Final Environmental Impact Statement

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3 Precommercial Thinning (PCT) removes understory trees, on this project - less than 5inch in diameter, to 12’ x 12’ spacing. Precommercial thinning can result in a uniform appearance of the remaining forest (both in size and spacing) when only smaller trees are present. When precommercial thinning occurs, screening would be reduced and views into the forest would be increased. This reduction in the understory would further increase the emphasis & visibility of the larger diameter trees in the landscape. Understory grasses and shrubs would be more evident offering seasonal variety of light and color (when spring flowers are evident). When activities are completed, precommercial thin treatment methods generally meet a Moderate SIO, however, in this project where only the 5-inch and less are being treated, a High SIO should be achieved. Dead Fall (DF) is a mechanical treatment (i.e. - lopping, chipping, crushing, piling and burning, mastication, etc.) of existing dead & down trees that were killed by MPB activity. The treatment reduces the height of the material to within 18-24 inches of the ground. No standing live or dead trees would be cut as part of this treatment. The objective of this treatment is to reduce the dead fuels within these stands, thus reducing the potential for a wildfire to move into the crowns. By moving the aerial slash / fuels to the ground, fire risk is also reduced. The existing condition of a forest of dead trees is not appreciated by the general public, and is perceived to have a Low Scenic Integrity. This treatment would not change that Scenic Integrity level, but it would help the stand achieve a higher level of Scenic Integrity sooner. Fuel Break (FB) is a treatment to thin the forest adjacent to private land, or other areas, to reduce fire hazard. Fuel break treatment would be in narrow strips, up to 300 feet, along the edge of private land boundaries. Trees up to 9” dbh would be cut to a residual tree spacing of 24’ x 24’. Residual slash would either be piled for burning, or include mastication of slash rather than piling and burning. The result is a an open park-like setting, that normally meets a High SIO, when viewed from private land and other areas. Prescribed Burning – Sending fire across the landscape - within a designated boundary - in a controlled manner is beneficial to the Scenic resource by removing dead plant material and slash, while stimulating plants, shrubs & hardwoods. This new growth normally increases visual diversity and fall color in the landscape. Once the area is burned, ash and blackened tree bark are clearly evident across the landscape. Normally, these burn marks are no longer visible once new grasses and other vegetation grow up the following spring. However, there is always the potential for the fire to flare up - due to un-expected wind or a microsite of drier material – that can create negative visual impacts. Under burning can meet a range from High to Low SIO, depending upon burn intensity. Most burns conducted on this Forest meet a High SIO 1-2 year after the burning is completed and the red-colored, fire-killed, needles drop off the trees and would meet standard 4104. Cumulative Effects The spatial boundary for analyzing cumulative effects is primarily that of the planning area. This identified area is the landscape that is evident in the foreground and middle ground from the main travel routes, with particular attention to recreation facilities, recreation trails, and the community of Custer (due to viewer’s stationary position or slower pace while moving through the landscape). 142
Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3 The time boundary for this analysis extends from 1980 (when the start of recent vegetation management activities took place) to 2050 [completion of management activities (2018), followed by 5 years for pine seedlings to become established, and approximately 25 years for trees to grow up and visually ‘fill’ open areas]. This time period includes known management activities, and activities that are planned but have yet to be accomplished. Fire suppression over the past century has played a role in the increased density of the vegetation on the forest. Likewise, much of the Forest was pre-commercially thinned by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930’s and 1940s, however we do not know if that effort included any or all of this planning area. The construction of the Needles Highway (SD 89) in 1919 and the Iron Mountain Road (US 16A) in 1933 focused the public’s attention on this portion of the Black Hills, around the community of Custer, further establishing the area as a recreation destination, for its man-made and natural scenery. Larger wildfires have not occurred within the planning area, but are readily apparent in the surrounding area. The visual effects of the MPB activity is quite evident just north of the planning area and in isolated pockets throughout the planning area - due to the visibility of the red needles. Steep slopes, and other areas that are not able to be treated, would display the full range of effects and mortality from the MPB. Eventually these areas would be less evident as the needles fall. As the trees decay and fall, openings would be created. These openings would change the character from a uniform appearing landscape ‘carpeted’ with pine trees to a complex matrix of openings, decaying dead trees, residual pine trees, and expanding areas of hardwood trees. From 2000 to 2011, commercial vegetation treatments have been conducted on a limited basis (as noted in the Existing Condition section). Other than the Atlantic Bug project, all treatments have met their assigned SIO. The Atlantic Bug project was projected to meet a Low or Very Low SIO due to the high level of MPB activity and tree mortality already in the units before any treatment activities occurred. Due to the adjacent tree seed source around these areas, trees should become established, and visually have an impact in approximately 15-25 years. Then a more natural appearance may be evident. Vegetation management activities have occurred and are occurring on private and other ownership lands throughout the project area. In general, the types of vegetation management activities occurring on private lands are similar to those proposed in the Vestal project. Many landowners have concerns regarding MPB and fire hazard and are thinning and removing beetle infested trees. These actions when combined with proposed actions would have similar cumulative effects to the scenery resource. Transportation Affected Environment The existing transportation system in the Vestal project area was inventoried in 2007 and 2008 and reviewed in 2010. During the 2010 review additional road condition surveys were conducted to capture any change in road conditions. The majority of the roads are being maintained to the appropriate design standard according to maintenance level. 143
Page 1 and 2:
VESTAL PROJECT United States Depart
Page 3 and 4:
Vestal Final Environmental Impact S
Page 5 and 6:
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17:
OHV Off Highway Vehicle POL Product
Page 20 and 21:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55 and 56:
Page 57 and 58:
Page 59 and 60:
Page 61 and 62:
Page 63 and 64:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114: Vestal Final Environmental Impact S
Page 163: Vestal Final Environmental Impact S
Page 215 and 216:
Page 217 and 218:
Page 219 and 220:
Page 221 and 222:
Page 223 and 224:
Page 225 and 226:
Page 227 and 228:
Page 229 and 230:
Page 231 and 232:
Page 233 and 234:
show all

Final Environmental Impact Statement

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?