteristics 

to differentiate the two species, Gottlieb was not able to find characteristics which could be used 

in the field. Large portions of the Rim Recovery project analysis area lies within the currently 
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defined range of Clarkia australis and there are known occurrences within proposed project 

activity areas. Botanical investigations have not been conducted for the other species which 

occur or might occur in this project. 

There are several conservation assessments for Sensitive Plant species known from the 

Stanislaus National Forest. Conservation assessments are compilations of available information 

about the species such as distribution, numbers and threats. They do not provide management 

direction, although sometimes they do provide recommendations. In 2005, a conservation 

assessment for Cypripedium montanum (Kaye and Cramer) was completed. The assessment 

includes a population trends and viability analysis plus recommendations for conservation 

actions for this species. There are numerous occurrences of Cypripedium montanum known 

within the Rim Fire Recovery project analysis area. In 2010, a conservation assessment was 

completed for Peltigera gowardii, which was known at the time as Peltigera hydrothyria, and 

previously as Hydrothyria venosa (Peterson). This conservation assessment discusses habitat 

requirements and threats, and offers management considerations. There is Peltigera gowardii in 

the Rim Fire Recovery project. A conservation assessment is in draft for Botrychium species

(Clines 2009). This assessment will be a comprehensive compilation of life cycle, genetic and 

distribution information, and species descriptions and key. There are three Sensitive Botrychium

species in the Rim Fire Recovery project including Botrychium crenulatum, Botrychium 

minganense and Botrychium pedunculosum. 

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT.

Project Location.

The Rim Fire Recovery project analysis area is located within the Rim Fire burned area in the 

Groveland and Mi-Wok Ranger Districts, within Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties. The project 

area lies west of the Yosemite National Park boundary, north of Groveland and Anderson Valley, 

south of Hull Creek Campground and Bourland Mountain, and east of the North Fork Tuolumne 

River and east of Moore Creek. The legal description of the analysis area is: portions of: T2S 

R19E Sec 4-6, 8-9, 16; T1S R16E Sec 1; T1S R17E Sec 20-21, 25-28, 35; T1S R18E Sec 1-2, 

10-13, 15-17, 21, 24-30, 36; T1S R19E Sec 1-3, 7-11, 14-15, 17-19, 21-23, 26-27, 29-35; T1N 

R16E Sec 24-25; T1N R17E Sec 3, 19-21, 25, 27-31, 36; T1N R18E Sec 5-8, 17, 21-27, 29-30, 

32-36; T1N R19E Sec 4-5, 8-9; T2N R17E Sec 26, 34-36; T2N R18E Sec 1-6, 8-17, 19-22, 28-

32, 35-36; T2N R19E Sec 6-7, 21, 28, 31-33; T3N R18E Sec 30-33; and, T3N R19E Sec 31; 

MDBM.

The project area is approximately 154,530 acres. The analysis area, for the effects analysis for 

Sensitive Plants is defined for this project as the area within the project boundary (Figure 1).

No salvage or fuel reduction treatments are proposed within Wilderness, Inventoried Roadless 

Areas, or the wild classification segments of the Wild and Scenic Rivers.
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Figure 1. Rim Fire Project Area

Primary Purpose.

The overall purposes of this project are to 

 Capture the economic value of hazard trees and the dead trees. Removal as forest 

products (sawlogs, biomass) would pay for their removal from the forest and potentially 

provide funding for other future restoration treatments.

 Provide for greater worker and public safety.

 Reduce fuels for future forest resiliency and firefighting safety and success.

 Improve road infrastructure to ensure proper hydrologic function.

 Retain specific old forest components (large snags and down logs) and/or remove 

material to improve wildlife habitat.

 Utilize the unique scale and intensity of the Rim Fire to answer research questions and 

provide more information on a wide range of research topics.
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Proposed Action and Alternatives.

The Rim Fire Recovery project Environmental Assessment has four developed alternatives. The 

alternatives are summarized below. Refer to the Rim Fire Recovery Environmental Impact 

Statement for complete descriptions of the alternatives.

Activities Common to All Action Alternatives.

Timber Salvage and Fuel Reduction. Merchantable trees which are dead at the time of harvest 

(have no green needles) and have sound wood (likely those greater than 16 inches diameter at 

breast height (dbh) by the time of harvest) would be removed as sawlogs. Non-merchantable 

trees of smaller diameters may be masticated, felled and lopped, machine piled and burned, or 

removed as biomass. Dead trees lose their value within 2 years or less depending on their

diameter and species. It is anticipated that salvage harvest operations and fuel reduction 

activities in this project would begin as soon as September 2014 and continue for up to 5 years.

A registered borate compound would be applied to all freshly cut green tree fir stumps 14 inches 

and greater in diameter to limit the spread and establishment of new centers of annosum root 

disease within harvest areas of low and mixed severity where live trees still exist. The fungicide 

would not be applied within 10 feet of surface water, when rain is falling or when rain is likely 

that day (i.e. National Weather Service forecasts 50 percent or greater chance). All State and 

Federal rules and regulations applicable to this pesticide would be followed.

Harvest systems include ground-based, helicopter and skyline methods. Ground based 

equipment would include harvesters and rubber tired skidders. Helicopter logging or skyline 

systems would be utilized on steeper slopes and where necessary to meet resource objectives. 

Feller-bunchers may be utilized on skyline and helicopter units where slopes are less than 45 

percent. All activity generated fuels would be treated to meet the fuels desired conditions.

Biomass treatments would be utilized to reduce fuels in stands of undersized trees and would 

entail the mechanical removal of un-merchantable trees between 4 inches and 16 inches dbh. 

These trees would be removed as firewood, shavings logs, pulpwood, wood chips to fuel electric 

cogeneration plants, or decked and left on site for public firewood cutting. The biomass 

treatments would likely be conducted at the same time as the thinning treatments. In some cases,

this activity may occur as a second entry after the timber is removed.

Additional fuel reduction would be accomplished using machine piling and burning, jackpot 

burning and mastication. Machine piling is accomplished using off-road equipment such as bull 

dozers with a brush rake attachment instead of a blade. The equipment pushes brush skeletons, 

small dead trees and excess down fuels into piles for burning. Jackpot burning is the prescribed 

burning of heavy concentrations of down woody fuels. This type of burning would allow for the 

majority of the area to retain ground cover while reducing the heavy concentrations of fuels postharvest. This treatment is proposed within the helicopter and skyline units where machine piling 

is not feasible. Mastication is usually accomplished by a rotating cutting blade attachment on the 

articulating arm of an excavator. 
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In units where the fuel levels in ground based salvage units exceed desired levels, whole tree 

yarding of merchantable trees would be employed to reduce the fuel levels in the units. Where 

fuel 2. Where existing fuel loads are less than or equal to 5 tons per acre, some trees may be 

felled and left in place or masticated into pieces less than 2 feet in length to reduce potential soil 

erosion and maintain soil productivity.

In watershed sensitive areas, where additional cover is needed to protect the soil and water 

quality resources, drop and lop treatment of the fuels would be conducted. This treatment would 

involve felling non-merchantable trees less than 10 inches dbh and lopping them into pieces 

small enough to ensure the material is not stacked and has as much ground contact as practical. 

Drop and lop is included in Alternatives 3 and 4, but not Alternative 1.

Hazard Tree Removal. Roadside hazard trees would be felled within striking distance of the 

roads, roughly 200 feet of each side of the identified lower maintenance level roads. Hazard 

trees along several trails would also be removed. Hazard trees would include those which are 

completely dead and those live trees which are deemed imminent hazards by standard 

characteristics such as underslung roots in road cuts, substantial defects which could cause 

failure, burned out root systems, among others. Hazard trees with merchantable value would be

removed as sawlogs. Those without merchantable value would be felled and left in place, with 

slash piled and burned or scattered.

Roads. All of the road actions are proposed in order to support the removal of logs and biomass 

from treatment units and roadside hazard tree units. They include maintenance and 

reconstruction. Alternatives 1 and 3 includes new construction road work. Alternative 4 has no 

proposed new construction. Temporary roads would be built to minimize log skidding distances. 

There would be no changes in travel management for existing National Forest System roads and 

trails being used for the Project.

New Construction: New construction roads would be designed to engineering standards in 

accordance with assigned road management objectives, and added to the Forest transportation 

system and retained for long-term access. Construction activities would include vegetation 

clearing, excavation and embankment, blading and shaping, installation of drainage structures, 

and importing of armoring and surfacing rock material as needed. All new system roads would 

be gated and closed to public vehicular traffic, and would remain available for administrative use 

for future access and management of NFS lands.

Reconstruction: Reconstruction includes work to improve and restore roads. This work would 

improve the road conditions as needed for safe and efficient haul of forest products, as well as 

for proper hydrologic function and stream protection in accordance with applicable Best 

Management Practices (BMPs). Actions may include surface improvement; construction of 

drainage dips, culverts, riprap fills or other drainage or stabilization features with potential 

disturbance outside the established roadway (toe of fill to top of cut); realignment; and widening 

of curves as needed for log trucks and chip van passage. Reconstruction also includes the 

actions identified in the Maintenance category, such as removal of roadside hazard trees.
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Maintenance: Roads being used for the project that are in functioning condition would be 

maintained during the project. Maintenance preserves the function of the road but generally does 

not include improvements. Maintenance activities include: blading; brushing; removal of 

roadside hazard trees; repair and/or replacement of road surfaces; cleaning, repair, or installation 

of drainage structures such as culverts, ditches, and dips; dust abatement; removal and 

installation of closure barriers; and installation or repair of signs. Maintenance activities 

generally do not disturb ground outside the existing road prism (toe of fill to top of cut) other 

than removal of material around culvert inlets.

Stored Roads: Some Maintenance Level 1 roads (currently closed and stored) would be opened 

and receive the appropriate maintenance or reconstruction treatments as described above. By 

definition, these roads are expected to be used intermittently when needed for project access, but 

kept closed for periods of years between uses. Following the project, these roads would be 

physically closed to all motor vehicle travel by using native material barriers such as boulders, 

berms, cull logs and stumps. Beyond the closure, the integrity of Maintenance Level 1 roads 

would be preserved to the extent practicable, implementing measures as necessary to reduce 

sediment delivery from the road surface and fills and reduce the risk of crossing failure and 

stream diversion, making it hydrologically neutral.

Temporary Road: Temporary roads are not intended to be a permanent part of the road system 

and would be decommissioned after use. Temporary roads may overlay existing corridors or be 

newly constructed features. Some NFS trails currently managed for either motor vehicle or nonmotorized use are proposed as temporary access routes. These would be reverted back to their 

previous use after completion of the project.

Construction of temporary roads may include vegetation clearing, excavation, blading and 

shaping to provide for safe project access and removal of forest products. New and existing 

temporary roads would have improvements necessary to attain stabilization of the roadbed and 

fill slopes. Unlike permanent roads, temporary roads would only have the minimal investment 

and drainage required to minimize resource impacts while providing for safe use and passage of 

haul vehicles during the short life of the route.

After a temporary road has served the project purpose, it would be decommissioned. This 

involves removing bridges and culverts, eliminating ditches, subsoiling and out-sloping the 

roadbed, removing ruts and berms, effectively blocking the road to vehicular traffic, and building 

cross ditches and water bars.

Temporary Use of Routes, Then Reverted Post-Project. Some segments identified for temporary 

project use would revert to their existing use post-project. These roads are associated with 

authorized or other needed uses (for example, access to a water tank under special use permit), 

and are expected to still be utilized into the future. Temporary use routes would be improved to a 

minimal standard for haul, while also improved to minimize adverse environmental impacts, 

maintain stabilization, and ensure proper drainage. These routes would continue to exist after the 

project is completed.

Skid Zones. The term skid zone is being used to identify areas where landings for units harvested 
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using ground based equipment are not located either within or adjacent to the units. The skid 

zones encompass an area that skidding equipment may traverse to take logs from the unit to the 

landing, using a specified skid trail pattern that would be determined during harvest operations 

by a FS timber sale administrator. The intent is to identify areas outside units that need to be 

surveyed and assessed for potential impacts due to treatment activities.

Skid Trails. Main skid trails would be sub-soiled and branching skid trails would be waterbarred 

prior to each winter season. Main and branching secondary skid trails and landings would be 

subsoiled to mitigate compaction and restore hydrologic function of the soil after other project 

activities are completed in those areas. Pre-existing (legacy) skid trails and landings within units 

causing watershed issues (i.e. concentrating water, gullying), including those not used during 

implementation, would be sub-soiled to mitigate logging effects.

Other Infrastructure. Seven rock quarry sites have been identified to accommodate project road 

needs. Water sources identified for new road construction, reconstruction and maintenance as 

well as long-term resource needs have been identified in 95 locations.

Soil Stabilization and Water Quality Protection. Roadside disturbed areas would be stabilized 

with certified weed free mulch, erosion fabric, vegetation, rock, large organic materials, 

engineered structures, or other measures.

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement. Wildlife habitat enhancement treatments are included for 

critical deer range and increased snag retention. Alternatives vary by type and amount of 

treatments.

Research. Several research projects would take place as part of the Rim Fire Recovery project

under Alternatives 3 and 4. Scientists from the Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW) are 

working with Stanislaus National Forest managers and collaborating with universities and other 

scientists to design studies which would take advantage of the abundant research opportunities 

provided by the Rim Fire. The primary study design is to allocate 44 California Spotted Owl 

(CSO) sites affected by the Rim Fire into treatment groups. Some units are modified from one 

Alternative to the next based on study parameters. Sample units consist of 200 hectare (494 

acres) circular core areas around the centroid (nest/main roost) for each of the 44 CSO sites. The 

level of salvage in the sample units has been modified from the original prescriptions into 

treatment groups: (1) Controls; (2) Light Salvage prescription (retain approximately 100 square 

feet of Basal Area); and (3) High Salvage prescription (retain approximately 30 square feet of 

Basal Area). Occupancy surveys would be conducted yearly for 5 years post-harvest to 

determine site use by California Spotted Owls.

Several other studies would take place within these sample units. Small mammal and bird 

monitoring would take place. Cavity use and foraging behavior of the black back woodpecker 

would be studied. Hillslope soil erosion would be measured using silt fences to capture the soil 

movement. Sediment yield and peak discharge would be monitored at creeks at high risk of 

degraded water quality from sediment post salvage logging. Any additional research projects 

would be conducted within the same units identified for research purposes.
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Forest Plan Amendment. Alternatives 3 and 4 include a Forest Plan Amendment designating a 

Forest Carnivore Connectivity Corridor (FCCC).

Alternative 1 (Proposed Action).

This Alternative entails implementation of timber salvage, roadside hazard tree removal, fuel 

reduction and road repairs and improvements needed for access and to accomplish removal of 

merchantable logs and biomass. Treatments under Alternative 1 are proposed for approximately 

44,641 acres.

Salvage and Fuel Reduction. 

Treatments include salvage logging up to 28,326 acres including 24,127 acres of ground based, 

16 acres of ground based/skyline swing, 2,930 acres of helicopter, and 1,253 acres of skyline 

treatments. Refer to the EIS for the lists of proposed units.

Proposed fuel treatments include 7,626 acres of biomass removal, 24,143 acres of machine piling 

and burning and 4,199 acres of jackpot burning.

Hazard Tree Removal 

Fell and remove hazard trees (green and dead) adjacent to 341 miles of forest roads outside of 

proposed salvage units, amounting to 16,315 acres. Some non-merchantable trees may be felled 

and left in place. 

Roads 

Alternative 1 includes 5.4 miles of new road construction, 319.9 miles of road reconstruction and 

216.1 miles of road maintenance along lower level roads. Approximately 3.9 miles of temporary 

road construction (new), 9.3 miles of temporary road construction (existing), and 8.4 miles of 

existing temporary roads tied to current and future uses would be used for the project and then 

reverted afterwards to their original use.

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement

Within Critical Winter Deer Range and adjacent to Yosemite National Park, units were identified 

for salvage and/or biomass removal to achieve desired forage/cover ratios and to provide for deer 

passage and access. These units total 1,351 acres and include: L03, L06, L07, L202, L203A, 

L203B, L204A, L204B, L205, L206, M201, O201, and P201.

Alternative 2 (No Action)

Under this “no action” alternative, general salvage and hazard tree abatement and removal 

adjacent to lower standard roads would not occur. Current management plans would continue to 
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guide management of the project area. None of the viable timber would be removed from this 

area leaving tens to hundreds of tons of fuel per acre once these trees fall down. No hazard tree 

removal would occur adjacent to lower standard roads, leaving thousands of existing hazard trees 

to fall on their own as a result of natural forces. No mastication or biomass removal fuel 

reduction activities, or repairs and improvements to the transportation system would be 

implemented to accomplish the purpose and need of the Rim Fire Recovery project. The cost of 

future activities where removal of this fallen material is essential to implementation would be far 

more expensive and perhaps cost prohibitive.

Alternative 3

This alternative responds to significant issues and concerns. Compared to Alternative 1, it 

addresses those issues by proposing additional wildlife habitat enhancement (including biomass 

removal in Critical Deer Winter Range and the FCCC Forest Plan Amendment), additional soil 

and watershed protection (mastication and drop and lop), and less new construction. It also 

includes research to help answer wildlife, fuels, watershed and soils questions. Alternative 3 

includes the treatments and actions described below.

Salvage and Fuels Reduction

Alternative 3 salvage treatments are similar to Alternative 1. However, two fuel treatments have 

been added to mitigate impacts of the fire and logging on soil and water resources. 

Treatments include salvage logging up to 30,399 acres including 26,252 acres of ground based, 

16 acres of ground based/skyline swing, 3,035 acres of helicopter, and 1,096 acres of skyline 

treatments. Proposed fuels treatments include 8,379 acres of biomass removal, 22,036 acres of 

machine piling and burning and 4,147 acres of jackpot burning, 1,309 acres of mastication, and 

2,228 acres of drop and lop. Refer to the EIS for the list of units and treatments.

Within SPLATs (Strategically Placed Landscape Area Treatments) coarse woody debris greater 

than 3 inches in diameter will be retained at 10 to 20 tons an acre. The goal is to maintain a total 

fuel load of 10 tons an acre, and not to exceed 20 tons an acre when it is needed to meet other 

resource requirements.

Hazard Tree Removal 

Alternative 3 involves felling and removal of hazard trees (green and dead) adjacent to 314.8 

miles of forest roads, amounting to 15,253 acres, outside of proposed salvage units. Some nonmerchantable trees may be felled and left in place.

Roads 

Alternative 3 includes 1.0 mile of new road construction, 323.6 miles of road reconstruction and 

200.6 miles of road maintenance. Approximately 9.5 miles of temporary road construction 

(new), 22.7 miles of temporary road construction (existing), and 3.3 miles of existing temporary 
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roads tied to current and future uses would be used for the project and then reverted afterwards to 

their original use. 

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement

Alternative 3 includes several additional treatment units to enhance the Critical Deer Winter 

Range. In addition, the FCCC Forest Plan Amendment provides for long-term movement of 

wildlife from Yosemite National Park through the Stanislaus National Forest. The corridor 

would lead from Yosemite National Park and North Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA) 

west to the Clavey River. The corridor includes the following proposed units which would be 

managed for Old Forest Emphasis: L02, L05, M1 through M10, M12, M13, M15, M16, M18, 

M19, and N1.

This Forest Plan Amendment changes the land allocation on 9,923 acres from General Forest to 

Old Forest Emphasis Area (OFEA). Other existing land allocations (Wild and Scenic River, 

PAC, HRCA, and OFEA) would remain unchanged.

Research

Alternative 3 includes Research projects. Refer to the EIS, Appendix D (Research) for details 

for the individual research proposals.

Alternative 4

Alternative 4 is similar to Alternative 3 except that it replaces new construction with temporary 

roads and drops 2,500 acres of salvage logging in highly suitable black-backed woodpecker 

habitat.

This alternative responds to significant issues and concerns by proposing the same action items 

as Alternative 3 for wildlife habitat enhancement (including biomass removal in Critical Deer 

Winter Range and the FCCC Forest Plan Amendment) and, soil and watershed protection 

(mastication and drop and lop). It also includes research to help answer wildlife, fuels,

watershed, and soils questions. Compared to Alternative 3, Alternative 4 further addresses the 

Snag Forest Habitat issue with additional black-backed woodpecker habitat retention and the 

New Road Construction issue with no new construction. Alternative 4 includes the treatments 

and actions described below.

Salvage and Fuels Treatments

Treatments include salvage logging up to 27,826 acres including 24,176 acres of ground based, 

16 acres of ground based/skyline swing, 2,568 acres of helicopter, and 1,066 acres of skyline 

treatments. Proposed fuel treatments include 7,975 acres of biomass removal, 20,320 acres of 

machine piling and burning, 3,650 acres of jackpot burning, 1,309 acres of mastication and 1,798 

acres of drop and lop. Refer to the EIS for the list of units.
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Hazard Tree Removal 

Alternative 4 involves felling and removal of hazard trees (green and dead) adjacent to 324.6 

miles of forest roads, amounting to 15,692 acres, outside of proposed salvage units. Some nonmerchantable trees may be felled and left in place. 

Roads 

Alternative 4 has no new road construction. It does include 315.0 miles of road reconstruction 

and 209.3 miles of road maintenance. Approximately 8.4 miles of temporary road construction 

(new), 22.1 miles of temporary road construction (existing), and 3.3 miles of existing temporary 

use routes tied to current and future uses would be used for the project and then reverted 

afterwards to their original use.

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement

Alternative 4 includes the same wildlife enhancement treatments as Alternative 3. The same 

FCCC Forest Plan Amendment is proposed as in Alternative 3.

Research

Alternative 4 includes the same research treatments as Alternative 3.

Sensitive Plant Protection.

