Final Environmental Impact Statement

Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
This section summarizes the environment of the affected project area and the potential
changes to those environments due to implementation of the alternatives. It also presents
the scientific and analytical basis for comparison of alternatives presented in Chapter 2.
The information presented here is based on analysis prepared by resource specialists from
the interdisciplinary team (IDT) and pertains to National Forest lands only, unless
otherwise noted. Analysis was accomplished by field observations and surveys, past
experience and professional recommendations, aerial photography, resource modeling,
literature review, information obtained through monitoring, Forest Plan direction and
associated analysis, and public participation. The specialist reports are included in the
project file, which is located at the Black Hills National Forest, Hell Canyon Ranger
District, 330 Mount Rushmore Road, Custer, South Dakota. All resource specialists used
the best available science in completing their analysis, in accordance with Forest Service
Manual (FSM) 1920.
Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Actions
Analysis of cumulative effects include past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future
activities that could affect the biological or social environments. See Appendix F for a
listing of past, present, and future activities considered in the Vestal project cumulative
effects analysis. The project area boundary was used to address cumulative impacts,
unless otherwise noted in the resource discussions. Rationale for cumulative effects
boundaries is noted in the cumulative effects discussions by resource.
Forest Vegetation
Affected Environment
Cover Types
Vegetation in the Vestal project area is dominated by ponderosa pine cover type (92%),
but also includes aspen (2%) and spruce (