CHAPTER 1 

PURPOSE AND NEED 

 
Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need 

Cobbler II Timber Sale and Fuels Reduction Project FEIS 

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Chapter 1 

Purpose and Need 

INTRODUCTION 

The Cobbler Timber Sale and Fuels Reduction Project environmental assessment (EA) was prepared by 

the Forest Service and issued to the public in May 2009. A decision notice and finding of no significant 

impact for the May 2009 EA was signed by the responsible official, Kevin D. Martin, Forest Supervisor, 

on May 18, 2009. This decision was appealed, and on July 29, 2009 Kevin D. Martin sent a memo to the

Regional 6 Forester to withdraw his May 18th decision. 

On July 30, 2009, the Forest Service decided to revise the Cobbler EA and initiated the Cobbler II Timber 

Sale and Fuels Reduction Project EA and a scoping letter was sent out on November 20, 2009. Comments 

were received from the public on this revised EA. The Forest Service then decided to prepare an 

environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Cobbler II project. A notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an 

EIS by the Forest Service for the Cobbler II Timber Sale and Fuels Reduction Project was published in 

the Federal Register on February 5, 2010. The purpose and need and alternatives considered in detail in 

this final EIS (FEIS) are the same as the May 2009 EA. Proposed activities for Cobbler II FEIS are the 

same as the May 2009 EA, with the exception that post and pole sites to be used for fencing of hardwoods 

and later used as personal-use permit areas are no longer a proposed action for this project. Changes 

incorporated in the Cobbler II FEIS reflect input already given by the public for the May 2009 Cobbler 

EA including all issues and comments received from scoping, 30-day review and comment period, 

appeals, any comments received from the November 20, 2009 scoping letter, and comments received 

during the 45-day comment period of the DEIS. 

In response to concerns that timber harvest and road building may change the character of undeveloped 

lands adjacent to the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness and the Grande Ronde inventoried roadless area 

(IRA), the Cobbler II FEIS includes analysis of environmental effects to these resource areas and also 

includes a Forest Service site-specific inventory of areas of potential wilderness within the project 

planning area (Appendix H, including maps). Other remaining undeveloped lands are also identified and 

analyzed for environmental effects. 

Appendix G of this document catalogs comments received during the 30-day comment period of the May 

2009 EA and Forest Service responses to those comments. Appendix G is included as part of this FEIS to 

allow the public to review comments already made on proposed activities and alternatives considered in 

detail for this project, and Forest Service responses to those comments. Comments made on the Cobbler 

II DEIS and our responses are included in Appendix I of this FEIS. The project file for the May 2009 

EA, including appeal information, and responses to the November 20, 2009 scoping letter are

incorporated in the project file for Cobbler II FEIS. To be more convenient for readers of this document, 

any changes or additions between the May 2009 EA and Cobbler II FEIS are identified at the beginning 

of each chapter. 
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This FEIS addresses: 1) the proposed action and two additional alternatives, including no action; 2) issues 

associated with the proposal; and 3) direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects that would 

result from implementation of the proposed action or any of the alternatives. 

CHANGES BETWEEN MAY 2009 EA AND THIS FEIS 

Changes include: 

• Minor editorial changes to text in all sections of the chapter, and 

• post and pole sites to be used for fencing of hardwoods and later used as personal-use permit 

areas are not a proposed action for this project. 

DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION 

This EIS has been prepared in compliance with the National Forest Management Act (NMFA), the 

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), other relevant Federal and State laws and regulation, and 

Umatilla National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). 

Format for this EIS follows the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) recommended format (40 CFR 

1502.10). Chapters contain the following information: 

Chapter 1 – Purpose and Need: Includes a brief description of the area, background of the project 

planning area, purpose of and need for action, the agency’s proposal for achieving the purpose and need, 

and a listing of what decisions are to be made. 

Chapter 2 – Alternatives: Describes in more detail the agency’s proposed action as well as alternative 

methods of achieving the purpose and need, and management requirements and project design features. It 

includes information on how the public was informed, and a description of “key” and other issues 

relevant to the proposed action that will be tracked in subsequent chapters. 

Chapter 3 - Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences: Describes the affected 

environment, current condition of resources involved, and environmental effects of implementing the 

proposed action and other alternatives. This chapter is organized by resource.

Chapter 4 – List of Preparers and Public Involvement: Contains a list of those who helped prepare 

this document, and a list of individuals, organizations, and agencies receiving this document. 

Appendices: Provides maps and more detailed information used to support the analysis presented in the 

EA. 

LOCATION AND AREA 

Cobbler II project planning area is approximately 34,000 acres in size and is located on Walla Walla 

Ranger District mainly in Wallowa County, Oregon with a small portion in Union County, Oregon. It is 

located within portions of T. 4N., R. 40E., sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15; T.5 N., R.40 E., 

sections 1, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 34, 27, 33, 34, 35, and 36; T. 4N., R. 41E., sections 5, 6, 7, and 18; 

T. 5N., R. 41E., sections 1 to 34; T. 5N., R. 42E., sections 4, 5, 6, and 7; T. 6N., R. 41E., sections 25, 26, 

27, 33, 34, 35, and 36; and T. 6N., R. 42E., sections 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34. It is located in the Lower 

Grande Ronde subbasin, within the Grande Ronde River and Wenaha Watersheds. 
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Cobbler II project planning area is bounded by the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness to the north and west 

and the Grande Ronde River to the southeast. Elevations range from 3,600 to 4,500 feet, except for the 

Grande Ronde River canyon which plunges down to 2,000 feet. The area is known for its many beautiful 

vistas overlooking the Wenaha River canyon as well as Alder Creek, Elbow Creek, and the Grande Ronde 

River. Grande Ronde River has been designated as a Wild and Scenic River by the Omnibus Oregon 

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1988, and the segment bordering the project planning area has been 

designated as wild. The town of Elgin, Oregon is approximately 20 miles to the southwest. Troy and 

Eden Bench Wildland Urban Interface1 (WUI) areas are approximately 5 miles east of the project 

planning area, and are identified in the Wallowa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). 

