Final Environmental Impact Statement

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Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3 reduce the potential spread of MPB to forested stands on private land as well as National Forest. Sanitation cuts would be done for up to five years in each stand if necessary to remove newly infested trees. The proposed action acknowledges the fact that no amount of treatment would completely eliminate the threat of MPB infestation, however treatments such as those in the proposed action, would reduce that threat more than the No Action alternative. All commercial entries would be limited by operability and access limitations resulting in something less than the total acres planned being actually treated with commercial harvest. This would amount to no more than 12% of the planned commercial treatment acres. The result of this alternative is a lowered risk level and a decreasing level of MPB caused mortality relative to the current epidemic (Table 29). The landscape is expected to encompass thinned stands, some very open stands, and some openings as a result of the varying levels and concentrations of infested trees. Aspen clones would increase in size and viability as conifers are removed in and around them. As the infestation is slowed in the treated stands, areas left at higher densities for wildlife habitat would be more likely to avoid levels of mortality that reduce their structural stage condition. Prescribed burning has little effect on the site structure following mechanical treatments that create SS 3A or 4A. However, prescribed burning in combination with drought can stress residual trees in mechanically-treated areas and leave them susceptible to mountain pine beetle-caused mortality. Therefore prescribed burning would be delayed until after mechanical treatments are completed and following the passing of the mountain pine beetle epidemic. 44 Table 27. MPB Risk Rating - Alternative 2 Compared to Existing Condition Mountain Pine Existing Existing Alt 2 Alt 2 Beetle Risk Acres Percentage Acres* Percentage Low 9,320 39 20,498 87 High 14,373 61 3,069 13 *Total acres of pine is reduced in Alternative 2 due to hardwood conversion treatment Thinning treatments would increase growth on remaining trees and improve the overall health of the stands because there would be more water, nutrients and sunlight for each tree. Thinning can put stands at risk to windthrow and breakage, particularly where drastic changes in density result. The potential for windthrow and breakage would be minimized by thinning from below, i.e. harvesting mostly the smaller, shorter trees and leaving the tallest trees that have had more wind exposure and developed more sturdiness. This alternative would not be expected to result in a marked increase in windthrow or breakage and it would be less than in Alternative 1. Managed healthy stands would maintain options for future forest management. Some reproduction of seedlings can be expected over time after thinning. This change in forest structure may be treated in future entries with prescribed burns or mechanical treatments to eliminate seedlings. Conversely, overstory removals, regeneration cuts or uneven-aged treatments may be prescribed to enhance or maintain the diversity in structure that is developed.
Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3 Table 28. Forest-Wide Management Area 4.1 Pine Structural Stages by Alternative Structural Stage Forest Plan Objective % Existing Condition Acres Existing Condition % Alt 1 Year 2018 Acres Alt 1 Year 2018 % Alt 2 Year 2018 Acres Alt 2 Year 2018 % 1 5% 486 1% 1,716 5% 486 1% 2 5% 461 1% 899 2% 905 3% 3A 10% 975 3% 1,438 4% 646 2% 3B 15% 1,253 3% 1,094 3% 889 2% 3C 5% 887 2% 475 1% 521 1% 4A 25% 9,668 27% 9,852 27% 11,877 33% 4B 25% 14,379 40% 13,314 37% 13,329 37% 4C 5% 7,055 20% 6,376 18% 6,511 18% 5 5% 896 2% 896 2% 896 2% Total 100% 36,060 100% 36,060 100% 36,060 100% For MA 4.1, Alternative 2, structural stages 2 and 4C would move towards the Forest Objectives and SS1 and SS5 would remain the same, while SS3A, 3B, 3C, 4A and 4B would move away from Forest Objectives. This movement away from the Forest Objectives for some structural stages is expected to be short term and in the long term, more beneficial. These changes from denser stands to more open stand conditions were necessary to lower the MPB hazard and to accomplish fire hazard reduction over the landscape. Table 29. Forest-Wide Management Area 5.1 Pine Structural Stages by Alternative Structural Stage Forest Plan Objective % Existing Condition Acres Existing Condition % Alt 1 Year 2018 Acres Alt 1 Year 2018 % Alt 2 Year 2018 Acres Alt 2 Year 2018 % 1 5% 26,760 6% 29,559 6% 26,753 6% 2 5% 16,673 4% 17,694 4% 16,708 4% 3A 10% 24,236 5% 26,076 6% 24,230 5% 3B 15% 17,047 4% 17,243 4% 16,824 4% 3C 5% 10,269 2% 9,967 2% 10,021 2% 4A 25% 185,062 39% 184,060 39% 189,123 40% 4B 25% 142,228 30% 138,404 29% 139,143 29% 4C 5% 50,437 11% 49,777 11% 49,819 11% 5 5% 1,227 0.3% 1,159 0.2% 1,227 0.3% Total 100% 473,393 100% 473,939 100% 473,848 100% 45
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Final Environmental Impact Statement

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