There are known occurrences of the Sensitive Plant species Allium yosemitense, Balsamorhiza 

macrolepis, Botrychium crenulatum, Botrychium minganense, Botrychium pedunculosum, 

Bruchia bolanderi, Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Cypripedium montanum,

Eriophyllum nubigenum, Erythronium taylori, Erythronium tuolumnense, Lewisia kelloggii ssp.

hutchisonii, Lomatium stebbinsii, Mielichhoferia elongata, Mimulus filicaulis, Mimulus 

pulchellus and Peltigera gowardii (formerly known as Hydrothyria venosa then Peltigera 

hydrothyria) in the analysis area. There is unsurveyed suitable habitat within areas where 

activities are proposed under this project for these species plus the following additional species: 

Allium tribracteatum, Arctostaphylos nissenana, Botrychium ascendens, Botrychium lineare, 

Botrychium lunaria, Botrychium montanum, Botrychium pinnatum, Cinna bolanderi,

Dendrocollybia racemosa, Eriastrum tracyi, Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium, Fissidens 

aphelotaxifolius, Helodium blandowii, Horkelia parryi, Hulsea brevifolia, Lewisia kelloggii ssp.

kelloggii, Meesia uliginosa, Mielichhoferia shevockii and Tauschia howellii.

In order to reduce, minimize or alleviate possible adverse effects to Sensitive Plants and ensure 

consistency with Forest Plan and other direction for sensitive plants, management requirements 

have been developed for the Alternatives. 
Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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Management Requirements Common to All of the Action Alternatives.

1. Flag and avoid known and new occurrences of Sensitive Plants except as allowed below:

a. Manual fuel reduction may take place within Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. 

australis, Mimulus filicaulis or Mimulus pulchellus occurrences only during the dry 

non-growing period (Table 1). Pile or scatter all material outside of Sensitive Plant 

occurrences.

b. Mastication and skid trail legacy compaction subsoiling may be conducted within 

Clarkia australis occurrences only during the dry non-growing period (Table 1). Do 

not track masticator through occurrences smaller than 0.25 acre. Minimize tracking in 

occurrences larger than 0.25 acres. Wherever possible, reach into occurrences with 

masticator head to conduct the work instead of tracking through.

2. In order to protect the habitat for the Sensitive Plants which occupy “lava cap” soils all 

equipment and vehicles will remain on roads through this habitat type (i.e. no parking off 

road, landing construction or staging areas).

Table 1. Growing seasons and appropriate identification periods for the Sensitive Plants for 

which some impacts would be allowed during the dry, non-growing period for the species.

Species Growing Season I.D. Period Dry, Nongrowing Period*

Clarkia australis Dec 1 - Aug. 15 June 15 - Aug. 15 Aug 15 - Nov 30

Clarkia biloba ssp. 

australis

Dec 1 - July 31 May 15 - July 15 Aug 1 – Nov 30

Mimulus filicaulis Mar. 15 - July 15 Apr. 15 - June 30 July 15 – Nov 30

 Mimulus pulchellus Mar. 1 - June 15 Apr. 1 - June 1 June 15 – Nov 30

*The actual dry, non-growing period would be determined by field observations year to year by the District 

Botanist. The dry, non-growing period is the time when these species are most resistant to disturbance activities. 

All dates are approximate, varying with elevation, weather and site conditions.

Management Requirements Specific to Alternative 1.

There are no management requirements specific to Alternative 1. See Management 

Recommendations, page 74, for the recommended management requirements which the Decision 

Maker elected to exclude from the Proposed Action.

Management Requirements Specific to Alternatives 3 and 4.

These management requirements are in addition to the management requirements common to all 

alternatives.

3. For roadside hazard tree abatement, where it is not possible to fully avoid a Sensitive Plant 

occurrence, a botanist will review the site with the Sale Administrator and advise on the least 

impactive methods to use for the site, such as timing of impacts, directionally fall trees away 
Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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from dense concentrations, full suspension removal of the log, partial suspension, or buck 

and leave the log.

4. Hide, obscure or block motorized access created by project to “lava cap” habitats. Existing 

patches of live or dead brush or other vegetation on the edges of the “lava caps” can be 

utilized for this purpose.

5. In order to protect occurrences of Peltigera gowardii, conduct project activities in such a way 

that sediment is not added to or accumulates within occurrences, especially in Corral Creek 

at Sections 17 and 20, T1N, R18E, the unnamed tributary to Clavey River in Section 18, 

T1N, R18E, the unnamed tributary to Skunk Creek in Section 21, T1N, R18E and Twomile 

Creek in Section 36, T3N, 17E and Section 1, T2N, R17E.

6. During helicopter salvage operations, avoid flying logs over cliff habitats in and adjacent to 

unit X23. Off-road equipment will not track within 25 feet of the bases or tops of cliffs and 

large rock outcrops, or through gravelly openings with shallow soils in units X18, X19 and 

X23 and in the roadside hazard tree removal of Forest Roads 1S60Y, 1S79, 1S80, 2S65D, 

2S66Y, and 2S66YA. Manual removal of fuels, directional felling and tree removal using an 

articulating arm or equipment which allows for full suspension may occur in these equipment 

exclusion areas during the dry, non-growing period for the rare plant species, approximately 

July 1 through November 30.

EXISTING ENVIRONMENT.

Project Area Plant Communities.

The burned area elevation range within the National Forest is from approximately 920 feet to 

7,120 feet. The elevation range for the project analysis area is from approximately 1,400 feet to 

7,000 feet. The Rim Fire resulted in heavy impacts to the native plant communities over large 

portions of the burned area. Before the fire, there were a variety of plant communities within the 

project boundaries including Westside Ponderosa Pine Forest, Sierran Mixed Conifer Forest,

several different chaparral communities such as Montane Manzanita Chaparral and Northern 

Mixed Chaparral, Montane Meadow, White Alder Riparian Forest, Aspen Riparian Forest, Blue 

Oak Woodland, and other oak woodland communities (Holland 1986). Table A-1 (Appendix A) 

displays all of the California wildlife habitat relationship (WHR) plant communities within the 

burned area, the number of acres of each burned at low, moderate, high and severe levels and the 

total number of acres of each community in the burned area (USDA 2013c).

Over 154,000 acres of National Forest System land was affected by the Rim fire and related soil 

disturbing activities (Table A-1). WHR habitat types which represent large areas of varying burn 

severity (preliminary data from RAVG4) include Annual Grassland, Mixed Chaparral, Montane 

Chaparral, Montane Hardwood, Montane Hardwood Conifer, Perennial Grassland, Ponderosa 

Pine, and Sierran Mixed Conifer. The majority of acres burned for these habitat types are within 

the high and severe burn categories (USDA 2013c).
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The geology of the project area is quite varied. Bedrock and soil parent material are composed 

of granite, especially on the eastern half of the project, metasedimentary rock primarily on the 

western half of the project, or volcanically derived andesitic tuff (Mehrten Formation) which is 

isolated on some of the ridge tops. Soils in the project area are diverse, running the full range 

from deep sandy or loamy granitics to rocky clays of metasedimentary origin. The andesitic tuff 

breccia tends to be shallow, coarse and fast draining.

There were many high functioning plant communities in the project area before the fire. Among 

these were stands of blue oak woodland, mixed conifer stands which hadn’t burned in wildfires 

in more than 100 years, and streamside riparian areas which provided excellent habitat for 

Sensitive species such as Peltigera gowardii and Cypripedium montanum. These high 

functioning ecosystems were relatively free of noxious weeds, having only bull thistle (Cirsium 

vulgare), or Klamathweed (Hypericum perforatum) as scattered, occasional individuals. These 

two species are naturalized throughout the lower elevations of the Stanislaus NF and in 

undisturbed situations they pose little threat to the local ecosystems.

Wildfire has been an important component driving plant community composition within the 

analysis area during the past 100 years. Even so, there were large areas of the Rim Fire burned 

area which had not had any sizable wildfires since fire record-keeping began around 1906

(Figure 2). There were 124 past wildfires with boundaries which intersected the Rim Fire 

boundary (USDA 2010b). Some of these date back as far as 1908. The most recent occurred in 

2008. The smallest recorded fire was 6.5 acres. The largest was the 1987 Stanislaus Complex 

Fires which totaled 141,680 acres among the seven Complex fires which intersected with the 

Rim Fire. The boundaries of these seven fires and many others also extended outside the Rim 

Fire area. Therefore the total acreage of these past fires was not necessarily contained within

Rim. There were other drivers of the pre-Rim Fire mix of plant communities including past 

logging, cattle grazing, and effective fire suppression and prevention in the stands which hadn’t 

burned in more than 100 years. 

Many of the Ponderosa Pine areas were conifer plantations 11 to 38 years of age. Some of the 

plantations were isolated and the result of old clear-cut timber harvests. However, most of the

plantations were planted as part of the recovery from the 1987 Stanislaus Complex fires or the 

1996 Ackerson Complex or Rogge Complex fires. The Granite plantations were the result of 

recovery efforts from the 1973 Granite Fire. The Sawmill plantations dated to the 1960s and 

were also the result of post-fire recovery. Several conifer plantations in the Reynolds Creek area 

were dominated by Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi). The past wildfires and subsequent salvage 

logging and reforestation activities created thousands of acres of disturbed habitat. These 

plantations were in various phases of growth and many had been thinned in the past fifteen years. 

The plantations were fairly bereft of native plant diversity. Due to their mostly early seral 

nature, the understories were primarily composed of disturbance followers such as non-native 

annual grasses and native shrubs like deer brush (Ceanothus integerrimus), manzanita 

(Arctostaphylos sp.), bear clover (Chamaebatia foliolosa) and Sierra gooseberry (Ribes roezlii). 
Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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Figure 2. Fire History of the Rim Fire Area, Since 1906.

Invasive species such as Klamathweed (Hypericum perforatum) and bull thistle (Cirsium 

vulgare) were common inhabitants of these plantations, existing mostly as scattered individual 

plants. Other invasive species such as yellow star-thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), tocalote 

(Centaurea melitensis), Italian thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus) and Medusahead grass (Elymus 

caput-medusae) were inhabitants of some of the post-Stanislaus Complex plantations. Other 

weeds of open areas were present within the burned area as well. Table 2 lists the weed species 

present within and adjacent to the burned area, the number of infestations of each species and the 

total number of acres of each species (USDA 2013c).

Table 2. CDFA noxious weeds and non-native, invasive plant species present in the burned area. 

Acres and number of infestations were extracted from GIS records for the Groveland and MiWok Ranger Districts.

Common Name Scientific Name CDFA 

Rating1 Acres Number of Infestations2

Barbed goatgrass Aegilops triuncialis B 1.1 16

Black locust Robinia pseudoacacia None 1.6 4

Black mustard Brassica nigra None 0.03 4
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Common Name Scientific Name CDFA 

Rating1 Acres Number of Infestations2

Bull Thistle Cirsium vulgare None 35.3 3503

Canada thistle Cirsium arvense B 0.25 1

Dyers Woad Isatis tinctoria B 0.74 1

Field bindweed Convolvulus arvensis C 0.73 4

French broom Genista monspessulana C 0.01 1

Himalayan blackberry Rubus armeniacus None 0.01 1

Italian thistle Carduus pycnocephalus C 7.1 119

Klamathweed Hypericum perforatum C 1.7 683

Medusahead grass Elymus caput-medusae C 68.9 314

Milk thistle Silybum marianum None 0.01 4

Puncturevine Tribulus terrestris C 0.09 4

Scotch broom Cytisus scoparius C 0.09 2

Spotted knapweed Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos A 0.74 30

Tocalote Centaurea melitensis None 32.2 203

Tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima None 0.01 2

Woolly mullein Verbascum Thapsus None 0.1 7

3

Yellow star-thistle Centaurea solstitialis C 178.1 662

TOTAL 329 2155

1Ratings are defined at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/ipc/encycloweedia/winfo_weedratings.htm. 

2

Infestations may be represented by multiple polygons versus actual weed infestation due to growing habitat of specific weed 

species. In some cases, the number of infestations is over estimated due to how they were mapped.

3Bull thistle, Klamathweed and woolly mullein are quite common as scattered plants across the burned area. These totals 

represent the number of polygons where occurrences of 10 or more individuals were recorded during inventories in support of 

timber and fuel reduction projects.

Precipitation levels in the winter of 2013/2014 were at near record lows. It was the third drought 

year in a row. The winter months were exceptionally low in precipitation. The earliest blooming 

perennial species, notably the rare Allium species, had a very brief blooming period with belownormal numbers of plants showing in known occurrences. The spring months had somewhat 

regularly spaced periods of low levels of rain. These spring rains induced germination and 

sustained growth for many early blooming annual wildflower species within the project area. 

These included the rare annual Mimulus occurrences which were quite showy for an extended 

period of time in the burned area. The spring rains ceased and the region went into a prolonged 

period of above normal temperatures with very low relative humidities. Later blooming annual 

species, such as the Clarkia species, bloomed early and in great proliferation but were fairly 

short-lived. Later growing perennial species, such as the rare Botrychium species, encountered 

unusually dry conditions, even in typically moist meadow habitats. As a result, few of these 

species emerged in known occurrences and those which did, faded much earlier than normal. 
Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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Sensitive Plant Review.

The Rim Fire Recovery project analysis area is within the geographic and elevational range of 38

of the 49 Sensitive Plant species on the Regional Forester's list for the Stanislaus National Forest 

(Table 3). These are Allium tribracteatum, Allium yosemitense, Arctostaphylos nissenana, 

Balsamorhiza macrolepis, Botrychium ascendens, Botrychium crenulatum, Botrychium lineare, 

Botrychium lunaria, Botrychium minganense, Botrychium montanum, Botrychium 

pedunculosum, Botrychium pinnatum, Bruchia bolanderi, Cinna bolanderi, Clarkia australis, 

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Dendrocollybia racemosa, Cypripedium montanum, Eriastrum 

tracyi, Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium, Eriophyllum congdonii, Eriophyllum nubigenum, 

Erythronium taylori, Erythronium tuolumnense, Fissidens aphelotaxifolius, Helodium blandowii, 

Horkelia parryi, Hulsea brevifolia, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii, Lewisia kelloggii ssp.

kelloggii, Lomatium stebbinsii, Meesia uliginosa, Mielichhoferia elongata, Mielichhoferia 

shevockii, Mimulus filicaulis, Mimulus pulchellus, Peltigera gowardii and Tauschia howellii. 

The analysis area is outside the known geographic or elevational ranges of the remaining 11

species. 

Table 3. Sensitive Plant species of the Stanislaus National Forest.

Scientific Name Common Name

Allium jepsonii Jepson's onion

Allium tribracteatum three-bracted onion

Allium yosemitense Yosemite onion

Arctostaphylos nissenana Nissenan manzanita

Balsamorhiza macrolepis big-scale balsamroot

Boechera evadens (syn. Arabis fernaldiana var. stylosa) hidden rockcress

Botrychium ascendens upswept moonwort

Botrychium crenulatum scalloped moonwort

Botrychium lineare Slender moonwort

Botrychium lunaria (syn. B. neolunaria sp. nov. ined.) common moonwort

Botrychium minganense Mingan moonwort

Botrychium montanum western goblin

Botrychium pedunculosum stalked moonwort

Botrychium pinnatum Northwestern moonwort

Botrychium tunux moosewort

Botrychium yaaxudakeit giant moonwort

Bruchia bolanderi Bolander's bruchia

Calochortus clavatus var. avius Pleasant Valley mariposa lily

Cinna bolanderi Bolander’s woodreed

Clarkia australis Small's southern clarkia

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis Mariposa clarkia

Clarkia lingulata Merced clarkia

Cypripedium montanum mountain ladyslipper orchid

Dendrocollybia racemosa (syn. Collybia racemosa) branched collybia

Draba asterophora var. asterophora Tahoe draba
Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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Scientific Name Common Name

Draba asterophora var. macrocarpa Cup Lake draba

Eriastrum tracyi Tracy’s eriastrum

Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium Jack’s buckwheat

Eriophyllum congdonii Congdon's wooly sunflower

Eriophyllum nubigenum Yosemite wooly sunflower

Erythronium taylori Taylor's fawn lily

Erythronium tuolumnense Tuolumne fawn lily

Fissidens aphelotaxifolius brook pocket moss

Helodium blandowii Blandow’s bog moss

Horkelia parryi Parry's horkelia

Hulsea brevifolia short-leaved hulsea

Iris hartwegii ssp. columbiana Tuolumne iris

Lewisia congdonii Congdon's bitterroot

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii Hutchison’s lewisia

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii Kellogg’s lewisia

Lomatium stebbinsii Stebbin's lomatium

Meesia uliginosa broad-nerved hump-moss

Mielichhoferia elongata elongate copper-moss

Mielichhoferia shevockii Shevock’s copper-moss

Mimulus filicaulis Hetch-Hetchy monkeyflower

Mimulus pulchellus pansey monkeyflower

Peltigera gowardii (syn. Hydrothyria venosa, P. hydrothyria) Goward’s waterfan

Pinus albicaulis white bark pine

Tauschia howellii Howell’s tauschia

The project area is quite large and there have been many projects within the project area over the 

past twenty-three years since the Forest Sensitive Plant Program has been active. Surveys for 

most of the Sensitive Plants listed above have been conducted within the project area in many of 

the past projects. Therefore, quite a lot is known about the presence and absence of Sensitive 

Plants in these past project areas, especially on the Groveland Ranger District portions of the 

project where the program has been most active during the past twenty-three years. 

Unfortunately, surveys have not been conducted in all of the proposed project treatment areas. 

Furthermore, the Sensitive Plant list was revised, effective August 15, 2013 and surveys were not 

conducted in the past for species new to the list. The following species are known to occur 

within the project area: Allium yosemitense, Balsamorhiza macrolepis, Botrychium crenulatum, 

Botrychium minganense, Botrychium pedunculosum, Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. 

australis, Cypripedium montanum, Eriophyllum nubigenum, Erythronium taylori, Erythronium 

tuolumnense, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii, Lomatium stebbinsii, Mielichhoferia elongata, 

Mimulus filicaulis, Mimulus pulchellus, and Peltigera gowardii.

Species known within the immediate vicinity of the project can help predict the likelihood of the 

species occurring within the project area. The Sensitive Plant species within five miles of the 

project but not yet known within the project boundaries include Allium tribracteatum, Bruchia 
Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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bolanderi, Cinna bolanderi, Dendrocollybia racemosa, Eriophyllum congdonii and Hulsea 

brevifolia.

Current Project Surveys.

Due to the need to rapidly finalize the environmental analysis for the Rim Recovery so that the 

value of the dead trees could be recovered before rot destroys the wood, surveys for Sensitive 

Plants could not be completed and findings processed in proposed project activity areas prior to 

completion of this biological evaluation. Surveys occurred during the spring, 2014 and 

continued through the summer of 2014. The management requirements would apply to all 

occurrences found. Surveys are being conducted using a variation of the Intuitive Controlled 

method of surveying. For this project, the surveyor identifies areas of suitable habitat using 

aerial photos, topo maps and soils maps first, then surveys through the specific locations of

suitable habitat which they identified. 

To the extent possible, the surveys are being conducted during the appropriate identification 

periods of the species being surveyed. However, due to the very large area to be covered, 

roughly 45,000 acres, early spring surveys were conducted to rule in or out species by evaluating 

habitat attributes during non-blooming periods, and searching for plants in vegetative (pre- or 

post-bloom) states and searching for plant remnants. The prolonged drought conditions 

introduced additional challenges in the form of earlier and shorter than normal bloom periods, 

and the potential for some perennial species to stay dormant and fail to emerge during the 

growing season. 

Past Surveys.

There have been many projects planned and implemented within the project area over the past 

twenty-four years since the Forest Sensitive Plant Program became active. Surveys for Sensitive 

Plants were conducted in most of those past projects. Therefore, quite a lot is known about the 

presence and absence of Sensitive Plants in those past project areas. Unfortunately, past surveys 

are lacking in the proposed Rim Recovery treatment areas which don’t overlap with a prior 

project. The Regional Forester’s Sensitive Plant list has been updated four times (1990, 1998, 

2006 and 2013) since surveys for Sensitive Plants began in the analysis area in 1989. Each time, 

several new species were added to the list. Since the past botany surveys were not floristic in 

nature, that is, a complete identification and listing of all plant species encountered was not 

made, the newer additions to the list were often overlooked in past surveys. Surveys each time 

were conducted for the current list at the time. Additionally, over time, the ranges of some of the 

Sensitive Plants became better understood and species which had not been previously believed to 

be possible in the Stanislaus have been added to the survey list and found within the Forest. 

Most notable among these are the Botrychium species, several moss species and Peltigera 

gowardii. Within the Rim Recovery project, there are few units which have been surveyed for 

all Sensitive species possible according to the units’ habitat attributes, given the current Sensitive 

list.
Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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Past project surveys revealed occurrences of the following Sensitive Plant species within the 

project area: Allium yosemitense, Balsamorhiza macrolepis, Botrychium crenulatum, 

Botrychium minganense, Botrychium pedunculosum, Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. 

australis, Cypripedium montanum, Eriophyllum nubigenum, Erythronium tuolumnense, Lewisia 

kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii, Lomatium stebbinsii, Mielichhoferia elongata, Mimulus filicaulis, 

Mimulus pulchellus, and Peltigera gowardii. Erythronium taylori, was discovered within the 

project area by a non-Forest Service botanist exploring the habitat. There is suitable habitat and 

the project is within the geographic and elevational range for the following additional species: 

Allium tribracteatum, Arctostaphylos nissenana, Botrychium ascendens, Botrychium lineare, 

Botrychium lunaria, Botrychium montanum, Botrychium pinnatum, Bruchia bolanderi, Cinna 

bolanderi, Dendrocollybia racemosa, Eriastrum tracyi, Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium, 

Eriophyllum congdonii, Fissidens aphelotaxifolius, Helodium blandowii, Horkelia parryi, 

Hulsea brevifolia, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii, Meesia uliginosa, Mielichhoferia shevockii

and Tauschia howellii.

Species Account and Habitat Status.

Table 4 displays the State and Federal statuses, global and State rarity rankings, and the 

California Rare Plant Ranks. These rankings, availability of habitat, and local threats were 

considered in determining the inclusion of these species in the Regional Foresters Sensitive list.