A portion (approximately 7,400 acres) of the Grande Ronde inventoried roadless area (IRA) is within the 

project planning area. 

A vicinity map is located at the end of this chapter. Other project maps are located in Appendix A and 

Appendix H of this document. 

BACKGROUND 

Forest stands in the project planning area have been altered from historical conditions due to fire 

suppression and past forest management practices. A majority of current forest stands originated as a 

result of fire disturbances occurring over one hundred years ago, and they have not experienced fire since 

then. There have been repeated insect defoliation episodes followed by salvage harvest. Lodgepole pine 

stands have been harvested, and the remaining mature stands in the project planning area are at the age to 

be highly susceptible to mountain pine beetle, which is currently experiencing an increasing population. 

Late seral tree species have become dominant after long periods without disturbance and generally are 

more susceptible to disturbance-caused mortality than early seral species. Forest stands have become 

overstocked and are above recommended stocking levels that would maintain stand growth and vigor. 

Timber stands of seral tree species such as western larch and ponderosa pine are infilling with grand fir. 

Findings from the historical range of variability (HRV) analysis for Eastside Screens show that old forest 

structure is within historical range for moist forest biophysical group, but outside of historical range for 

dry forest biophysical group in old forest single stratum (OFSS) structural stage. 

Fire regime condition classes, which describe deviation from natural fire regimes in terms of fire return 

intervals and vegetative change from historical composition and density, have been modified in the 

project planning area due mainly to past harvest history and fire suppression. Approximately 40 percent 

of the project planning area has changed from a historical fire regime (Class 1) to a moderately altered 

fire regime (Class 2) and 10 percent of the area has changed to a significantly altered fire regime (Class 

3). Fuels that would have historically been consumed during periodic wildfires have increased, and in 

many areas surface and aerial (within the canopy) fuel loadings are above historical levels. Today, fires 

in the dry and moist forests would have moderate to severe effects characterized by high fire severity and 

intensity on landscapes that historically displayed low to moderate severity. Without treatment, the 

Cobbler II project planning area would continue to transition toward condition fire regime Classes 2 and 

3, where the risk of losing ecosystem components would be moderate to high. Surface fuel loads would 

continue to build and tree density and canopy layering would also increase. Abundant small trees would 

 

1

 Wildland urban interface (WUI) – A WUI is the area where structures and other human development meet or 

intermingle with wildland vegetative fuels. It surrounds a community at risk, including a community’s

infrastructure or water source and may extend beyond 1.5 miles of a community depending on topographic features 

used as an effective firebreak or containing Condition Class 3 land posing a threat to the community. 
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serve as ladders that carry fire from the forest floor to the tree canopy, increasing the likelihood of high 

severity, stand-replacement fires. Fire ignitions today would not function as a natural disturbance process 

within their historical range of variability pertaining to fire size, frequency, intensity, severity, or 

landscape patterns. Fuel loads in Grande Ronde Canyon have been increasing primarily due to the lack of 

fire in that area. Fire behavior fuel models that describe how a fire would burn (flame length and rate of 

spread) through a particular wildland fuel type have also changed in the project planning area. They have 

changed from historical fire behavior fuel models of fast moving but low intensity surface fire, to fuel 

models representing fast moving, high intensity crown-replacement fire. 

In the project planning area there are 23 sites (approximately 115 acres) of hardwood stands (aspen, 

mountain mahogany, and black cottonwood) that need management in order to be protected and have 

stand vigor restored. One of the sites needing protection is located in the Elk Flats Meadow area 

(approximately 70 acres) which is currently allocated in Umatilla Forest Plan to management area D2 – 

Research Natural Area (RNA) as a proposed candidate for RNA status to represent an aspen forest. 

Evaluations by the Blue Mountain’s Forest Ecologist, after completion of the Forest Plan (1990), 

indicated that formal RNA designation is not appropriate for Elk Flats Meadow because of the small size 

of the parcel, and because the aspen clones are ecotonal (i.e. transitional between forest and meadow) 

rather than true aspen forest. 

There are a series of dry meadows within the project planning area surrounded by dense forest dominated 

by grand fir. Photo history and field visits indicate there used to be a transition zone made up of low 

density ponderosa pine, western larch, and Douglas-fir between the meadows and interior stands. Past 

fire suppression has resulted in young, small diameter trees encroaching on these meadows where there 

used to be only grass. 

PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION 

In reviewing background information of the project planning area, the purpose of and need for action in 

Cobbler II Timber Sale and Fuels Reduction Project is to improve health, vigor, and resilience to fire, 

insects, and disease in upland forests that are outside their historical pre-fire suppression conditions for 

species composition (including hardwood species), structural diversity, stocking densities, and fuel loads. 

Additionally, there is a need to provide sawlogs and wood fiber products for utilization by regional and 

local industry. 

Based upon current fuel and vegetative trends that are outside of their historical range of variability in 

Cobbler II project planning area, and contrasting the existing condition with the desired future condition 

identified in the Forest Plan there is a need to: 

• Reduce stand densities in upland forest to recommended stocking levels to increase resiliency of 

stands to disturbance from insects, disease, or uncharacteristic wildland fire intensity. 

