Final Environmental Impact Statement

Vestal Final Environmental Impact Statement Chapter 3
habitat requirements are areas of large trees (i.e., >10” dbh), loose bark, areas infested
with bark beetles and snags (DeGraaf et al. 1991, Wiggins 2005). Dead or decaying trees
and snags provide substrate for nests and foraging. Nesting habitat generally contains
trees that are >9” dbh (Hejl et al. 2002). Evidence also suggests that this species is
sensitive to the effects of forest fragmentation (Wiggins 2005). It is considered an
uncommon permanent resident of the Black Hills (Tallman et al. 2002), largely tied to
late successional pine and white-spruce habitats (Panjabi 2003, 2005).
In 2009, brown creeper relative densities continued to decline in northern pine habitat,
rebounded slightly in white spruce habitat and rebounded considerably in southern pine
and late successional habitat (SS 4C and 5). Blakesly et al. (2008) determined it may
take 25 years to detect a 3% annual decline for this species in pine-north, late
successional and white spruce habitats and 30 years in pine-south habitat. However, in
the short-term, relative densities declined in 2007 compared to previous years, but
rebounded in 2009 in most habitats sampled (USDA Forest Service 2010).
Observation data for the brown creeper reveals a short-term downward Forest-wide
population trend. It appears that Objective 238a is being met, although short-term
activities to meet the SS 4C objective may be affecting the Forest’s ability to provide
very large trees in SS 4C. Continued effort and additional time is needed to increase the
acres of SS 5 (USDA Forest Service 2008, 2009).
The species was observed in low numbers but scattered throughout the project area in SS
4B and 4C ponderosa pine sites. Currently, there are a total of about 13,000 acres of SS
4B, 4C and 5 ponderosa pine, and 42 acres of white spruce in those same structural
stages. However, the preferred large diameter trees are only found occasionally.
Additionally, there are pockets of MPB that have opened up some of these stands.
Ruffed Grouse (MIS)
The ruffed grouse is selected as a Forest MIS to be an indicator of aspen quantity and
vigor in pure and mixed stands. It was selected to evaluate the effects of Forest Plan
implementation and natural change on the ability of the Forest to support species that rely
on a variety of conditions in aspen to meet their needs (USDA Forest Service 2005a).
Ruffed grouse prefer young to medium -aged aspen stands (Tallman et al. 2002) but have
been observed in other habitat types in the Black Hills, including open pine forests
(Panjabi 2001, 2003). Ruffed grouse can survive on a diverse diet in the spring, summer
and fall (Bolen & Robinson 2003), which may explain the range of habitat types the
species has been recorded in from RMBO monitoring data (Panjabi 2001, 2003).
However, ruffed grouse feed on tree buds in the winter and are almost completely
dependent on aspen for food, shelter and escape cover. Ideal ruffed grouse habitat
consists of plentiful aspens in all age-classes (i.e., sapling, pole-sized and mature; Bolen
& Robinson 2003).
Ruffed grouse are a resident species where found and range from central Alaska to
northwestern California, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Montana. They extend east through
Minnesota, Ohio and the Appalachian Mountains from Virginia to northeastern Georgia
(DeGraaf et al. 1991). It is considered an uncommon permanent resident in the Black
Hills (Tallman et al. 2002) with greatest abundance in the northern Hills (Panjabi 2003).
55