INTRODUCTION. 

BOTANY REPORT 

RIM FIRE RECOVERY 

STANISLAUS NATIONAL FOREST 

GROVELAND RANGER DISTRICT 

DATE: August 25, 2014 

This report provides the background information and analysis of effects for rare plants which are 

not Regional Forester Sensitive Plants in the Rim Recovery project. The rare plants in this 

analysis are species included in the Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest Species list. 

Additionally, information and effects analysis is provided in this document for the Pacific 

Madrone Special Interest Area (SIA). 

Analysis is provided for Sensitive Plants in the Biological Evaluation for Sensitive Plants, a 

separate document. Analysis for the risk of weed introduction and spread is provided in the 

Noxious Weed Risk Assessment, also a separate document. Sensitive Plants and noxious weeds 

are not addressed in this report. This report is not required by Forest Service policy or law. It 

contains supplemental information which is considered in the analysis of effects documented in 

the Rim Recovery Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This report is incorporated by 

reference into the EIS. 

The Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area was created in the 1991 Forest Land and Resource 

Management Plan. Special Interest Areas (SIA) are a type of Management Area which were 

designated in response to issues, concerns and opportunities developed during the planning 

process. The management emphasis for Special Interest Areas is to "protect and manage unique 

geological, scenic, historical, archaeological, botanical and memorial features, to make 

educational opportunities available and preserve the integrity of the special interest feature for 

which the areas were established" (USDA 2010c). Under the Forest Plan Direction, a wide 

range of resource activities is permitted, provided the unique features of each area are protected 

(USDA 2010c). 

In general, management of rare plants in the Stanislaus National Forest is based on the National 

Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA), Forest Service policy set out in the Forest Service 

Manual (FSM 2670) and the 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 

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Management Guide (USDA 1984) and, where applicable, Species Management Guides and 

Conservation Strategies. 

Management of Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest Species is supported by the diversity 

clause of NFMA, the diversity and viability portions of the Forest Plan and Departmental 

Regulation 9500-004. NFMA requires the Forest Service to “provide for diversity of plant and 

animal communities based on the suitability and capability of the specific land area in order to 

meet overall multiple-use objectives” [16 U.S.C. 1604(g)(3)(B)]. Departmental Regulation 

9500-004 describes the US Department of Agriculture’s policy to “assure that the values of fish 

and wildlife are recognized, and that their habitats, both terrestrial and aquatic, including 

wetlands, are recognized and enhanced, where possible, as the Department carries out its overall 

missions”. Additionally, it is a policy of the Department to “avoid actions which may cause a 

species to become threatened or endangered” (USDA 2008).

Forest Plan Direction related to management of species diversity and viability which can be 

applied to Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest species includes the Forest Goal to “provide 

habitat for viable populations of all native and desired non-native wildlife, fish and plants” 

(USDA 2010c). Species viability is a goal of the Aquatic Management Strategy: “Maintain and 

restore habitat to support viable populations of native and desired non-native plant, invertebrate 

and vertebrate riparian-dependent species” (USDA 2010c). Concerning fish and wildlife habitat 

standards and guidelines, Forest Plan Direction includes general direction to “provide habitat for 

diverse and viable populations of all native and desired non-native wildlife and fish and all 

native plants” (USDA 2010c).

Forest Watchlist plant species include those which “are locally rare (as opposed to declining 

throughout their range), are of public concern, occur as disjunct populations, are newly described 

taxa, or [lack] sufficient information on population size, threats, trend, or distribution. Such 

species make an important contribution to forest biodiversity and should be maintained under 

provisions of NFMA, and addressed as appropriate through the NEPA process. ... Regardless of 

inclusion on any list, concerns related to NFMA diversity and viability requirements for any 

species or its habitat can be raised as a NEPA issue, and should be tracked through the planning 

process” (Regional Forester letter to Forest Supervisors, June 10,1998). The Forest Watchlist

was reviewed and updated in 2013 concurrent with the Sensitive Plant list revision.

Botanical interest species are those which are protected or enhanced, on a case-by-case basis, for 

the purpose of conserving botanical richness or diversity within the National Forest. These are 

typically species which are uncommon in the Forest but not necessarily uncommon at a regional 

or global scale. They are sometimes species at the extent of their geographic ranges, disjunct 

from areas where they’re common, or are limited by habitats which are uncommon in the Forest 

but more numerous elsewhere. Management of these species falls under the diversity clause of 

NFMA [16 U.S.C. 1604(g)(3)(B)] and is in line with Regional direction (USDA 1998). A list of 

botanical interest species was compiled in conjunction with the 2013 Regional Sensitive Plant 

List revision to gain consistency across the Forest. This list is meant to be fluid or dynamic, with 

species being designated when a need to conserve occurrences is recognized based on the type of 

project or the particular life history of the particular species.
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The Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area occurs within the Rim Fire Recovery project. There 

is suitable habitat for 18 Forest Watchlist species and known occurrences of eight of these 

species within the project area. There is suitable habitat for 15 Botanical Interest species and 

known occurrences of seven of these species within the project area.

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.

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

Areas, or the wild classification segments of the Wild and Scenic Rivers.

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

Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest plant species is defined for this project as the area within 

the project boundary (Figure 1).
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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 Impact Statement 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.

Protection Measures for the Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area.

There are no specific management requirements in the Rim Fire Recovery project to protect the 

SIA. Forest Plan Direction allows management activities which are compatible “provided the 

unique features of [the SIA] are protected” (USDA 2010c). The unique features of the Pacific 

Madrone SIA are the madrone trees, seedlings and saplings. In timber harvest, Forest Plan 

Direction is to use “special cutting methods” to “salvage mortality or improve the quality of 

resources other than the timber resource” (USDA 2010c).

Protection Measures for Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest Species.

Management Requirements Specific to Alternative 1.

There are no management requirements for Alternative 1 which would avoid adverse effects to 

the Forest Watchlist or Botanical Interest Species.

Management Requirements Specific to Alternatives 3 and 4.

The Decision Maker elected to have the following as the only management requirement for 

Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest Species:
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1. Avoid adverse effects to Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii), Tanoak (Notholithocarpus 

densiflorus), California nutmeg (Torreya californica) and Sierra sweet bay (Myrica hartwegii) 

trees and saplings during all project activities. During road reconstruction activities, avoid 

these species unless the trees or saplings create a safety hazard or interfere with the integrity of 

the road surface. Prune limbs to obtain sight distance rather than masticate the trees or 

saplings.

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 of the 

Sensitive Plant Biological Evaluation 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 2013).

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

disturbing activities (USDA 2013). 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 2013).

The geology of the project area, as it relates to rare plant habitat, 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 and surrounding 

slopes (USDA 1981). 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. This variety of soils and parent material allows for 

a variety of plant communities and therefore, a variety of rare plants, many of which have 

affinities for very specific types of soils or parent material.
Botany Report

Rim Fire Recovery Project

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Existing Condition.

There were many high functioning plant communities in the project area before the Rim Fire. 

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

wildfires in more than 100 years, and provided excellent habitat for occurrences of Trillium 

angustipetalum. Many of these high functioning ecosystems burned with a moderate to high 

intensity in the Rim Fire where the conifer overstory was completely killed.

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 which were either partially or completely contained 

within the Rim Fire boundary and dating back as far as 1908 (USDA 2010a). 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. Some of the past fire areas overlapped with other fire areas, burning some 

areas three, four or even five times within the 100 years prior to Rim. There were other drivers 

of the pre-Rim Fire mix of plant communities including past logging, reforestation activities, 

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

more than 100 years.

Many of the Westside Ponderosa Pine Forest areas were conifer plantations 10 to 40 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 the1973 Granite Fire, 

the 1987 Stanislaus Complex fires and the 1996 Ackerson Complex or Rogge Complex fires. 

The Wrights Creek plantations dated from the 1950s and the Sawmill plantations dated from 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) instead of ponderosa pine. 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).
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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 1 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 2013).
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Table 1. 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

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.

Species Account.

This section provides descriptions of the Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest species which 

occur or might occur in this project. Additionally, the suitable habitat is described for these

species. Suitable habitat for any species can be defined as the surroundings, substrate and 

environmental factors which allow that species to successfully grow and reproduce. Table 2 lists

the State and Federal statuses, global and State rarity rankings, and the California Rare Plant 

Ranks.

Surveys are not routinely conducted for Forest Watchlist or Botanical Interest plant species. 

There is no Federal law or Forest Service policy which requires surveys of these species. 
Botany Report

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Typically, if they are observed while surveys for Sensitive Plants are conducted, they are noted 

in survey records and sometimes documented in species occurrence forms and GPS points. 

Surveys are conducted for the undescribed species Eryngium sp. nov. which is expected to be 

placed on the Regional Forester’s Sensitive list once described due to its rarity and susceptibility 

to impacts. The following Forest Watchlist plant species are known to occur in the Rim 

Recovery project area: Arbutus menziesii, Carex tompkinsii, Drosera rotundifolia, Dryopteris 

filix-mas, Perideridia bacigalupii, Rhynchospora capitellata and Eryngium sp. nov. There is 

suitable habitat for the following additional Forest Watchlist species: Agrostis humilis, 

Anomobryum julaceum, Bolandra californica, Botrychium simplex var. simplex, Carex davyi, 

Epilobium howellii, Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii, Meesia triquetra, Taxus brevifolia, 

Tritomaria exsectiformis and Viola nephrophylla.

The following Botanical Interest species are known to occur within the Rim Fire Recovery 

project area: Alectoria sarmentosa, Brasenia schreberi, Clarkia virgata, Didymodon norrisii, 

Myrica hartwegii, Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides, Quercus garryana var. semota, 

Rhynchospora alba, Torreya californica and Trillium angustipetalum. There is an occurrence of 

Wyethia elata within one mile of the project area and suitable habitat within the project area. 

There is suitable habitat for the additional following Botanical Interest species within the project 

area: Delphinium hansenii ssp. ewanianum, Potamogeton epihydrus, Potamogeton robbinsii and

Schoenoplectus subterminalis.

Table 2: Status of the Forest Watchlist plants which occur or may occur in this project.

Forest Watchlist Species

Federal 

Status State Status Global/State Rankings1

CRPR List2

with Threat 

Code Ext.3

Agrostis humilis none none G4Q/S2 2B.3

Anomobryum julaceum none none G4G5/S2 4.2

Arbutus menziesii none none Not tracked

Bolandra californica none none G3/S3.3 4.3

Botrychium simplex var.

simplex

none none Not tracked

Carex davyi none none G2/S2 1B.3

Carex tompkinsii none Rare G3/S3.3 4.3

Drosera rotundifolia none none Not tracked

Dryopteris filix-mas none none G5/S2 2B.3

Epilobium howellii none none G4/S4 4.3

Eryngium sp. nov. none none none none

Lilium humboldtii ssp.

humboldtii none none G4T3/S3.2 4.2

Meesia triquetra none none G5/S4 4.2

Perideridia bacigalupii none none G3/S3 4.2

Rhynchospora capitellata none none G5/S1 2B.2

Taxus brevifolia none none Not tracked

Tritomaria exsectiformis none none Not tracked

Viola nephrophylla none none Not tracked
Botany Report

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Botanical Interest Species Federal 

Status State Status Global/State Rankings1

CRPR List2

with Threat 

Code Ext.3

Alectoria sarmentosa none none Not tracked

Brasenia schreberi none none G5/S2 2B.3

Clarkia virgata none none G3/S3.3 4.3

Delphinium hansenii ssp.

ewanianum none none G4T3/S3.2 4.2

Didymodon norrisii none none G3G4/S3S442B.2

Myrica hartwegii none none G3G4/S3S4 4.3

Notholithocarpus 

densiflorus var. echinoides none none Not tracked

Potamogeton epihydrus none none G5/S2S3 2B.2

Potamogeton robbinsii none none G5/S3 2B.3

Quercus garryana var. 

semota

none none Not tracked

Rhynchospora alba none none G5/S2 2B.2

Schoenoplectus 

subterminalis none none G4G5/S3 2B.3

Torreya californica none none Not tracked

Trillium angustipetalum none none Not tracked

Wyethia elata none none G3/S3.3 4.3

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.

State Ranking

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

populations) or because of 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.
Botany Report

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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).

4Global and State Ranking obtained from CNPS on-Line Rare and Endangered Plant Inventory (2014).