• Reduce competition from late seral ingrowth in stands currently dominated by early seral species 

and/or large trees in order to retain these more resilient trees.

• Move forest stand structural conditions toward the historical range of variability 

• Modify the intensity and resulting fire behavior along the rim of the Grande Ronde and along 

Forest Road (FR) 62 for safe and effective fire suppression actions. 

• Return fire to Grande Ronde River canyon to maintain the character of a frequent fire regime, 

particularly in grasslands and shrubs. 

• Reduce ladder fuels to lower the risk of fire spread into the upper canopy. 

• Reduce ground fuel that would contribute to uncharacteristic wildfire intensity and resource 

damage. 
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• Reduce risk of personal injury by removing danger trees along trailheads and haul routes used for 

project activities. 

• Protect and enhance vegetative conditions of hardwoods by maintaining and or increasing vigor 

of existing stands. 

• Influence stocking levels, growth, health, and vigor of plantations by implementing noncommercial thinning. 

• Amend the Forest Plan to reallocate Elk Flats Meadow from management area D2-Research 

Natural Area to management area A9-Special Interest Area in order to allow for vegetation 

management, including cutting and leaving of trees, to maintain or enhance existing aspen, which 

have declined precipitously, and encourage aspen and other hardwood regeneration in the project 

planning area. Also in the same area as Elk Flats Meadow, a reallocation of small quantity of 

acres of management area E2-Timber and Big Game would be changed to A9, and a few acres of 

D2 would be changed to E2 to effectively maintain aspen stands in these areas. 

PROPOSED ACTION 

Through a combination of database queries and field review numerous areas were identified for potential 

stand management and fuel treatments. Aerial photos were used to identify timber stands needing 

treatment to support fire suppression along the rim of the canyon. Field reviews occurred in late summer 

and fall of 2007, 2008, and 2009. A majority of stands proposed for treatment were visited by District 

resource specialists. Where time did not allow a field visit, stand exam data was used in addition to more 

recent aerial photo interpretation. Stand exam data from the early to mid 1990s was used to characterize 

stands, and was adjusted based on field observations. Approximately 8,000 acres within the Grande 

Ronde River canyon were identified for a reduction in fuel densities to allow for the reintroduction of 

prescribed fire on a historical occurrence level 

In response to the purpose and need identified above, Walla Walla Ranger District proposes vegetation 

and fuels management treatments to improve health and vigor of the upland forest, and treatments to 

reduce the risk of potential wildland fires of uncharacteristic intensity through reduction of hazardous and 

ladder fuels in Cobbler II project planning area. 

The majority of proposed harvest would be done using a commercial thinning prescription. Shelterwood 

or seed-tree harvest prescriptions would occur in harvest units where thinning would not restore growth 

and vigor. Non-commercial thinning would also occur in some areas. 

Fuels treatments would be used to reduce existing uncharacteristic fuel loads of dead and live natural 

fuels, reduce fuels loads generated from harvest activities, prepare sites for regeneration, and or maintain 

desired fuel conditions. Design objectives of these treatments are to break-up fuel continuity on the 

landscape, so that if a wildfire did occur it could be contained to a small size and be of low intensity to 

allow for safe and effective fire suppression efforts. 

Commercial thinning and fuels treatments could take place in 2011 and could continue over a period of 

approximately five years. Restoration activities such as protection and enhancement of hardwoods and 

dry meadows within the project planning area would occur as funding allows, most likely over a ten-year 

period. A portion of landscape prescribed fire activities could begin in spring of 2011 if conditions allow, 

and remaining acres would likely be burned over a period of approximately ten years. 

The anticipated time frame for completion of all components of the Cobbler II project would be five to 

ten years, with the majority of activities completed within five years. Before the end of the first five years 

of the project, the Forest Service would review the project status and current direction to ensure 
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consistency of unfinished project components with new scientific information and the NLAA (not likely 

to adversely affect) level determination for threatened or endangered aquatic species. The Forest Service 

would inform National Marine Fisheries Service of the results of this review and request concurrence as 

appropriate. 

Following are brief descriptions of activities proposed for implementation, along with associated 

activities that would occur concurrently. A more detailed description of proposed actions can be found in 

Chapter 2 of this document. 

► Timber Harvest – Commercially harvest approximately 2,500 acres. In some treatment units, timber 

harvest would include the removal of sawlogs and small diameter trees in the 3-9 inch diameter at 

breast height (DBH) range which would be used as a woody biomass 2 product. In some treatment 

units only biomass products would be removed with incidental removal of sawlogs. Commercial 

thinning is the primary silviculture prescription with some shelterwood and seed-tree prescriptions 

used in decadent stands where thinning would not restore growth or vigor. Harvest objectives would 

vary by stand condition and fuel management objectives. Treatments would tend to favor early seral 

tree species such as ponderosa pine and western larch. Harvest methods would include conventional 

ground based3 (approximately 380 acres) logging, using a harvester/forwarder4 (approximately 1,830 

acres), and skyline5 logging (approximately 230 acres). 

 

o Fuels Treatments – Activity fuels and existing natural fuels would be treated in harvest units. 

Treatments would include mechanical mastication, grapple piling, hand piling, jackpot 

burning, and yarding with tops attached depending on slash loads and the amount of fire 

sensitive species remaining after harvest. Mastication would be used to treat both activity 

fuels and remaining ladder fuels when small diameter understory is removed for woody 

biomass products (3-9 inch DBH) and a high density of understory trees still remains. Hand 

piling would be used in portions of units where visual quality is a concern, mainly along 

Forest Road (FR) 62. 

