Final Environmental Impact Statement

Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3
branches, it is susceptible to fire mortality. Currently there are 42 acres of designated
spruce stands in the project area. These areas are generally located along north facing
slopes and on moist micro-sites. Mixed spruce and pine stands occur in the project area as
well. Stringers of spruce also occur within some meadow sites.
Meadows
There are 1,482 acres (6%) of meadows in the Vestal area. Many of these meadow sites
have been encroached by conifers. Grassland and meadows have increased from 2008 to
2009 forest-wide (USDA Forest Service 2010).
Environmental Consequences
This section compares the two alternatives at year 2018, when all management activities
are expected to be completed and the mountain pine beetle infestation is expected to have
run its course in the project area.
Alternative 1- No Action
This No Action alternative is predicted to result in changes on the landscape due to the
effects of MPB. Therefore, all predicted effects noted here under Alternative 1 are a
result of MPB caused tree mortality.
Cover Types
The acreage and percent of cover types within the project area are not predicted to change
under this alternative by year 2018. In the long term, there could be an increase in
hardwoods as overstory pine is killed by MPB, in areas where aspen is present in the
understory.
Ponderosa Pine
Under this alternative, no new forest vegetation activities would occur in the project area.
However, the project area would still experience change through other processes. The
most prevalent process affecting the project area is the current MPB infestation. The
distribution of ponderosa pine structural stages within the project area would experience
great change due to the current MPB infestation (Table 20). This change would move the
project area away from Objectives 4.1-203, 5.1-201, and 5.4-206 by creating large areas
of ponderosa pine structural stages 1 & 2, and by eliminating most of SS4B and virtually
all of SS4C.
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Table 20. Alternative 1 Pine Structural Stages in the Vestal Project Area, Projected
to Year 2018 and Compared to Existing Condition
Structural
Stage
2011
Existing
Acres
2011
Existing %
2018
Alt 1
Acres
2018
Alt 1 %
1 87