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 3 shows the habitat characteristics or affinities of 

the Forest Watchlist plant species considered in the Rim Recovery project. Table 4 shows the 

habitat affinities of the Botanical Interest plant species. Some species are very closely associated 

with the specialized habitats listed. Others can be found in several similar specialized 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.
Botany Report

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Table 3. Habitat Affinities for Rim Fire Recovery Forest Watchlist 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

Agrostis humilis        

Anomobryum julaceum        

Arbutus menziesii        

Bolandra californica          

Botrychium simplex var. simplex           

Carex davyi     

Carex tompkinsii       

Drosera rotundifolia       

Dryopteris filix-mas          

Epilobium howellii         

Eryngium sp. nov.     

Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii      

Meesia triquetra        

Perideridia bacigalupii     

Rhynchospora capitellata         

Taxus brevifolia       

Tritomaria exsectiformis         

Viola nephrophylla          

Table 4. Habitat Affinities for Rim Recovery Forest Botanical Interest Species.

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

Alectoria sarmentosa         

Brasenia schreberi       
Botany Report

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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

Clarkia virgata     

Delphinium hansenii ssp. ewanianum    

Didymodon norrisii         

Myrica hartwegii       

Notholithocarpus densiflorus var.

echinoides      

Potamogeton epihydrus        

Potamogeton robbinsii      

Quercus garryana var. semota      

Rhynchospora alba         

Schoenoplectus subterminalis        

Torreya californica         

Trillium angustipetalum        

Wyethia elata      

Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area

The Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area (SIA) consists of two small groves of madrones 

covering approximately 15 acres. It is located along Road 1S13C in Packard Canyon. Roadside 

hazard trees are proposed to be removed along Road 1S13C. The management emphasis of this 

SIA is to protect and manage the unique botanical features for which it was designated, namely 

the madrone groves. This SIA contains the southern-most groves of Arbutus menziesii in the 

Sierra Nevada. Resource activities, such as roadside hazard tree removal, is allowed within the 

SIA provided that the integrity of the SIA is protected (USDA 2010c). The discovery in recent 

years of young trees and saplings of madrones outside of the SIA indicates that the SIA 

madrones have been successfully reproducing and expanding their distribution in the vicinity.

The Pacific Madrone SIA occurs within an area which had not burned for more than 100 years. 

Timber harvest had occurred in the SIA in the past but no management activities had taken place 

there in recent years. The understory had become overgrown with regeneration conifers. The 

habitat tends to be comparatively cool and damp owing to the northeast aspect and position in the 

bottom of a perennial stream drainage. Madrone trees in the SIA survived the Rim Fire, likely 

due to the microclimate of the site. It is possible that the fire burned through this area at night 

when the fire activity was lower.
Botany Report

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Forest Watchlist Plant Species

The following plant profiles are for species which might be impacted by project activities.

Eryngium sp. nov.

Eryngium sp. nov. (un-named button celery) is a perennial herb in the carrot family, Apiaceae. It 

reproduces by seed. Eryngium sp. nov. begins growing in late winter or early spring. It has two 

types of leaves: hollow floating leaves and late season, typical leaves. The floating leaves appear 

first while the meadow is under water. They are able to photosynthesize, even while submerged 

near the water surface. The later leaves follow after the pond water has evaporated. The flowers 

and seed are produced in late summer through early fall.

Eryngium sp. nov. is a newly discovered plant species not yet described and published. It was 

discovered in 1996 by the Forest Service and verified by Lincoln Constance, Professor Emeritus, 

(deceased) as a new taxon (letters and personal communications, 1996 and 1997). Michael Park, 

Research Associate with U.C. Berkeley, conducted genetic testing of this taxon and verified that 

it is unique from other known species of Eryngium (pers. comm., with J. Haas 2011). Eryngium

sp. nov. is on the Forest watchlist rather than the Sensitive Plant list because it is a new species 

which has not yet been officially described and published. The type locality (the occurrence 

from which the species is originally described) for this species is Abernathy Meadow. 

As with other species of Eryngium, Eryngium sp. nov. lives in vernal pool habitats. Vernal pools 

are unusual above the low elevation valley and foothill areas. A vernally wet meadow, such as 

Abernathy Meadow, can mimic the characteristics of a vernal pool (ponding water in the winter, 

drying in summer). The habitat of this species completely dries by mid-summer and is 

sometimes not recognizable as a meadow or pond. The currently known elevation range for 

Eryngium sp. nov. is about 3,800 to 4,900 feet.

There are only five confirmed occurrences of this species, raising the concern about its viability. 

All but one of the occurrences are within the Rim Fire area. One of the occurrences is on private 

property. The location of a second reported occurrence is unconfirmed but is believed to also be 

on private property. The remaining are on NFS lands. It is unlikely that more occurrences 

would be found because the very specific type of growing conditions is uncommon within the 

range of the species. The range of the species is north of Highway 120, south of the Tuolumne 

River, west of Cherry Lake Road and east of the Yosemite National Park boundary. One of the 

five known occurrences grows in an artificial pond near the Groveland Ranger District office. 

This occurrence is believed to have been transported there decades ago by activities related to the 

Hetch Hetchy railroad. It is a very small occurrence with few plants. No occurrences have been 

found within Yosemite.

The Eryngium sp. nov. in this project occurs in vernally wet meadows in two different units, one 

is at Abernathy Meadow, the other is near Bear Mountain. These are spring and run-off fed 

meadows which fill with water during the winter, forming ponds. Through the spring and 

summer, the water evaporates or drains away. The soil surface becomes quite dry and hard by 

the end of summer. The habitat near Bear Mountain barely resembles meadow habitat by mid-
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summer. It is very dry and appears to be scruffy openings in the forest. Before the Rim Fire, the 

plant community surrounding the Eryngium sp. nov. meadows was West Side Ponderosa Pine 

Forest (Holland, 1986). The dominant tree species surrounding the meadows were ponderosa 

pine, incense cedar and black oak. Plants in the meadows are mostly herbaceous and include 

grasses and sedges.

Anomobryum julaceum

Anomobryum julaceum (slender silver moss, syn. Anomobryum filiforme) is a moss which grows 

on “acidic seepy or damp soil, soil over rock, ledges” (FNANM 2014). It can also be found in 

cliff crevices and in late snow melt sites (USDA 2010b, USDA 2012). This species has not yet 

been collected within the Stanislaus National Forest. The nearest known occurrences are in 

Yosemite National Park. One is at Rancheria Flat, just outside the boundary of the Forest. 

Within California, there are 19 specimen records of Anomobryum julaceum, including the two in 

Yosemite. Across the USA, outside of California there are 37 specimen records in nine states. 

There is suitable habitat along Lumsden Road which closely resembles the habitat at Rancheria 

Flat. This habitat has not been surveyed for rare mosses. There are likely other roadside areas 

with suitable habitat in the Rim Fire Recovery project.

Arbutus menziesii

Arbutus menziesii (Pacific madrone) is an evergreen, broadleaved tree which grows in seemingly 

common habitats: conifer and oak forests (Jepson Flora Project 2014). Arbutus menziesii is 

identified as a member of montane hardwood forests in Lower Westside Hardwood Ecosystems 

(USDA 2010c). In the Stanislaus National Forest, Arbutus menziesii is quite uncommon. The 

southern-most grove in the Sierra Nevada occurs in the Rim Fire burned area and is contained 

within the Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area (SIA). The habitat of Arbutus menziesii in 

Tuolumne County tends to be north-facing aspects, where the air is cooler and moisture stays in 

the soil longer than other aspects. The discovery in recent years of young trees and saplings of 

madrones outside of the SIA indicates that the SIA madrones have been successfully reproducing 

and expanding their distribution in the vicinity. Madrone trees outside the SIA have been 

reported to have sustained canopy mortality in the Rim Fire. Arbutus menziesii is known to 

resprout from the root crown after fire so it is likely that many of these trees with canopy 

mortality survived the fire (Chappell and Giglio 1999).

Bolandra californica

Bolandra californica (Sierra bolandra) is a perennial herb which inhabits seasonally moist soils 

along streams, in rock crevices or slabs and seepy areas. This species blooms late for a member 

of this family – July through August. It is endemic to the Central Sierra Nevada ranging from 

Eldorado County to Madera County. It is encountered infrequently within this range (Taylor 

2010). There are 12 documented occurrences within the Stanislaus National Forest. One of 

these is within the burned area, documented along Cherry Lake Road in 1951 (CCH 2014). The 
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status of this and other occurrences in the Forest has not been verified in recent years. However, 

private photographs of other species in the suitable habitat area from 2012 revealed possible 

Bolandra californica plants still occurring there. Private photos of plants from Lumsden Road 

also show plants which could be Bolandra californica.

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 spent 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 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. Sometimes locally

rare Botrychium species are found in contact zones between volcanic andesitic tuff breccia lahar 

(also known locally as “lava caps”) and granitic outcrops. This type of contact zone is the point 

at which spring water surfaces in a stringer meadow, carrying with it the unique minerals of the 

volcanic substrate.

According to Farrar, leaf litter of cedar trees can provide the mineral needs of Botrychiums 

(2011):

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.
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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 2011).

Botrychium simplex var. simplex

Botrychium simplex var. simplex (least moonwort) is a perennial herb which occurs among 

saturated mosses or sedge mats around hard water seeps or streams (Farrar 2012). Only 9 

occurrences of this species have been found in the Stanislaus National Forest, all in the Calaveras 

Ranger District, well outside the burned area. A closely related variety, Botrychium simplex var. 

compositum is known from one location inside the burned area. Botrychium simplex var. simplex

in California is represented by only two specimen collections, one in Modoc County, the other in 

Siskiyou County (CCH 2014). The species has been reported from six other National Forests. 

Hard water seeps and springs are common within the burned area at granitic and volcanic 

bedrock contact zones. These areas are not always readily identifiable as special aquatic 

features, especially in dry years when they may look merely like non-descript grassy areas.

Carex tompkinsii

Carex tompkinsii (Tompkins’ sedge) is a sedge once thought to be quite rare and located 

primarily in the vicinity of El Portal. It is a California listed Rare plant due to the past 

understanding of its rarity and distribution. Over the past 25 years, surveys for it in Yosemite 

National Park, Sierra National Forest, Sequoia National Forest and Stanislaus National Forest 

revealed numerous occurrences with a much wider distribution. The current range extends from 

the west-facing slopes above Cherry Creek south of Cherry Lake, south through Yosemite 

National Park and Sierra National Forest into the Sequoia National Forest and Kings Canyon 

National Park. An occurrence was collected in Calaveras County in 2012 near West Point 

[Helmkamp, #19108], and another in Nevada County [Matson, #1225], providing substantial 

range extensions, if these collections are accurately identified (CCH 2014). It was removed 

from the Sensitive list in the 1998 list revision and placed on the Forest Watchlist. It has not 

been removed from the California Rare list, although it has a California Rare Plant Rank (CRPR) 

of 4, “Plants of Limited Distribution - A Watch list” (CNDDB 2014b). Two occurrences were 

documented in the Rim Fire burned area after the 1996 Ackerson Complex Fires. The 

occurrences were flagged and avoided with salvage and reforestation activities following the 

Ackerson Complex. A third occurrence was documented west of Highway 108 near Long Barn, 

well outside the Rim Fire burned area in the Mi-Wok Ranger District. Surveys have not been 

conducted for this species in recent years. There are likely more occurrences in the National 

Forest which have not been documented.

Dryopteris filix-mas

Dryopteris filix-mas (male fern) is a perennial fern in the wood fern family, Dryopteridaceae. In 

California it is reported from granitic cliffs and boulders in pine forests (CCH 2014, USDA 

2011). In northeastern North America, it occurs in “dense woods and talus slopes on limestone” 
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and in “open woods among boulders and talus of granite or igneous rock” in the Rocky 

Mountains (FNA 2014). The elevation range is below 10,000 feet.

There are two currently known occurrences of Dryopteris filix-mas within the Stanislaus 

National Forest. Both occur within Rim Fire Recovery roadside hazard tree units. Surveys for 

this species were initiated in 2013 after it was learned that the Forest was within the range of the 

species. One of the two occurrences in the Stanislaus is made up of ten colonies distributed 

along a ridge over 3.25 miles. The other occurrence is isolated less than one mile away from the 

first. In California, this species is represented by only six other occurrences. Four are in the 

White Mountains, one is in the Eldorado National Forest, and one is an historic occurrence in the 

San Bernardino Mountains which has not been documented in recent times (USDA 2011). The 

species has a wide range outside of California.

Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii

Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii (Humboldt lily) is a perennial herb which grows in openings 

in chaparral and conifer forests below 4,200 feet elevation. It closely resembles the more 

common leopard lily (Lilium pardalinum) which grows in wet meadows and streamsides. It is 

uncommon within its range, numbering fewer than 50 documented occurrences from Lassen 

County south to Mariposa County (USDA 2012). Only one occurrence has been discovered 

within the Stanislaus National Forest, in the Calaveras Ranger District. None have been found 

within the burned area, however, surveys have not been conducted for it. Because it resembles 

Lilium pardalinum, the leopard lily, it might be easily overlooked even though the habitat is 

different.