Some trees greater than 9 inches DBH would need to be removed to allow machinery to 

operate in units where the objective is to remove the less than 9 inch DBH material. As long 

as it is economically feasible, material in the 3-9 inch DBH size would be removed as a 

woody biomass product. If it is not economically feasible for removal, fuel treatments in 

these units would rely on mastication, grapple piling, and burning. 

 

2 Woody Biomass: Trees and woody plants, including limbs, tops, needles, leaves, and other woody parts, grown in 

a forest, woodland, or rangeland environment, that are the by-products of forest management. 

3 Conventional ground based logging system: This is tractor or skidder yarding on trails spaced approximately 

100 feet apart. Skidding equipment would be required to remain on the trails and logs dragged to the landings with 

one end suspended. Mechanical felling equipment would be used to fall and bunch logs near the trail and be 

allowed a single pass between skid trails to reduce compaction concerns. 

4 Harvester/forwarder logging system: This is a ground based system using a mechanical feller to cut and 

manufacture logs, placing them adjacent to the forwarder routes. Limbs are left on the forwarder route to aid in soil 

protection. The forwarder would pick up logs, place them in bunks and carry them to a landing for decking. This is 

a total log suspension logging system. Forwarder route spacing would be based on the reach of the felling 

equipment, 40 to 50 feet. 

5

Skyline logging system: In a skyline system, logs are yarded up the hill by a system of cables, and logs are either 

partially or fully suspended to reduce soil disturbance. Skyline yarding landings are slightly smaller than 

conventional ground-based systems. 
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o Road Management – To accomplish implementation of proposed activities approximately 50 

miles of open system roads, about 40 miles of closed6 system roads, and 1.5 miles of 

seasonally7 open roads would be used as haul routes. Of the open system roads 

approximately 14 miles are outside of the project planning area and represent haul routes to 

county roads. Closed system roads used for project activities would not be opened to the 

public. All system roads would remain the same after project implementation; open roads 

would remain opened, closed roads would continue to be closed, and seasonally open roads 

would continue with that designation. Approximately 0.25 miles of new road construction 

would occur to access an activity unit and be used for future access for vegetation and fuels 

treatments. This new construction would become a closed system road after project use. 

Approximately 0.20 miles of temporary road construction would occur and would be 

decommissioned after project activity use. Normal routine road maintenance would occur. 

► Danger Tree Removal – Danger trees would be felled and removed along all haul routes used for 

timber sale activity and around trailheads. If considered economically feasible, these trees would be 

sold as part of a timber sale. Danger trees within Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas (RHCAs) 

would not be removed; they would be cut and left to provide additional coarse woody debris. 

► Landscape Prescribed Fire (Grande Ronde canyon) – Landscape prescribed fire would occur across 

approximately 8,000 acres within Grande Ronde River canyon, which includes Bear Creek and Alder 

Creek canyons. No timber harvest or mechanical fuel treatments would occur in these canyons. This 

treatment would reintroduce fire to a fire-dependent ecosystem blackening about 60 percent of the 

area to lessen the impact of a future uncharacteristic wildfire and improve forage quality for big 

game. In the majority of the project area, fire intensities would be kept low by keeping fire out of the 

overstory and burning mainly surface fuels. Individual tree and group torching would likely occur in 

areas where there is sufficient ladder fuels and in timber stands with high occurrences of mistletoe. 

Upon completion the area would be a mosaic of unburned, lightly burned, moderately burned, and 

intensely burned patches. This activity would occur in almost all of the acres (7,400) of the Grande 

Ronde inventoried roadless area (IRA) that are within the project planning area. 

► Hardwood Restoration – Twenty-three (23) hardwood sites (aspen, black cottonwood, and mountain 

mahogany) totaling about 115 acres are proposed for treatment that includes release from conifers and 

fencing of these sites. Reduction of conifer competition in some aspen stands would be achieved by 

girdling trees or cutting and leaving the trees on site. Most of these stands have only mature or overmature hardwood trees with little or no regeneration, or regeneration that is being severely browsed. 

Fencing would occur at these 23 hardwood sites, as funding allows. These sites include several aspen 

stands at Elk Flats Meadow, as well as 10 additional aspen stands scattered throughout the Cobbler II 

project planning area, 11 cottonwood stands, and 1 mountain mahogany stand. Two hardwood stands

(aspen stand is approximately 0.33 acres, and cottonwood stand is approximately 0.12 acres) 

proposed for treatment by fencing (and girdling of competing conifers only in the cottonwood stand) 

are located in the Grande Ronde IRA. 

 

6 Closed Road: These roads are not available for motorized vehicle travel for everyday access and are gated or 

closed by barricades. These roads can be opened for access for resource management activities or fire suppression. 

Snowmobile use is allowed except where specifically prohibited. 

7

Seasonally Open Roads: These roads are available for public motorized vehicle use only during specified 

seasons. 
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► Meadow Restoration – An estimated 275 acres of dry meadows would be treated to reduce conifer 

encroachment. Trees less than or equal to 6 inches DBH would be cut by hand followed by a 

prescribed underburn through the grass. This activity could occur over multiple years and may 

require a temporary electric fence around meadows to keep cattle out and to ensure that enough grass 

is retained to carry the prescribed fire. 

► Non-commercial Thinning – This activity would cut excess trees that are less than 6 inches DBH on 

approximately 1,900 acres. Some units may have special conditions where trees up to 9 inches DBH 

would be cut. Either manual or mechanical methods would be use. In non-commercial thinning units 

adjacent to fuel reduction units, where mechanical mastication methods would be used, slash from 

manual thinning may be treated mechanically, if needed. In other units, no additional slash 

treatments would be needed when thinning by hand. In all non-commercial units material would be 

pulled back from road ditches and fence lines by hand. 

