Wildlife Report for Management Indicator Species, Species of Concern from the Plan, and Landbirds Vegetation Management Project Prepared by: Barbara Webb Wildlife Biologist Author’s Signature: ______________________ Date: ___________5/4/2016__________________ Reviewed by:_________________________________ Date:___________________________________ The Deschutes National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (“LRMP”, USDA 1990a) identified a group of wildlife species as management indicator species (MIS). These species were selected because
habitat only Pole Creek Wildfire 2012 4,082 acres in the overlapping Watershed: EMC and MMC habitat Rooster Rock Wildfire 2010 5,800 in an overlapping Watershed (Deep Canyon): PPDF habitat Bridge Creek Wildfire 1979 3,364 acres burned in an overlapping Watershed (Tumalo Creek): PPDF and EMC habitat
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentiles) Mature and old-growth forests; especially high canopy closure and large trees habitat Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Riparian edge habitats including streams, marshes and estuaries No habitat Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) Mature and old growth forests associated with openings and meadows habitat Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) Open ponderosa pine or mixed conifer No habitat Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Large snags associated with fish bearing water bodies No habitat Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Large snags, open country interspersed with forests habitat Waterfowl (See Appendix 1 for species) ponds, streams No habitat Woodpeckers (See Appendix 1 for species) These species will be discussed in the Snag and Down Wood Section. habitat Mammals American Marten (Martes americana) Montane, mixed conifer and lodgepole pine habitats at higher elevations habitat Elk (Cervus elephas) Mixed habitats habitat Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) Mixed habitats habitat Townsend’s big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) Mines, Caves, or Buildings No habitat - Addressed in BE Habitats Snags, Down Wood and Log Associated Species Dead Wood Habitat Associated with cavity nesters and marten Special or Unique Habitat Associated Species Springs, Seeps, cliffs, and talus slopes No habitat Those MIS species containing no habitat will not receive further analysis in this document.
Table 13. Red-tailed hawk reproductive habitat within the Ursus Vegetation Management project area, Tumalo Creek, McKenzie Canyon-Deschutes River, and Deep Canyon Watersheds, and across the Deschutes National Forest. Acres of Habitat in Ursus Vegetation Management Project Area Acres of Habitat in the Watersheds of Habitat Across the Deschutes National Forest 174 acres 0.09% of habitat on the Forest 6,782 acres 3.5% of habitat on the Forest 192,492 acres 12% of the total acreage on the Deschutes National Forest Measure: Acres of suitable (reproductive) habitat affected. Environmental Consequences Alternative 1 – No Action (Ecological Trend) Little red-tailed hawk habitat is found in the project area likely because of the overall elevation of the project area. Currently, the most open stands are those lodgepole pine stands that have been by mountain pine beetles. Although there are some larger trees for red-tailed hawks to nest within, by and large these stands are at higher elevation and are mixed with more montane species such as mountain hemlock and whitebark pine. These are species not commonly associated with red-tailed hawk nesting habitat. As a species that is increasing across its range and secure in Oregon, the no action alternative would not impact populations on the Forest. Alternatives 2 and 3 - Direct and Indirect Effects would be no direct effects to red-tailed hawk from either alternative because there are no proposed actions within red-tailed hawk habitat. Overall, thinning within mixed conifer stands would improve habitat for hawks by opening the canopy and retaining the largest, healthiest trees for nesting. Fuels treatments would not alter nesting habitat but may improve the sight distance for locating prey on the forest floor. Alternatives 2 and 3 – Cumulative Effects Because there are no direct effects and indirect effects are beneficial, there would be no additive or cumulative effects as a result of any alternative implementation.
Conclusion The Ursus Vegetation Management project does not propose any treatments within red-tailed hawk reproductive habitat. The project will not contribute to a change in viability on the Deschutes National Forest. Consistency with the Deschutes LRMP Wildlife standard and guidelines WL-2 and WL-3 will be assessed. The project is consistent with the Deschutes LRMP. Standard and Guideline Do Not Meet, Meets, Not Applicable Rationale WL-2 – Maintain forested character at least 300 feet surrounding active nest sites. Meets There are no known nests within the project area. If a nest is located, measures will be incorporated to meet this standard. WL-2 – timber management may occur, maintain at least 4 dominant overstory trees per acre suitable for nest and perch trees, favoring ponderosa pine. Meets Thinning guidelines favor the retention of larger overstory, especially in ponderosa pine. WL-3 – Seasonal restrictions will be in effect for disturbing activities within ¼ mile of active nests. Meets Mitigation measures are in in the event a nest site is found. Mitigation Measures Disruptive work activities will not take place within ¼ mile of any newly discovered nest sites from March 1 through August 31. Haul restrictions will be assessed on a case by case basis. This condition may be waived in a particular year if nesting or reproductive success surveys reveal that the species indicated is non-nesting or that no young are present that year. Waivers are valid only until the start date of the restriction of the following year. Recommendations None Big Game Existing Condition Deer: The most important deer habitats in Eastern Oregon are summer habitat, including areas needed for reproductive activities and winter habitat. Preferred summer habitat provides adequate forage to replace body reserves lost during winter and to maintain normal body functions. Summer habitat also includes areas specifically used for reproductive purposes. These areas must have an adequate amount of succulent vegetation, offering highly nutritional forage. In addition, areas used for reproduction should provide isolation from other deer, security from predators and minimal competition from other ungulates. Summer