Perideridia bacigalupii

Perideridia bacigalupii (Bacigalupi’s yampah) is a perennial herb which grows on open rocky 

ridges in metasedimentary habitats. It was considered for inclusion as a Sensitive Plant at the 

start of the Sensitive Plant program in the 1980s but was rejected on the advice of a local botanist 

who felt that the population was secure at that time. Monitoring in recent years has revealed that 

some of the occurrences have become reduced in numbers or are apparently no longer extant (no 

longer present). Perideridia bacigalupii has a fairly wide distribution in the central Sierra 

Nevada ranging from Butte County south to Fresno County. There are 45 known occurrences, 

made up of 110 colonies, within the boundaries of the Stanislaus National Forest, including eight 

known sites on private property. Nearly half of the known colonies occur within the Rim Fire 

burned area.

Taxus brevifolia

Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew) is an evergreen conifer which grows on shaded, north-facing 

slopes. The Stanislaus National Forest occurs at the southern extent of this species’ range in the 

Sierra Nevada. An historic occurrence was documented in the Merced Canyon on the western 
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edge of Yosemite National Park (Brandegee 1891, CCH 2014). It has not been relocated in 

recent attempts. There is one confirmed grove approximately one mile west of the burned area 

within the Mi-Wok Ranger District. This grove is currently the only known location of this 

species in the Forest and the southern-most verifiable living grove in the Sierra. Taxus brevifolia 

occurs in Calaveras Big Trees State Park. There is suitable habitat within the burned area which 

has not been surveyed.

Botanical Interest Plant Species

The following plant profiles are for species which might be impacted by project activities.

Alectoria sarmentosa

Alectoria sarmentosa (witch’s hair) is an arboreal lichen, hanging from conifer limbs where the 

habitat maintains higher than usual humidity for the central Sierras. It is known to occur in the 

“Carlon Refugia,” an area along the South Fork Tuolumne River in Yosemite National Park and 

the Forest, where the unusual conditions and lack of wildfire in the last 100 years provided 

habitat for certain rare plants and some botanical oddities not normally seen in the Sierra 

Nevada. The Rim Fire burned through the Carlon Refugia at varying burn intensities. Alectoria 

sarmentosa normally occurs in northwestern California and northward into Oregon, Washington 

and Canada. This species also occurs in central and northern Europe and the Patagonia region of 

South America (CNALH 2014).

Clarkia virgata

Clarkia virgata (Sierra clarkia) is an annual herb in the Evening Primrose family, Onagraceae. It 

reproduces by seed. Seedlings of Clarkia virgata can be found in the fall, after about two or 

more inches of rain. The appropriate identification period for Clarkia virgata 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 virgata can range in size from several individuals to thousands of individuals. The 

number of individuals in an occurrence can vary widely from year to year due to weather and site 

conditions.

Clarkia virgata is usually found on slopes with a south, southwest or southeast aspect. It grows 

in openings in conifer forests, oak woodland and chaparral. It is sometimes found growing with

bear clover (Chamaebatia foliolosa). Clarkia virgata tends to prefer 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. Clarkia virgata does not grow well with weedy annuals 

like grass 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 virgata prefers to grow in open sun 

or lightly filtered sunny conditions. Soil types and depths do not appear to be limiting. The 
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species is usually observed growing in bare mineral soil or with a very light layer of leaf litter. 

Clarkia virgata occurs between 1,300 and 5,500 feet in elevation.

Clarkia virgata was described in 1895 by E. Greene. The distribution of the species at the time it 

was described was believed to be Sonoma and Amador Counties. Lewis (1955) examined the 

Sonoma county voucher and found that sample to be a similar and wide-spread species, Clarkia 

rhomboidea. Lewis described the range of Clarkia virgata as being Amador, Calaveras, 

Eldorado, Madera, Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. E. Small did cross-pollination studies of 

several similar species of Clarkia and found that some of the plants being called Clarkia virgata

were in fact a new species, Clarkia australis (1971). Small’s work led to the assumption that 

Clarkia australis was limited to areas south of the Tuolumne River since the two tested 

occurrences determined to be Clarkia australis occurred south of the Tuolumne River. The 

assumption was also made that Clarkia virgata only occurred north of the main fork Tuolumne 

River. Questions arose about the taxonomic determination because Clarkia australis is 

absolutely identical in appearance to Clarkia virgata. Many new occurrences were found in the 

assumed range of the new species. The taxonomy of the new 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 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 have been 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, Clarkia australis tends 

to occur at higher elevations and Clarkia virgata tends to occur at lower elevations. The actual 

number of occurrences of Clarkia virgata in the Stanislaus National Forest is unknown. 

However, based on surveys prior to 1999 and the genetic testing which verified the species 

identities, it’s believed that there were at least 200 occurrences of Clarkia virgata in the 

Groveland Ranger District, south of the Tuolumne River. The occurrences have not been 

monitored since before 1999 and the actual number of occurrences still extant today is unknown. 

Occurrences which were not genetically confirmed are not protected from project impacts.

There are four genetically verified occurrences of Clarkia virgata in the Rim Fire Recovery 

project area. These occurrences are important as a seed sources for future study of this species 

and its relationship to other Clarkia species, such as Clarkia australis.

Delphinium hansenii ssp. ewanianum

Delphinium hansenii ssp. ewanianum (Ewan’s larkspur) is a perennial herb which grows in low 

elevation grassland and oak woodland habitats. Its range is from El Dorado County to Tulare 

County. It is infrequently encountered (Taylor 2010). The nearest known occurrence is an 

undocumented occurrence in the Tuolumne Canyon on Wards Ferry Road, outside the Forest and 
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burned area. There is suitable habitat along Lumsden Road within the burned area which has not 

been surveyed for this species. Lumsden Road is identified for road maintenance in Alternative 

1 but is not included in Alternatives 3 or 4.

Didymodon norrisii

Didymodon norrisii (Norris’ beard moss) is a moss which grows in seasonally damp or wet 

rocky habitats. There are two documented occurrences within the Forest. One of these is within 

the Rim Fire burned area. Since being described in 1999, more than 50 occurrences have been 

found, mostly in California in the Sierra Nevada, but ranging as far north as one occurrence in 

British Columbia. This species was removed from the Regional Forester’s Sensitive list in 2013 

due to the expanded range and placed on the Forest Botanical Interest list due to the very small 

number of occurrences known in the Forest.

Myrica hartwegii

Myrica hartwegii (Sierra sweet bay) is a deciduous shrub which grows in riparian areas along 

perennial streams. From a distance, it resembles a small willow (Salix sp.) shrub. However, its 

fragrant leaves give away its true identity. It is found primarily in Eldorado, Tuolumne, 

Mariposa and Madera Counties with one occurrence each reported in Nevada, Yuba and Fresno 

Counties (CCH 2014, Calflora 2014). It is reported to occur in Oregon (Bornstein 2012), 

however there are no specimen records in the Consortium of California Herbaria (CCH 2014) to 

support this report. Calflora and the Flora of North America report that the species as a 

California endemic (limited to a distribution only in California) (Calflora 2014, FNA 2014). 

There are specimens which represent 35 locations in California documented in CCH (2014, 

Jepson Flora Project 2014). There are four additional locations in the Stanislaus National Forest 

which are not represented in the CCH. Calflora shows 39 occurrences including those in CCH 

(2014). Myrica hartwegii has been documented in eight streams in Tuolumne County, all in the

Stanislaus National Forest. These are Bourland Creek, Trout Creek, Bull Meadow Creek, Reed 

Creek, Clavey River, South Fork Tuolumne River, Middle Fork Tuolumne River and North Fork 

Tuolumne River. There is an additional historic specimen record (C. M. Belshaw #87, 1935) 

which lists the location as “Reynolds Creek by Rosasco Cabin.” It is possible that this site refers 

to what is currently known as Reed Creek. The Clavey River, Trout Creek and part of the 

Bourland Creek populations occur outside the Rim Fire Recovery project area. The remaining 

populations are inside the project area.

Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides

Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides (tan oak) is a small, uncommon evergreen tree or 

shrub which grows in mixed-conifer forests. It occurs in scattered populations from the Klamath 

and Cascade Ranges in Northern California south through the Sierra Nevada. There are 

specimens in the herbaria representing 74 locations in California (Jepson Flora Project 2014, 

CCH 2014). None of these include the occurrences in Tuolumne County. Three populations 
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have been documented in the Stanislaus National Forest. All are within the Rim Fire burned 

area. One, found in the Mi-Wok Ranger District is outside of any treatment units. A second, 

very small grove occurs on the edge of Unit H13B. The third occurs in the Groveland Ranger 

District and is made up of scattered clusters and individual trees along Pilot Ridge and some of 

the north-facing slopes below the ridge.

Quercus garryana var. semota

Quercus garryana var. semota is an uncommon variety of Oregon oak which grows as small 

trees in dry habitats. It is the only form of Oregon oak in the Sierra Nevada. This form rarely 

grows taller than 16 feet and is sometimes mistaken as black oak (Quercus kelloggii) due to the 

leaf shape. There are eight known groves of this species in the Stanislaus National Forest. Two 

of these are within the Rim Fire burned area. The range of this variety is the Cascade Range in 

Northern California south, through the Sierra Nevada and the interior parts of the coast range 

south to Marin County. In the Sierra Nevada, this species occurs as scattered groves in 

discontinuous patches in the mid-elevations (Pavlik, Muick, Johnson and Popper 1991). The

habitat preferences of this species of oak is similar to those of blue oak (Quercus douglasii) and 

black oak.

Torreya californica

Torreya californica (California nutmeg) is a unique conifer tree in that it reproduces by 

producing large, plum-sized fleshy drupes (a large seed covered by soft tissue) instead of woody 

cones. The fruits are produced at the ends of drooping branches, making them difficult to access 

by wildlife. Its needles are tipped by a sharp prickle, making it memorable to brush against. It 

grows on north-facing slopes where soil moisture is plentiful, usually in river canyons or deep 

stream or creek drainages. Occasionally they can be found on ridges at the tops of drainages and 

at springs. The species is scattered through the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range. The large seed 

is a high-fat food sought-after by grey squirrels which typically scavenge the majority of fruits 

which fall to the ground. As a result, recruitment of seedlings can be low. The number of 

occurrences in the Stanislaus National Forest is not known. It has not been consistently 

documented or tracked. There are occurrences in the Hunter Creek drainage, the Clavey River 

canyon, and in the Tuolumne River Canyon, all inside the Rim Fire area.

Trillium angustipetalum

Trillium angustipetalum (narrow-petaled wakerobin or trillium) is a perennial herb in the FalseHellebore Family (Melanthiaceae). It sprouts from a rhizome in the spring. Each plant produces 

one above-ground stalk. On mature plants, each stalk has a set of three whorled triangular leaves 

directly under a single flower which sits in the axis of the leaves. The plant dies back in the fall 

after hard frost and lies dormant in the soil until the following spring. Trilliums reproduce by 

seed. Their rhizomes do not produce clones or off-sets. When encountered, Trillium 

angustipetalum occurrences typically have fewer than 20 plants.
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Trillium angustipetalum grows in shade in dense forested habitats, often in association with fir 

trees such as Douglas fir or white fir. It is sometimes referred to as an old-growth or old forest 

associate. Douglas fir is known to be associated with mycorrhizal fungi and might be a fungal 

partner to the Trillium through mycorrhizal fungi nutrient and moisture exchanges. Trillium 

angustipetalum is often found near streams or creeks in deep loamy soil with thick duff. It grows 

best under deep shade with a full tree canopy. Trillium angustipetalum occurs in a twelve county 

area in California. Its elevation range is from 300 feet to 6,500 feet.

Trilliums are long-lived lily-like plants which are adversely affected by habitat fragmentation 

and disturbance (Jules, 1998). While not considered rare or particularly uncommon at this point 

in time, conservation of trilliums in the Rim Fire burned area is a desirable objective to 

complement the long-term recovery to a forested condition of the area.