► Forest Plan Amendment – In order to manage aspen stands in the project planning area the Forest 

Plan would be amended to reallocate acres in management area allocations of D2- Research Natural 

Area, E2- Timber and Big Game, and A9-Special Interest Area. Elk Flats Meadow (D2), which is 

currently a proposed candidate for designation as a Research Natural Area (RNA), would be 

reallocated to management area A9 - Special Interest Area in order to allow vegetation management, 

including cutting of trees, to maintain or enhance existing aspen and encourage aspen regeneration. 

In summary, approximately 70 acres of management area D2 (Elk Flats Meadow) would become 

management area A9; approximately 30 acres of management area E2 would become management 

area A9, and approximately 10 acres of management area D2 would become management area E2. 

This amendment would remain in effect until the current Forest Plan is revised. Additional details 

regarding this amendment are in Chapter 2. 

No proposed project activities would occur in the congressionally designated Wenaha-Tucannon 

Wilderness which is adjacent to the project planning area. No commercial timber harvest, road 

construction and reconstruction, or actions associated with these activities would occur in the Grande 

Ronde IRA or in potential wilderness areas (PWAs) as inventoried by the Forest Service using criteria in 

Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 1909.12, Chapter 70 (see Chapter 3 and Appendix H). 

TIERING AND INCORPORATING BY REFERENCE 

In order to eliminate repetition and focus on site-specific analysis, this FEIS is tiered to the following 

documents as permitted by 40 CFR 1502.20. 

♦ The Umatilla National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) FEIS and 

Record of Decision (ROD) dated June 11, 1990 and all subsequent NEPA analysis for amendments, 

and the accompanying Land and Resource Management Plan(LRMP) as amended (Forest Plan). 

The Forest Plan guides all natural resource management activities and establishes management 

standards and guidelines for the Umatilla National Forest. It describes resource management 

practices, levels of resource production and management, and the availability and suitability of lands 

for resource management. 

♦ This FEIS is tiered to a broader scale analysis (the Pacific Northwest Region Final Environmental 

Impact Statement for the Invasive Plant Program, 2005, hereby referred to as the R6 2005 

FEIS). The R6 2005 FEIS culminated in a Record of Decision (R6 2005 ROD) that amended the

Umatilla National Forest Plan by adding management direction relative to invasive plants. This 

project is intended to comply with the new management direction. 
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This FEIS also incorporates by reference the following documents: 

♦ The Biological Opinion for the Implementation of Interim Strategies for Managing Anadromous 

Fish-producing Watersheds in Eastern Oregon and Washington, Idaho, and Portions of California 

(PACFISH) from National Marine Fisheries Service dated January 23, 1995. PACFISH itself does 

not propose any ground-disturbing actions, but sets in place certain riparian management goals and 

management direction with the intent of arresting the degradation and beginning the restoration of 

riparian and stream habitats. 

♦ The Biological Opinion on the Land and Resource Management Plans for the Boise, Challis, Nez 

Perce, Payette, Sawtooth, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests from National Marine 

Fisheries Service, dated March 1, 1995. National Marine Fisheries has identified a set of goals, 

objectives, and guidelines that will apply to watershed and site-specific consultations until Land and 

Resource Management Plans are amended. Conformance with the provisions of this Opinion, in 

combination with implementation of PACFISH, should provide reasonable certainty that site-specific 

actions will not result in jeopardy to listed salmon or adverse modification of critical habitat. 

♦ The Biological Opinion for the Effects to Bull Trout from Continued Implementation of Land and 

Resource Management Plans and Resource Management Plans as Amended by the Interim 

Strategy for Managing Fish-producing Watersheds in Eastern Oregon and Washington, Idaho, 

Western Montana, and Portions of Nevada (INFISH), and the Interim Strategy for Managing 

Anadromous Fish-producing Watersheds in Eastern Oregon and Washington, Idaho, and Portions 

of California (PACFISH) from National Marine Fisheries Service, dated August 14, 1998. This BO 

addresses the effects of continued implementation of LRMPs as amended by PACFISH standards and 

guidelines where listed distinct population segments of bull trout occur in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, 

and Washington. 

♦ The Biological Opinion - Land and Resource Management Plans for National Forests and Bureau 

of Land and Management Resource Areas in the Upper Columbia River Basin and Snake River 

Basin Evolutionarily Significant Units by National Marine Fisheries Service dated June 22, 1998. 

This BO addresses the effects of continued implementation of the 18 LRMPs as amended by 

PACFISH standards and guidelines on Snake River salmon and steelhead. 

♦ USDA Forest Service, Region 6, 2000, "Memorandum of Agreement between the USDA Forest 

Service Region 6 and the Washington State Department of Ecology for Meeting Responsibilities 

under Federal and State Water Quality Laws." 

♦ Annual Forest Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Reports from 1991 to 2004. The main focus of the 

Umatilla's monitoring strategy is to ensure consistency in implementing the Forest Plan. 

♦ Environmental Assessment for the Management of Noxious Weeds, Umatilla National Forest, May 

1995. Implements a long-term integrated weed management program on 773 specific noxious weed 

management projects beginning in 1995. 

♦ USDA Forest Service Guide to Noxious Weed Prevention Practices Version 1.0, July 5, 2001. A 

comprehensive directory of weed prevention practices for use in Forest Service planning and wildland 

resource management activities and operations. Identified weed prevention practices that mitigate 

identified risks of weed introduction and spread for a project or program. 
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♦ Invasive Plants Treatment Project (EIS), Umatilla National Forest, decision dated July 2010. 