Table 4: Status of the Sensitive Plants which occur or may occur in this project.

Sensitive Plant Species Federal 

Status

State 

Status

Global/State 

Rankings1

CRPR List2

with Threat 

Code Ext.3

Allium tribracteatum None None G2/S2 1B.2

Allium yosemitense None Rare G3/S3 1B.3

Arctostaphylos nissenana None None G1/S1 1B.2

Balsamorhiza macrolepis None None G2/S2 1B.2

Botrychium ascendens None None G3/S2 2B.3

Botrychium crenulatum None None G3/S2 2B.2

Botrychium lineare None None G2G3/S1 1B.3

Botrychium lunaria None None G5/S2? 2B.3

Botrychium minganense None None G4G5/S2 2B.2

Botrychium montanum None None G3/S2 2B.1

Botrychium pedunculosum None None G2G3/S1 2B.1

Botrychium pinnatum None None G4?/S2 2B.3

Bruchia bolanderi None None G3/S3? 4.2

Cinna bolanderi None None G2S2 1B.2

Clarkia australis None None G2/S2 1B.2

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis None None G4G5T2T3

/S2S3

1B.2

Cypripedium montanum None None G4/S4.2 4.2

Dendrocollybia racemosa None None G2G34 Not Tracked
Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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Sensitive Plant Species Federal 

Status

State 

Status

Global/State 

Rankings1

CRPR List2

with Threat 

Code Ext.3

Eriastrum tracyi None Rare G3Q/S3 3.2

Eriogonum luteolum var.

saltuarium None None G5T1/S1 1B.2

Eriophyllum congdonii None Rare G2/S2 1B.2

Eriophyllum nubigenum None None G2/S2 1B.3

Erythronium taylori None None G1/S1 1B.2

Erythronium tuolumnense None None G2/S2 1B.2

Fissidens aphelotaxifolius None None G3G4/S1 2B.2

Helodium blandowii None None G5/S1 2B.3

Horkelia parryi None None G2/S2 1B.2

Hulsea brevifolia None None G3/S3 1B.2

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii None None G3G4T2T3Q

/S2S3 3.2

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii None None G3G4T2T3Q

/S2S3 3.2

Lomatium stebbinsii None None G2/S2 1B.1

Meesia uliginosa None None G4/S3 2B.2

Mielichhoferia elongata None None G4/S2 2B.2

Mielichhoferia shevockii None None G1/S1 1B.2

Mimulus filicaulis None None G2/S2 1B.2

Mimulus pulchellus None None G2G3/S2S3 1B.2

Peltigera gowardii None None G3G4/S3 4.2

Tauschia howellii None None G2/S2 1B.3

1Global/State Ranking: Global ranking " is a reflection of the overall status of [a species] throughout its global 

range. " State ranking "is assigned much the same way as global rank, but state ranks refer to the imperilment status 

only within California’s state boundaries.” Both the global and state ranks reflect the “combination of Rarity, Threat 

and Trend factors, with weighting being heavier on Rarity than the other two” (CNDDB 2014b). The following 

ranking system definitions are taken from CNDDB 2014b:

Global Ranking

G1 = Critically Imperiled—At very high risk of extinction due to extreme rarity (often 5 or fewer populations), 

very steep declines, or other factors.

G2 = Imperiled—At high risk of extinction due to very restricted range, very few populations (often 20 or fewer), 

steep declines, or other factors.

G3 = Vulnerable—At moderate risk of extinction due to a restricted range, relatively few populations (often 80 or 

fewer), recent and widespread declines, or other factors.

G4 = Apparently Secure—Uncommon but not rare; some cause for long-term concern due to declines or other 

factors.

G5 = Secure—Common; widespread and abundant.

Subspecies are given a T-rank with the G-rank which “reflects the global situation of just the subspecies or variety”

(CNDDB 2014b). “Q” with the ranking indicates that there are taxonomic questions.
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State Ranking

S1 = Critically Imperiled—Critically imperiled in the state because of extreme rarity (often 5 or fewer

populations) or because of some factor(s) such as very steep declines making it especially vulnerable to

extirpation from the state.

S2 = Imperiled—Imperiled in the state because of rarity due to very restricted range, very few populations (often 

20 or fewer), steep declines, or other factors making it very vulnerable to extirpation from the state.

S3 = Vulnerable—Vulnerable in the state due to a restricted range, relatively few populations (often 80 or fewer), 

recent and widespread declines, or other factors making it vulnerable to extirpation from the state.

S4 = Apparently Secure—Uncommon but not rare in the state; some cause for long-term concern due to declines 

or other factors.

S5 = Secure—Common, widespread, and abundant in the state.

The ranking of some species is expressed as a range (e.g. S2S3). This means that the rank is somewhere between S2 

and S3. Sometimes a question mark (S2?) is used to represent “more certainty than S2S3, but less certainty than S2”

(CNDDB 2014b).

2California Rare Plant Ranks (CRPR) and their definitions (CNDDB 2014b):

1A. Presumed extirpated in California and either rare or extinct elsewhere

1B. Rare or Endangered in California and elsewhere

2A. Presumed extirpated in California, but more common elsewhere

2B. Rare or Endangered in California, but more common elsewhere

3. Plants for which we need more information - Review list

4. Plants of limited distribution - Watch list

3Threat Code Extensions:

.1 - Seriously threatened in California (over 80% of occurrences threatened / high degree and immediacy of threat)

.2 – Moderately threatened in California (20-80% of occurrences threatened / moderate degree and immediacy of 

threat)

.3 – Not very threatened in California (<20% of occurrences threatened / low degree and immediacy of threat or no 

current threats known)

4

Source: Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC 2013)and NatureServe (2014). This species is not ranked 

in California.

The following describes the Sensitive Plant species which occur in this project. Additionally, the 

suitable habitat is described for these Sensitive Plants. Suitable habitat for any species can be 

defined as the surroundings, substrate and environmental factors which allow that species to 

successfully grow and reproduce. 

Rarity in plants can be the result of a number of things. Loss of habitat is a key factor for some 

species. Reproductive isolation through loss of populations is another factor. In many cases, the 

scarcity of the habitat in which the species evolved is the limiting factor which makes the species 

rare. Many of the rare plants considered in the Rim Recovery project are limited to specialized 

or scarce habitats such as cliffs, vernal pools, fens (spring-fed seep or meadow areas containing 

16 inches or more of peat), or “lava caps” (prehistoric volcanic ash mud flows also known as 

lahars and composed of andesitic tuff). Table 5 shows the habitat characteristics or affinities of 

the Sensitive Plants considered in the Rim Recovery project. Some species are very closely 

associated with the specialized habitats listed. Others can be found in several similar specialized 
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habitats. Not all habitat characteristics are listed. For example, some species prefer shallow, 

well-drained soil whereas others prefer deep soil with a high amount of organic matter. All of 

the special habitats listed in these tables occur within the Rim Recovery project.

Table 5. Habitat Affinities for Rim Fire Recovery Sensitive Plants.

Soils, 

Geology

Canopy 

Closure

Elevation

Aspect

Special Habitats

Species Name

Andesitic Tuff

Granitic

Metasedimentary

Open

Partly Open

Closed

2,000’-4,000’4,000’-6,000’6,000’-7,000’

North

Ridge Tops

Cliffs, Outcrops

Meadows, Seeps

Vernal Pools, Ponds

Perennial Streams

Fens

Allium tribracteatum      

Allium yosemitense      

Arctostaphylos nissenana   

Balsamorhiza macrolepis     

Botrychium ascendens         

Botrychium crenulatum        

Botrychium lineare         

Botrychium lunaria         

Botrychium minganense           

Botrychium montanum          

Botrychium pedunculosum          

Botrychium pinnatum         

Bruchia bolanderi       

Cinna bolanderi       

Clarkia australis      

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis        

Dendrocollybia racemosa        

Cypripedium montanum       

Eriastrum tracyi      

Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium     

Eriophyllum congdonii     

Eriophyllum nubigenum      

Erythronium taylori     

Erythronium tuolumnense          

Fissidens aphelotaxifolius        

Helodium blandowii      

Horkelia parryi    
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Soils, 

Geology

Canopy 

Closure

Elevation

Aspect

Special Habitats

Species Name

Andesitic Tuff

Granitic

Metasedimentary

Open

Partly Open

Closed

2,000’-4,000’4,000’-6,000’6,000’-7,000’

North

Ridge Tops

Cliffs, Outcrops

Meadows, Seeps

Vernal Pools, Ponds

Perennial Streams

Fens

Hulsea brevifolia     

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii       

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii       

Lomatium stebbinsii 

Meesia uliginosa     

Mielichhoferia elongata      

Mielichhoferia shevockii      

Mimulus filicaulis       

Mimulus pulchellus      

Peltigera gowardii        

Tauschia howellii      

Allium tribracteatum

Allium tribracteatum (three-bracted onion) is a perennial herb in the Onion family, Alliaceae. 

Torrey first described Allium tribracteatum in 1857. It is part of a complex of Alliums endemic 

to California with their distribution centering in the Sierra Nevada. The taxonomy and key 

characteristics of the Allium tribracteatum complex were examined and revised by Mortola and 

McNeal in 1985. Until then two-leaved plants of Allium obtusum were often confused with 

Allium tribracteatum. This new taxonomic understanding may not have been widely 

disseminated until the publication of the Jepson Manual in 1993 (Hickman, 1993). Allium 

tribracteatum is distributed in Tuolumne County, scattered on volcanic slopes and ridges 

(Mortola and McNeal, 1985). There is at least one occurrence in Calaveras County. 

Allium tribracteatum grows on gravely lahar soils (volcanic mud flow made of andesitic tuff), 

often referred to locally as "lava caps." The sites are usually open with no overstory. In some 

instances, brush species such as manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.) may be present. While there are 

not usually commercial conifer species growing on these sites, there are sometimes stands of 

trees nearby. Allium tribracteatum usually grows on the thin volcanic soils near the tops of 

ridges where there is little competition. Allium tribracteatum usually reproduces from seed 

rather than from bulb offsets. The elevation range for this species is 4,000' to 6,500'. It typically 

blooms March to May. 
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There are approximately 33 known occurrences of Allium tribracteatum in the Stanislaus 

National Forest. Most are on the Mi-Wok Ranger District. The known populations of Allium 

tribracteatum range in size from 5 individuals to more than 10,000.

There are no known occurrences of Allium tribracteatum within or adjacent to proposed Rim 

Fire Recovery units. There is a great deal of suitable habitat for this species within the Rim Fire 

Recovery project. Surveys were completed in spring 2014 for most unsurveyed suitable habitat 

in or adjacent to proposed units. However, the findings of those surveys were not available at 

the time of the completion of this analysis. The management requirements for the project would 

apply to any new occurrences found.

Allium yosemitense

Allium yosemitense (the Yosemite onion) is a perennial herb in the Onion family, Alliaceae. It 

sprouts from a bulb in late winter to early spring. The appropriate identification period for 

Allium yosemitense is May through early June. It grows from a bulb and reproduces by seed. 

Allium yosemitense grows in shallow soils of metasedimentary origin with a high amount of 

metasedimentary scree or cobble on the surface. It can also occur in granite. It is usually found 

on west, northwest or northeast aspects. Its elevation range is 1,500 to 7,000 feet.

Allium yosemitense has a very limited range, mostly in the Merced River watershed, in Mariposa 

County. There is one known occurrence within Tuolumne County in the Tuolumne River 

watershed. Alice Eastwood first described Allium yosemitense in 1934 from specimens collected 

at the head of Bridalveil Falls in Yosemite Valley in 1922. There are thirteen known 

occurrences of Allium yosemitense, eight in the Sierra National Forest, three in the Stanislaus 

National Forest and two in Yosemite National Park. All of the Stanislaus' occurrences are in the 

Groveland Ranger District. One of these occurs within a Rim Fire Recovery Alternative 1 unit, 

but outside that unit in Alternatives 3 and 4. The same occurrence grows on the edge of a Rim 

Recovery roadside hazard tree removal unit. 

There are areas of suitable habitat in Rim Fire Recovery units and roadsides. Surveys were 

completed in spring 2014 for most unsurveyed suitable habitat in or adjacent to proposed units. 

However, the findings of those surveys were not available at the time of the completion of this 

analysis. The management requirements for the project would apply to any new occurrences 

found.

Arctostaphylos nissenana

Arctostaphylos nissenana (Nissenan manzanita) is a low-growing shrub in the Heath Family, 

Ericaceae. It reproduces by seed. It has no burl and, therefore, is unlikely to resprout after fire. 

Unlike the common local manzanita shrubs, this species has grey, shredding bark. 

The range of this species is El Dorado County with one known occurrence near the town of 

Sonora. It grows in ancient tropical soils of the Ione Formation. There are 13 populations
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currently known (CNDDB 2014a). The land ownership of the El Dorado County occurrences is 

a mix of private property, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Eldorado National Forest. In 

Tuolumne County, the one known occurrence is on BLM land.

There are areas on the western side of the Stanislaus National Forest where similar soils support 

another Ione Formation species, Horkelia parryi. The proximity of the Sonora occurrence and 

the presence of Ione Formation soils presents the possibility that Arctostaphylos nissenana could 

be found in the Forest. To date, no occurrences have been found in the Stanislaus National 

Forest. There are suitable soils in the Rim Fire Recovery project inside at least eleven salvage 

units (Proposed Action) and numerous roadside hazard tree removal units. 

Balsamorhiza macrolepis

Balsamorhiza macrolepis (big-scale balsamroot) is a perennial herb in the sunflower family, 

Asteraceae. It reproduces by seed. Balsamorhiza macrolepis begins growing in late winter or 

early spring and blooms in mid-spring. The plant goes dormant during the summer, after seeds 

are produced. 

The range of Balsamorhiza macrolepis is the Sierra Nevada Foothills from Tehama County 

south to Mariposa County, and the interior Coast Range from Tehama County (Mendocino 

National Forest) south to Santa Clara County. Only 43 occurrences are documented in the 

California Natural Diversity Data Base (CNDDB 2014a). One of these from private property is 

confirmed to be extirpated (lost from that site); another from private property is thought to 

possibly be extirpated (CNDDB 2014a). Fifteen of the 43 occurrences are on lands of unknown 

ownership. Nine occurrences are in Bureau of Land Management lands, one of which is within a 

parcel proposed for disposal in a land-exchange in Tehama County. One occurrence was 

collected in Yosemite National Park near Big Meadow in 1911. It was relocated by Park staff in 

2011 after the Big Meadow Fire (Colwell 2014). An historic occurrence documented in the 

Plumas National Forest has not been relocated (Christofferson 2010, USDA 2012).

Balsamorhiza macrolepis inhabits a variety of soil and plant community habitats. It has been

reported from ponderosa pine forest, chaparral, vernally moist meadows and grasslands or 

grassland within oak woodland. Most of the occurrences are found in serpentine substrates, but 

it is also known to grow in soils derived from sandstone, basalt, and rocky clays of 

metasedimentary origin. The known occurrences in the Rim Fire burned area and the Yosemite 

occurrence are on granitic soils. Balsamorhiza macrolepis is usually found in openings or under 

an open brush cover. The elevation range is listed as below 4,600 feet (Jepson Flora Project

2014). It occurs as high as 4,700 feet elevation in the Stanislaus National Forest.

There are four known occurrences of Balsamorhiza macrolepis within the Rim Fire Recovery 

project area. One, made up of 2 small colonies, is located inside a salvage unit. Two 

occurrences are within one roadside hazard tree removal unit. One is just outside another hazard 

tree unit. The fifth occurrence is inside a Rim Fire Hazard Tree roadside unit near powerlines. 

This occurrence was reportedly impacted by hazard tree removal or powerline replacement after 

the Rim Fire.
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The habitat and soils for this species is common throughout the Rim Fire Recovery project area. 

It is possible that there are as-yet undiscovered occurrences in other project units. Surveys for 

this species were conducted through the spring and summer, 2014. However, the findings of 

those surveys were not available at the time of the completion of this analysis. The management 

requirements for the project would apply to any new occurrences found.

Botrychium species life cycle and habitat attributes.

Botrychium species are perennial herbs in the Adder’s-Tongue Family, Ophioglossaceae, and are 

closely related to ferns. The following information is summarized from the draft conservation 

assessment (Clines 2009). Botrychium species have a complicated life cycle, reproducing by 

spores and dependent on mycorrhizal fungi for carbohydrates, mineral nutrients and water. The 

majority of the Botrychium life is spend under the soil surface, emerging above the soil after the 

first two to six years of life to produce spores. The spores are dispersed by wind but the majority 

stay within about five meters (16.4 feet) of the parent plant. The spores filter into the soil and, if 

an appropriate mycorrhizal fungi is present, they germinate into a haploid (1n) gametophyte

(gamete-producing plant). The gametophyte produces gametangia, male and female 

reproductive structures, which produce sperm and eggs, respectively. Fertilization takes place 

underground on the gametophyte and a sporophyte (2n) grows on a short rhizome attached to the 

gametophyte. The sporophyte eventually produces one above ground leaf divided into a sterile 

segment and a reproductive segment. The reproductive leaf segment produces the spores (1n).

Because Botrychium species are completely dependent on mycorrhizal fungi, the plant 

community must have the right fungal partners, such as incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) 

trees, wild strawberry (Fragaria sp.) plants, twayblade (Listera convallarioides) and possibly 

trail plant(Adenocaulon bicolor), to produce the food taken up by the fungi and transferred to the 

Botrychium. The habitat must have the right moisture regime to support the fungi. In the Sierra 

Nevada, moist meadows, seeps and springs generally are habitats with favorable conditions. The 

rare Botrychium species are often found associated with uncommon soil or geologic formations, 

such as limestone deposits, or where springs bring water to the surface which has percolated 

through volcanic formations bringing unique minerals to the Botrychium site. According to 

Farrar, leaf litter of cedar trees can provide the mineral needs of Botrychiums (2011c):

Leaf litter of Thuja [western red cedar] is well known for supporting species of bryophytes and 

ferns that elsewhere grow on calcareous substrates including fens and limestone/dolomite cliffs. 

Species of Cupressaceae [the cypress or cedar family] are also highly supportive of the species of 

fungi that form mycorrhizal associations with species of Botrychium.

While western red cedar only occurs in northern California and northward into Oregon, 

Washington and Canada, incense cedar has been found locally to function similarly as does

western red cedar in the north (Farrar 2011c).

In the Rim Fire Recovery project, the currently known rare Botrychium species are found in a 

contact zone between a volcanic andesitic tuff lahar and granitic bedrock. This contact zone is 
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the point at which spring water surfaces in a stringer meadow, carrying with it the unique 

minerals of the volcanic substrate.

Botrychium ascendens

First described by Wagner and Wagner in 1986, Botrychium ascendens (upswept moonwort) is 

widely scattered and rare in western North America. It is normally found in damp areas of wet 

meadows or in riparian areas in coniferous forests. It has also been found along the dryer areas 

of fens. It ranges from 4,800 to 11,000 feet in elevation.

The range of this moonwort is from southern Alaska to southern Nevada, and from the Sierra 

Nevada in California east to the Rocky Mountains. There are scattered populations in Quebec, 

Newfoundland, northern Minnesota and Vermont (Farrar 2011a). In California, it is known from 

Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Placer, Plumas, Nevada, Shasta, Tehama, Tulare and 

Tuolumne Counties (CNDDB 2014a, CCH 2014). Most California occurrences tend to be

small, usually fewer than 20 plants each (CNDDB 2014a). One contained 49 plants, another 60 

plants when documented (CNDDB 2014a). One was reported to contain 200 plants (CNDDB 

2014a). One confirmed occurrence is known from the Stanislaus National Forest so far (A. 

Colwell #08-380a). It is outside the Rim Fire burned area.

Botrychium crenulatum

Botrychium crenulatum (scalloped moonwort) was first described by Wagner and Wagner in 

1981. It grows in moist habitats including meadows, seeps, springs and riparian areas. It is often 

found on creek banks in conifer forest. The elevation range for the species is 4,800 to 12,000 

feet.

Botrychium crenulatum has the widest distribution of the sensitive botrychiums across 

California. CNDDB shows 77 reported occurrences for California (2014a). Not all of these 

have been verified and some are represented by historic herbarium specimens only. Only 22 

occurrences have been accounted for in herbarium specimens (Jepson Flora Project 2014). Most 

of the California occurrences are small, numbering fewer than 25 plants (CNDDB 2014a). The 

range for Botrychium crenulatum extends through the western United States and western 

Canada. In California, the range extends from the Oregon border south through the Sierra 

Nevada into the Transverse Range. There are nine occurrences known in the Stanislaus National 

Forest. Seven of those occurrences are in the Calaveras Ranger District. One occurrence is in 

the Summit Ranger District. The ninth is in the Groveland Ranger District within the Rim Fire 

burned area. This occurrence is on the edge of a Rim Fire Hazard Tree roadside unit, in a small 

stringer meadow where occurrences of Botrychium pedunculosum and Botrychium minganense

are also found. None of the Stanislaus occurrences are included in the 22 Jepson Flora Project 

occurrences. The Rim Fire occurrence is accounted for in CNDDB.
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Botrychium lineare

Botrychium lineare (slender moonwort) was described as a new species in 1994 by W. H. 

Wagner, based on type specimens from Wallowa Co., Oregon. The habitat is moist margins of

meadows, seeps, springs and riparian areas where the roots can reach mineral soil. The sites are 

often influenced by calcareous (contains calcium carbonate, such as marble or limestone) 

substrates. It ranges in elevation from 7,000 to over 13,000. Most populations range from 1 to 

100 with most having fewer than 10 plants.

It is known from southern Alaska, southern Sierra Nevada in California, Colorado, northern 

Minnesota, Montana, southern Nevada, Washington, Quebec, Yukon and the Black hills of 

South Dakota and Wyoming (Farrar and Clines, 2009). There are sites reflected in historic 

specimen collections from Utah and New Brunswick, which have not been relocated in recent 

years. A collection from 1968 was made in the Sierra National Forest (Farrar and Clines, 2009).