The reproductive status of trillium plants is correlated with their age and rhizome size (Hanzawa 

and Kalisz, 1993). Trilliums can be aged by counting the constrictions in their rhizomes 

(Hanzawa and Kalisz, 1993; and Jules, 1998). Hanzawa and Kalisz found that the average age of 

reproductive Trillium grandiflorum was 22.8 years while the non-reproductive plants averaged 

13.3 years in his study (1993). The minimum age of the reproductive plants in the study 

population was 17 years. The ages of the Trillium grandiflorum in the study population ranged 

from 1 to 30 years (Hanzawa and Kalisz, 1993). Hanzawa and Kalisz found no seed bank in 

their study population. In a study of Trillium erectum, the average age of reproductive plants 

was 20.6 years and non-reproductive plants was 14.5 years (Hanzawa and Kalisz, 1993). In his 

study, Jules (1998) found several Trillium ovatum plants which were at least 72 years old. The 

length of time that trilliums require to reach reproductive maturity is an important issue for 

consideration in implementing project activities which might cause adverse impacts. Unlike 

many Sierran plant species, trilliums appear not to bank seed. Successful regeneration from seed 

appears to be low in at least some species (Hanzawa and Kalisz, 1993). Hypothetically, if a 

trillium occurrence were to be impacted to the point in which many or most of the individual 

plants were removed, the occurrence would require a very long time to recover to pre-impact 

numbers. If the habitat characteristics were no longer favorable to the species, the recovery 

would be more prolonged or prohibited.

Trillium angustipetalum has a limited range from southern Oregon, western Klamath Ranges, the 

Sierra Nevada, the south central coast range, and the outer south coast ranges (McNeal and Ness, 

2012). Specimen collections from California account for 47 occurrences through the state 

(Jepson Flora Project 2014, CCH 2014). Two occurrences of Trillium angustipetalum are 

documented within the burned area. There are likely more occurrences, especially in the areas 

which hadn’t burned in the previous 100 years.

Wyethia elata

Wyethia elata (Hall’s mule’s ears, syn. Agnorhiza elata) is a perennial herb in the Sunflower 

family, Asteraceae. It reproduces by seeds. Wyethia elata blooms May through August, 

depending on the elevation of the occurrence. It is unique in the Groveland Ranger District, in 
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that it is the only tall mule’s ears species to be found here – as tall as three feet. All other species 

locally are less than about 1-1/2 feet tall. The plant emerges from dormancy in early spring and 

goes into dormancy in mid- to late summer.

Wyethia elata is found in openings in chaparral, oak woodlands, ponderosa pine and mixedconifer forests. The sites sometimes have poor or low quality soils. The elevation range for 

Wyethia elata is 1,700 to 4,600 feet. 

Wyethia elata has a narrow distribution, ranging from a single occurrence in northern Tulare 

County in the Sequoia National Forest, to a single occurrence in southern Tuolumne County, in 

the Stanislaus National Forest, Groveland Ranger District. This Tuolumne County occurrence is 

the only occurrence in the Stanislaus National Forest known so far, and the only one known 

north of the Merced River. There are about 55 documented occurrences of Wyethia elata

throughout its range, based on herbarium specimens (Jepson Flora Project 2014, CCH 2014). 

The majority of occurrences are in Mariposa and Madera Counties.

The known occurrence of Wyethia elata is north of Smith Peak. This site occurs within one mile 

of the burned area and is located directly under power lines. This occurrence is quite small –

roughly three feet by three feet in size and numbered 9 plants in 2007. A brief visit on April 11, 

2008 revealed that gopher activity had apparently reduced the occurrence to six plants. In 2013, 

there were still six plants and the gopher activity had subsided but was still present. This 

occurrence was flagged and avoided in the China Flat HFRA project. There is suitable habitat 

within the burned area which has not been surveyed for this species. 

EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.

The following Forest Watchlist species are unlikely to be directly affected by project activities. 

They grow in habitats which typically do not contain commercial conifers or there are watershed 

BMPs which would prevent conducting logging activities, mastication or biomass removal there. 

Agrostis humilis and Rhynchospora capitellata occupy meadows, seeps and margins of vernal or 

seasonal pools. Drosera rotundifolia grows in fens, floating mats in small lakes and wet 

meadows with fen characteristics. Epilobium howellii and Viola nephrophylla inhabit seeps, wet 

meadows, perennial stream banks and the margins of fens. Meesia triquetra grows in fens. 

Tritomaria exsectiformis occurs in meadows, seeps and fens.

The following Botanical Interest species are unlikely to be affected by project activities. They 

also grow in habitats which are not likely to be impacted by the logging or hazard tree removal 

activities because the watershed BMPs would prevent widespread impacts in the habitats. 

Brasenia schreberi, Potamogeton epihydrus, Potamogeton robbinsii and Schoenoplectus 

subterminalis occur in vernal pools, ponds, and perennial streams. Rhynchospora alba inhabits 

wet meadows, seeps and fens.
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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.

The activities proposed in this project would be implemented over the course of five to ten years. 

Throughout much of the proposed project, activities would be implemented in two or more 

entries per unit. For example, in Unit T27A, which has been identified as a SPLAT 

(Strategically Placed Landscape Area Treatment for fuels reduction), there is an occurrence of 

Eryngium sp. nov. 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 these and skid trails constructed for the current salvage effort would be 

subsoiled. Two temporary roads which would be opened and improved for the salvage work 

would be decommissioned. However, these roads are not near the Eryngium sp. nov. occurrence. 

In this unit 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 virgata banks seed in the soil. In an unpublished extermination study, Harlan 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). There are no protective measures in 

place which would prevent impacts to the genetically confirmed occurrences of Clarkia virgata, 

making it possible for this project to cause the reduction or elimination of these occurrences. 

The ability, or lack there-of, of the remaining species to bank seed is unknown. The mosses, 

lichens, fern and moonwort produce spores, not seeds. Spores aren’t known for banking in the 

soil. In the example, above, it is unknown whether or not Eryngium sp. nov. banks seed or how 

many consecutive year impacts might exhaust the seed bank, if such exists.
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Ground disturbance to occurrences of Forest Watchlist or Botanical Interest plant species during 

the growing season would likely 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 species 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 virgata than disturbance during the growing season since there would be no plants 

affected. Only the seed and habitat would be affected. Perennial species and the evergreen trees 

are susceptible to mechanical ground disturbances at all times of the year. 

Jackpot and pile burning would likely cause loss of plants and seed regardless of the time of 

year. In both cases, there would be concentrations of fuel burned. The heat would be 

concentrated and the length of time that the high heat would be present and concentrated would 

be long. It is unlikely that any of the Forest Watchlist or Botanical Interest species would 

survive pile or jackpot burning directly on them.

Alternative 1

There are no management requirements in Alternative 1 to ensure that adverse effects would not 

impact Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest species in the project area.

The following Forest Watchlist plants and Botanical Interest plants might be impacted by 

Alternative 1 activities: Arbutus menziesii, Bolandra californica, Botrychium simplex var. 

simplex, Carex davyi, Carex tompkinsii, Dryopteris filix-mas, Eryngium sp. nov., Lilium 

humboldtii ssp. humboldtii, Perideridia bacigalupii, Taxus brevifolia, Alectoria sarmentosa, 

Clarkia virgata, Delphinium hansenii ssp. ewanianum, Didymodon norrisii, Myrica hartwegii, 

Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides, Quercus garryana var. semota, Torreya 

californica, Trillium angustipetalum and Wyethia elata. Impacts to plants or entire occurrences 

could come from the felling of trees, skidding or yarding logs or whole trees, mastication, 

machine piling and pile burning, jackpot burning, rock quarrying, and providing soil cover in the 

form of logging slash, straw or wood chips for the purposes of protecting water quality and soil. 

These activities could damage or kill plants. In some cases, entire occurrences could be 

eliminated if they are small or the activity occurs throughout the occurrence area.

Direct and Indirect Effects.

Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area

Forest Plan Direction reduces the risk that the integrity of the Pacific Madrone SIA would be 

damaged by the removal of the roadside hazard trees. Where removal of the hazard trees would 

jeopardize the integrity of the SIA by damaging or killing madrones, “special cutting methods” 

for abating the hazards would be implemented, such as falling and leaving the hazard trees 

(USDA 2010c).
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Forest Watchlist Plant Species

Eryngium sp. nov. occurs at two locations on NFS lands within the burned area, one is at 

Abernathy Meadow, the other is within a unit near Bear Mountain. At Abernathy Meadow, no 

impacts from the Rim Fire Recovery project are expected to occur. The occurrence near Bear 

Mountain is composed of two small sites which barely resemble meadows or ponds at the height 

of summer when they are dry. The Bear Mountain sites would be flagged as meadows or special 

aquatic features (BMPs, EIS Table 2.03-3) and impacts would be avoided. 

Outside the Pacific Madrone SIA, Arbutus menziesii would not be protected from impacts by 

salvage logging. There are no management requirements in Alternative 1 protecting these 

madrones. As a result, there is a high risk in this alternative, that these trees and saplings could 

be impacted by the activities along the roadsides and in the salvage units. The fire caused the 

canopies of the madrones to die. They should resprout from the root crowns. Winter 2013-2014 

was exceptionally dry, further stressing the madrones and possibly killing some. They would be 

sensitive to additional impacts.

Since Anomobryum julaceum occurs in shallow soil over bedrock and cliff crevices, the risk of 

impacting this species with tree falling is very low and impacts from skidding would be 

extremely low. The greater risk would come from road widening or maintenance activities. Any 

loss would be impossible to quantify since no occurrences are known at the time of completion 

of this document. With only 56 documented occurrences in North America, the loss of one or 

two occurrences within the project might not threaten the viability of the species. Without 

knowing how many total occurrences there might be in the Stanislaus National Forest, it is 

difficult to determine what the impact of losing one or two occurrences within the Forest might 

be in terms of maintaining viable populations within the Forest.

Bolandra californica occurs along Cherry Lake road within the burned area. This road is not 

part of the Rim Fire Recovery. It is, however part of the Rim Hazard Tree EA project. There 

would be no direct effects to this occurrence from the Rim Fire Recovery project. There are 

likely other, undocumented occurrences within the project. The unconfirmed occurrence along 

Lumsden Road might be impacted by hazard tree removal and road maintenance activities.

Botrychium simplex var. simplex is not yet known from the burned area. The habitat in which it 

can grow is common within the burned area. The most likely places to find this species would 

be grassy perennial seeps, meadows or the banks of small streams in or near contact zones 

between granitic and volcanic substrates. While the meadows and streams would be largely 

protected with soil and water quality BMPs, small grassy seeps are not always easily recognized 

as special aquatic features and therefore, not always protected under soil or water quality BMPs. 

It is possible, then, that occurrences of this species could be impacted, possibly to the point of 

complete loss at the site of impact. 

Since Botrychium simplex var. simplex is dependent on year-round soil water, any interruption 

in the flow of water through the soil to the occurrence could cause plants or the entire occurrence 

to be lost. Running off-road “heavy” equipment on slopes immediately above or on the ground 
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near to the occurrences could cause compaction and interference with shallow aquifers. It is 

unlikely that deep aquifers could be impacted this way. 

The two known Carex tompkinsii occurrences in the Rim Fire area were flagged and avoided 

with salvage and reforestation activities following the 1996 Ackerson Complex. They would not 

be flagged and avoided during the activities related to the Rim Fire Recovery. Depending on the 

time of year that impacts took place, occurrences impacted by tree falling and skidding might be 

impacted to the point that occurrences could be lost. If impacts take place after seed set, then 

there is a chance that an occurrence would survive as seed, then germinate and grow in the next 

growing season. If impacts take place before seed set, it is possible that the occurrence could be 

lost.

Since Dryopteris filix-mas typically occurs in small groupings of one to five plants, the risk of 

eliminating the plants from a site is greater than for most species which tend to have larger 

occurrence areas. Ground disturbance would damage or kill these perennial plants. Even if 

every plant in the colonies aren’t killed, enough damage could be done to reproductively isolate 

individuals making it difficult for the species to re-colonizing the habitat area. With no 

management requirement to protect occurrences of this species, there is no guarantee that the 

species would not be eliminated from the project area and therefore, the Forest. Extirpation of 

the species from the Forest could be considered an adverse effect to plant diversity within the 

Forest.

Because Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii occurs in dry land habitats among trees and brush, it 

would be afforded no protections under the Rim Fire Recovery project. Falling trees, skidding, 

masticating, machine piling and pile burning would likely cause loss of plants. There are 

currently no known occurrences in the Rim Fire Recovery project area, however there is a large 

amount of suitable habitat which has not been surveyed for this species.

Perideridia bacigalupii is sometimes found growing along roads, and particularly roads that 

follow rocky ridge habitats. In the Rim Fire Recovery project, there are 45 colonies which occur 

within roadside hazard tree removal units. These areas are also proposed to have road 

maintenance conducted along them. These 45 colonies would likely be impacted by the hazard 

tree removal and road maintenance activities. Road maintenance activities in the past likely 

spread the seed, expanding the occurrences artificially (USDA 1980). Road maintenance 

activities such as grading and curve widening could kill plants growing in the traveled way of the 

roads. Maintenance activities might also spread seed further along the roads, providing 

opportunities for more expansion of the occurrences. Hazard tree removal could kill plants as far

as 200 feet from the roads on each side of the roads. For colonies which occur completely within 

the hazard tree units, this could mean complete loss of plants at those sites.