Authorizes treatment of invasive plant species over a 5-15 year period using manual, mechanical, 

biological, herbicide, and cultural treatments. Up to 4,000 acres may be treated annually, including 

known sites and those detected in the future. (This decision is planned to be implemented following 

the appeal period. When this July 2010 decision is implemented it will be the most current direction 

applicable, and will guide the treatment of invasive plants in the Cobbler II project planning area.). 

♦ Walla Walla Ranger District Motorized Access and Travel Management Plan, Walla Walla Ranger 

District, July 1993. A comprehensive program resulting in a transportation system which provides 

for a broad mix of both motorized and non-motorized recreation opportunities while moving toward 

Forest Plan desired future conditions. 

♦ Analysis of Umatilla National Forest Road System, dated March, 2004. Forest-scale analysis in 

determining the minimum road system needed to meet resource and other management objectives. 

♦ The Integrated Scientific Assessment for Ecosystem Management in the Interior Columbia Basin 

released 1996. Links landscape, aquatic, terrestrial, social, and economic characterizations to 

described biophysical and social systems. 

♦ Updated Blue Mountain Project Design Criteria (PDC) – Programmatic Informal Section 7 

Consultation (13420-2007-I-0154). Letter of concurrence dated June 4, 2007 from U.S. Dept. of the 

Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service for informal consultation and accompanying updated Blue 

Mountain Province Expedited Process Instrument for Programmatic Informal Section 7 Consultation 

(April 25, 2007). 

 Implementing Streamlined Consultation Procedures for Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act – 

ICS Memo #2 May 27, 2003. Memo on streamlined consultation procedures by an Interagency 

Coordination Subgroup (ICS). 

♦ Umatilla National Forest Interim Snag Guidance Letter dated April, 1993, which provides direction 

on the number and distribution of snags to retain in harvest units. 

♦ National Fire Plan (August 2000) developed with the intent of responding to severe wildland fires

and their impacts to communities while addressing five key points: Firefighting, Rehabilitation, 

Hazardous Fuels Reduction, Community Assistance, and Accountability. 

♦ Grande Ronde-Rondowa Ecosystem Analysis (Draft) dated April 2004. An unpublished ecosystem 

analysis of the Grande Ronde and Rondowa Basin. Walla Walla Ranger District. 

♦ Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers Final Management Plan/EA dated December 1993. 

Established management direction for the Wild and Scenic Rivers and identified the Outstanding 

Remarkable Values for each river. 

♦ Region 6 Protocol for Assessment and Management of Soil Quality Conditions dated January 2002. 

Established consistency in soil assessment methods on the Umatilla National Forest and other Blue 

Mountain forests, and ensures compliance with Forest Plan and NEPA condition assessment needs. 
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Management Direction

Analysis and documentation has been done according to direction contained in the National Forest 

Management Act (NFMA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on 

Environmental Quality Regulations (CEQ), the Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA), 

National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 

PROJECT RECORD 

This FEIS hereby incorporates by reference the project file (40 CFR 1502.21) for the Cobbler May 2009 

EA and decision notice (DN), appeals to this decision, the November 20, 2009 scoping letter and 

responses received on the Cobbler II EA, and any new information used in this FEIS. The project file 

contains resource specialist reports, addendums to specialist reports, literature citations, and other 

technical documentation used to support the analysis and conclusions in this FEIS. Specialists reports are 

included for the following: soil, water quality, fish, vegetation, historical range of variability (HRV), 

noxious weeds, visuals, fuels, air quality, climate change, recreation, visuals, transportation system 

(roads), heritage, economics, wild and scenic rivers, wilderness, inventoried roadless areas, areas 

inventoried for wilderness potential, undeveloped lands, terrestrial wildlife species and habitats, 

management indicator species, migratory birds, biological evaluations and assessments for threatened, 

endangered and sensitive (TE&S) aquatic, terrestrial, and plant species, and deadwood habitat (DecAID 

analysis). Other sources of information, documents, published studies, and books referred to in the 

project file and this document are also included. 

Relying on specialists reports and the project file helps implement the CEQ's regulation provision that 

agencies should reduce NEPA paperwork (40 CFR 1500.4), that environmental documents shall be 

analytic rather than encyclopedic, and that EISs/EAs shall be kept concise and no longer than absolutely 

necessary (40 CFR 1502.2). The objective is to furnish enough site-specific information to demonstrate a 

reasoned consideration of the environmental effects of the alternatives and how these effects can be 

mitigated, without repeating detailed analysis and background information available elsewhere. 

Additional documentation and analyses of project area resources are located in the project file for Cobbler 

II Timber Sale and Fuels Reduction Project FEIS at Walla Walla Ranger District, Walla Walla, 

Washington. 

FOREST PLAN AND INTERIM DIRECTION 

The Forest Plan (USDA Forest Service 1990) provides most of the management direction for Cobbler II 

Timber Sale and Fuels Reduction Project. 

The Forest Plan made land allocations using management areas (MA), each of which emphasizes a 

particular desired future condition (DFC). Forest Plan standards and guidelines provide direction for 

achieving DFCs. 

Additional management direction is provided by Forest Plan amendments approved since 1990, including 

three amendments in particular: 

• “Interim Management Direction Establishing Riparian, Ecosystem, and Wildlife Standards for 

Timber Sales” (USDA Forest Service 1995; also known as Eastside Screens); and 

• “Interim Strategies for Managing Anadromous Fish-Producing Watersheds on Federal Lands in 

Eastern Oregon and Washington, Idaho and Portions of California” (USDA Forest Service and 

USDI Bureau of Land Management 1994; also known as PACFISH). 
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• The Pacific Northwest Region Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Invasive Plant 

Program, 2005, hereby referred to as the R6 2005 FEIS. The R6 2005 FEIS culminated in a 

Record of Decision (R6 2005 ROD) that amended the Umatilla National Forest Plan. 