In 2008, an occurrence was found at the head of Virginia Canyon in Yosemite National Park and 

another was confirmed from the Stanislaus National Forest, well outside the Rim Fire area

(Farrar and Clines, 2009). All three of the currently known California occurrences grow in soils 

influenced by calcareous substrates.

Only a small amount of the Rim Fire Recovery project is within the elevational range of this 

species. However, there is suitable habitat in that portion of the project area which has not been 

surveyed for this species. While there are no calcareous deposits there, there are volcanic soils 

with numerous granitic contact zones where springs and seeps might provide suitable growing 

conditions.

Botrychium lunaria

Botrychium lunaria (common moonwort) occurs in moist habitats, often meadows, stream sides, 

seeps, and springs. At high elevations, it can occur in any well-drained, moist soils, including in 

scree slopes. At lower elevations, it can occur in dense forests as well as in meadows. It prefers 

soils with neutral pH (Farrar 2011b). It ranges from 6,400 to11,200’ in elevation in California.

Botrychium lunaria was once thought to have a circumboreal distribution occurring in both 

Europe and North America. Genetic and morphological analysis of specimens world-wide, 

completed in 2008 by Mary C. Stensvold, Iowa State University, revealed that the North 

American plants are quite different genetically from the European plants (Farrar 2011b). 

Stensvold proposed the name Botrychium neolunaria for those plants occurring in North

America and retaining the name Botrychium lunaria for the European plants (Farrar 2011b). 

However, there has been no publication of this new name to date. Without a published name, the 

taxon remains in the Region 5 Sensitive List as Botrychium lunaria, with the understanding that 

the species in North America is synonymous with the unpublished name Botrychium neolunaria. 

For the purposes of reports and documentation for the Rim Fire Recovery, the old name 

Botrychium lunaria is used.
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In North America, it occurs from Alaska to California, northern Arizona and New Mexico, the 

Great Lakes region and across Canada. In California, eight occurrences are documented in 

Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Sierra, Tulare and Tuolumne Counties (CNDDB 2014a). However, 

only occurrences in Modoc, Mono and Inyo Counties (Farrar 2014b) and Tuolumne County have 

been genetically confirmed. Occurrences on federal lands include four sites on the Modoc 

National Forest, two sites on the Inyo National Forest, one reported site on the Tahoe National 

Forest (not represented by a specimen), and one site in Yosemite National Park (CNDDB 

2014a). A number of the sites are very old and have not been relocated. There are no known 

occurrences in the Stanislaus National Forest. However, there is suitable habitat in the Rim Fire 

Recovery project area.

Botrychium minganense

Botrychium minganense (Mingan moonwort) was first described in 1927 by Frere Marie Victorin 

from specimens collected from the Mingan Islands (Clines 2009). The habitat varies from dense 

forest to open meadows and can be in nearly dry sites to saturated habitats such as fens and seeps 

(Clines 2009).

Botrychium minganense has a wide range in North America. It occurs in 19 states and 12 

Canadian provinces. There is also an occurrence which was found in recent years in Iceland. 

There are 55 California occurrences reported in CNDDB (2014a), some of which are historic and 

not relocated in recent years. The range of the species in California is from the Oregon border 

south through the Sierra Nevada. There are seven occurrences of Botrychium minganense in the 

Stanislaus National Forest. Five of these occur in the Calaveras Ranger District and one occurs 

in the Summit Ranger District. One occurrence is in the Groveland Ranger District within the 

Rim Fire Hazard Tree project. This occurrence is made up of two colonies and grows in the 

same stringer meadow as the Botrychium crenulatum and Botrychium pedunculosum. 

Botrychium montanum

Botrychium montanum (western goblin) was described in 1981 by W. H. Wagner and F. S. 

Wagner from Lake County, Montana specimens (Farrar 2011c). It has a preference for dark, 

moist habitats, growing under western red cedar (Thuja plicata) in the northern part of its range, 

and under incense cedar in California (Farrar 2011c). It occurs in moist soils with high organic 

matter along small to mid-sized streams, in fens, seeps and meadows especially where there are 

perennial plants known to be fungal partners (Farrar 2011c). The elevation range for this species 

is 4,900 to 7,000 feet (CNDDB 2014a, Jepson Flora Project 2014).

It occurs in scattered locations from southern Alaska, British Columbia, northeastern Montana, 

Northern Idaho, Washington, Oregon and California (Farrar 2011c). There are 42 occurrences 

reported in California (CNDDB, 2014a). It is found in Butte, El Dorado, Fresno, Lassen, 

Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Tehama Counties (CNDDB 2014a) and Kern County (Farrar 

2011c). Occurrences in Kern, Modoc and Tehama Counties have been genetically confirmed 

(Farrar 2011c). Occurrences in Butte, Tehama and Kern Counties grow under incense cedar 
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(Farrar 2011c). There is one reported occurrence in the Calaveras Ranger District of the 

Stanislaus National Forest. It is well outside the Rim Fire burned area. However, there is a great 

deal of suitable habitat for this species in the Rim Fire Recovery project.

Botrychium pedunculosum

Botrychium pedunculosum (stalked moonwort) was described by W.H. Wagner. It occurs in 

mountain meadows, under conifers or tall forbs, and sometimes in forests or woodlands and on 

roadsides or on scree slopes (Farrar 2011d). The elevation range of this species is 4,800 to 7,000 

feet.

Botrychium pedunculosum is found in the Rocky Mountains of northwestern Montana and 

northern Idaho and into northeastern Oregon (Farrar 2011d). There are disjunct occurrences in 

northeastern Quebec, northern Alberta and on the Alaska peninsula (Farrar 2011b). There has 

been only one occurrence found in California. It is located in the Stanislaus National Forest, in 

the Rim Fire Hazard Tree project at the same meadow as the known occurrences of Botrychium 

crenulatum and Botrychium minganense. This occurrence of Botrychium pedunculosum is made 

up of two colonies. It is the most southerly occurrence of the species currently known.

The known occurrence of Botrychium pedunculosum is within a Rim Fire Hazard Tree unit and 

adjacent to a Rim Fire Recovery roadside hazard tree unit. There is a great deal of habitat for 

this species in the Rim Fire Recovery project area. The known occurrence is in a stringer 

meadow situated on a contact zone between granitic bedrock and a lava cap. The meadow is 

spring fed. The plants are closely associated with incense cedar and other fungal partners at the 

known site.

Botrychium pinnatum

Botrychium pinnatum was described as a new species in 1929 by Harold St. John based on 

specimens from the State of Washington. It is most often found growing in moist grassy sites in 

open forests and meadows. It can occur in closed canopy forests, and often occurs near streams 

(Farrar 2011e). It can also occur on shrubby slopes (Farrar 2012). The elevation range of the 

species in California is 6,200’ to 9, 200 feet.

Botrychium pinnatum is known from near sea level in Alaska south to California, and extends 

east to Colorado and Montana, and south to northern Arizona and New Mexico (Farrar 2011d).

In California, it has been found so far in two locations in Siskiyou County, one in Tehama 

County and one occurrence in Tuolumne County (Farrar 2011e). The Tuolumne County 

occurrence is in the Stanislaus National Forest, well outside the Rim Fire area. There is a great 

deal of habitat within the Rim Fire Recovery project area which has not been surveyed for this 

species.
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Bruchia bolanderi

Bruchia bolanderi is a rare, inconspicuous moss. It occupies organic or mineral soil on vertical 

banks of small streams in meadows or forests or at the edges of fens or springs (Malcolm, 

Malcolm, Shevock and Norris, 2009) . It is somewhat ephemeral, dying back to the soil level. It 

can also occupy road cuts and gully head cuts with the proper moisture regime. The elevation 

range for Bruchia bolanderi in California is 5,000 to 11,000 feet. One site in Idaho was found at 

about 3,000 feet elevation.

First described from Yosemite National Park, Bruchia bolanderi is known from Oregon, Idaho, 

Utah, Nevada and the Sierra Nevada of California (CNABH 2014). Within California, the range 

extends from Modoc County south to Tulare County and on the east side of the Sierras in Mono 

County. According to CNDDB, Bruchia bolanderi is known from 28 occurrences in California

(2014a). However as of 2012, there are 54 occurrences documented among 10 National Forests 

and three National Parks (USDA 2012a). There are currently four confirmed occurrences of 

Bruchia bolanderi in the Stanislaus National Forest. One of these is about 0.8 mile outside the 

Rim Fire burned area. There is suitable habitat within the Rim Fire Recovery project.

Cinna bolanderi

Cinna bolanderi (Bolander’s woodreed) is a perennial herb in the grass family, Poaceae. It 

grows in wet meadows and along streams. Members of the genus Glyceria are similar in 

appearance to Cinna bolanderi and grow in the same habitat types. It is likely that Cinna 

bolanderi has been overlooked as a result. Cinna bolanderi grows in both granitic and 

metasedimentary soils. The elevation range of this species is 6,050 to 7,900 feet.

The range of Cinna bolanderi is the southern Sierra Nevada from Mariposa County to Tulare 

County. There are no known occurrences in the Stanislaus National Forest. However, there are 

occurrences in Yosemite National Park. The nearest is within 1.5 miles of the Rim Fire burned 

area within the Forest. There is suitable habitat within the Rim Fire Recovery project.

Clarkia australis

Clarkia australis (Small's southern clarkia) is an annual herb in the Evening Primrose family, 

Onagraceae. It reproduces by seed. Seedlings of Clarkia australis can be found in the fall, after 

about two or more inches of rain. The appropriate identification period for Clarkia australis is 

approximately late June through mid-August, depending on elevation and weather conditions. 

Seed is usually ready for dispersal within one and one-half months from onset of blooming. By 

the time seed is ready for dispersal, the plant has dropped its leaves and, for the most part, has 

died. Occurrences of Clarkia australis range in size from one individual to thousands of 

individuals. The number of individuals in an occurrence can vary widely from year to year due 

to weather and site conditions. After wildfire, the occurrences often have numbers in the 

thousands due to the loss of competition and overstory, and the flush of nutrients.
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Clarkia australis is usually found on slopes with a south, southwest or southeast aspect. It grows 

in openings in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer stands often in association with bear clover. 

Clarkia australis tends to prefer "disturbed" sites - sites with little or no competition from more 

aggressive weedy species. In the natural setting, fire in the frequent-fire regime would be the 

disturbance agent. Bear clover does not out-compete Clarkia australis, probably because of the 

deep root system of bear clover compared to the very shallow roots of Clarkia australis. Clarkia 

australis does not grow well with weedy annuals like non-native grasses which out-compete it 

for moisture. It has not been found growing under dense stands of manzanita (Arctostaphylos

sp.). It will grow on a site where manzanita is present in small numbers and in open areas within 

manzanita stands. Clarkia australis prefers to grow in open sun or lightly filtered sunny 

conditions. Soil types and depths do not appear to be limiting. When not associated with bear 

clover, the species is usually observed growing in bare mineral soil or with a very light layer of 

leaf litter. Clarkia australis occurs between 3,000 and 6,000 feet in elevation.

Many species of the genus Clarkia have been the subject of extensive research. There is often "a 

great deal of variation between individuals of the same colony [and] between colonies" of the 

same species. Under poor environmental conditions, genetic variations may lend important 

adaptive features to a population. There tends to be great importance in exchange of genes 

between populations of clarkias because of the variability of populations. Research has shown 

that "the vast majority of... genetically isolated groups (occurrences) are short lived and become 

extinct." Speciation may also result from populations becoming isolated (Lewis, 1952). 

Speciation is the process of evolution whereby a population of a species becomes a new and 

different species. It is unknown how Clarkia australis may fit into this scenario. Because it 

exhibits wide variation in petal shape and coloration, it is possible that Clarkia australis is also 

genetically variable.

Clarkia australis was described in 1971 by Ernest Small as a result of trials in cross-pollinating 

several species of Clarkia (Small, 1971). As a result of Small’s work, it was assumed that 

Clarkia australis occurred south of the Tuolumne River and its virtual look-alike, Clarkia 

virgata occurred north of the river. Clarkia australis was described from two occurrences in its 

currently known range. The taxonomy of this species was re-confirmed in 1996 in more 

extensive and deliberate cross-pollination tests (Gottlieb and Ford, 1999).

As part of that investigation, Gottlieb discovered that the range of Clarkia australis extends 

farther to the northwest and the more common look-alike, Clarkia virgata extends farther to the 

southeast than previously believed. Six occurrences previously believed to be Clarkia australis

were genetically proven to be Clarkia virgata. Four occurrences previously thought to be 

Clarkia virgata were proven to be Clarkia australis. If the foraging range of pollinators (small 

native bees and native bumblebees) is taken into consideration, it might be assumed that all 

occurrences within about one to two miles of these proven occurrences would then be the same 

species. The geographic distribution of the genetically proven occurrences indicates that there 

might be an east-west dividing line between the two species. In addition, based on the genetic 

testing, Clarkia australis tends to occur at higher elevations and Clarkia virgata tends to occur at 

lower elevations. 
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The currently known range of Clarkia australis, based on genetic testing, extends north of the 

Main Fork of the Tuolumne River, into the Jawbone Ridge area and the Cherry Lake area. It is 

possible that the range of Clarkia australis extends into the Mi-Wok Ranger District. However, 

this possibility has not been verified with genetic testing. For management purposes, the range

has been defined as Tuolumne County south and east of Highway 108 and Mariposa County 

north of the Merced River. The western boundary is mapped, based on the locations of the 

genetically tested occurrences, as a diagonal line extending from the Forest boundary just south 

of Mount Provo, southeast to Highway 120 at Cherry Lake Road, then east, roughly following 

the highway to Harden Flat Road, then southeast to Crocker Ridge, south along the ridge to 

“Five Corners”, then south to the southwestern ridgeline above the Merced River, from Trumbull 

Peak. The occurrences on the northeast side of the line are managed as assumed Clarkia 

australis. The occurrences on the southwest side of the line are managed as assumed Clarkia 

virgata, with some allowances for error. Further testing is needed to better refine the range of 

the species. 

Currently it is assumed that there are about 300 colonies of Clarkia australis within five fairly 

distinct, extended populations. The largest concentration of occurrences is east of Cherry Lake 

Road, south of the Mather-Hetch Hetchy Road, west of Evergreen Road and north of Highway 

120. Most of the currently known colonies of Clarkia australis occur in the Groveland Ranger 

District. One occurrence of Clarkia australis is known from private property within the 

boundaries of the Forest. Three occurrences are reported from Yosemite National Park, all 

within one to two miles of the boundary with the Stanislaus National Forest. There are two 

historic collections from the Sierra National Forest which are likely to be mis-identifications of 

the common Clarkia rhomboidea rather than Clarkia australis. Photos of the herbarium voucher 

specimens #UC1122476 and # UC1516305, accessible on-line from the Consortium of 

California Herbaria (CCH 2014), show characteristics of Clarkia rhomboidea which are 

inconsistent with Clarkia australis. 

Roughly two-thirds of the known Clarkia australis occurrences are located within the Rim Fire 

burned area. There are 87 occurrences (128 colonies) within 28 Rim Fire Recovery units 

(Alternative 1). There is one occurrence adjacent to a 29th unit. There is previously unsurveyed 

suitable habitat for this species in project units. Surveys were conducted in summer 2014 in this 

unsurveyed suitable habitat. However, the findings of those surveys were not available at the 

time of the completion of this analysis. The management requirements for the project would 

apply to all new occurrences found.

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis (Mariposa clarkia) is an annual herb in the evening primrose family, 

Onagraceae. It reproduces by seed. Like Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis

germinates in the fall after two or more inches of rain and it dies after setting seed. The 

appropriate identification period for this species is mid-spring, approximately the month of June. 

The more common look-alike, Clarkia biloba ssp. biloba, is difficult to distinguish from Clarkia 

biloba ssp. australis. When Clarkia biloba ssp. australis is suspected, exacting measurements of 

the petals must be taken and the ratio of width to length compared to confirm its identity.
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Clarkia biloba ssp. australis is most often found on north, northeast or northwest-facing slopes, 

usually under light shade. It is occasionally found on southwest or southeast-facing slopes. It is 

also sometimes found in direct sunlight. Clarkia biloba ssp. australis tends to prefer "disturbed" 

sites - sites with little or no competition from more aggressive weedy species. In the natural 

setting, fire in the frequent-fire regime would be the disturbance agent. The elevation range for 

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis is approximately 400 to 4,600 feet (CNDDB 2014a).

According to Harlan Lewis, PhD., Clarkia biloba ssp. australis originated within the Merced 

River Canyon. He asserted that any specimens found outside the Merced River Canyon are 

intergrades between the more common Clarkia biloba ssp. biloba and Clarkia biloba spp. 

australis (pers. comm. June 15, 1996). However, since these occurrences fit the description of 

the species and represent specimens which contribute to an evolving genome, they are to be 

managed as Clarkia biloba ssp. australis (Jim Shevock, former Regional Botanist, pers. comm. 

July 2, 1996). Often times, occurrences of Clarkia biloba on both the Mi-Wok and Groveland 

Ranger Districts, have mixtures of plants with characteristics of both subspecies. That is, some 

plants tend to have characteristics of subspecies biloba and other plants in the same occurrence 

have characteristics of subspecies australis. We have defined that in order to be considered an 

occurrence of Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, over 50 percent of the plants must have the 

characteristics of that subspecies. In 1999, most occurrences discovered on both the Mi-Wok 

and Groveland Ranger Districts had characteristics of both subspecies leading to the conjecture 

that perhaps the defining characteristics are not definitive enough for these two subspecies; or 

perhaps that the two subspecies cannot be clearly defined within this local zone of intergradation.

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis was described in 1955 by Harlan and Margaret Lewis from 

specimens found in the Merced River Canyon. There are about 109 known occurrences of 

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis in existence. Of these, sixteen are known from the Merced River 

Canyon and it's tributary canyons. According to Lewis, these are "true" Clarkia biloba ssp. 

australis. Thirteen of these occur on lands managed by the Sierra National Forest and/or the 

Bureau of Land Management. Three are on land of unknown management or ownership.

Outside the Merced River Canyon and its tributaries, there are occurrences which match the 

description of Clarkia biloba ssp. australis. According to Lewis, these are "intergrades" between 

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis and Clarkia biloba ssp. biloba. Many of these occurrences are 

small, discrete colonies in close proximity to other small discrete colonies which, when 

considered at a landscape level, make up larger, extensive occurrences or populations. About 62 

occurrences are on National Forest System land in the Groveland Ranger District and 48

occurrences are on the Mi-Wok Ranger District, of the Stanislaus National Forest. For 

management purposes and to conserve evolving genomes, these occurrences are managed as 

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis. One occurrence is on private land in the Long Gulch area. One is 

on private land in the Greeley Hill area. An occurrence was identified along Highway 108 rightof-way, west of Jamestown. There are two occurrences south of the Merced River: one on 

private land and one on land of unknown management or ownership. 

Most of the Forest’s known occurrences of Clarkia biloba ssp. australis are within the Rim Fire 

burned area. There are 17 occurrences (30 colonies) within nine Rim Fire Recovery units 
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(Alternative 1). There are 3 occurrences which are adjacent to three Rim Fire Recovery units. 

There is suitable habitat within units and roadside hazard tree areas which have not been 

surveyed for Clarkia biloba ssp. australis. Surveys were conducted in spring and early summer 

2014 in unsurveyed suitable habitat. However, the findings of those surveys were not available 

at the time of the completion of this analysis. The management requirements for the project 

would apply to all new occurrences found.

Cypripedium montanum

Cypripedium montanum (mountain ladyslipper orchid) is a perennial herb in the orchid family, 

Orchidaceae. It arises in early spring from shallow rhizomes and dies back by late summer. The 

appropriate identification period for this species is mid-spring, approximately early May to midor late June.

In the Stanislaus National Forest, Cypripedium montanum inhabits sites which are relatively 

undisturbed with a moderate to dense overstory, usually containing Douglas-fir or white fir. 

These sites are typically west or north-facing with fairly damp, deep loamy soils and a welldeveloped duff layer. Often, the sites are very small undisturbed islands surrounded by land 

disturbed through past logging, road building or other activities. In the Stanislaus National 

Forest, Cypripedium montanum ranges in elevation from 3,500 to 6,500 feet. The elevation 

range for California is listed as 650 to 7200 feet (Jepson Flora Project 2014).

Cypripedium montanum associates with mycorrhizal fungi. Researcher Richard Shefferson 

found that Cypripedium species are associated primarily with one mycorrhizal fungal family, the 

Tulasnellaceae (Shefferson, et. al., 2005). The associated fungi in this family are termed orchid 

mycorrhizae, which differentiate from ectomycorrhizal fungi in that the orchid mycorrhizae grow 

within the orchid root cortical cells and provide sugar to the orchid with no exchange of carbon 

back to the fungus. Ectomycorrhizal fungi do not grow within root cells, but exchange sugars for 

carbon across an “interface of cortex and mantle” (Shefferson, 2004a). 

Shefferson noted “Cypripedium species associate with a fungus that may also have an 

ectomycorrhizal connection to nearby conifer species” (2004b). In compiling information about 

Cypripedium montanum habitat attributes, Kaye and Cramer (2005) found that Douglas fir 

(Pseudotsuga menziesii) was associated with Cypripedium montanum in 72.4 percent of the 

Sierran and northwestern California occurrences, as reported in occurrence sighting records. 

White fir (Abies concolor) was the second most common plant associate at 46.8 percent of 

occurrences. Fungi in the genus Tulasnella are often associated with dead wood (Kaye and 

Cramer, 2005), indicating a possible reliance on decomposing wood in the vicinity of 

Cypripedium species. 