If it occurs within the burned area within a project unit, Taxus brevifolia is at risk of being 

impacted by falling of trees, mastication, biomass, machine piling and pile or jackpot burning. 

Damage to the trees from these activities could kill the trees or cause disease or insect 

infestation. The species is reportedly somewhat intolerant of burning, so it is possible that some 

occurrences, if there before the fire, have been damaged to the point of being lost already. 

However, there are areas where the conifer canopy was only partly damaged with only some 
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dead trees needing to be removed from the green islands to protect nearby roads and public 

access. It is possible that, if it occurs in these areas, the Taxus brevifolia trees could have 

survived the fire and be vulnerable to the direct and indirect effects of conducting project 

activities there.

Botanical Interest Plant Species

Because Alectoria sarmentosa lives among the limbs of conifers, it is subject to any impacts that 

might affect the tree in a fire or a project such as this. Most likely the heat or flames from the 

fire killed the lichen where the fire severity consumed or killed the tree canopies in the habitat 

areas. However, where the fire left some or all of the canopy intact, Alectoria sarmentosa also 

likely survived. Falling dead trees to abate roadside hazard trees among the living trees 

containing the lichen could knock some of the lichen out of the canopy. The habitat conditions 

on the ground are not consistent with the biology of the lichen and the organism would perish.

The four genetically confirmed occurrences of Clarkia virgata within the burned area would not 

be protected from impacts by the Rim Fire Recovery project. Three of the four occur within 

roadside hazard tree removal areas, one is inside and adjacent to a salvage unit. Tree falling and 

skidding through these occurrences could kill the plants and interrupt seed production. 

However, in only one of these cases, is the entire mapped occurrence within units. The 

remaining have portions of the occurrences outside the units. Therefore, only one occurrence is 

at risk of being completely impacted.

If it occurs along Lumsden Road, Delphinium hansenii ssp. ewanianum might be impacted by 

road maintenance activities and roadside hazard tree removal under Alternative 1. It is possible 

that plants could occur in the travelled way (roadbed), having seeded there from the slope or cut 

bank above. However, the Lumsden Road roadbed is maintained on a nearly yearly basis 

which would prevent the species from becoming established in the roadbed. Clean up of slope or 

cut bank slip outs from the roadbed is part of the routine maintenance and might impact plants. 

Falling and removing hazard trees might damage or kill Delphinium plants, if they occur there. 

For Lumsden Road, these are impacts which are normal parts of the maintenance activities. 

In the Stanislaus National Forest, Didymodon norrisii has been found in lava cap habitats. The 

one currently known occurrence in the project area is on a lava cap adjacent to a unit identified 

as a timber salvage and biomass unit utilizing ground based equipment. A management 

requirement is in place restricting equipment and vehicles to roads in lava cap habitats. There 

are no roads going through this occurrence’s habitat so this occurrence should remain unaffected 

by the project activities. Furthermore, there is an occurrence of Mimulus filicaulis nearby in the 

same habitat. The presence of the Mimulus should convey some protection to Didymodon 

norrisii in this site.

There might be other occurrences of Didymodon norrisii which have not yet been found. If they 

occur with Sensitive species, such as Allium tribracteatum or Lomatium stebbinsii, the 

occurrences would be protected by the same management requirements as the Sensitive species. 

In practice, the Stanislaus National Forest typically avoids impacts to lava cap habitats. 

However, there might be instances in the Rim Fire Recovery where decisions are made to place 
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landings or other project features on lava caps when Sensitive Plants are not present. In those 

cases, there is a risk of impacts to Didymodon norrisii which might cause the loss of one or more 

occurrences.

Myrica hartwegii is known to occur on the edges of seven Rim Fire Recovery units and one 

roadside hazard tree unit. The water quality BMPs exclude mechanical harvesting and 

mastication within 15 feet of perennial streams and prohibits skidding within 50 feet of the 

streams. The BMPs do not exclude tree falling and the logs can be “end-lined” out of this 

exclusion zone. End-lining entails attaching cables to the logs and dragging the logs to the 

skidder which would be positioned outside the exclusion zone. Additionally, the BMPs allow up 

to two water crossings within each mile of stream. If Myrica hartwegii occurs where any of 

these activities occur, shrubs might be damaged or killed by the activities. With the exception of 

units U03 and T04A which contain a substantial portion of one of the two Middle Fork 

Tuolumne occurrences, most of the seven units intersect small portions of the known 

populations. Up to 15 percent of the Bourland Creek/Reed Creek population might be impacted. 

Up to 36 percent of the Bull Meadow Creek population might be impacted. Up to 6 percent of 

the South Fork Tuolumne River population might be impacted. Up to 71 percent of the Middle 

Fork Tuolumne River population might be impacted. 

The two groves of Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides in the Mi-Wok Ranger District 

are unlikely to be impacted by project activities. One is well away from any proposed unit or 

activity area. The other is mapped just outside a unit. The population at Pilot Ridge occurs in 

several roadside and salvage units. If the roadside trees have dead canopies, they would likely be 

cut down to prevent injury to people or damage to the roads. Notholithocarpus densiflorus var.

echinoides should resprout from the root crown in low to moderate burn severity situations. The 

resprouts would be at risk of damage or loss from logging activities.

Quercus garryana var. semota is currently known from one roadside site along Road 1S08Y 

within the Rim Fire Recovery project and one roadside site at Rainbow Pool within the Rim Fire 

Hazard Tree project. It is likely that the canopies of some or all of these trees were killed by the 

fire and will need to be cut down to provide for public safety and to protect the integrity of the 

roads from damage by falling trees. Provided that the root crowns survived the effects of the 

fire, the oaks should resprout. Some of the resprouts might be damaged by falling and removing 

the dead limbs and trunks. Similar impacts might occur in timber units or mastication areas if 

the species is present there. The intensity of impacts in treatment units might be greater than in 

roadside areas because of equipment skidding or tracking.

All of the known occurrences of Torreya californica in the burned area intersect either a roadside 

hazard tree unit or a salvage unit, or is in a Rim Fire Hazard Tree unit. This species has thin bark 

and the canopy is often lost in fires (USDA 1992). The species resprouts from the root crown 

following fire (USDA 1992). Trees with dead canopies in Rim Fire Recovery roadside units 

would be cut down if deemed a hazard to the road or public. As with the oaks and madrone, 

Torreya californica resprouts are susceptible to damage or loss from tree falling and skidding 

activities. 
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Trillium angustipetalum produces only one flower per plant per year and reproduces only 

through seed production. It can take 20 years or more for a young plant to reach reproductive 

maturity. Trillium angustipetalum requires a full or nearly full canopy cover to be sustained in a 

site. In a study of Trillium ovatum habitat fragmentation, researcher Erik Jules (1998) found that 

not only were 97.6 percent of the trillium lost to clearcutting and reforestation activities in the 

study area, but that there was also no recruitment of new plants in the 30 years after those 

activities were conducted. The lack of recruitment was attributed to the increased solar radiation 

and the increased exposure to drying winds which blow through the open forest edges. The Rim 

Fire produced large areas of moderate to high burn severity where the tree canopies were 

completely killed through suitable habitat areas. In these areas, there is little chance that 

Trillium angustipetalum would survive into the future without the tree canopy. However, in the 

low to very low burn severity areas there is a moderate to high likelihood that Trillium 

angustipetalum survived the fire and would survive into the future if there is little or no 

disturbance. These areas were not generally targeted for timber salvage activities because of the 

high survivorship of the conifers, except for roadside hazard tree removal. Falling and skidding 

hazard trees through Trillium angustipetalum occurrences would cause the loss of plants. If the 

occurrence is small, the entire occurrence might be lost.

If Wyethia elata occurs within Rim Fire Recovery units or roadside hazard tree project areas, it 

would be vulnerable to loss from impacts by tree falling and skidding, mastication, machine or 

hand piling and pile or jackpot burning. The species grows in openings in forest or chaparral 

habitats. These areas tend to be selected because of their openness for skidding and landing 

construction. 

There are many areas of the Rim Fire burned area which contain noxious weeds. Additionally, 

non-native invasive plants, including annual grasses are ubiquitous across the lower elevations of 

the Forest, and the burned area. The moderate and high burn severity areas of the burned area 

are especially vulnerable to weed spread as a result of the fire. Some of the low and very low 

severity areas might also be at increased vulnerability of weed spread. Competition against the 

Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest species from these existing occurrences of noxious 

weeds, non-native invasive plants and non-native annual grass species would increase as a result 

of the fire. Disturbance from salvage operations and fuel reduction activities would increase the 

possibility that the weeds would spread even further, even though there are management 

requirements in place which would prevent project activities from causing the actual spread of 

weeds by vectoring the weeds to other places. The disturbance prepares the ground for 

successful recruitment of weed seed vectored by other means, including wildlife. 

There are numerous infestations of the noxious weeds yellow star-thistle, tocalote, bull thistle 

and Klamathweed in the burned area. Medusahead grass and Italian thistle have spread into 

more open areas in recent years. Barbed goatgrass has been detected more frequently in recent

years and appears to be spreading. Spotted knapweed occurs as scattered infestations 

intermingled with NFS lands and private lands. All of these species respond well to disturbance 

by growing larger and producing more seed. They are especially competitive and rapidly occupy 

sites. The potential for this indirect effect of the salvage project is high. The intensity of this 

effect would depend on the site conditions (e.g., how much disturbance, aspect, availability of 

moisture), the weed species involved, and the Forest Watchlist or Botanical Interest species 
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involved. The duration would be long-term and perhaps permanent for some species or 

locations. New weed treatment projects are not within the foreseeable future.

Cumulative Effects.

Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area

Forest Plan Direction would ensure that Rim Fire Recovery project activities would not degrade 

the integrity of the Pacific Madrone SIA. There are no other current or foreseeable future 

projects planned for the SIA location. Therefore, the integrity of the SIA would remain intact.

Forest Watchlist Plant Species

The combined effects of Alternative 1 of the Rim Fire Recovery project might contribute adverse 

cumulative effects to Forest Watchlist species. There are no management requirements which 

prevent the loss of occurrences of these species.

The Rim Fire Recovery project is unlikely to contribute cumulative effects to Eryngium sp. nov. 

No direct or indirect effects are expected to occurrences of this species on NFS lands. Therefore, 

there would be no combined effects with current or foreseeable future projects in the habitat of 

the Eryngium.

Cumulative effects are expected for Arbutus menziesii. While the madrones in the Pacific 

Madrone SIA would be avoided to protect the integrity of the SIA, there are no management 

requirements in Alternative 1 which protect the madrones outside the SIA. There have been no 

projects in the vicinity of the SIA for more than ten years. The last large timber sale in the area 

was related to the 1987 Stanislaus Complex Fire timber salvage. The SIA was outside of the 

salvage areas. There was a small salvage sale which removed insect-killed timber during the 

early 1990s. However, the young madrone trees and saplings outside the SIA grew in areas 

which had been salvage logged. One tree occurred on the edge of a post-’87 plantation. These 

past projects had no apparent lasting adverse effects on the madrones that grew there after the 

activities were completed. 

The Rim Fire killed the canopies of the madrones outside the SIA. The trees should resprout 

from the root crowns. However, the winter of 2013-2014 was exceptionally dry. The dry 

weather likely caused a large degree of stress to the resprouting trees. Conducting the salvage 

and fuel reduction activities in the habitat where the resprouting madrones might be damaged by 

tree falling, skidding, or mastication would compound the stress. It is likely that some of the 

stressed and damaged madrone trees could die. It is impossible to determine how many of the 

madrones might die under this alternative. The loss of madrone trees outside the SIA does not 

affect the integrity of the SIA. However, it is a setback for the species which had been 

expanding from its restricted distribution. This effect is expected to last through the period of 

time in which management activities cause widespread disturbance in the area, preventing the 

recruitment of new trees. 
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Because of the widespread loss of forest canopy in the vicinity of the SIA, the upland habitat will 

likely convert to a hotter, dryer shrubby habitat. The SIA is located low in a perennial stream 

drainage which tends to maintain a higher level of humidity than the uplands surrounding the 

SIA. This habitat characteristic is thought to be an important reason that the madrones have been 

sustained in this part of the Sierras. Without a conifer and oak canopy in the surrounding areas 

where the madrone had been expanding, the hotter, dryer habitat might impede easy recruitment 

of new madrone trees, thereby interfering with the expansion of the species in the area. This 

effect would last into the future unless the area is reforested. It is unlikely that a forest would 

return naturally considering the extent of the forest lost in the fire and the apparent shift of the 

regional climate to warmer and dryer. Therefore, the loss of madrones as the result of damage 

from the Rim Fire Recovery salvage and fuel reduction activities combined with the effects of 

the Rim Fire and the possible impacts of climate change could result in the permanent loss of 

madrone trees outside of the SIA.