The Eastside Screens (FP amendment #11; approved 6/12/1995) focuses on potential impacts of timber 

sales on riparian habitat, historical vegetation patterns, and wildlife fragmentation and connectivity 

(USDA Forest Service 1995). 

PACFISH (FP amendment #10; approved 2/24/1995) establishes management direction designed to arrest 

and reverse declines in anadromous fish habitat (USDA Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land 

Management 1994). 

The R6 2005 FEIS (approved 10/11/2005) amended the Forest Plan by adding management direction 

relative to invasive plants. 

The Forest Plan allocated management areas as the way to characterize the landscape for the type and 

intensity of management activities that may occur on Umatilla National Forest. Management areas within 

the project planning area are shown in Table 1-1. A map showing management areas within the project 

planning area is located in Appendix A 

Table 1-1 Management Areas – Existing and After Proposed Forest Plan Amendment 

Forest Plan Management Areas Existing 

Acres 

After 

Proposed 

Forest Plan 

Amendment 

Acres 

A4 - Viewshed 2 90 90 

A7 - Wild and Scenic Rivers (Grande Ronde) 1,000 1,000 

A8 - Scenic Area 6,300 6,300 

A9 - Special Interest Area 200 300 

C1 - Dedicated Old Growth 600 600 

C4 - Wildlife Habitat 6,000 6,000 

C5 - Riparian and Wildlife 800 800 

D2 - Research Natural Area (Elk Flat Aspen) 80 0 

E2 - Timber and Big Game 18,500 18,480 

Total 33,570 33,570 

Following are brief descriptions of goals, standards, and guidelines associated with each Forest Plan 

management area allocation located within Cobbler II project planning area. Detailed descriptions for 

each area can be found in the Forest Plan (FP pages 4-94 to 4-186). 

• A4 – Viewshed 2 – Goal: Manage the area seen from a travel route, use area, or water body, 

where forest visitors have a major concern for the scenic qualities as a natural appearing to 

slightly altered landscape. 

Timber will be managed on a scheduled basis. All timber management practices and intensities 

shall be permitted consistent with achieving the primary visual quality goals. 

Low intensity prescribed fire is acceptable. 
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• A7 - Wild and Scenic Rivers - Goal: Manage classified Wild and Scenic River Segments to 

appropriate standards as Wild, Scenic, or Recreational River areas, as defined by the Wild and 

Scenic Rivers Act, Public Law 90-542, October 2, 1968 (U.S. Laws, Statues, etc. 1968), and 

expanded by the Omnibus Oregon Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1988 (Public Laws 100-557) 

and as amended by Forest Plan Amendment 7 Wallowa & Grande Ronde Rivers Final 

Management Plan Environmental Assessment pages 61-66 for segment b, Wild section of the 

Grande Ronde in Oregon. 

In the wild sections, timber will be managed on a non-scheduled basis to meet Wild and Scenic 

River goals. Cutting of trees is only permitted where needed to meet primitive recreation, 

environmental, or other Wild and Scenic River objectives. 

Prescribed burning is permitted. Low intensity prescribed fires, producing minimal scorch and 

rapid recovery, are the most desirable. 

• A8 – Scenic Area – Goal: Protect or enhance the unique natural characteristics of landscaped 

noted for their scenic beauty. 

Timber will be managed on a nonscheduled basis. Trees will only be cut to meet or enhance 

scenic area objectives. 

Prescribed fire may be used as a tool to manage ecosystems 

• A9 – Special Interest Area – Goal: Manage, preserve, and interpret areas of significant 

cultural, historical, geological, botanical, or other special characteristics for educational, 

scientific, and public enjoyment purposes.

Timber harvest will not be scheduled or programmed. Tree cutting and vegetation management 

may be permitted in order to maintain or enhance the special features of the interest area, to 

provide for public safety (in areas of concentrated use), to construct or maintain improvements, or 

in a catastrophic situation. When tree cutting is employed systems will be designed to protect the 

resource and meet SIA goals. Firewood cutting will not be allowed. 

Fuels treatments should emphasize maintenance of the natural character of the area. 

• C1 – Dedicated Old Growth – Goal: Provide and protect sufficient suitable habitat for wildlife 

species dependent upon mature and/or overmature forest stands, and promote a diversity of 

vegetative conditions for such species. 

Timber management and harvest activities will not be scheduled or permitted. 

Natural fuel treatments are permitted to maintain of enhance old growth habitat characteristics or 

reduce the potential for a high number of and/or severely burned acres. 

• C4 - Wildlife Habitat; Goal: Manage Forest Lands to provide high levels of potential habitat 

effectiveness for big game and other wildlife species with emphases on size and distribution of 

habitat components (forage and cover areas for elk, snags and dead and down materials for all 

cavity users) unique wildlife habitats and key use areas will be retained or protected. 

Timber will be managed on a scheduled basis. All timber management and practices and 
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intensities consistent with achieving the primary wildlife habitat management goals will be 

permitted. 

All types of prescribed fire may be used to accomplish management objectives. 

• C5 – Riparian (Fish and Wildlife) – Goal: Maintain or enhance water quality, and produce a 

high level of potential habitat capability for all species of fish and wildlife within the designated 

riparian habitat areas while providing for a high level of habitat effectiveness for big game. 

Timber will be managed on a scheduled basis. 

Prescribed fire may be used consistent with riparian objectives. 