Cypripedium montanum requires a mycorrhizal fungi relationship for germination and growth 

(Shefferson, et. al., 2005; Kaye and Cramer, 2005). Cypripedium seed is produced with no 

endosperm, which is the part of the seed which provides food to the embryo. The new 

Cypripedium plant will live completely underground with its fungal associate providing water 

and food, growing and storing food for a number of years (Kaye and Cramer, 2005). Once the 
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Cypripedium has adequate stored food to support leaf production, the plant will produce aboveground stems and leaves. There are some indications that the Cypripedium montanum most 

likely requires mycorrhizal fungi relationships throughout life (Kaye and Cramer, 2005). 

Because it lacks a hard seed coat, Cypripedium montanum does not bank seed in the soil.

Mechanical disturbance to the Cypripedium montanum rhizomes is usually fatal. Cypripedium 

montanum will sometimes survive a low-intensity fire in which most of the duff layer is left 

intact. However, it usually does not survive a fire of an intensity in which the duff layer is 

consumed (pers. comm. D. Knecht, February 13, 1997; Kaye and Cramer, 2005). 

Cypripedium montanum has a wide geographic range but is rare within its range. It ranges from 

the central Sierra Nevada and central Coast Ranges in California, north into Alaska. It also 

occurs in Montana and Wyoming. In California, in 2005, there were 202 known occurrences in 

eleven National Forests (Kaye and Cramer). In the Central Sierra Nevada, there are occurrences 

in the Eldorado, Plumas, Stanislaus and Sierra National Forests and Yosemite National Park. 

There are 31 known occurrences of Cypripedium montanum in the Stanislaus National Forest. 

Most of these Forest occurrences are quite small, having fewer than ten plants each. Some of 

these occurrences are made up of small colonies scattered across larger areas. 

All but one known Forest occurrence of Cypripedium montanum occurs within the Rim Fire 

burned area. The vegetation burn severity mapping completed using remote sensing 

technologies showed that the burn severity in the occurrence areas ranged from very low to high. 

This mapping technique primarily shows the damage to the tree canopy. Post-fire monitoring of 

most of the Cypripedium montanum occurrences took place during the spring and summer, 2014. 

In numerous occurrences, the very low to low vegetation burn severity mapped areas did not 

correlate with the actual effects at ground level. There were numerous instances where the 

canopy was intact but ground fire had completely consumed the duff layer and ground fuels. 

Monitoring revealed that in areas where the duff remained intact or intermittently burned within 

an occurrence, the Cypripedium montanum had the greatest survivorship. Where the duff was 

completely consumed, survivorship was low or non-existent. Complicating these results is the 

possibility that Cypripedium montanum plants might have remained dormant in some sites 

without growing in 2014 due to the stress caused by the direct effects of the fire and the stress of 

an exceptionally dry precipitation year. Therefore, sites with remaining canopy closure but 

lacking Cypripedium montanum in 2014 should not be ruled out. Monitoring should be 

conducted in future years at those sites.

It is likely that most of the occurrences in the moderate and high vegetation burn severity areas 

were either lost outright as a result of the fire or will not be sustained into the future due to the 

removal of the canopy as a result of the fire. Any occurrences within these areas where the 

canopy survived might be sustained into the future if microclimate conditions (soil moisture, 

shade, daytime temperatures, soil organic materials) were not altered too much by the fire and 

douglas fir trees and other fungal partners survived in near proximity. Without the micro-climate 

of a closed canopy or douglas fir trees and the soil organic matter to support the fungal partners, 

it is unlikely that Cypripedium montanum plants would be sustained.
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There are twelve known occurrences (19 colonies) of Cypripedium montanum within seven Rim 

Fire Recovery units (Alternative 1). There is one occurrence adjacent to one additional unit.

Post-fire monitoring data was not completely analyzed prior to completing this report. It has not 

yet been determined how many of these known occurrences survived and how many might have 

not survived the fire. The management requirements would be applied to all sites except any 

determined to have been extirpated through additional monitoring.

Dendrocollybia racemosa

Dendrocollybia racemosa is a saprophytic mushroom which is widespread in the Northern 

Hemisphere but always locally rare. This species is found on rotting or mummified remnants of 

agaric mushrooms, or occasionally in nutrient-rich leaf mulch in forests (Cushman and Huff

2007). The species has been found in older forests of coast live oak, Douglas-fir and tanbark oak, 

along riparian areas, and in other types of conifer forests. Populations are most likely to occur 

on wet, north facing slopes or in riparian areas with a perennial stream. The elevation range of 

the species is 2,500 to 7,000 feet.

Within the range of the northern spotted owl, populations are known from the western portions 

of Washington, Oregon, and northern California. There are approximately 37 documented sites 

scattered throughout California (USDA 2013a). The distribution of documented and verified 

occurrences on National Forest lands is as follows: Lake Tahoe Basin Unit (1 occurrence), 

Klamath (2: one on federal land, one on private land), Shasta-Trinity (8), Six Rivers (8), Tahoe 

(2): one occurrence bordering the Tahoe and Plumas National Forests in Yuba Co. in the vicinity 

of Bullards Bar Reservoir and the other at Skillman Campground in Nevada Co. There is one 

occurrence on private land within the boundary of the Mi-Wok Ranger District (USDA 2013a).

Surveys for rare plants are planned for the project area prior to the implementation of the project. 

The surveys would be conducted during the spring and summer, 2014. This timing would be 

sufficient for all of the rare plants but not for the mushroom, Dendrocollybia racemosa which is 

identifiable in winter. Winter 2013-2014 was exceptionally dry, interfering with the growth of 

mushrooms. Lack of surveys for this species is not expected to create situations where 

undocumented occurrences might be impacted by project activities. Anecdotal information 

received from other Forests which have this species indicates that the species does not return 

immediately after fire due to its reliance on the decaying fruiting bodies of mushrooms in the 

genuses Russula and Lactarius, which live on decaying wood in habitats with late-successional 

forest structure and soil characteristics. One expert speculated that if the canopy were 

completely lost to fire, the habitat would no longer be suitable and the mushroom would be not 

be sustained (S. Davison, pers. comm. with J. Haas 2014). An expert from University of 

California, Berkeley said that the host mushrooms (Russula sp. and Lactarius sp.) are not good 

colonizers and would need an intact tree canopy established before returning to the habitat (E. 

Vellinga, Ph.D., pers. comm. with J. Haas 2014). It might be many years before Dendrocollybia 

racemosa is able to recolonize the moderate and high burn severity areas of the burned area. It is 

not known if this species occurred in the burned area prior to the Rim Fire.
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Eriastrum tracyi

Eriastrum tracyi is an annual member of the Phlox Family, Polemoniaceae. It grows in sunny 

openings in chaparral and mid-elevation woodlands. The soils are usually gravelly shale or 

loam, coarse granitic sand, stony clay loam or adobe (USDA 2012b). The elevation range is 

1,000 to 5,400 feet.

Eriastrum tracyi occurs in northern California in Shasta, Trinity and Tehama Counties; in 

central California in Santa Cruz and Stanislaus Counties; and in the Southern Sierra in Fresno, 

Tulare and Kern Counties. There are three occurrences in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, 

three in the Lassen National Forest, one in the Mendocino National Forest, 1 in the Sierra 

National Forest and another just outside the Sierra Forest boundary, seven in the Sequoia 

National Forest, seven on BLM lands and 26 in private and unknown ownership areas (USDA 

2012b, CNDDB 2014). No occurrences are known within the Stanislaus National Forest. 

However, surveys have not been conducted in the past and suitable habitat is present in the Rim 

Fire Recovery project.

Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium

Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium (Jack’s wild buckwheat) is an annual herb in the buckwheat 

family, Polygonaceae. It was described in 1989 by James Reveal from plants collected from the 

Dardanelle area of the Stanislaus National Forest and named for his father, former District 

Ranger Jack L. Reveal (Summit Ranger District, 1948-1960) (Reveal 1989). This high Sierra 

species blooms July through September. It grows in sandy granitic soils in in montane conifer 

forests and sagebrush communities. The elevation range is 5,600 to 7,400 feet.

So far, only three occurrences of this species has been documented. One is the Dardanelle 

vicinity location mentioned above. The species was also collected from along Highway 89 in the 

vicinity of Luther Pass, Alpine County and from the vicinity of the Eureka Valley Campground 

on Highway 108, Tuolumne County. Past surveys are lacking in the Stanislaus National Forest 

due to lack of knowledge of the species. There is suitable habitat in the Rim Fire burned area. 

There are no currently known occurrence in the Rim Fire Recovery project. There is suitable 

habitat in the project area.

Eriophyllum congdonii

Eriophyllum congdonii (Congdon's woolly sunflower) is an annual herb in the sunflower family, 

Asteraceae. This species germinates in late winter or early spring, flowers, sets seed then dies by 

mid-summer. The appropriate identification period is from late April through June, depending 

on the elevation and weather conditions. Eriophyllum congdonii grows in very shallow soils 

overlaying metasedimentary rock outcrops. These population areas are not generally considered 

capable of growing timber. However, commercial species are sometimes found growing near 

these rock outcrops and the rock is sometimes sought after for road surface repair or boulders. 

The elevational range for this species is from 1,800 to 6,200 feet.
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Eriophyllum congdonii was described by Katherine Brandegee in 1899 from plants collected 

near El Portal. Its range is very narrow, occurring only in the Merced River watershed in 

Mariposa County. There are 32 known occurrences: nine in the Sierra National Forest, six in 

Yosemite National Park and 17 in the Stanislaus National Forest, all on the Groveland Ranger 

District. Occurrences number anywhere from several plants to tens of thousands of plants.

Eriophyllum congdonii occurs within a rock quarry outside the project area. There are isolated 

areas of suitable habitat for Eriophyllum congdonii in 20 Alternative 1 units and 19 Alternatives 

3 and 4 units which contain areas of suitable habitat. These sites are the same as for Allium 

yosemitense. Surveys were conducted in spring and summer 2014. However the results of those 

surveys were not available at the time that this report was completed. 

Eriophyllum nubigenum

Eriophyllum nubigenum (the Yosemite woolly sunflower) is an annual herb in the sunflower 

family, Asteraceae. It reproduces by seed. Eriophyllum nubigenum germinates in early spring 

and dies soon after seed set. The appropriate identification period for this species is mid- to late 

spring, approximately mid-May through June, depending on elevation.

Eriophyllum nubigenum is found in fairly open areas where there is a thin layer of well-drained 

soil, gravel or scree over bedrock of either fractured granite slabs or metamorphic rock. The 

substrates on which this species grows are not generally considered capable of growing timber. 

However, commercial species are usually found growing nearby and the bedrock is desired for 

repairing road surfaces and boulders. The elevational range for this species is approximately 

4,500 to 9,000 feet. 

Eriophyllum nubigenum was first described by Edward L. Greene in 1883 from plants collected 

at Clouds Rest in Yosemite National Park. It has a very limited range in Tuolumne and 

Mariposa Counties. There are 14 known occurrences of Eriophyllum nubigenum: eleven in 

Yosemite National Park and three in the Stanislaus National Forest, all on the Groveland Ranger 

District. Populations number from approximately 500 to 50,000 individuals. 

There is one known occurrence in one Alternative 1 Rim Fire Recovery salvage unit. In 

Alternatives 3 and 4, the occurrence is outside the revised unit. There is another occurrence in a 

Rim Fire Hazard Tree unit. The third Forest occurrence is outside of proposed units. There is 

suitable habitat for Eriophyllum nubigenum in 20 Alternative 1 units and 19 Alternatives 3 and 4 

units which contain areas of suitable habitat. These sites are the same as for Allium yosemitense

and Eriophyllum congdonii. Surveys were conducted in spring and summer 2014. However the 

results of those surveys were not available at the time that this report was completed.

Erythronium taylori

Erythronium taylori (Taylor's fawn lily) is a perennial herb in the lily family, Liliaceae. It was
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discovered by Dean Taylor, Ph.D. in 1996 in the Groveland Ranger District and described by 

James R. Shevock and Geraldine A. Allen (1997). It emerges from a corm in early spring and 

withers by mid-June. The appropriate identification period for this species is early spring, 

approximately the month of April.

Erythronium taylori is currently known from only one occurrence. The habitat is shaded, northfacing cliffs. Because other species of Erythronium can inhabit a variety of north-facing 

habitats, it's possible that Erythronium taylori might occur on sites, which are not cliff-like. The 

elevation of the one known occurrence is about 4,200 feet.

The one known occurrence of Erythronium taylori occurs within one Rim Fire Recovery salvage 

unit. One or more of the colonies in this occurrence might also be inside a roadside hazard tree 

unit. Previously unsurveyed suitable habitat for this species within Rim Fire Recovery project 

units was surveyed in spring 2014 during the appropriate identification period with negative 

results.

Erythronium tuolumnense

Erythronium tuolumnense (Tuolumne Fawn Lily) is a perennial herb in the lily family, Liliaceae. 

It reproduces by both seed and offsets. Erythronium tuolumnense emerges above ground in early 

March. The appropriate identification period for this species is early spring, approximately 

March through April, depending on elevation and weather conditions. The above-ground plant 

parts dry and shrivel up soon after blooming, becoming impossible to identify.

Erythronium tuolumnense tends to grow on shady, north-facing slopes. Many sites either have 

water flowing through the drainages with moist saturated soils or saturated soils in the form of 

springs or vernal seeps. The soils range from granitic clay-loams to rocky pockets of 

metasedimentary clays to bare granitic outcrops or volcanic lahar formations. In all cases, there 

is rock on or near the surface of the soil with abundant soil moisture during the growing and 

blooming period. Most Erythronium tuolumnense occurrences are found growing in chaparral, 

oak woodland, or ponderosa pine plant communities. The elevation range for this species is 

1,200' to 5,000'.

Erythronium tuolumnense was first collected by W.C. Blasdale on June 7, 1895. Several 

occurrences are found on private property. Although suitable habitat exists in the Groveland, 

Summit and Calaveras Ranger Districts, the species has so far been found only within the 

boundaries of the Mi-Wok Ranger District. There are 38 confirmed occurrences and five 

unconfirmed reports. Only one known occurrence of Erythronium tuolumnense occurs within 

the Rim Fire burned area. It occurs within a Rim Fire Recovery roadside hazard tree unit. There 

are no known occurrences within Rim Fire Recovery salvage units. There is suitable habitat in 

the project area. Surveys were conducted in spring 2014. However the results of those surveys 

were not available at the time that this report was completed.
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Fissidens aphelotaxifolius

Fissidens aphelotaxifolius (brook pocket-moss) is a true moss in the pocket-moss family, 

Fissidentaceae. It is identifiable throughout the year. It has no dormant or non-living time of 

year. It inhabits “wet soils, humus, and rocks along streams, near waterfalls, [and] in damp 

crevices of cliffs” (Pursell, 2005). It can also occur in damp or wet crevices of cliffs. It is not 

expected in areas where peak flows wash mosses away. The elevation range for Fissidens 

aphelotaxifolius is sea level to 6,300 feet.

Fissidens aphelotaxifolius has a wide geographic range but is rare within its range. It is known 

from only two occurrences in California: one in Madera county in the Sierra National Forest, the 

other in Siskiyou County in the Klamath National Forest. Fissidens aphelotaxifolius also occurs 

in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. The range in California for Fissidens 

aphelotaxifolius, therefore, extends from northern California south through the Sierra National 

Forest. There are currently no known occurrences of Fissidens aphelotaxifolius in the Stanislaus 

National Forest. There is suitable habitat in and adjacent to Rim Fire Recovery units.

Helodium blandowii

Helodium blandowii (Blandow’s bog-moss) is a moss in the family Helodiaceae. It grows in wet 

montane meadows, fens, and seeps, especially under willows in areas of leaf litter; also in 

subalpine coniferous forests and near alpine lakes (Flowers 1973, CNPS 2012). The elevation 

range for this species is 6500 to 10,500 feet (USDA 2012c)

Helodium blandowii has a wide range, occurring in Europe, Asia, and across the northern United 

States from New Jersey, Nebraska and Ohio west to California and Nevada, and northwards to 

Canada (Flowers 1973, Tropicos.org 2014). In California it has been reported from Fresno, 

Inyo, and Mono Counties. There is one occurrence on the Stanislaus National Forest in 

Tuolumne County. There are no currently known occurrences in the Rim Fire Recovery project. 

However, there is suitable habitat for this species in the project area.

Horkelia parryi

Horkelia parryi (Parry's horkelia) is a low, mat-like perennial herb in the rose family, Rosaceae. 

It reproduces by seed. The appropriate identification period for this species, which coincides 

with its blooming period, is mid-spring, approximately the month of May. It is possible to be 

identified most of the year by its vegetation, which is fairly distinct. H. parryi has a dormant 

period during the hottest, driest part of the summer, during which it's leaves whither and turn 

brown. It sends up new leaves with the first fall rains.

Horkelia parryi was described by Edward L. Greene. It grows in dry areas, mostly under brush 

or low-growing interior live oak branches in the Stanislaus National Forest. In the lower 

elevations of Amador and El Dorado Counties, it grows in openings in chaparral. Slopes are 

mild to flat. Soils tend to be well-drained and slightly to moderately acidic. On the Groveland 
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Ranger District, Horkelia parryi has, so far, only been found on two soil types: map unit #157: 

Josephine family, moderately deep - Dystric Lithic Xerocrepts association, 5 to 35 percent 

slopes; and map unit #161: Josephine - Sites families complex, moderately deep, 15 to 35 

percent slopes (National Cooperative Soil Survey, 1981). The currently known elevation range 

for Horkelia parryi is sea level to 3,500 feet.

Horkelia parryi is endemic to California. This species is limited to the foothill region of the 

central Sierra Nevada from El Dorado County in the north to Mariposa County in the south. The 

southernmost occurrences are found in Mariposa County in the vicinity of Feliciana Mountain, 

just south of the Merced River (Sierra National Forest) at around 3400 feet elevation. In the 

Stanislaus, the majority of the occurrences are in the southern part of the Groveland Ranger 

District. One occurrence has been found in the Mi-Wok Ranger District. The northernmost 

occurrence in on the Georgetown Ranger District of the Eldorado National Forest, approximately 

3 miles south of the boundary with the Tahoe National Forest. 

CNDDB lists a total of 36 occurrences of Horkelia parryi (2014). Twelve of these are on 

property of unknown ownership. Seven are on private property only. Five are on a combination 

of private property and government agency lands (BLM, USFS, CalTrans). Four are on a 

combination of BLM and USFS lands. Five are on Eldorado National Forest lands only. One is 

on Sierra National Forest lands only, and one falls in both BLM and Sierra National Forest lands 

on Feliciana Ridge in Mariposa County. One is on CalTrans lands only. One is on BLM lands 

only.

Locally, there are four extended populations of Horkelia parryi made up of numerous colonies in 

the southwest portion of the Groveland Ranger District. These are all outside the Rim Fire 

burned area. The known occurrence in the Mi-Wok Ranger District is also outside the burned 

area. There is suitable habitat within Rim Fire Recovery units. Surveys were conducted in 

spring and summer 2014. However the results of those surveys were not available at the time 

that this report was completed.

Hulsea brevifolia

Hulsea brevifolia (short-leaved hulsea) is a short-lived perennial herb in the sunflower family, 

Asteraceae. It grows in exposed, rocky granitic or volcanic soils in openings as well as in shade 

of canopy in Upper Montane Coniferous Forest. It is regularly found under the open canopies of 

red fir (Abies magnifica) with Brewer’s aster (Aster breweri). It can be found on north-facing 

slopes in Upper Montane Forests (USDA 2006). The elevation range of this species is 

approximately 5,000 to 9,000 feet, with one population occurreing at about 4,500 feet.

This species is limited to California in the central and southern Sierra Nevada. It has been found 

from Tuolumne County (Yosemite National Park) to Tulare County. There are 64 reported 

occurrences (CNDDB 2014a). There are approximately 46 known occurrences of Hulsea 

brevifolia in the Sierra National Forest. At least four occurrences exist in the Sequoia National 

Forest and four in the Inyo National Forest. In addition, there are at least 19 occurrences in 

Yosemite National Park and 2 in Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks (USDA 2006). The 
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northern-most occurrence is south of the Tuolumne River in Yosemite National Park.

There are currently no known occurrences of Hulsea brevifolia in the Stanislaus National Forest. 

The nearest occurrence is reported from the Merced Grove of Big Trees in Yosemite, about two 

miles from units in the Rim Fire Recovery project. There are other occurrences in Yosemite 

within about 3.5 miles of the project. There is suitable habitat in the Rim Fire Recovery project 

in units near the Forest boundary with Yosemite. Surveys were conducted in summer 2014. 

However the results of those surveys were not available at the time that this report was 

completed.

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii (Hutchison’s bitterroot) is a perennial herb in the miner’s 

lettuce family, Montiaceae. Taxonomists had previously classified the genus Lewisia in the 

purslane family, Portulacaceae. Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii was described by Barbara L. 

Wilson, Valerie D. Hipkins, Edna Rey-Vizgirdas, and Thomas N. Kaye as the result of genetic 

studies of the variation of Lewisia kelloggii (2005). Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii grows on 

open rocky ridge tops or flat openings in granitics or volcanic “lava caps” with widely spaced 

trees in partial to full sun. Most soils are reported to be sandy granitic to erosive volcanic with 

granitic boulders. Plants are often visible during June and July and then dry up and disappear 

later in the summer after setting seed. The elevation range is 4,500 to 7,000 feet (USDA 2012d). 

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii is restricted to the Klamath Range and northern Sierra Nevada, 

California. It is known from 56 occurrences in five National Forests in California. There are 

five occurrences in the Eldorado National Forest, two in the Lassen (one shared with the 

Plumas), 15 in the Plumas NF, 16 in the Tahoe and 17 in the Stanislaus. One occurrence on the 

Eldorado has been reported to be larger than 2,000 plants, but most other occurrences range in 

number from 50 to 250 plants. One occurrence on the Plumas has four or fewer individuals. 

This plant is endemic to Butte, Sierra, Plumas, Nevada, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, and 

Tuolumne Counties.