It is unknown how many occurrences of Anomobryum julaceum might occur within the 

Stanislaus National Forest or if it is even present. There are many areas of suitable habitat both 

inside and outside the burned area. Suitable habitat areas in roadside hazard tree removal areas 

and road widening areas would be at greatest risk of impacts from the Rim Fire Recovery 

project. The Rim Fire might have caused impacts to occurrences, causing damage or loss to 

those which burned at moderate to high severity. The Rim Fire Hazard Tree project might cause 

impacts to occurrences, if they are within that project’s units. While it is possible that the 

combination of impacts from these projects and the Rim Fire itself would contribute to 

cumulative effects, it is unlikely that these cumulative effects would cause the species to be 

extirpated from the Forest due to the large amount of suitable habitat across the Forest.

The combination of the activities in the Rim Fire Recovery project with the past and foreseeable 

future road maintenance activities along Cherry Lake Road and Lumsden Road could contribute 

to the loss of occurrences of Bolandra californica. This is a common risk to plants growing 

within road corridors. The risk of loss of botanical diversity is weighed against the risk of loss of 

life, injury or damage to roads or vehicles by not maintaining the roadways. Bolandra 

californica also occurs along small streams and probably occurs scattered through habitat areas 

in the Tuolumne Canyon, Clavey Canyon and perhaps other waterways within the burned area. 

Therefore, while the loss of occurrences along accessible roads might prove inconvenient for 

monitoring or educational purposes, it is unlikely that Bolandra californica would be lost 

completely from the project area as a result of the cumulative effects from the Rim Fire 

Recovery and other projects. The species should remain secure within the Stanislaus National 

Forest.

There is a possibility for cumulative effects from the Rim Fire Recovery to occurrences of 

Botrychium simplex var. simplex. Like other species of Botrychium, Botrychium simplex var.

simplex is dependent on the availability of year-round soil moisture. The elimination of trees 

from the landscape caused by the Rim Fire might cause additional soil water to be available due 

to fewer trees respiring on the landscape. This effect could be positive, if the site had been 

marginally damp before, or it could be an adverse effect if more water than needed becomes 

available. Furthermore, some species of conifer, notably Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) 

and incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) are known fungal partners for other species which are 
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dependent on relationships with mycorrhizal fungi. Botrychiums are often associated with 

incense cedar and in Northern California, Oregon and Washington, with western red cedar 

(Thuja plicata). The Rim Fire might have adversely affected Botrychium simplex var. simplex

where the fire killed incense cedar in the vicinity of the occurrences due to loss of this important 

fungal partner. 

Meadows, streams and grassy seeps are often areas where cattle concentrate. Cattle grazing and 

trampling in damp soil can cause loss of plants if the cattle linger longer than the plants can 

tolerate. Sometimes, plants are able to be sustained under the low-hanging branches of nearby 

trees where the cattle tend to not graze or trample. The result of cattle grazing can be an overall 

reduction of plants within otherwise suitable habitat areas.

The combination of effects from the activities of the Rim Fire Recovery, the Rim Fire itself and 

range cattle grazing could prove to cause more stress than an occurrence could tolerate. The loss 

of occurrences as the result of these combined stressors is difficult to quantify. The 9 known 

occurrences in the Calaveras Ranger District grow intermingled with Sensitive Botrychium 

species in the Prather-Medusa Landscape Restoration project where they’ll receive some level of 

protection from project activities. Furthermore, some of these occurrences would be included in 

project activities designed to protect the rare Botrychium species from continued impacts from 

cattle grazing. Therefore, at least some of these 9 occurrences should be secure within the 

Forest. Loss of occurrences within the Rim Fire Recovery project would not cause the species to 

be completely extirpated from the Forest.

The combination of effects from the Rim Fire Recovery with other projects is not expected to 

cause cumulative adverse effects to Carex tompkinsii. The species was protected in previous 

projects within the Rim Fire area. There are no foreseeable future projects proposed for the 

known occurrences areas. The one documented occurrence outside the Rim Fire boundary in the 

Mi-Wok Ranger District grows among brush and trees on a lava cap near occurrences of 

Lomatium stebbinsii. There are likely occurrences both inside and outside the burned area that 

are yet to be identified and documented. Therefore, Carex tompkinsii should be secure within 

the Stanislaus National Forest.

Dryopteris filix-mas grows in sites where few management activities have taken place in recent 

years. There are no current projects being implemented at these sites and there are no 

foreseeable future projects being planned there other than the Rim Fire Recovery. Therefore, 

there would be no combined effects from the Rim Fire Recovery and any past, present or 

foreseeable future projects. However, since there are no management requirements to protect 

Dryopteris filix-mas, and both occurrences grow within Rim Fire Recovery roadside hazard tree 

removal units, there is a risk that the project alone might extirpate the species from the Forest. 

This could be considered an adverse effect to plant diversity within the Forest.

It is not possible to determine if the Rim Fire Recovery might contribute to cumulative effects 

for Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii since there are no known occurrences within the project 

area. However, surveys have not been conducted for this species and large amounts of suitable 

habitat exists in the project area. With 50 documented occurrences in California and only one in 

the National Forest outside the burned area, it is unlikely that the project would destabilize the 
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viability of the species as a whole. However, it is possible that the project could contribute to the 

loss of the species locally in the project area and create more isolation of populations of the 

species, should it be found to occur there.

Implementation of Rim Fire Recovery Alternative 1 might cause cumulative effects to 

Perideridia bacigalupii. Fifty-one of the known colonies are in the burned area. Some of the 

ridge top colony sites are in fuel breaks which are maintained for use during fires. Other ridges 

are not maintained as fuelbreaks but are potentially available as fire breaks during wildfires. 

During the Rim Fire, dozer lines (holding lines built by bull dozers) were constructed along some 

of those rocky ridges containing Perideridia bacigalupii. Nine colonies on National Forest 

System (NFS) lands and four colonies on private property were impacted by the dozer work. Of 

these, six colonies on NFS lands also occur within Rim Fire Recovery roadside hazard tree 

removal and road maintenance areas. One colony impacted by a dozer line is in a Rim Fire 

Hazard Tree roadside unit and would not be protected from impacts. The three colonies 

impacted by a dozer line on private property and three on NFS lands along Road 1N02 also 

would have been impacted in 1987 by dozer line construction during the Stanislaus Complex 

Fires.

Post Rim Fire monitoring of these colonies is not possible until August, 2014 due to the bloom 

period for the species. Therefore, it isn’t possible to determine if the colonies impacted by the 

dozer lines are still extant (present and living) or extirpated (damaged to the point that the 

occurrence is lost at the site). The addition of impacts to the six NFS colonies from the Rim 

Recovery roadside hazard tree removal could cause the loss of one to four of these colonies. 

Three of these are quite small, falling completely within the roadside hazard tree units. The 

fourth is large but is almost completely contained within the roadside hazard tree removal unit.

There are 39 additional colonies of Perideridia bacigalupii which occur within Rim Recovery 

roadside hazard tree units. Seven of these colonies extend at least 50 percent beyond the unit 

boundaries and are unlikely to be extirpated by the hazard tree removal. Twenty-seven are 

completely contained within roadside hazard tree unit boundaries and five are more than 70 

percent within the unit boundaries. There is high risk that these 27 colonies, and a moderate risk 

that the five colonies might be impacted to the point that they would be extirpated.

The combined loss of the 32 colonies in roadside hazard tree units only plus the four which were 

also impacted by dozer lines totals 33 percent of the Forest colonies. In terms of entire 

occurrences, six of the 45 total Forest occurrences are at risk of complete loss from the Rim Fire 

Recovery project. This represents a loss of 13 percent of the Forest occurrences. This would be 

a substantial impact to the population as a whole. However, the Rim Fire Recovery project 

would not lead to the loss of the species within the project area nor in the National Forest as a 

whole.

Taxus brevifolia might have survived in some areas where the fire burn severity was not so great 

that all of the individuals would have been killed, if it occurs within the project area. Project 

surveys in support of past and foreseeable future projects in the Rim Fire Recovery project have 

not detected new occurrences so it is unlikely that there would be contributions to cumulative 

effects from those projects. Not all of the suitable habitat has been surveyed for this species. It 
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is possible that, if there is Taxus brevifolia in the project area, that the combination of the Rim 

Fire Recovery project with the effects from the Rim Fire could lead to localized cumulative 

effects. To date, the verified living, southern-most occurrence of Taxus brevifolia is secure and 

does not occur in a current or foreseeable future project. It is therefore unlikely to be lost as a 

result of management activities into the foreseeable future. So, while the Rim Fire Recovery 

might cause localized cumulative effects to as-yet un-discovered occurrences within the burned 

area, the species is, so far, secure in the National Forest.

Botanical Interest Plant Species

The combined effects of Alternative 1 of the Rim Fire Recovery project might contribute adverse 

cumulative effects to Forest Watchlist species and Botanical Interest species. There are no 

management requirements which prevent the loss of occurrences of these species.

The Rim Fire Recovery project is unlikely to contribute cumulative effects to Alectoria 

sarmentosa. There are no current or foreseeable future projects within the Carlon Refugia where 

this species is known to occur. The Rim Fire damaged or destroyed a small portion of the habitat 

there but the majority of the habitat is intact, having burned at a low burn severity. The Rim Fire 

Hazard Tree project would conduct hazard tree removal along Evergreen Road which crosses 

through the refugia and at the Carlon Day Use area which is in the refugia. The fire severity in 

these areas was also low and few hazard trees would need to be removed. Therefore, the 

population of Alectoria sarmentosa in the National Forest should be secure.

Two of the roadside occurrences of Clarkia virgata are large enough that they intersect Rim Fire 

Hazard Tree roads. Even so, the occurrences are large enough that the combined effects of both 

the Rim Fire Recovery project and the Rim Fire Hazard Tree project should not cause the loss of 

the entire occurrences. Large portions of the occurrences might be lost. In past projects 

intersecting with these occurrences, the entire occurrences or portions with the largest 

concentrations of plants were flagged and project activities were avoided in the flagged areas. 

This way, the viability of the sites as collection sites of genetically confirmed plant specimens or 

seed was maintained for future research. It isn’t possible to know if the densest portions of the 

occurrences would be maintained or not in the Rim Fire Recovery project. Conditions have 

changed in these occurrences over the years and the dense areas might have shifted from 

previous locations within the occurrence areas. It is possible that the projects could impact the 

densest areas and only outlier plants could remain.

The Rim Fire Recovery is unlikely to contribute adverse cumulative effects to Clarkia virgata

since there are numerous occurrences within its range. It would remain secure within the Forest. 

The greatest impact would come from possibly impacting one genetically confirmed site to the 

point that it is lost, thereby reducing the number of available locations to collect seed from the 

genetically tested occurrences for future study.

The combination of the Rim Fire Recovery with the normal yearly road maintenance activities 

are not likely to result in cumulative effects to Delphinium hansenii ssp. ewanianum. A great 

deal of road maintenance and reconstruction has taken place on Lumsden Road over the past ten 

years. If Delphinium hansenii ssp. ewanianum occurs there, it likely would have been affected 
Botany Report

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by the road maintenance activity in the past. If this species is present in this part of the canyon, it 

is likely that it occurs on the slopes above and below the road and would therefore be secure in 

that portion of the canyon and in the Forest.

The Stanislaus National Forest rarely conducts highly impactive management activities in lava 

cap habitats due to the sensitivity of this habitat. The primary impacts in the habitat come from 

unsanctioned off-trail OHV riding and fire line construction during wildfires. During the Rim 

Fire, contingency dozer lines were constructed through lava caps on the perimeter of the burned 

area and outside the burned area. Didymodon norrisii was not documented from those lines. 

However, surveys for the species had not been conducted there so presence or absence has not 

been established there. Lava caps are attractive places to drive off-highway vehicles because 

they tend to be open and many have mild to moderate slopes, providing riders with some of the 

challenges they seek in that activity. This type of off-road activity is not permitted under Travel 

Management and is being curtailed with blocking and decommissioning of user-created trails. 

However, past instances of this activity may have contributed to loss of occurrences from 

repeated disturbance and habitat modification. 

