Final Environmental Impact Statement

Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3
and Michigan moonwort. Hardwood stands are expected to temporarily benefit from the
projected mountain pine beetle-caused mortality as competition for sunlight and nutrients
is reduced. However, continued encroachment of the smaller diameter ponderosa pine
within the hardwood stands would occur. These trees would mature and eventually shade
out the hardwoods. In addition, increased fire hazard poses a risk for a high intensity fire
with the potential of being stand-replacing in the hardwood communities, which may
have a detrimental impact on rare plants and their preferred habitat.
White spruce stands typically contain suitable habitat for: southwestern showy sedge,
alpine mountainsorrel, arrowleaf sweet coltsfoot, leathery grapefern, least grapefern, pale
moonwort, musk-root, pale moonwort, bristly muhly, and Michigan moonwort. White
spruce stands would likely benefit in the short-term somewhat from the mountain pine
beetle infestation as ponderosa pine within these stands are killed by the beetle. This
would reduce competition for available nutrients and sunlight.
Although, like many rare plants, effects of fire on leathery grapefern is not well known,
range-wide it is often found associated with fire-adapted species (Anderson 2005).
Anderson also notes that disturbance (such as fire) may play a role in the reproductive
biology of leathery grapefern. The Forest Plan Phase II Amendment determined leathery
grapefern is likely to persist on the forest (USDA Forest Service 2005a). This project is
consistent with the Forest Plan for this species and its habitat.
Southwestern showy sedge is reported to be fire tolerant (Glisson 2003) and in the project
area it is found in a moist habitat that would not burn readily under prescription. It is
uncertain if the shaded conditions at known sites are a habitat requirement, however, if it
is, the species may be affected by a large-scale wildfire by loss of shade-providing white
spruce (USDA Forest Service 2005). The Forest Plan Phase II Amendment determined
southwestern showy sedge is likely to persist on the forest (USDA Forest Service 2005a).
This project is consistent with the Forest Plan for this species and its habitat.
There are no known occurrences of alpine mountainsorrel in the project area. The habitat
that it generally occupies is generally moist and cool and would not readily burn under
prescription. The Forest Plan Phase II Amendment determined alpine mountainsorrel is
likely to persist on the forest (USDA Forest Service 2005a). This project is consistent
with the Forest Plan for this species and its habitat.
The potential for high intensity fire would increase with mountain pine beetle-caused
mortality in the surrounding ponderosa pine. High intensity fires have the potential of
being stand-replacing in the white spruce communities, which may have a detrimental
impact on plants and their preferred habitat.
Riparian areas, grasslands and meadows provide habitat for; alpine mountainsorrel,
arrowleaf sweet coltsfoot, leathery grapefern, least grapefern, pale moonwort, musk-root,
pale moonwort, bristly muhly, silvery sedge, swollen sedge, sweetgrass, bristly muhly,
woolgrass, northern bog aster, and Michigan moonwort. With the projected mountain
pine beetle caused-mortality, these areas are expected to temporarily benefit with the
removal of the overstory. However, the loss of shade-providing large trees may alter the
micro-climate of some areas and result in loss of plant habitat. The increased potential
for large-scale fire in the area presents a risk to riparian habitats, as well as grasslands
and meadows. Under such conditions, the moist forested sites and riparian areas that do
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