There is one known occurrence of Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii, made up of six colonies 

inside the Rim Fire burned area. One of these colonies occurs within a Rim Fire Recovery 

salvage unit. A colony of another occurrence falls within a Rim Fire Hazard Tree roadside unit, 

although it occurs just outside the burned area. There is suitable habitat in the Rim Fire 

Recovery project area. Surveys were conducted in spring and early summer 2014. However the 

results of those surveys were not available at the time that this report was completed.

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii (Kellogg’s bitterroot) is a perennial herb in the miner’s lettuce 

family, Montiaceae. It is closely related to Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii and was described 

by the same researchers at the same time (Wilson, et. al. 2005). It is restricted to open, gravelly 

or sandy flats within mixed conifer forest and subalpine forest. After setting seed, the plants 
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wither and go dormant, becoming invisible and impossible to detect. The elevation range is 

6000 to 11,000 feet.

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii is endemic to California. It is known from at least 25 locations 

from Plumas County southward to Madera County and one occurrence in Humboldt County

(USDA 2012e). Some populations are large, composed of several hundred plants, some are 

smaller. Little information exists on population numbers. There are at least 10 sites in 

Yosemite, including “almost all the domes surrounding Yosemite Valley, especially Sentinel 

Dome and Mt. Watkins” (Botti 2001, USDA 2012e).

There is one occurrence of Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii in the Calaveras Ranger District, 

Stanislaus National Forest. It is well removed from the Rim Fire burned area. There is suitable 

habitat within the Rim Fire Recovery project. Surveys were conducted in spring and early 

summer 2014. However the results of those surveys were not available at the time that this 

report was completed.

Lomatium stebbinsii

Lomatium stebbinsii (Stebbins’ lomatium) is a perennial herb in the carrot family, Apiaceae. It 

emerges from the underground tuber and blooms soon after snowmelt. This can initiate as early 

as January and may continue into late May depending on the spring snowfall. It blooms from 

March to April. Soon after seed dispersal the aboveground portions of the plant dry and blow 

away. Lomatium stebbinsii grows on ridge tops and slopes in lahar soils (volcanic mud flow 

formations). These soils are high in clay content and are generally rocky. The soils are usually 

fairly shallow. It is often found growing with Allium tribracteatum. The elevation range for this 

species is 3,500 to 7,000 feet. 

G. Ledyard Stebbins discovered Lomatium stebbinsii in 1971. In June of that year he examined 

specimens and described the type locality as, "specimens scattered over the thin-soiled, almost 

bare ground in volcanics (mud-flow breccia) northwest of Bald Mountain near Highway 108 at 

5,600ft” (Schlessman and Constance 1979). 

There are approximately 90 known occurrences of Lomatium stebbinsii in the Stanislaus 

National Forest. All except six of the known occurrences exist on the Mi-Wok Ranger District, 

the other occurrences are known from the Calaveras and Summit Ranger Districts. The known 

populations of Lomatium stebbinsii range in size from 75 individuals to approximately 10,000.

There are eight occurrences of Lomatium stebbinsii within the burned area. These eight 

occurrences are made up of 34 colonies. Four colonies occur in three salvage units. One of 

these, colony number 139B, was impacted during the Rim Fire by a bull dozed containment line. 

Impacts to that occurrence were monitored in 2014 to determine the extent of the occurrence 

impacted and if there would be lasting adverse effects. However, the results of that monitoring 

were not available at the time this report was completed. There are five colonies in four roadside 

hazard tree units. There is suitable habitat within and adjacent to Rim Fire Recovery units which 

was surveyed in Spring, 2014. The results of those surveys were not available at the time that 
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this report was completed.

Meesia uliginosa

Meesia uliginosa (broad-nerved hump-moss) is a moss which, in California, has been found only 

growing on decaying wood in fens or in “wet meadows” which may or may not be fens (the 

collection labels don’t provide enough detail) (Dillingham 2005). It is sometimes found in 

meadows and seeps without the required 40 cm (16 inches) of peat which defines a fen. Outside 

of California, it commonly occurs on small, soil covered ledges on calcareous rock outcrops. It 

is also found on small, organic mounds in arctic and alpine tundra (Dillingham 2005). Meesia 

uliginosa is most often is found in small patches of only a few plants (Vitt 1992). The elevation 

range of the species is 5,500 to 9,200 feet.

Meesia uliginosa is found in the northern latitudes around the world. In North America it is 

widely distributed across the United States (Alaska, California, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, 

Washington and Wyoming), Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, Manitoba, 

Newfoundland, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon) and Greenland (USDA 2012f). In 

California, Meesia uliginosa is known from eight National Forests, from the Klamath to the 

Sequoia, in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, and in one State Park for a total of 48 

records (USDA 2012f). There are no currently known occurrences in the Stanislaus National 

Forest. There is suitable habitat in the Rim Fire Recovery project area.

Mielichhoferia elongata

Mielichhoferia elongata (elongate copper-moss) is an acrocarpic moss in the Family Bryaceae. 

It was first described from Austria in 1815. It was first recognized at the specific level in 1983 in 

Europe and in 1969 in North America (Shaw and Rooks 1994). Shaw and Rooks (1994) 

established genetically that it is distinct from Mielichhoferia mielichhoferiana and has more 

genetic variability. 

Mielichhoferia elongata ranges in habitats from sea level to high arctic tundra. It occurs in alpine 

and subalpine sites in Colorado where it shows the greatest genetic diversity. In California it is 

on coastal cliffs subject to salt spray, among Douglas-fir forests, and in the Sierra foothills. 

Although called a “copper moss” and found in Copperopolis, it can occur on moist rocks with a 

high concentration of heavy metals. In the British Isles it is noted to occur on vertical faces 

which result in reduced light and maximum seepage (Wilkins 1977). In the Stanislaus and Sierra 

National Forests, Mielichhoferia elongata has been found growing on metasedimentary rocks, 

especially the reddish-bronze type as found in the Merced and Tuolumne watersheds. The 

substrate is often damp from seep moisture in the bedrock. The elevation range is sea level to 

4,500 feet.

Mielichhoferia elongata is found in Europe and North America. In North America it is widely 

scattered, occurring once each in Michigan, New York and a cluster of sites in the Great Smoky 

Mountains. It is in about a dozen sites in the Southern Rockies in Colorado (Shaw and Rooks 

1994). In California, it is known from three disjunct portions of the state: in the Sierra Nevada 

Mountains from Mariposa, Placer, Fresno, Tulare Counties; in the Siskiyou Mountains from
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Siskiyou, Humboldt, Trinity counties; and in the central coast - Santa Cruz County (USDA 

2012g). Out of 41 occurrences, 14 are from National Forest System lands, four are from Public 

Beach in Santa Cruz County, five are from National Parks, one is from a State Park, one is from 

BLM land, and 16 are from undetermined ownership (USDA 2012g).

There are four known occurrences in the Stanislaus National Forest: one is in the Tuolumne 

River Canyon near the Mohigan Mine, one is in the Clavey River Canyon near the confluence 

with the Tuolumne River, one is along Highway 120 near Rim of the World, and one is in the 

Merced Canyon near the community of El Portal. Only the occurrence in the Merced Canyon is 

outside the Rim Fire area. None of the known occurrences are within proposed Rim Fire 

Recovery units. The Highway 120 occurrence is within a Rim Fire Hazard Tree unit. There is 

suitable habitat within the Rim Fire Recovery project area.

Mielichhoferia shevockii

Mielichhoferia shevockii (Shevock’s copper-moss) is another acrocarpic moss in the Family 

Bryaceae. It was originally described as Schizymenium shevockii by Jonathan Shaw in 2000. In 

2009, Shaw transferred the species to genus Mielichhoferia after determining that a particular 

morphological character (the peristome structure) was not a reliable character to distinguish the 

two genera (Shaw 2009). Shaw determined than that the species was more closely related to 

other species of Mielichhoferia than to members of Schizymenium. Mielichhoferia shevockii

grows in the same habitats as Mielichhoferia elongata and can sometimes be seen growing sideby-side with that species. It grows on metamorphic rocks and can also be found in woodlands 

on gravelly soil among rocks containing heavy metals (Malcolm, Malcolm, Shevock and Norris

2009). The elevation range for the collection sites to date is 1,200 to 3,600 feet (CNABH 2014).

Mielichhoferia shevockii is endemic to California. So far, it has only been collected from nine 

localities. It has been collected in Fresno, Lake, Mariposa, Monterey, Riverside, Santa Cruz, and 

Tulare Counties. One collection was made in the Sierra National Forest, one in the Los Padres 

National Forest, and two in the Sequoia National Forest (CNABH 2014). Other areas included 

the Bonny Doon Ecological Preserve and the Santa Margarita Ecological Preserve (CNABH 

2014). There is one location in the Merced River Canyon, about one mile west of the Sierra 

National Forest on BLM lands (CNABH 2014, USDA 2012g). This occurrence grows on a 

metasedimentary rock wall next to Mielichhoferia elongata. While no occurrences have been 

located in the Stanislaus National Forest to date, there is a great deal of suitable habitat which 

has not been surveyed. Some of that unsurveyed suitable habitat occurs within the Rim Fire 

Recovery project area.

Mimulus filicaulis

Mimulus filicaulis (the slender-stemmed or Hetch-Hetchy monkey flower) is an annual herb in 

the Lopseed family, Phrymaceae (previously Scrophulariaceae). It was first described in 1891 

by Sereno Watson. It reproduces by seed. Mimulus filicaulis is short-lived. It germinates in 

early spring and dies soon after blooming and setting seed in late spring. The appropriate 

identification period for Mimulus filicaulis is mid-spring, from late April through early June, 

depending on elevation and weather conditions. Any one occurrence might bloom for no more 
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than one week if soils aren't saturated, making it difficult to detect with only one visit to a site. 

In drought years or years with little rain in the spring, Mimulus filicaulis occurrences might be 

reduced in numbers and size. In very dry years, Mimulus filicaulis occurrences might not bloom.

Mimulus filicaulis occurs in moist soils near seeps, springs, meadows and drainages. It also 

occurs on sites that dry out substantially in the summer but has high soil moisture in the spring. 

These sites are often within mixed-conifer stands. Most of the occurrences have been observed 

growing under full sun or slightly filtered light conditions. Mimulus filicaulis prefers to grow in 

areas with little competition. Soil type, depth and condition don't appear to be limiting. The 

elevation range for this species is from 2,400 to 5,500 feet. 

Mimulus filicaulis is endemic to Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties. The currently known range 

for Mimulus filicaulis is the Main Fork of the Tuolumne River south to the Mariposa District of 

the Sierra National Forest and east into Yosemite National Park. There are approximately 125 

known occurrences of Mimulus filicaulis in the Stanislaus National Forest. All of those occur on 

the Groveland Ranger District. There are twelve known occurrences in Yosemite National Park, 

some made up of several colonies. There is one occurrence reported from private property near 

the western Forest boundary, one occurrence on private property at Ackerson Meadow and two 

historic occurrences on private property south of the Merced River in Mariposa County, within 

the boundaries of the Sierra National Forest. There is one specimen record from 1994 (Taylor #

14361) that was collected from the Sierra National Forest in the vicinity of the Chowchilla 

Mountains. The known occurrences of Mimulus filicaulis in the Groveland Ranger District range 

in size from five to several thousand individuals. These numbers vary from year to year based 

on availability of moisture from rainfall and temperature patterns.

There are 33 occurrences made up of 50 colonies, within 13 Rim Fire Recovery Alternative 

1units. There are three occurrences adjacent to three additional units. There is suitable habitat in 

other Rim Fire Recovery units. Surveys were conducted in spring 2014. However the results of 

those surveys were not available at the time that this report was completed.

Mimulus pulchellus

Mimulus pulchellus (the pansy monkeyflower) is also an annual herb in the Lopseed family, 

Phrymaceae (previously Scrophulariaceae). The times for germination and identification are 

similar to those for Mimulus filicaulis. Mimulus pulchellus blooms one to two weeks earlier in 

most years. It grows in vernally wet to moist sites which are usually flat or with a slight slope. 

It prefers to grow in areas with little competition. The elevational range for this species is 3,000 

to 5,000 feet. 

Mimulus pulchellus is endemic to Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. It is found in 

the Stanislaus National Forest, Yosemite National Park and near the town of Mariposa, not far 

from the Sierra National Forest. It occurs in the Chowchilla River watershed (near Mariposa), 

and the Merced, Stanislaus and Tuolumne River watersheds. There are five occurrences in 

Yosemite National Park and one historic occurrence in the Sierra National Forest. There are 

approximately 40 known occurrences of Mimulus pulchellus in the Stanislaus National Forest. 

Twenty of these are in the Groveland Ranger District, fifteen in the Mi-Wok District and five in 

the Calaveras Ranger District. Many of these occurrences are made up of two or more colonies.
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There are 12 occurrences (19 colonies) of Mimulus pulchellus within seven Rim Fire Recovery 

Alternative 1 units. There are five occurrences adjacent to three units. There is suitable habitat 

in other Rim Fire Recovery units. Surveys were conducted in spring 2014. However the results 

of those surveys were not available at the time that this report was completed.

Peltigera gowardii

Peltigera gowardii (Goward’s waterfan) is an aquatic lichen in the Peltigeraceae. There have 

been two taxonomic changes since 2000. The species was first described in 1856 by J. L. 

Russell who named it Hydrothyria venosa (USDA 2010a). The species was placed in the family 

Collemataceae. Genetic studies published by Miadlikowska and Lutzoni showed that it is better 

aligned with the family Peltigeraceae (2000). The species was given the name Peltigera 

hydrothyria since the name Peltigera venosa was already assigned to another species

(Miadlikowska and Lutzoni 2000, USDA 2010a). In 2011, Lendemer and O’Brien published the 

results of their genetic studies which showed that there are clear genetic differences between the 

species in the east (Peltigera hydrothyria) and the species in the western states. The species in 

the western states was named Peltigera gowardii after the collector of the type specimen, 

Lichenologist Trevor Goward. Lendemer and O’Brien indicated that there is further genetic 

work needed on Peltigera gowardii to determine if further splitting is needed (2011). The 

species in northern Washington and northward appears to have different characteristics than the 

species from southern Washington and southward (Lendemer and O’Brien 2011).

Peltigera gowardii is identifiable year-round, having no dormant or non-living period. There are 

no other similar appearing species of lichens which are totally aquatic in California. Peltigera 

gowardii is usually attached to rock but is sometimes found on soil or submerged wood. It 

grows in clear, shallow streams fed by cold water springs where it is always submerged or in the 

water spray zone. The water is very clear and peak flows are not of the intensity that would lead 

to scouring. Increased sedimentation and nutrients, or a rise in temperature can be detrimental to 

occurrences (Davis, 1999). The streams rarely are more than 8 inches in depth. However, it has 

been observed in water exceeding three feet in depth (Davis 1999). The habitat is usually shaded 

or partially shaded at the mid-elevations (USDA 2010a). The elevation range is about 2,700 to

8,100 feet with one site in Yosemite National Park found at 13,000 feet (USDA 2010a). 

The range of Peltigera gowardii is currently defined as Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, 

Oregon, Montana and California (Lendemer and O’Brien 2011). In California, it occurs in the 

Sierra Nevada in the Plumas, Eldorado, Stanislaus, Sierra, and Sequoia National Forests, in the 

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Calaveras Big Trees State Park and in Yosemite National 

Park. It is also found in the northern coast range in the Mendocino National Forest, and in 

northwestern California in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. In the central Sierra Nevada, there 

are eleven occurrences in the Sierra National Forest, two in the Sequoia National Forest, two in 

Calaveras Big Trees State Park and three in Yosemite. Twenty-one occurrences are known from 

the Stanislaus National Forest. Nine of these are in the Groveland Ranger District. Ten are in 

the Calaveras Ranger district. Two are in the Mi-Wok Ranger District.

Peltigera gowardii is known to occur in ten streams within the Rim Fire Recovery project. All 

of these occurrences are downstream, downhill or adjacent to project units. There are streams 
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within the project area which contain suitable habitat and hadn’t been surveyed prior to the Rim 

Fire. Surveys were conducted in spring and early summer 2014. However the results of those 

surveys were not available at the time that this report was completed.

Tauschia howellii

Tauschia howellii is a perennial herb in the carrot family, Apiaceae. It grows in openings in red 

fir forests on granitic gravel on ridge tops (Jepson Flora Project 2014). It is also found in 

decomposing granite soils, in mountain hemlock forests and on upper slopes of ridges (USDA 

2013b). Tauschia howellii was described by Sereno Watson and named for the botanist Thomas 

Jefferson Howell who botanized extensively in Oregon and Southern Washington from 1875 to 

1904 (Ornduff 2008). The elevation range of the species is 5,600 to 8,200 feet (USDA 2013b).

Tauschia howellii has a limited distribution in southern Oregon, where it is a Candidate for State 

Listing, Siskiyou County, Sierra County and Fresno County. There are nine occurrences in the 

Klamath National Forest, two in the Tahoe National Forest, and one in the Sierra National Forest 

(USDA 2013b). There are no currently known occurrences in the Stanislaus National Forest. 

There is suitable habitat within the Rim Fire Recovery Project. Surveys were conducted in 

summer 2014. However the results of those surveys were not available at the time that this 

report was completed.

EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.

The Rim Fire Recovery project has had protective measures incorporated into it which are 

designed to reduce, minimize or alleviate adverse effects to known occurrences of Sensitive 

Plants (pages 14 through 16). Nevertheless, it is possible that some adverse effects to 

occurrences of Sensitive Plants might occur. Sensitive Plant occurrences would be flagged and 

avoided, thereby eliminating the possibility of direct impacts with the exception of some 

occurrences of Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus 

pulchellus. In some of these occurrences, manual fuel reduction would be allowed during the 

dry non-growing period when the species are present as seed, not living plants. These 

occurrences would be less vulnerable to loss as seed than as living plants. Mastication and 

legacy skid trail subsoiling to alleviate compaction would also be allowed within occurrences of 

Clarkia australis during the dry, non-growing period. Therefore, the management requirements 

might not completely alleviate adverse effects. At no time are the impacts to the Clarkia 

australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus pulchellus occurrences

expected to be so great that an entire occurrence would be eliminated. For this section, the term 

"impact" refers to any disturbance which might adversely affect Sensitive Plants.

In utilizing the flag and avoid management requirement, highly visible vinyl ribbon is hung from 

brush and trees around the perimeters of the occurrences in a manner which makes the 

occurrences visible to equipment operators, sawyers and other workers. The sites are marked on 

the contract maps as “Controlled Areas.” Contractors are advised to avoid impacting these areas. 

Sale Administrators, Contracting Officer Representatives and project inspectors are informed of 

the locations and management requirements related to the occurrences. With the flag and avoid 
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management requirement, there would be no direct effects to Sensitive Plants except for some 

occurrences of Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus 

pulchellus which could be impacted during the dry, non-growing period while present as viable 

seed.

The effects section of this BE discloses in detail, the expected effects from the proposed salvage, 

fuel reduction, watershed enhancement and wildlife enhancement activities to Sensitive Plants.

General Discussion.

The activities proposed in both Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 are essentially the same except that there 

would be no new road construction in Alternative 4. The action alternatives differ primarily in 

the number or size of units with timber salvage, and whether or not some units would have a 

research emphasis which changes the extent of salvage. The activities planned in the project for 

the action alternatives include sawlog and biomass removal using conventional ground-based, 

skyline or helicopter methods, fuel reduction utilizing a variety of methods including machine

piling, masticating small trees and brush, a minimal amount of hand thinning, hand piling, pile 

burning, lop and scatter woody debris disposal and jackpot burning. Watershed treatments are 

localized and consist of dropping small trees in areas with high erosion hazards above creeks, 

and lopping and scattering the wood from the trees. Wildlife enhancement activities include 

masticating plantation trees and shrubs in deer winter range areas to aid in the vegetation 

recovery and deer passage in the areas. Additionally, a fisher and other forest carnivore 

connectivity corridor was identified. There would be road improvements with each of the action 

alternatives including maintenance, reconstruction, temporary road construction and 

decommissioning, and, except for Alternative 4, new road construction. Because the activities 

are essentially the same between the action alternatives, the effects discussed in this section 

apply to Alternatives 1, 3 and 4.

The activities proposed in this project would be implemented over the course of one to ten years, 

depending on the activity. Throughout much of the proposed project, activities would be 

implemented in two or more entries per unit. For example, in Unit T24, which has been 

identified as a SPLAT (Strategically Placed Landscape Area Treatment for fuels reduction),

there are occurrences of Balsamorhiza macrolepis, Clarkia australis, Mimulus filicaulis and 

Mimulus pulchellus. The proposed treatments in this unit would entail an entry to conduct the 

timber salvage and biomass operations, then a separate entry to masticate and machine pile, if the 

salvage and biomass operations left too great of a fuel load. There would also be an entry to 

conduct pile burning and possibly jackpot burning. If there are legacy skid trails with 

compaction issues, then the these and skid trails constructed for the current salvage effort would 

be subsoiled. A temporary road that would be reopened and improved for the salvage work 

would be decommissioned. In this example, the mastication and machine piling would not take 

place at the same time as the timber salvage and biomass operations since both activities would 

probably not be put into the same contract and there would be safety considerations for the 

simultaneous operations. These activities, which could cause impacts, might take place over two 

to three consecutive years. Some activities might not occur in consecutive years at all.

Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis and Mimulus filicaulis bank seed in the soil. 

Mimulus pulchellus likely banks seed in the soil. In an unpublished extermination study, Harlan 
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Lewis, Ph.D. determined that only three consecutive years of disturbance could eliminate a 

viable seed bank of three species of Clarkia (pers. comm., June, 1996). The management 

requirements (pages 13 through 15) restrict the types and timing of activities which can be 

implemented in Sensitive Plants sites. Only one type of activity would be allowed within 

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus pulchellus occurrences: manual 

fuel reduction (cutting of brush or small trees) and only during the dry, non-growing period. 