The current known distribution of Didymodon norrisii occurrences in the Forest is very 

restricted, with only two known. These known occurrences are reproductively isolated, having 

no way to exchange genes unless there are other occurrences in between. Further loss of 

occurrences would increase the isolation. Isolating populations of organisms can lead to loss of 

adaptability to habitat changes or environmental changes where, as the habitat changes or, in the 

case of climate change, the environment becomes dryer or wetter, without the free exchange of 

genes among populations, the isolated populations might lose members and eventually die off. 

Didymodon norrisii is currently believed to be secure in its range with more than 50 occurrences 

through the Pacific states. It is unlikely that the Rim Fire Recovery project combined with past 

and present activities or foreseeable future projects would cause the complete loss of the species 

in the Forest in the foreseeable future.

The combination of effects from the Rim Fire Recovery project and other current and foreseeable 

future projects might cause cumulative effects to Myrica hartwegii in the Stanislaus National 

Forest. The Bourland Creek/Reed Creek population intersects the Rim Fire Hazard Tree project 

at Road 3N01 at the north end of the burned area which is also the site of a Rim Fire suppression 

dozer line. About 600 feet of the occurrence might be impacted by the Rim Fire Hazard Tree 

project. This increases the impacts to this population by 2 percent bringing the total impacts to 

this population to 17 percent. The South Fork Tuolumne River population also intersects with 

the Rim Fire Hazard Tree project at Evergreen Road where about 550 feet of the population 

might be impacted by that project. This would account for an additional 3 percent of the 

population bring the total impacts to 9 percent. While these impacts are substantial, they are not 

likely to eliminate Myrica hartwegii from the project area. The species would still be present 

within the Forest and is believed to be secure throughout its range.

There are no current or foreseeable future projects in the vicinity of any of the populations of 

Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides. The Rim Fire likely damaged the canopies of a 

large number of the Pilot Ridge Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides trees, stimulating 

resprouting from the root crown. It might take up to 30 years for the resprouting trees to reach 
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reproductive maturity. Most of the trees in the Pilot Ridge population grow where one of the 

1987 Stanislaus Complex fires burned. That fire would have impacted the seed production of the 

trees 26 years before the Rim Fire. It is not known if any of the current trees were reproducing 

prior to the Rim Fire. Impacts from the Rim Fire Recovery project could further delay the 

recovery of this population by damaging or killing trees in the roadside and salvage units. All 

but one of the documented trees or tree clusters in this area occur within a Rim Recovery unit 

and are therefore at risk of delayed recovery or loss. The combination of the Rim Fire Recovery

with the effects of the Rim Fire in the Pilot Ride occurrence, could contribute cumulative effects 

to the population. However, the species would not be lost from the Forest since there are two 

occurrences in the Mi-wok Ranger District which should not be affected by the Rim Fire 

Recovery project or other current or foreseeable future projects.

The Rim Fire might have damaged the canopies of existing occurrences of Quercus garryana

var. semota, stimulating resprouting from the root crowns of some or all of the trees in each 

occurrence. Resprouting oaks are easily overlooked as valuable contributors to ecosystem health 

since it takes roughly 30 years to produce an acorn crop. Roadside and fuelbreak young oaks 

and oak resprouts are subjected to thinning for fire safety. Young oaks and resprouts are 

browsed more heavily by deer and are subject to more intensive grazing pressure by livestock. 

The grazing and browsing pressure on oak resprouts in the Rim Fire burned area will be great for 

several years until enough other food becomes available. Combining these effects with the Rim 

Fire Recovery effects could increase the impacts to Quercus garryana var. semota in the burned 

area. It is not likely that any grove would be impacted to the point that it would be completely 

lost. However, enough damage could be done that it might take decades for a grove to recover in 

terms of mature tree numbers.

There is a risk of cumulative effects from the Rim Fire Recovery project to occurrences of 

Torreya californica. The Rim Fire likely damaged some of the trees, causing loss of the 

canopies and possibly killing some of the trees. The exceptionally dry winter might have further 

stressed the damaged trees causing additional mortality. One occurrence of about ten trees was 

impacted by dozer line construction during the Rim Fire and about one-third of the occurrence 

area was inside the burned area. The fire burned at low and very low burn severity through that 

area. It’s unknown how many of the trees might have been affected by the dozer work and fire 

effects. About two-third of this occurrence is also within a Rim Fire Hazard Tree unit. Up the 

slope from this occurrence is a cluster of three trees which are completely inside a Rim Fire 

Recovery roadside hazard tree unit. The combined effect of the fire, the dozer line construction, 

and the hazard tree removal of both projects could lead to the loss of up to two thirds of this 

occurrence.

An occurrence of about ten Torreya californica trees in a tributary to Hunter Creek occurs 

completely within a Rim Fire Recovery roadside hazard tree unit for Road 1N27. The fire 

burned at a high severity through the occurrence area. It is likely that all of the trees’ canopies 

were killed. At least some of the trees should resprout. With the combination of the fire effects, 

the dry winter and the effects of the hazard tree removal, the mortality of this occurrence is likely 

to increase.
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One tree was documented growing along Road 1N01 just east of the Clavey River. This road is 

included as a Rim Fire Recovery hazard tree unit. The fire burned at a low severity level, giving 

some chance that the tree canopy was not killed by the fire. There are few conifers in this area 

offering a lower risk that the hazard tree abatement would damage or kill the Torreya californica

tree.

There are a number of Torreya californica along Cherry Lake Road on the north-facing slope 

dropping into Early Intake. This road is a Rim Fire Hazard Tree unit. The fire burn severity 

through this occurrence varied from very low to moderate with a high survivorship of the known 

trees, including a large specimen tree which appeared to have not been affected by the fire. With 

good survivorship, these trees should sustain few impacts from the hazard tree abatement, 

providing that the hazard trees are not felled into them. The ground is too steep for typical 

skidders or forwarders.

There are several Torreya californica trees at the Adit 56 Spring adjacent to Road 1S23. This 

area is within the Rim Fire Hazard Tree project, which includes both roadside and powerline 

hazard tree removal. The fire burned at high severity through this area, probably killing the 

canopies of the Torreya californica trees. Because of the spring, it is possible that at least some 

of the trees survived and will resprout. The canopies would likely be cut down, exposing the 

resprouts to impacts and possibly being lost as a result.

There are Torreya californica trees along Lumsden Road which is a Rim Fire Recovery project 

roadside hazard tree unit. Most of the roadside area burned at a moderate to high severity. As 

with the Adit 56 Spring trees, the resprouting trees along Lumsden Road would be at risk of loss 

from damage by hazard tree abatement. The ground is too steep for typical skidders or 

forwarders so the risk would be from falling the surrounding dead trees.

The north-facing slopes of the Tuolumne River Canyon contain a great deal of suitable habitat 

for Torreya californica. There are likely some unknown number of trees scattered through the 

habitat areas of these slopes. Except for the slopes south of Early Intake, the burn severity for 

the habitat was high throughout the habitat area. The trees which lost their canopies but resprout 

from the root crowns will not reach reproductive maturity for two to three decades. During this 

time, there would be recruitment of Torreya californica only where trees did not lose their 

canopies. Even so, the species should continue to grow in the areas away from the roadside 

hazard tree removal areas, reducing the risk that the Rim Fire Recovery project would eliminate 

the species from the Forest.

While Trillium angustipetalum is not considered rare or uncommon, the overall trend of the 

species appears to be one of reduction in numbers through impacts, habitat fragmentation and

lack of recruitment. Trillium angustipetalum is not at risk of being lost from the Stanislaus 

National Forest in the foreseeable future. However, due to the plant’s preference for old-growth 

habitat characteristics, it cannot be said that the species is secure in the Forest through the longterm due to the Forest-wide emphasis on reducing the risk of future losses to wildfires by 

thinning, underburning and opening conifer stands. PACs set aside for spotted owls and 

goshawks would be excellent reserves for Trillium angustipetalum if they occur in those areas. 

However, this is not always the case. The Rim Fire likely caused the loss of some unknown 
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number of occurrences of Trillium angustipetalum in moderate to high vegetation burn severity 

areas. The Rim Fire Recovery could contribute more losses through roadside hazard tree 

removal in the very low to low burn severity areas. The two occurrences known to be in the 

burned area are in a low burn severity area outside of any units, including roadside hazard tree

areas. So those two occurrences should be sustained through the future if they survived the fire. 

Wyethia elata is currently represented by one occurrence in the Stanislaus National Forest. This 

occurrence is located less than one mile outside the Rim Fire burned area. The occurrence grows 

under a powerline and adjacent to a post-1987 Stanislaus Complex conifer plantation. It was 

protected from plantation thinning in the China Flat HFRA project with flagging and avoidance. 

It has sustained gopher damage for a number of years and might be declining as a result. If this 

species occurs in a Rim Fire Recovery project unit or hazard tree removal area, it would not be 

protected from impacts. The risk of loss of the species inside the project area could be great, if 

occurrences only grow in project activity areas. The impact of losses of occurrences in the 

Stanislaus National Forest are unlikely to destabilize the species as a whole. However, the loss 

of the species from the Forest due to the combination of impacts from the Rim Fire Recovery 

project, any impacts from the fire or fire suppression, and the impacts from gopher damage in the 

occurrence outside the burned area could be considered an adverse effect to plant diversity 

within the Forest.

Alternative 2 (No Action)

Direct and Indirect Effects

Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area

There would be no direct effects to the Pacific Madrone SIA from this alternative. Indirect 

effects might occur in the form of dead trees falling into madrones. The falling dead trees could 

damage the madrone trees and saplings, or kill the seedlings. The downed trees could block 

germinating seeds, cause excess ground level shading for seedlings and create a high fuel 

accumulation which would burn at a high intensity, thereby causing crown mortality of the 

madrones, and possibly killing some of the trees, saplings or seedlings.

Forest Watchlist Plant Species and Botanical Interest Plant Species

There would be no direct effects to Forest Watchlist or Botanical Interest plant species from this 

alternative. 

Indirect effects might occur in the form of dead trees falling into occurrences. The dead trees 

could directly kill Forest Watchlist or Botanical Interest 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 plants which 

survive the falling trees.
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Cumulative Effects

Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area

The Rim Fire caused a mix of vegetation fire severity in the Pacific Madrone SIA, from very low 

severity to high severity. A future wildfire burning through areas of high fuels caused by 

accumulated down trees could burn at such a high burn severity that madrones might be lost in 

the SIA, thereby affecting the integrity of the SIA.

Forest Watchlist Plant Species and Botanical Interest Plant Species

The Rim Fire caused varying levels of impacts to Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest 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 postfire recovery of the rare 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. 

Alternatives 3 and 4

Direct and Indirect Effects

Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area

Direct and indirect effects to the Pacific Madrone SIA would be the same as in Alternative 1.

Forest Watchlist Plant Species and Botanical Interest Plant Species

Direct and indirect effects to NFMA and Botanical Interest species would be the same as in 

Alternative 1 except that in Alternatives 3 and 4, Lumsden Road roadside hazard tree removal is 

not included and an additional management requirement for Alternatives 3 and 4 provides for 

some protection of Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii), Tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), 

California nutmeg (Torreya californica) and Sierra sweet bay (Myrica hartwegii) where needed 

to maintain viable populations within the project area. Timber salvage, hazard tree removal, fuel 

reduction and road maintenance activities would avoid madrones, thereby allowing the recovery 

of the trees and saplings which were dispersing beyond the confines of the Pacific Madrone SIA. 

Impacts to Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest plants from hazard tree removal and road 

maintenance activities along Lumsden Road would not occur in these alternatives of the Rim 

Fire Recovery project. The Eryngium sp. nov. sites would continue to be protected in the 

meadow habitats in accordance with the BMPs. Other species of Forest Watchlist or Botanical 

Interest species would not be avoided in other places in the Rim Fire Recovery project and the 

effects for these species would be the same as in Alternative 1.
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Cumulative Effects

Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area

Cumulative effects to the Pacific Madrone SIA would be the same as in Alternative 1.

Forest Watchlist Plant Species and Botanical Interest Plant Species

Cumulative effects to Arbutus menziesii, Notholithocarpus densiflorus, Torreya californica and 

Myrica hartwegii would be much reduced in Alternatives 3 and 4 compared to Alternative 1. 

The Eryngium sp. nov. sites would continue to be protected in the meadow habitats because of

the BMPs. Avoiding these species by Rim Fire Recovery activities would eliminate cumulative 

effects to those species. Cumulative effects to the remaining Forest Watchlist and Botanical 

Interest plant species would be the same as in Alternative 1.

Compliance with Management Direction.

Pacific Madrone Special Interest Area

The Rim Fire Recovery project would be consistent with Forest Plan Direction by employing 

“special cutting methods” in order to avoid degrading the unique features of the Pacific Madrone 

SIA.