• D2 – Natural Research Area – Goal: Preserve naturally occurring physical and biological 

units where natural conditions and processes are maintained, insofar as possible for the purposes 

of: 1) comparison with those lands influenced by man; 2) provision of educational and research 

areas for ecological and environmental studies; and 3) preservation of gene pools for typical and 

rare and endangered plants and animals. 

Timber management use and practices are excluded. Cutting and removal of vegetation is 

prohibited, except as part of an approved scientific investigation. 

If authorized in a management plan, low intensity unplanned fire or prescribed burns may be used 

as a tool to mimic a natural fire. 

• E2 - Timber and Big Game; Goal: “Manage Forest Lands to emphasize production of wood 

fiber (timber), encourage forage production, and maintain a moderate level of big game and 

other wildlife habitat.”

Timber will be managed on a scheduled basis. All timber management practices and intensities 

will be permitted. 

Prescribed fire may be used to accomplish a variety of timber and forage production objectives. 

Care will be used when using prescribed fire due to high resource values and risk of escaped fire. 

Commercial harvest would occur in management areas A9 (approximately 15 acres in the Big Hole 

Viewpoint Area to enhance special features), C4, C5, and E2. . 

The majority of acres in the portion of the Grande Ronde IRA within the project planning area are in 

management areas A7 (approximately 1,000 acres) and A8 (approximately 6,000 acres) with few 

remaining acres in management areas, C1, C4, C5, and E2. Landscape prescribed fire, hardwood 

restoration (fencing and girdling of competing conifers on about 0.5 acres), and any needed danger tree 

removal, only trees with imminent risk of failure, along haul routes would occur in the Grande Ronde 

IRA. Only landscape prescribed fire would occur in the designated Wild and Scenic management area 

(A7) portion of the Grande Ronde IRA. These activities comply with Forest Plan management area 

associated goals, standards, and guidelines for the IRA. In management areas A7 and A8 timber is 

managed on a non-scheduled basis, and prescribed fire is permitted. 
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Consistency with Forest Plan Goals:

This project is responsive to and consistent with the following Forest Plan goals (FP pages 4-1 to 4-3): 

• To provide land and resource management that achieves a more healthy and productive forest and 

assists in supplying lands, resources, uses, and values which meet local, regional, and national 

social and economic needs. 

• To provide for production and sustained yield of wood fiber and insofar as possible meet 

projected production levels consistent with various resource objectives, standards and guidelines, 

and cost efficiency. 

• To protect forest and range resources and values from unacceptable losses due to destructive 

forest pests through the practice of integrated pest management. 

• To provide and execute a fire protection and fire use program that is cost-efficient and responsive 

to land and resource management goals and objectives. 

TREATY RIGHTS 

The Forest Service, through the Secretary of Agriculture, is vested with statutory authority and 

responsibility for managing resources of the National Forests. No sharing of administrative or 

management decision-making power is held with any other entity. However, commensurate with the 

authority and responsibility to manage is the obligation to consult, cooperate, and coordinate with Indian 

Tribes in developing and planning management decisions regarding resources on National Forest system 

land that may affect tribal rights. 

Locally, Cobbler II project planning area lies within the area ceded to the United States government by 

the Nez Perce Indians, and partially within the area ceded to the Unites States by the Confederated Tribes 

of the Umatilla Indians (CTUIR) as a result of the Treaties of 1855. 

Elements of respective Indian cultures, such as tribal welfare, land, and resources were entrusted to the 

United States government as a result of the treaties. Trust responsibilities resulting from the treaties 

dictate, in part, that the United States government facilitate the execution of treaty rights and traditional 

cultural practices of the CTUIR and Nez Perce Indians by working with them on a government to 

government basis in a manner that attempts a reasonable accommodation of their needs, without 

compromising the legal positions of the respective tribes or the federal government. 

Specific treaty rights applicable to that land base managed by the Umatilla National Forest area generally 

articulated in Article I of the CTUIR Treaty of 1855 and Article III of the 1855 Nez Perce Treaty, include: 

“The exclusive right of taking fish in all the streams where running through or bordering said reservation 

is further secured to said Indians; as also the right of taking fish at all usual and accustomed places in 

common with citizens of the Territory; and of erecting temporary buildings for curing, together with the 

privilege of hunting, gathering roots and berries, and pasturing their horses and cattle upon open and 

unclaimed land.” 

Although the 1855 Treaties do not specifically mandate the federal government to manage habitats, there 

is an implied assumption that an adequate reserve of water be available for executing treaty related 

hunting and fishing activities. 
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General concerns received from the tribes on previous projects reflect the following: 

• Potential effects to archeological and traditional properties 

• Potential effects to water quality 

• Potential effects to fish habitat, including salmonid species federally listed as threatened or 

endangered under ESA. 

• Potential effects to economic recovery 

Because tribal trust activities often occur in common with the public, Umatilla National Forest will strive 

to manage tribal ceded land to enable the execution of tribal rights, as far as practicable, while still 

providing goods and services to all people. 

DECISIONS TO BE MADE 

This FEIS documents the results of environmental analysis conducted for the proposed action and its 

alternatives. If a Forest Plan amendment is documented in a decision, the Forest Supervisor of the 

Umatilla National Forest will be the responsible official. If an amendment is not documented in a 

decision, the District Ranger will be the responsible official. Decisions to be made include: 

1. Whether a Forest Plan amendment should occur at this time? 

2. Whether harvest and prescribed landscape fire along with associated activities should occur, 

and if so, how much and where? 

3. Whether other vegetation management activities (hardwood restoration, meadow restoration, 

and non-commercial thinning) and their associated activities should occur and when should 

they occur? 

4. What monitoring or mitigation measures should be taken or needed? 
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