Impacts within occurrences of these species would therefore, occur in no more than two 

consecutive years. Manual fuel reduction, mastication and legacy skid trail subsoiling would be 

allowed within occurrences of Clarkia australis, also during the dry non-growing period. There 

is a chance that impacts could occurred within some occurrences of Clarkia australis over three 

consecutive years. However, none of the impacts are expected to be of such an intensity or cover 

so much of the occurrences that entire occurrences would be lost. Restricting the timing of 

impacts and, in the case of Clarkia australis, restricting the amount of an occurrence disturbed 

by masticator tracking reduces the risk of eliminating the viable seed banks. The management 

requirements would therefore reduce, minimize or alleviate the possible adverse effects of this 

project to occurrences of these species.

The following is a discussion of how various management activities have been observed to affect 

some of the Sensitive Plant species identified as occurring or possibly occurring in the Rim Fire 

Recovery project.

Any type of ground disturbance to Sensitive Plants during the growing season would cause loss 

of plants. The number of plants killed would vary according to species, how many plants were 

on the site and the type, degree and amount of disturbance. The growing season for the Sensitive 

Plants in this proposed project varies from species to species. 

Disturbance during the non-growing season would be likely to do less harm to the annual species 

Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus pulchellus than 

disturbance during the growing season since there would be no plants affected. Only the seed 

and habitat would be affected.

Balsamorhiza macrolepis has been observed growing after wildfire and after manual fuel 

reduction in its habitat along Hunter Valley Mountain Access Road in Mariposa County (field

observations 2011 and prior). These perennial plants would be most able to endure these types 

of impacts after entering dormancy in late summer. 

Botrychium species might be sensitive to some habitat altering impacts. Any type of ground 

disturbance which damages or eliminates the fungal partners, which include wild strawberry, 

twayblade, trail plant and incense cedar trees in the immediate vicinity of the Botrychium plants,

could reduce or eliminate the mycorrhizal fungi. The fungal partners contribute carbohydrates 

from photosynthesis and nutrients from the soil to the fungi. The fungi absorbs additional 

nutrients from the soil and transfers moisture and the collected nutrients to the Botrychium

species which appear to photosynthesize very little and only when a leaf is produced 

aboveground. Botrychium species have no root hairs with which to absorb nutrients or moisture 

from the soil. Therefore, the Botrychium species are dependent on the fungi for moisture and 

nutrients. If the fungal partners in the vicinity of Botrychium plants are lost or reduced as a 

result of the project activities, then the fungi which sustain the Botrychium plants could be 
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reduced or lost, resulting in a reduction or loss of Botrychium plants. The number of plants lost

would vary according to the type, degree and amount of disturbance.

Botrychium plants appear to tolerate loss of leaves through herbivory and low intensity fire 

(Clines 2009). Since the plants are not dependent upon photosynthesis for food production, the 

loss of leaves might simply result in an interruption of spore production. However, interruption 

of spore production through annual or consecutive year impacts could result in a reduced amount 

of new plant recruitment. The number of plants in an occurrence might become reduced as a 

result.

Studies of Botrychium species indicate that some species like to occupy habitats which were 

disturbed 15 to 50 years previously. Botrychium minganense is one of these in some parts of its 

range, sometimes being found in habitats which had been disturbed more than ten years 

previously (Clines 2009). However, in the western states, Botrychium minganense appears to be 

found mostly in old forest habitats (Clines 2009). Botrychium ascendens, Botrychium lineare,

and Botrychium pedunculosum also appear to occupy sites of past disturbances in some parts of 

their range (Farrar n.d. b., 2011a, 2011d). Botrychium pedunculosum is sometimes found on 

roadsides or in second growth forests (Farrar 2011d). Botrychium crenulatum, Botrychium 

lunaria, Botrychium montanum and Botrychium pinnatum are not strongly associated with 

disturbed habitats (Farrar n.d. a., 2011b, 2011c, 2011e). While some Botrychium species can be 

found on sites which had been disturbed in the distant past, it is unlikely that those disturbances 

would be beneficial to the living plants when the disturbance occurs. The Botrychium plants 

likely colonized the sites after the disturbance had taken place, possibly from an undisturbed site 

nearby.

Clarkia australis is a "disturbance plant." For this species, this means that it prefers to germinate 

and grow on a site which has had competing vegetation removed. Under natural circumstances, 

fire in the frequent fire regime is the removal agent. Clarkia australis appears to have some 

resilience to mechanical impacts by heavy equipment at some point during the year (field 

observations 1989). Plants have been observed growing where machinery had passed in 

previous years. It is believed that the impacts occurred after the plants set seed or that plants had 

been left unharmed and seeded into the disturbed area. In one instance, plants that had been run 

over by a tractor skidder with one pass were damaged but survived and produced some seed. In 

another instance, a bulldozer drove through an occurrence (blade up) and no plants survived the 

impacts of its tracks (field observations 1990). 

The habitat of Clarkia australis (exclusive of the plants) might be improved by introduction of 

disturbance to the soils by removing competing plants. Clarkia australis has been observed 

growing in road cut banks and on fill slopes. It has also been observed growing in abandoned 

skid trails. In most of these cases, there are plants still living on natural ground next to the roads 

and skid trails. The value of the improved condition of the habitat would be dependent on the 

numbers and subsequent reproductive success of the Sensitive Plants remaining on the site. If 

the occurrence is diminished to a degree beyond which it could recover, the value of the 

improved condition would be very low. Since population viability thresholds have not been 

determined for Clarkia australis, it isn't possible to determine at what point a disturbance effect 

would change from favorable to unfavorable. Additionally, encroachment of more aggressive 

annual plants such as non-native grass may preclude an otherwise improved condition of the 
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habitat. The duration of these effects would be dependent on the amount of an occurrence 

impacted plus the introduction and rate of spread of encroaching competing plants. 

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis tends to inhabit areas which have had past disturbances. In the 

Merced River Canyon, some occurrences inhabit talus slopes, which generally exhibit some 

amount of surface movement of rock through the year. Clarkia biloba ssp. australis grows 

prolifically on the cut banks of Cherry Lake Road, which exhibit a fair amount of yearly soil 

erosion due to the coarse sandy granitic soils in some areas.

Cypripedium montanum is intolerant of moderate to high intensity fire. The rhizomes grow near 

the top of the soil, about one inch below the surface. The heat of ground fire, particularly from 

the burning duff or woody debris over the rhizomes kills the rhizomes and mycorrhizal fungi. 

Sometimes Cypripedium montanum plants survive the fire but are not able to survive the loss of 

the overstory. In the Darby Fire burned area, a previously unknown Cypripedium montanum

occurrence survived the fire but, due to the opening of the habitat which exposed the plants, the 

surviving plant was grazed to the ground by range cattle the following year (pers. comm. M. 

Willits). Monitoring in years since has revealed that the occurrence did not survive the impacts 

of the fire, the opening of the habitat and subsequent grazing pressure (pers. comm. Q. Young).

Horkelia parryi seems to tolerate some amount of soil disturbance at some point in the year. 

One large occurrence south of Jackass Mountain, on the Groveland Ranger District, was burned 

in the 1987 Stanislaus Complex Fires. The burned timber on the site was logged and the site was 

prepared for planting by deep tilling. The disturbance from the tillage was light because the 

tillage was designed to break up the soil compaction and the soil was not turned over or 

cultivated in the process. The occurrence was discovered after the trees were planted and was 

then protected from herbicide applications. The occurrence appeared vigorous and recruited new 

plants outside the originally discovered occurrence boundaries for several years. However, 

eight to ten years after planting, the Horkelia parryi had lost that vigor and appeared to be in 

decline, apparently from the dense overstory and needle cast of the plantation conifers. (field

observations).

Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus pulchellus are species which appear to accept some disturbance. 

Mimulus filicaulis has been observed returning to sites impacted by road grading. Mimulus 

pulchellus has been observed growing in gopher mounds and in tire tracks left in the soil, where 

competing vegetation was sparse or lacking. It is unclear how much mechanical disturbance 

they may tolerate without adversely affecting the viability of an occurrence. Since they are 

delicate annuals, it is probable that any resistance to disturbance is highest after the majority of 

the plants have set seed and the soil has dried. It is unknown how many years the seed would 

remain viable or how ground-disturbing activities would impact their seed "banks." If seed 

viability is short-lived, mechanical impacts which occurred prior to seed set could possibly 

reduce or eliminate an occurrence.

Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus pulchellus all 

appear to be well adapted to the frequent fire regime of the Sierra Nevada. Clarkia australis was 

observed thriving in numerous locations in the years immediately following several wildfires on 

the Groveland Ranger District, including the 1987 Stanislaus Complex, the 1990 A-Rock Fire 

and the 1996 Ackerson Complex. Clarkia biloba ssp. australis was observed growing in several 

locations the year following the 1999 Pilot Fire. Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus pulchellus were 
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observed vigorously growing the spring after a prescribed fire was implemented in a meadow 

where the two species occur. Mimulus filicaulis was observed growing after the 2004 Tuolumne 

Fire. All of these wildfires and the prescribed fire occurred after the plants had matured and 

produced seed.

This post-fire increase in the numbers of Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, 

Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus pulchellus is usually short-lived. All of these Sensitive species 

have been observed rapidly thinning out with the influx of more aggressive weedy species such 

as the non-native annual grasses like cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum).

Peltigera gowardii occurs in small, shallow streams where scouring and sedimentation is limited 

or lacking. The water temperature remains low year-round as the result of shading and cold 

water springs. It is expected that activities which change these habitat characteristics – increased 

sedimentation, scouring or sun exposure – would likely lead to a reduction or loss of individuals, 

and depending on the degree of impact, perhaps loss of the occurrence. 

Alternative 1

Direct and Indirect Effects.

The management requirements (pages 14 through 16) would protect Sensitive Plants by reducing 

or alleviating adverse effects to occurrences of these species. Sensitive Plant occurrences would 

be flagged and avoided, thereby eliminating the possibility of impacts with the exception of 

some occurrences of Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Mimulus filicaulis and 

Mimulus pulchellus. In some of these occurrences, manual fuel reduction would be allowed 

during the dry non-growing period when the species are present as seed, not living plants. These 

occurrences would be less vulnerable to loss as seed than as living plants. Mastication and 

legacy skid trail subsoiling to alleviate compaction would also be allowed within occurrences of 

Clarkia australis during the dry, non-growing period.

There might be occurrences of Sensitive Plants occurring in roadside hazard tree removal areas 

which might not be completely avoided in order to mitigate a hazard to public and worker safety. 

There might be instances where a botanist would work with a sale administrator to minimize the 

amount of an occurrence impacted in order to abate a hazard. In this situation, the smallest 

possible portion of the occurrence would be impacted with the tree falling and removal or fuel 

abatement. No occurrences are expected to be eliminated as a result of this situation.

Conducting mastication or legacy skid trail subsoiling within occurrences of Clarkia australis

after the living plants have set seed and died could cause damage or death to some of the seed. 

Some seed might be buried too deeply in the furrows made by the equipment working within the 

occurrences. When seed is buried too deeply, it will not germinate, leading to a possible 

reduction of the occurrence. Additionally, the physical impact of the equipment tracks on the 

seed might cause damage or death of some of the seed. These effects are mitigated by not 

allowing equipment to track through occurrences smaller than 0.25 acre and to minimize tracking 

through occurrences larger than 0.25 acre. These mitigations greatly reduce the risk that 

occurrences of Clarkia australis would be eliminated by these activities. Therefore, the intensity 

of the impacts would be low to moderate. The duration of the effects (reduction of occurrence 
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numbers from seed loss) of the impacts would be short-lived, provided that there is not a rapid 

influx of weedy competitive species. In the absence of weeds, the recovery of the Clarkia 

australis plant numbers should take two to three years.

The benefit of conducting mastication within occurrences of Clarkia australis is that the buildup 

of fuels from the small dead trees which would eventually fall or the dead brush which would 

contribute to fuel loading would be reduced, thereby reducing the risk that the occurrences could 

be lost during the next wildfire event. Additionally, mastication might help prevent or reduce the 

establishment of dense brush which might otherwise dramatically reduce the quality of the 

habitat for the Clarkia which prefers to grow in forest openings with little or no competition 

from other plants. The benefit of subsoiling legacy skid trails in Clarkia australis occurrences is 

that currently compacted soil conditions which could restrict the Clarkia plants would be 

eliminated, thus enhancing the habitat for the species. The intensity of the benefits of 

mastication would be low, since the benefits are related to preventing a possible future wildfire. 

The intensity of the benefit of breaking up compaction in an occurrence area could be great, if 

the soil is very compacted. The duration of the benefits is expected to be long-term. While the 

mastication wouldn’t prevent brush from taking over a site over the long term, the benefit of 

reducing the dead wood fuel component, thereby possibly preventing a higher burn severity in a 

future wildfire would last many years. The benefit of reducing soil compaction would also last 

many years.

There is a low to moderate risk that conducting manual fuel reduction within occurrences of 

Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Mimulus filicaulis or Mimulus pulchellus could 

cause damage to or death of some of the seeds when implemented during the dry, non-growing 

period. The risk would come from trampling by workers walking or standing within the 

occurrences while they work. Timing this work for the dry, non-growing period is critical in 

ensuring that the activity does not cause loss of entire occurrences. The amount of seed damaged 

or lost is expected to be minimal. The benefit of conducting manual fuel reduction within these 

occurrences is that the fuel loading caused by the standing dead brush or trees would be greatly 

reduced or eliminated, thereby reducing the risk that these occurrences might be lost in a future 

wildfire. The intensity of effects from this activity would be low. The duration of seed loss 

should be short-term, two to three years, while the seed banks rebuild. The duration of the 

benefits should be long-term.

There might be some indirect adverse effects to occurrences of Sensitive Plants, not prevented by 

the management requirements for this alternative. Mastication and logging activities adjacent to 

“lava cap” habitats could unintentionally create OHV access to these fragile habitats which can 

be home to Sensitive species such as Allium tribracteatum, Lomatium stebbinsii, Lewisia 

kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii and Mimulus pulchellus. These 

habitats are often mistakenly assumed by the uninformed to be barren and with no value. They 

can actually be quite rich in native botanical diversity, hosting plant species not found in the 

more common forest or chaparral ecosystems. Some of the lava caps in the project area 

famously produce early spring wildflower blooms enjoyed by the public. Impacts from off-trail

vehicle driving can cause substantial damage to these habitats, killing rare plants, compacting 

soil, causing erosion and introducing disturbance favoring weedy species. The intensity of these 

effects could be moderate to great, depending on the type of driving that occurs. A single trail 

through a site would localize the impacts to a narrow footprint. However, if many tracks are 

made or if drivers engage in “drifting” or “spinning donuts,” in the habitat, the intensity could be 
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extremely high. The duration of these effects would last until the activity is detected and 

measures are put in place to stop the activity and make repairs to stop soil erosion.

Some of the quarries, from which crushed rock or boulders would be obtained for use on road 

surface stabilization or closures, contain the invasive plant cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). While 

this species is fairly common in disturbed places in the lower elevations of the Forest, it is not 

particularly common on the lava cap habitats. There is a possibility that cheatgrass seed could be 

carried to some of the lava caps with the crushed rock and boulders for road work, thereby 

introducing the weed to rare plant habitat. The lava caps are particularly vulnerable to weed 

infestation. The lava caps were disturbed by the Rim Fire and some were also disturbed by 

suppression activities. Before the fire, some of the lava caps were impacted by off-trail OHV 

driving causing localized disturbance. With the added disturbance of road work on some lava 

caps, currently suitable rare plant habitat could be degraded with the introduction of the very 

competitive cheatgrass. Cheatgrass is good at occupying space and crowding out other species. 

It is highly competitive for soil moisture and nutrients. It is also known to carry fire through 

habitats where fire wouldn’t normally carry. These adverse effects could affect Allium 

tribracteatum, Lomatium stebbinsii, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii, Lewisia kelloggii ssp.

kelloggii and Mimulus pulchellus. The intensity of these effects could be great and would likely 

be permanent. Cheatgrass is very difficult to remove, once established.

The Sensitive aquatic lichen Peltigera gowardii grows in small, shallow streams where scouring 

and sedimentation are limited or lacking. The water temperature remains low year-round as the 

result of shading and cold water springs. It is expected that activities which change these habitat 

characteristics – increased sedimentation, scouring or sun exposure – would likely lead to a 

reduction or loss of individuals, and depending on the degree of impact, perhaps loss of the 

occurrence. Sedimentation or scouring could damage the thin, gelatinous thallus (body) of 

Peltigera gowardii by abrading it, leading to death of the organisms (USDA 2010a). 

Sedimentation could also cover the organisms, blocking their ability to photosynthesize (USDA 

2010a). 

Peltigera gowardii occurs in ten or more perennial streams within the project area. Three of 

those streams, Corral Creek, an unnamed tributary to Skunk Creek and an unnamed tributary to 

the Clavey River, are in a portion of the project area which burned at moderate to high severity. 

The stands surrounding these occurrences would be logged with either ground-based, skyline or 

helicopter methods, depending on the steepness of the slopes in the various stands.

The soil and watershed Best Management Practices (BMPs) define the standard practices which 

reduce the risks of adverse effects to those resources from project activities. There are BMPs 

which are designed to reduce the risk of the project causing soil erosion or sedimentation in the 

streams. The fire removed soil cover (vegetation, leaf litter and woody debris) over hundreds of 

acres in the three watersheds listed above. The risk of erosion and sedimentation entering the 

Peltigera gowardii in these streams is high as a result of the fire effects. The proposed project 

would produce some sediment as a result of normal project activities. The soil and watershed 

BMPs should reduce the amount of activity created sediment in these occurrences but might not 

alleviate it due to loss of soil cover combined with the logging activities. With the BMPs in 

place, the intensity of the adverse effects should be low to moderate. The duration could be 

long-term, depending on whether the sediment is washed away the following or near future 

winter.
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Cumulative Effects.

The combined effects of the Rim Fire Recovery Alternative 1 with past, present or foreseeable 

future projects, activities and incidents in the analysis area are not expected to result in adverse 

cumulative effects to Sensitive Plants. Individuals of some Sensitive Plant occurrences may be 

adversely affected by proposed project activities. However, these impacts are not expected to be 

so great in intensity or duration that any of these occurrences would be eliminated, even when 

combined with other Forest activities.

Known occurrences of Sensitive Plants and any confirmed prior to project implementation would 

be protected in the Rim Fire Recovery project by flagging and avoidance, or by timing project 

activities to reduce the number of individual Sensitive Plants affected, thereby reducing, 

minimizing or alleviating adverse effects. None of the known occurrences of Sensitive Plants 

nor any found prior to project implementation are expected to be impacted to the point of being 

eliminated. Any possible adverse effects from the Rim Fire Recovery project to these 

occurrences are expected to be temporary, limited to portions of occurrences, or limited in 

intensity. 

The management requirements reduce the risk of loss of Sensitive Plant occurrences from the 

proposed project. Forest Service projects recently planned within the Rim Fire Recovery project, 

such as the Twomile Restoration projects, Reynolds Creek Ecological Restoration, Reynolds 

Creek Motorized Routes and the Soldier Creek Timber Sale, incorporated management 

requirements which also reduced the risk of loss of occurrences. The Rim Fire Hazard Trees 

project includes flagging and avoidance of Sensitive Plants. 

Some species, such as some of the Botrychium species, Cypripedium montanum, Dendrocollybia 

racemosa or Peltigera gowardii do not do well after wildfire if the overstory has been killed, 

assuming that they survived the fire. The Rim Fire put a process into place for some occurrences 

of Cypripedium montanum and Peltigera gowardii, and possibly some of these other species, if 

they occurred in moderate to high fire severity areas, which may result in the permanent loss of 

some of the occurrences. Total overstory mortality caused by the wildfire is a profound impact 

to Cypripedium montanum which cannot be mitigated in a timeframe that would save any such 

occurrences. The time span required to bring a forest back to old-forest characteristics is quite 

long. None of the known Cypripedium montanum occurrences in the Stanislaus National Forest 

occurred in areas which had burned within the past 100 years or more. This indicates that it 

could take as many as 100 years of tree growth, organic soil building, fungal partner recovery 

and fire exclusion to bring these occurrence habitats back to health. It is unlikely that these 

occurrences of Cypripedium montanum would survive in the duration. 

The Rim Fire Recovery project’s contribution to this process is in the removal of the dead trees 

from around the occurrences. The occurrences would be flagged and direct impacts would be 

avoided. Removing the dead trees from around the occurrences would open up the sites more to 

light and heat. However, this is a process already in motion. The dead trees, if left, would 

eventually fall resulting in the more open condition. If left, the dead trees might fall onto the 

surviving plants, killing them or preventing their growth the following season. Therefore, the 

Rim Fire Recovery project does not add cumulative effects to this process already in motion.

The analysis area is within several active cattle grazing allotments. Most of the burned area will 
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not be grazed in 2014, eliminating any new grazing pressures on Sensitive Plant occurrences for 

that year. Trampling and grazing by cattle can prevent the plants from setting seeds or spores. 

In the wetter areas, trampling can cause pocking of the soil which damages the habitat and 

directly kills the plants. Stream bank erosion from cattle accessing the stream causes sediment to 

enter the water which degrades the water quality for Peltigera gowardii and can cause loss of 

individuals or entire occurrences, depending on the degree that the water quality is degraded. 

There is a risk of these impacts in future years when grazing is again allowed in the burned area.

The management requirements for the Rim Fire Recovery project require flagging and avoidance 

of Sensitive Plants, or activities timed for minimal impacts to occurrences of specific species.

These management requirements would reduce or prevent adverse effects from the project to 

occurrences of Sensitive Plants. The Rim Fire removed much of the understory which created 

barriers to cattle prior to the fire, increasing the possibility that cattle might access Sensitive 

Plant sites more post-fire than pre-fire. The Rim Fire Recovery project might further open up 

access to cattle to some Sensitive Plant sites. As a result, there might be more impacts to 

Sensitive Plant sites from cattle grazing than occurred prior to the fire. The contribution to this 

effect by the Rim Fire Recovery project is expected to be very low because the fire itself opened 

up the understory a great deal, not leaving much for the project to contribute. 