WL-53 - < 2.5 mi. per sq. mile of Open road density Moves towards With proposed road closures, the post-activity open road density will be 3.6 mi per sq. mile – see Appendix 8 “Further Analysis” WL-54 – Hiding areas must be present over at least 30% of National Forest land in each implementation unit. Six acre or larger stand capable of hiding 90% of a standing adult deer at 200 feet. Six acres or larger stand with an average height of 6 feet and has not been thinned in 15 years Residual clumps of ½ acre or larger stands within units with advanced regeneration and at least 12 greater than 7 dbh per acre remaining after harvest. Clumps should be located away from roads. Meets Meets Meets Meets Hiding will exist over approximately 33% of the Watersheds. Meets in retained and untreated areas. Approximately 31% of the project area remains untreated in patches >6 acres Untreated areas (> 6 acres patches) have not been treated in over 15 years. Regenerating understory and retention in units will be retained to provide screening in stands. Untreated areas within project area will continue to provide cover. WL-55 – Hiding will be dispersed throughout the implementation unit. Meets Residual untreated stands are retained throughout the project area. WL-56 - Travel corridors will be provided by linking stands (to assist in meeting hiding cover needs). Meets Untreated stands were designated to provide connectivity throughout the project area. WL-57 – Hiding are assumed to provide suitable thermal cover conditions on summer range. Meets Untreated stand exceed canopy cover and tree heights to provide thermal cover. WL-58 – If possible, a narrow of trees should be left along roads to reduce view distances. N/A Bearwallow Firewood Area was designated the roads. Green trees were left where they existed. WL-59 – Approximately 10% of treated black bark pine stands will be in clumps that will provide visual screening throughout the area. N/A There are no black-bark pine stands in the project area.
These densities are likely to decrease as the time since snag creation (beetle mortality) has increased and the snags fall. Measure: Three-toed woodpecker habitat change in quality (tolerance level) due to thinning and salvage operations. Environmental Consequences Alternative 1 – No Action (Ecological Current snag densities would remain on the landscape unchaged for the short-term. Because of the extent of the beetle mortality in the analysis area, a snag gap may develop within the next 12 years as these snags fall and the regeneration is not mature enough to replace these densities. As fall, downed log densities will increase as will fuel loadings. There have been fire starts, most recently Pole Creek in 2012, within the watersheds that have burned at high intensity within some of the older beetle killed stands. A wildfire within the area would set back any current regeneration becoming future snags; prolonging the snag gap. Alternatives 2 and 3- Direct and Indirect Effects Salvage activities proposed under each alternative can directly remove potential nesting sites for this species. Removal of dwarf mistletoe trees, as proposed within the regeneration harvest units, will remove and avenue for rot in an otherwise live tree. Three-toed woodpeckers can nest in a dead or rotted section of an otherwise live tree. As discussed under the snag effects section (page 47-64), areas with the highest densities of snags are either not part of a treatment unit or are retained. These are the areas that also meet the highest densities and high quality habitat in Table 39. Also as part of the snag analysis, it is shown that the proposed salvage does not markedly change the snag density distribution from the existing condition in the LP and MMC habitat types. Because of the elevation of these habitat types they are also the types most apt to be used by three-toed woodpeckers with reduced competition from other woodpecker species. The proposed actions impact areas with snag densities meeting the 50-80% tolerance interval (green stands) for this species the most (>6 to <36 snags/acre). Although the proposed actions do occur within nesting habitat for this species, snag retention mitigation assures some habitat throughout the project area (Table 39) albeit at lower qualities than currently exists.
812 acres 0.5% of habitat on Forest 8,741 acres 5% of habitat on Forest 160,651 acres 10% of total acres on Deschutes National Forest For the detailed assessment on the Williamson’s sapsucker for the Deschutes National Forest, see the Forest-wide Species Assessment (USFS 2012). There are no documented sightings of Williamson’s sapsucker in the project area. Measure: Williamson’s sapsucker habitat change in quality (tolerance level) due to proposed actions. Environmental Consequences Alternative 1 – No Action (Ecological Trend) Under Alternative 1 (No Action), current management plans would continue to guide management of the project area. The project area, being juxtaposed between roadless areas and private land, poses an accessible spot for federal firefighters to fight a wildfire with greater safety. This alternative forgoes the opportunity to reduce fuel loadings (mostly snags created from mountain pine beetles) in the area, putting adjacent habitat at risk. As sapsuckers, this species utilizes live trees as well as dead wood for foraging; providing habitat for insects eaten by sapsuckers (Gyug et al. 2014). The increased fuel loading puts the remaining live trees at risk. This would result in a loss of foraging habitat. Alternatives 2 and 3 - Direct and Indirect Effects Actions that are expected to have impacts to Williamson’s sapsucker habitat are salvage of small lodgepole pine (<20” dbh) snags (i.e. the removal of potential nesting habitat) and the removal of mistletoe white fir (i.e. removal of food and nesting source). Table 48. Amount of proposed treatments within Williamson’s sapsucker habitat by alternative and snag density category*