Forest Watchlist Plant Species and Botanical Interest Plant Species

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." 

Alternative 1 does not include protective measures which would reduce or alleviate adverse 

effects to Forest Watchlist or Botanical Interest species. Alternatives 3 and 4 have a 

management requirement which protects Arbutus menziesii, a Forest Watchlist species and

Myrica hartwegii, Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides and Quercus garryana var.

semota, three Botanical Interest plant species. This modification is designed to reduce or 

alleviate adverse effects to known or newly detected occurrences of these species. The 

Eryngium sp. nov. sites would be protected in the meadow habitats because of the BMPs.

The remaining Forest Watchlist and Botanical Interest species would receive no protection from 

impacts. While impacts might be substantial for most, they would continue to be present within 

the National Forest. However, two species are at risk of being lost from the Forest, due to their 

rarity in the Forest. They are not rare at the national or global scale.

Dryopteris filix-mas has, so far, been found only in one area of the Forest, Pilot Ridge. All 

colonies of this species occur within roadside hazard tree removal units of the Rim Fire 

Recovery project. There are no management requirements to protect this species from impacts 
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by the project. Without protection, the project might impact the colonies to the point that the 

species is extirpated from the Forest. Loss of this or any other native species from the Forest 

could be considered an adverse effect to plant diversity within the Forest. Surveys for Sensitive 

Plants are being conducted concurrently with the analysis of this project in the Rim Fire 

Recovery area. It is possible that additional occurrences of this species could be found in the 

course of those surveys. If occurrences are located outside of project units, the risk that the 

species could be lost from the Forest would be much reduced.

Wyethia elata is currently known from only one occurrence in the Stanislaus National Forest, 

outside the Rim Fire burned area. This occurrence has sustained gopher damage for several 

years and might be in decline. The species occurs south of the Forest in greater numbers and is 

secure as a species. If there are occurrences in Rim Fire Recovery units, they would not be 

protected from adverse impacts and there is a risk that they could be damaged to the point of 

loss. The combined effect of natural impacts from gopher damage to the known occurrence and 

the possible loss of occurrences from the Rim Fire Recovery project could eliminate the species 

from the National Forest. The loss of this species from the Forest could be considered an 

adverse effect to plant diversity within the Forest. More occurrences might be located in the 

course of conducting surveys for Sensitive Plant species. If occurrences are found outside of 

project units, the risk of the species being lost from the Forest would be much reduced.

SUMMARY

Table 5. Summary of effects across all alternatives to Forest Watchlist species. For species not 

yet confirmed in the project area, presence is assumed for the purposes of comparison of 

Alternatives. The term “impact” used here refers to adverse impacts.

Forest Watchlist Plant 

Species Alternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3 Alternative 4

Agrostis humilis No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Anomobryum julaceum Some impact No impact Some impact Some impact

Arbutus menziesii Moderate impact Moderate impact Some impact Some impact

Bolandra californica Some impact Some impact Some impact Some impact

Botrychium simplex var.

simplex

Some impact Some impact Some impact Some impact

Carex davyi No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Carex tompkinsii Moderate impact Greatest Impact Moderate impact Moderate impact

Drosera rotundifolia No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Dryopteris filix-mas Great Impact Some impact Great Impact Great Impact

Epilobium howellii No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Eryngium sp. nov. No impact Moderate impact No impact No impact

Lilium humboldtii ssp. 

humboldtii

Moderate impact Greatest Impact Moderate impact Moderate impact

Meesia triquetra No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Perideridia bacigalupii Great Impact Moderate impact Great Impact Great Impact

Rhynchospora 

capitellata

No impact Moderate impact No impact No impact

Taxus brevifolia Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact
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Forest Watchlist Plant 

Species Alternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3 Alternative 4

Tritomaria exsectiformis No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Viola nephrophylla No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Table 6. Table 5. Summary of effects across all alternatives to Forest Watchlist species. For

species not yet confirmed in the project area, presence is assumed for the purposes of comparison 

of Alternatives. The term “impact” used here refers to adverse impacts.

Botanical Interest Plant 

Species Alternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3 Alternative 4

Alectoria sarmentosa Some impact Moderate impact Some impact Some impact

Brasenia schreberi No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Clarkia virgata Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact

Delphinium hansenii ssp. 

ewanianum

Some impact Some impact Some impact Some impact

Didymodon norrisii Some impact Some impact Some impact Some impact

Myrica hartwegii Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact

Notholithocarpus 

densiflorus var. echinoides

Moderate impact Greatest Impact Moderate impact Moderate impact

Potamogeton epihydrus No impact Moderate impact No impact No impact

Potamogeton robbinsii No impact No impact No impact No impact

Quercus garryana var. 

semota

Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact

Rhynchospora alba No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Schoenoplectus 

subterminalis

No impact Some impact No impact No impact

Torreya californica Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact Moderate impact

Trillium angustipetalum Moderate impact Greatest Impact Moderate impact Moderate impact

Wyethia elata Moderate impact Greatest Impact Moderate impact Moderate impact

MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

The Decision Maker elected to have only the management requirement for Forest Watchlist and 

Botanical Interest species shown on page 12. The following management recommendations are 

recommended to be added to the project in order to reduce or alleviate adverse effects to Forest 

Watchlist and Botanical Interest plant species. For Dryopteris filix-mas and Wyethia elata these 

management recommendations would ensure that the project would not cause the loss of plant 

diversity in the Forest. If adopted, these management recommendations would be in addition to 

the existing management requirement for Alternatives 3 and 4.

1. Flag and avoid occurrences of Eryngium sp. nov. (an un-named button celery), Dryopteris 

filix-mas (male fern) and Wyethia elata (Hall’s mules ears).

2. Flag and avoid occurrences of Perideridia bacigalupii (Bacigalupi’s yampah) smaller than 

0.25 acre. Up to 10 percent of occurrences larger than 0.25 acre and containing 100 or more 

plants can be impacted by tree falling and yarding, masticating or biomass removal. In these 

cases, avoid heavy concentrations of plants when the occurrences are of unequal density 
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throughout. Placement of new material sources in occurrences of Perideridia bacigalupii should 

be avoided, or, if necessary, should impact no more than 10 percent of an occurrence.

3. Genetically verified occurrences of Clarkia virgata (Sierra Clarkia) will be conserved in the 

following ways: in and adjacent to Units R20, R32 and in the roadside hazard tree removal of 

Forest Road 2S40, and at the roadside hazard tree removal of Forest Roads 2S01 and 2S01C, and 

in the roadside hazard tree removal Road 1S23E, flag and avoid one acre of the densest 

concentration of the Clarkia plants with the best habitat; or during the dry, non-growing period, 

approximately August 15 through November 30, directionally fall hazard trees away from the 

these 1 acre protection areas, or use equipment with an articulating arm or other equipment 

which allows for full suspension of the logs out of the flagged areas. The flagged protection 

areas can be entirely outside of the units, if the occurrence is well represented by dense, healthy, 

reproductive plants. Do not flag plants within the road prisms of these roads. Flag and avoid 

one acre containing the largest concentration of the plants with the best habitat, for all other 

activities, regardless of timing.

4. Flag and avoid occurrences of Trillium angustipetalum found in areas of very low or low burn 

severity where there is a possibility that the species would survive the impacts of the fire.

5. Minimize or avoid impacts to Bolandra californica, Botrychium simplex var. simplex,

Didymodon norrisii, Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii and Taxus brevifolia.

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Unpublished report. USDA, Stanislaus National Forest.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 1981. Soil survey, Stanislaus 

National Forest area, California. Unpubl., National Cooperative Soil Survey.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 1984. Sensitive plant management 

guide. Prepared by: Beck, T.W. and Hurley, J.F. Unpubl. Sonora. USDA, Stanislaus National 

Forest.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 1992. Index of species information, 

species: Torreya californica. In: Fire Effects Information System (FEIS). Prepared by: 

Howard, J. L. Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Science Laboratory. http://www.feiscrs.org/beta/ (April 3, 2014).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 1998. Sensitive Species List 1998, 

Letter to Forest Supervisors. June 10, 1998. Signed by Jody Cook (for) G. Lynn Sprague, 

Regional Forester. Internal document, unpublished. USDA Forest Service, Region 5.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 2006. Botrychium simplex E. 

Hitchcock (little grapefern), a technical conservation assessment. Prepared by: Anderson, D.G., 

Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fore Collins. USDA, Forest 

Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Species Conservation Project. 

http://www.cnhp.colostate.edu/download/documents/Spp_assessments/botrychiumsimplex.pdf

(April 19, 2014)
Botany Report

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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 2010a. Fire History (Computer 

GIS Shapefile). Unpublished. USDA, Stanislaus National Forest. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 2010b. Species Fact Sheet for 

Anomobryum julaceum (Schrad. Ex P. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Schreb.) Schimp. Prepared by

Harpel, J.A., Huff, R. (ed.) and Duncan, C. (ed.). USDA Forest Service Region 6 and USDI 

Bureau of Land Management, Oregon and Washington.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 2010c. Stanislaus National Forest, 

Forest Plan Direction. Stanislaus National Forest, Sonora, CA.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 2011. Species review form for 

Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott (male fern). Prepared under contract by Naomi Fraga, 

Conservation Botanist, Rancho Santa Botanic Garden. February 14, 2011. Unpublished. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 2012. Species review form for 

Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii Roezl & Leichtlin ex Duchartre, Humboldt lily. Stanislaus 

National Forest. Unpublished.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA). 2013. Rim Fire Botany BAER 

Report. Prepared by: Haas, J. and Young, Q. USDA Forest Service, Stanislaus National Forest, 

Sonora, CA. Unpublished.

Personal Communications.

Constance, Lincoln, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, deceased.

---. Letter to Author. Oct. 23, 1996.

---. Letter to Author. Nov. 13, 1996.

Park, Michael. Research Associate, University of California, Berkeley. University and Jepson 

Herbaria, 1001 Valley Life Sciences Building # 2465, Berkeley, CA 94720-2465. (2011).
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Appendix A

Forest Watchlist Plant Species

Agrostis humilis mountain bent grass

Anomobryum julaceum** (syn. Anomobryum filiforme) slender silver moss

Arbutus menziesii Pacific madrone

Bolandra californica Sierra bolandra

Botrychium simplex var. simplex least moonwort

Carex davyi Davy’s sedge

Carex tompkinsii Tompkins’ sedge

Cryptantha crymophila subalpine cryptantha

Drosera rotundifolia round-leaved sundew

Dryopteris filix-mas male fern

Entosthodon kochii** Koch's cord moss

Epilobium howellii subalpine fireweed

Eryngium pinnatisectum** Tuolumne button celery

Eryngium sp. nov. undescribed button celery, coyote thistle

Helianthemum suffrutescens Bisbee Peak rush-rose

Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii Humboldt lily

Lupinus gracilentus slender lupine

Meesia longiseta** long-stalked hump moss

Meesia triquetra three-ranked hump-moss

Orthotrichum spjutii** Spjut’s bristle moss

Perideridia bacigalupii Bacigalupi's yampah

Preissia quadrata Blister ribbon

Rhynchospora capitellata beaked sedge

Taxus brevifolia Pacific yew

Tritomaria exsectiformis little brownwort

Viola nephrophylla Leconte violet

**These Forest Watchlist plant species are not yet known from the Stanislaus National Forest. However, they are 

either suspected to occur within the boundaries of the Forest, the Forest is within the range of the species, or there 

are occurrences near enough to the boundaries to warrant including them on this list.

Forest Botanical Interest Species

Alectoria sarmentosa witch’s hair

Astragalus kentrophyta var. danaus Sweetwater Mtns. milk-vetch

Brasenia schreberi watershield

Chaenactis douglasii var. alpina alpine dusty maids

Clarkia rostrata beaked Clarkia

Clarkia virgata Sierra Clarkia

Claytonia megarhiza fell-fields Claytonia

Delphinium hansenii ssp. ewanianum Ewan’s larkspur

Didymodon norrisii Norris’ beard moss

Moerckia hibernica liverwort

Myrica hartwegii Sierra sweet bay

Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. ? (syn. Lithocarpus densiflorus) tanbark oak

Potamogeton epihydrus Nuttall's ribbon-leaved pondweed
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Potamogeton robbinsii Robbins' pondweed

Quercus garryana var. semota Oregon oak

Rhynchospora alba white beaked-rush

Schoenoplectus subterminalis water bulrush

Solorina spongiosa fringed chocolate chip lichen

Torreya californica California nutmeg

Trillium angustipetalum Trillium

Wyethia elata (syn. Agnorhiza elata) Hall’s mule-ears