Alternative 2 (No Action)

Direct and Indirect Effects

There would be no direct effects to Sensitive Plants from this alternative.

Indirect effects might occur in the form of dead trees falling into occurrences. The dead trees 

could directly kill Sensitive Plants when they fall. The downed trees could block germinating 

seeds, cause ground level shading for sun-loving plants, and create a high fuel accumulation 

which would burn at a high intensity, thereby killing the Sensitive Plants which survive the 

falling trees.

Cumulative Effects

The Rim Fire caused varying levels of impacts to Sensitive Plants according to fire severity at 

each location. Alternative 2 would compound the damage done to some occurrences by not 

preventing the downed and falling trees from interfering with the post-fire recovery of the 

Sensitive Plant occurrences. A future wildfire burning through these areas of accumulated down 

trees could burn at such a high burn severity that occurrences could be lost through large portions 

of the project area. 

In Alternative 2, there would be no soil and watershed enhancement activities reducing or 

preventing sedimentation of Peltigera gowardii occurrences. As a result, three occurrences are 

at a high risk of loss to sedimentation in this alternative.
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Alternatives 3 and 4

Direct and Indirect Effects

Direct and indirect effects to Sensitive Plants would be the same as in Alternative 1 except that 

additional management requirements would prevent some of the impacts that might occur in 

Alternative 1. Project-created access to lava cap habitats would be blocked, thereby preventing 

unauthorized motorized access to those fragile habitats. There is a lower risk of project-created 

sediment causing habitat degradation or mortality to Peltigera gowardii.

Cumulative Effects

Cumulative effects to Sensitive Plants under Alternatives 3 and 4 would be the same as 

Alternative 1. The combined effects of Rim Fire Recovery Alternatives 3 and 4 with past, 

present or foreseeable future projects, activities and incidents in the analysis area are not 

expected to result in adverse cumulative effects to Sensitive Plants. Individuals of some 

Sensitive Plant occurrences may be adversely affected by proposed project activities. However, 

these impacts are not expected to be so great in intensity or duration that any of these 

occurrences would be eliminated, even when combined with other Forest activities.

Compliance with management direction.

The Forest Service Manual, Section 2670.32 states that "the line officer, with project approval 

authority, makes the decision to allow or disallow impact, but the decision must not result in loss 

of species viability or create significant trends toward Federal listing." It has been determined 

that impacts to some Sensitive Plant occurrences could be conducted on a very limited basis 

without creating loss of viability or trends toward listing (See Determination of Effects).

This proposed project has been modified by incorporating protective measures for known and 

newly discovered Sensitive Plant occurrences (pages 14 through 16). These modifications are 

designed to reduce, minimize or alleviate adverse effects to known or newly detected 

occurrences of Sensitive Plants. Therefore, this proposed project would be in compliance with 

current management direction and Forest Service policy.

DETERMINATION OF EFFECTS.

The Determination of Effects is made with the assumption that the project would be 

implemented as described in the Description of Proposed Project (pages 5 through 14). Any 

deviation from the description could change the determination. The Determination of Effects is 

presented in two sections, a summary of pertinent facts and the determination.
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Summary.

Surveys for the Sensitive Plants have been conducted in many parts of the Rim Fire Recovery

project. However, those surveys have been conducted over the past 23 years and through four 

Sensitive List revisions, the most recent being in 2013. The past surveys were species-specific, 

that is, they were focused on the species on the Sensitive List at the time of surveys. The surveys 

did not include complete accounting of all botanical species encountered. Therefore, most areas 

had not been surveyed for all of the current Sensitive species which might occur there.

There are known occurrences of Allium yosemitense, Balsamorhiza macrolepis, Botrychium 

crenulatum, Botrychium minganense, Botrychium pedunculosum, Clarkia australis, Clarkia 

biloba ssp. australis, Cypripedium montanum, Eriophyllum nubigenum, Erythronium taylori, 

Erythronium tuolumnense, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii, Lomatium stebbinsii, 

Mielichhoferia elongata, Mimulus filicaulis, Mimulus pulchellus, and Peltigera gowardii within 

the analysis area. There is suitable habitat for these species in the project area.

There is suitable habitat for the additional species Allium tribracteatum, Arctostaphylos 

nissenana, Botrychium ascendens, Botrychium lineare, Botrychium lunaria, Botrychium 

montanum, Botrychium pinnatum, Bruchia bolanderi, Cinna bolanderi, Dendrocollybia 

racemosa, Eriastrum tracyi, Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium, Eriophyllum congdonii, 

Fissidens aphelotaxifolius, Helodium blandowii, Horkelia parryi, Hulsea brevifolia, Lewisia 

kelloggii ssp. kelloggii, Meesia uliginosa and Mielichhoferia shevockii and Tauschia howellii.

Where Sensitive Plants are present, the proposed project activities (see Description of Proposed 

Project, pages 5 through 14; and Effects of the Proposed Project, pages 53 through 63) could 

cause several adverse effects. There might be instances where seed of four annual species, 

Clarkia australis, Clarkia biloba ssp. australis, Mimulus filicaulis and Mimulus pulchellus might 

be damaged or killed. However, these impacts would not cause the loss of any occurrences of 

these species and the activities should benefit the occurrences at least for the short term.

Occurrences of Sensitive Plants in roadside hazard tree units might be impacted in order to abate 

a hazard to the public or workers. The smallest possible portion of an occurrence would be 

impacted. No occurrences are expected to be eliminated in this situation.

Activities in Alternative 1 might cause indirect impacts to occurrences of Allium tribracteatum, 

Lomatium stebbinsii, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii, Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii and

Mimulus pulchellus. Timber removal near the lava cap habitats of these species might open up 

motorized vehicle access, creating erosion problems and direct killing of plants. Rock and 

boulder material from quarries contaminated with cheatgrass might vector this invasive weed to 

fragile lava cap habitats where it would be difficult to impossible to remove, thereby degrading 

the habitat and possibly causing the loss of Sensitive Plants. These impacts would be avoided in 

Alternatives 3 and 4 which have management requirements which prevent these impacts.

Activities in Alternative 1 might result in greater sedimentation input into occurrences of 

Peltigera gowardii than Alternatives 3 and 4 due to the lack of a management requirement 

requiring activities to not produce sediment input into occurrences of this species. Alternative 2 

might result in sediment loads so great that occurrences of Peltigera gowardii might decline or 

be lost.
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Determination.

Allium tribracteatum

There are no known occurrences of Allium tribracteatum within the Rim Fire Recovery project

area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Allium tribracteatum should they be found there during 

project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Allium tribracteatum.

Allium yosemitense

There is one known occurrence (33% of the known Forest occurrences) of Allium yosemitense

within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. This occurrence is within a unit in Alternative 1 but 

outside the unit in Alternatives 3 and 4. There are suitable habitat areas in other units which 

have not been surveyed. The management requirements would reduce or alleviate adverse 

effects from all project activities to occurrences of Allium yosemitense.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Allium yosemitense.

Arctostaphylos nissenana

There are no known occurrences of Arctostaphylos nissenana within the Rim Fire Recovery 

project area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Arctostaphylos nissenana should they be found there during 

project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Arctostaphylos nissenana.

Balsamorhiza macrolepis

Four of the five currently known occurrences (80% of the known Forest occurrences) of 

Balsamorhiza macrolepis occur within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. The fifth occurrence 

is within a Rim Fire Hazard Tree unit. There is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. 

The management requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse 
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effects from all project activities to occurrences of Balsamorhiza macrolepis in the Rim Fire 

Recovery project.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Balsamorhiza macrolepis.

Botrychium ascendens

There are no known occurrences of Botrychium ascendens within the Rim Fire Recovery project 

area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Botrychium ascendens should they be found there during 

project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Botrychium ascendens.

Botrychium crenulatum

There is one known occurrence (about 11% of the known Forest occurrences) of Botrychium 

crenulatum within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. There is suitable habitat in the project 

which has not been surveyed for this species. The management requirements for Alternatives 1, 

3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of 

Botrychium crenulatum.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Botrychium crenulatum. 

Botrychium lineare

There are no known occurrences of Botrychium lineare within the Rim Fire Recovery project 

area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Botrychium lineare should they be found there during project 

surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Botrychium lineare.
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Botrychium lunaria

There are no known occurrences of Botrychium lunaria within the Rim Fire Recovery project 

area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Botrychium lunaria should they be found there during project 

surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Botrychium lunaria.

Botrychium minganense

There is one known occurrence (about 14% of the known Forest occurrences) of Botrychium 

minganense within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. There is suitable habitat in the project 

which has not been surveyed for this species. The management requirements for Alternatives 1, 

3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of 

Botrychium minganense.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14,

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Botrychium minganense. 

Botrychium montanum

There are no known occurrences of Botrychium montanum within the Rim Fire Recovery project 

area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Botrychium montanum should they be found there during 

project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Botrychium montanum.

Botrychium pedunculosum

There is one known occurrence (100% of the known Forest occurrences) of Botrychium 

pedunculosum within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. This occurrences is adjacent to a 

roadside hazard tree unit and within a Rim Fire Hazard Tree project unit. There is suitable 

habitat that has not been surveyed for this species. The management requirements for 

Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to 

occurrences of Botrychium pedunculosum.
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It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Botrychium pedunculosum.

Botrychium pinnatum

There are no known occurrences of Botrychium pinnatum within the Rim Fire Recovery project 

area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Botrychium pinnatum should they be found there during 

project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Botrychium pinnatum.

Bruchia bolanderi

There are no known occurrences of Bruchia bolanderi within the Rim Fire Recovery project 

area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Bruchia bolanderi should they be found there during project 

surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of

species viability for the species Bruchia bolanderi.

Clarkia australis

There are 129 known colonies (about 43% of the known on the Forest) of Clarkia australis

within or adjacent to Rim Fire Recovery units. There is suitable habitat in project units which 

has not been surveyed. The management requirements would reduce, minimize or alleviate 

adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of Clarkia australis.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Clarkia australis. 

Clarkia biloba ssp. australis

There are 17 known occurrences (about 15% of the known Forest occurrences) of Clarkia biloba

ssp. australis within Rim Fire Recovery units. There is suitable habitat in units which has not 
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been surveyed. The management requirements would reduce, minimize or alleviate adverse 

effects from all project activities to occurrences of Clarkia biloba ssp. australis.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14,

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Clarkia biloba ssp. australis. 

Cypripedium montanum

There are 29 known occurrences (94% of the known Forest occurrences) of Cypripedium 

montanum within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. There are areas which contained suitable

habitat before the fire which have not been surveyed. These areas might contain surviving 

plants. The management requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate 

adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of Cypripedium montanum.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Cypripedium montanum.

Dendrocollybia racemosa

There are no known occurrences of Dendrocollybia racemosa within the Rim Fire Recovery 

project area. While there was unsurveyed suitable habitat prior to the fire, it is unlikely that the 

species survived the effects of the fire (page 36). The management requirements for Alternatives 

1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of 

Dendrocollybia racemosa should they be found there during project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Dendrocollybia racemosa.

Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium

There are no known occurrences of Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium within the Rim Fire 

Recovery project area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The 

management requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects 

from all project activities to occurrences of Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium should they be 

found there during project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Eriogonum luteolum var. saltuarium.
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Eriophyllum congdonii

There are no known occurrences of Eriophyllum congdonii within the Rim Fire Recovery project 

area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Eriophyllum congdonii should they be found there during 

project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Eriophyllum congdonii.

Eriophyllum nubigenum

There are three known occurrences (100% of the known Forest occurrences) of Eriophyllum 

nubigenum within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. One of these occurs within an Alternative 

1 unit but is outside the unit in Alternatives 3 and 4. There are suitable habitat areas in other 

units which have not been surveyed. The management requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 

would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of 

Eriophyllum nubigenum.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Eriophyllum nubigenum.

Erythronium taylori

The one known occurrence (100% of the known Forest occurrences) of Erythronium taylori

within the Rim Fire Recovery project area, within a helicopter salvage unit. Previously 

unsurveyed suitable habitat for this species was surveyed in spring 2014 during the appropriate 

identification period with negative results. The management requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 

and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to the occurrence of 

Erythronium taylori.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Erythronium taylori.

Erythronium tuolumnense

There is one known occurrence (3% of the known Forest occurrences) of Erythronium 

tuolumnense within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. This occurrence is within a roadside 

hazard tree unit. There are suitable habitat areas in other units which have not been surveyed. 

The management requirements would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project 

activities to occurrences of Erythronium tuolumnense.
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It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Erythronium tuolumnense.

Fissidens aphelotaxifolius

There are no known occurrences of Fissidens aphelotaxifolius within the Rim Fire Recovery 

project area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Fissidens aphelotaxifolius should they be found there during 

project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Fissidens aphelotaxifolius.

Helodium blandowii

There are no known occurrences of Helodium blandowii within the Rim Fire Recovery project 

area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Helodium blandowii should they be found there during 

project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Helodium blandowii.

Horkelia parryi

There are no known occurrences of Horkelia parryi within the Rim Fire Recovery project area, 

however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management requirements 

for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to 

occurrences of Horkelia parryi should they be found there during project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Horkelia parryi.

Hulsea brevifolia

There are no known occurrences of Hulsea brevifolia within the Rim Fire Recovery project area, 

however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management requirements 
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for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to 

occurrences of Hulsea brevifolia should they be found there during project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Hulsea brevifolia.

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii

There is one known occurrence (6% of the known Forest occurrences) of Lewisia kelloggii ssp.

hutchisonii within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. There are suitable habitat areas in other 

units which have not been surveyed. The management requirements would reduce or alleviate 

adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Lewisia kelloggii ssp. hutchisonii.

Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii

There are no known occurrences of Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii within the Rim Fire Recovery 

project area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii should they be found there 

during project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Lewisia kelloggii ssp. kelloggii.

Lomatium stebbinsii

There are eight known occurrences (9% of the known Forest occurrences) of Lomatium 

stebbinsii within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. There are suitable habitat areas in other 

units which have not been surveyed. The management requirements would reduce or alleviate 

adverse effects from all project activities to the occurrence of Lomatium stebbinsii.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Lomatium stebbinsii.
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Meesia uliginosa

There are no known occurrences of Meesia uliginosa within the Rim Fire Recovery project area, 

however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management requirements 

for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to 

occurrences of Meesia uliginosa should they be found there during project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Meesia uliginosa.

Mielichhoferia elongata

There are three known occurrences (75% of the known Forest occurrences) of Mielichhoferia 

elongata within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. None of these are in Rim Fire Recovery 

Units. One is inside a Rim Fire Hazard Tree unit. There is suitable habitat in units which has 

not been surveyed. The management requirements would reduce or alleviate adverse effects 

from all project activities to the occurrence of Mielichhoferia elongata.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Mielichhoferia elongata.

Mielichhoferia shevockii

There are no known occurrences of Mielichhoferia shevockii within the Rim Fire Recovery 

project area, however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management 

requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all 

project activities to occurrences of Mielichhoferia shevockii should they be found there during 

project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Mielichhoferia shevockii.

Mimulus filicaulis

There are 33 known occurrences (26% of known Forest occurrences) of Mimulus filicaulis

within Rim Fire Recovery units. There is suitable habitat which hasn’t been surveyed. The 

management requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce, minimize or alleviate 

adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of Mimulus filicaulis.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

viability for the species Mimulus filicaulis.
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Mimulus pulchellus

There are 12 known occurrences (about 30% of known Forest occurrences) of Mimulus 

pulchellus within the Rim Fire Recovery units. There is suitable habitat in units which has not 

been surveyed. The management requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce, 

minimize or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of Mimulus 

pulchellus.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

viability for the species Mimulus pulchellus.

Peltigera gowardii

There are ten known occurrences (45% of the known Forest occurrences) of Peltigera gowardii

within the Rim Fire Recovery project area. There are streams within the project area which have 

not been surveyed for this species. The management requirements for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 

would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to occurrences of Peltigera 

gowardii.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Peltigera gowardii.

Tauschia howellii

There are no known occurrences of Tauschia howellii within the Rim Fire Recovery project area, 

however there is suitable habitat which has not been surveyed. The management requirements 

for Alternatives 1, 3 and 4 would reduce or alleviate adverse effects from all project activities to 

occurrences of Tauschia howellii should they be found there during project surveys.

It is my determination that the Rim Fire Recovery project, as described on pages 5 through 14, 

may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of 

species viability for the species Tauschia howellii.

MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS.

Alternative 1 (Proposed Action)

Additional management requirements were recommended to further reduce or alleviate the 

possibility of adverse effects to Sensitive Plants. However, the Decision Maker chose to 

minimize the number of management requirements to provide an opportunity for the public to 

suggest additional management actions or requirements in the interest of public collaboration. 

No additional management requirements to protect Sensitive Plants were suggested by the public 
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and the proposed action went forward with the Alternative 1 management requirements as shown 

on page 15 of this BE. The following measures are recommended to be added to Alternative 1 in 

order to reduce or prevent the possible adverse effects, as outlined in the effects section (pages 

58 through 62), from the activities mention.

4. Hide, obscure or block appearance of motorized access created by the project to “lava cap” 

habitats. Existing patches of live or dead brush or other vegetation on the edges of the “lava 

caps” can be utilized for this purpose.

5. In order to protect occurrences of Peltigera gowardii, conduct project activities in such a way 

that sediment is not added to or accumulates within occurrences, especially in Corral Creek 

at Sections 17 and 20, T1N, R18E, the unnamed tributary to Clavey River in Section 18, 

T1N, R18E and the unnamed tributary to Skunk Creek in Section 21, T1N, R18E.

6. Placement of landings, skid trails, temporary roads, new construction roads or other 

operational features outside of units require the clearance of the District Botanist. When 

Sensitive Plants are present at a location of a proposed operational feature, the feature will be 

relocated to avoid the occurrence.

Alternatives 1, 3 and 4

The following are recommended to be added to all action alternatives to further reduce the risk of 

adverse impacts to Sensitive Plants.

7. Foot traffic by contractors, forest workers or work inspectors will not be allowed within or 

through occurrences of Sensitive Plants, except as allowed in #2, above or for the purpose of 

flagging the sites.

8. Implement the noxious weed management requirements found in the Rim Fire Recovery 

Weed Risk Assessment to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive plant species in 

Sensitive Plant occurrences.

REFERENCES.

Beck, T.W. and Hurley, J.F. 1984. Sensitive plant management guide. Unpubl. Sonora. 

USDA, Stanislaus National Forest. 

Botti, S.J. 2001. An illustrated flora of Yosemite National Park. Ill. W. Sydoriak. Yosemite 

Association, El Portal, CA. 484pp.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). 2014a. 

RareFind 5, Government Version, data set March, 2014. California Department of Fish and 

Game. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cnddb/mapsanddata.asp. (Various dates, 2014).
Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation

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California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). 2014b. Special 

vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens list, July 2014. Quarterly publication. 124 pp. 

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cnddb/plants_and_animals.asp (August 13, 2014).

Christy, J.A. 1980. Additions to the moss flora of Oregon. The Bryologist 83(3) 355-358.

Clines, J. 2009. Conservation Assessment for Botrychium in California National Forests

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Appendix A

Table A-1. California wildlife habitat relationship viewed by Vegetation Burn Severity 

(RAVG4) September 2013, for Rim Fire burned area. Source: Rim Fire Botany BAER Report

(USDA 2013c).

Habitat Type

Vegetation 

Burn 

Severity

Acres Total Acres

Annual Grassland

Low 921.5

9,906.7 Moderate 1827.0

High 2202.4

Severe 4955.7

Barren

Low 236.1

827.9 Moderate 244.2

High 155.6

Severe 192.0

Blue Oak Woodland

Low 11.3

119.9 Moderate 48.5

High 45.0

Severe 15.0

Blue Oak-Foothill Pine

Low 128.1

972.4 Moderate 313.3

High 246.2

Severe 284.8

Chamise-Redshank Chaparral

Low 1.5

3.3 Moderate 1.1

High 0.7

Severe 0.1

Jeffrey Pine

Low 82.4

259.5 Moderate 70.4

High 57.4

Severe 49.2

Lacustrine

Low 16.1

31.0 Moderate 11.8

High 2.1

Severe 1.0

Lodgepole Pine

Low 19.2

510.9 Moderate 49.8

High 68.7

Severe 373.3

Mixed Chaparral

Low 774.1

20,141.8 Moderate 1865.2

High 2379.9

Severe 15122.6
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Habitat Type

Vegetation 

Burn 

Severity

Acres Total Acres

Montane Chaparral

Low 739.3

6,874.0 Moderate 1229.0

High 1275.9

Severe 3629.8

Montane Hardwood

Low 2349.2

23,356.3 Moderate 5119.4

High 3960.0

Severe 11927.8

Montane Hardwood-Conifer

Low 1844.3

12,057.0 Moderate 2885.6

High 1853.5

Severe 5473.6

Montane Riparian

Low 2.3

6.4 Moderate 0.4

High 0.3

Severe 3.3

Perennial Grassland

Low 190.2

1,788.9 Moderate 302.1

High 281.9

Severe 1014.8

Ponderosa Pine

Low 3507.7

19,797.3 Moderate 4525.0

High 3166.6

Severe 8598.1

Red fir

Low 33.7

59.6 Moderate 20.6

High 5.2

Severe 0.1

Riverine

Low 73.8

124.0 Moderate 29.2

High 17.4

Severe 3.6

Sierran Mixed Conifer

Low 17402.1

56,714.7 Moderate 12797.9

High 7431.3

Severe 19083.3

Urban

Low 15.2

45.4 Moderate 11.2

High 7.8

Severe 11.2
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Habitat Type

Vegetation 

Burn 

Severity

Acres Total Acres

Wet Meadow

Low 13.1

37.4 Moderate 8.8

High 4.5

Severe 10.9

White fir

Low 549.5

887.0 Moderate 173.9

High 72.0

Severe 91.5

Total 154,521.5