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Reticulate Gila Monster (Forest Service Sensitive Species Representative of Desert Shrub/Grassland Vegetation Cover Types) - In New Mexico, this species occurs in desert scrub and, more rarely, woodland and grassland habitats most commonly associated with rocky regions of mountain foothills and canyons. It is found from sea level to about 5000 ft in elevation (Stebbins 1985). Dominant vegetation often includes creosote bush, mesquite, acacia, ocotillo, and snakeweed. The seasonal activity period extends from March to November, although Gila monsters can be encountered basking at shelter entrances during the winter and early spring. Above ground travels range from a few meters around shelter entrances, to forays over 1.5 km, and these lizards can also climb (Degenhardt 1996, BISON-M 2009). This species has been selected as focal species for reptiles that occur in desert shrub, and grassland vegetation areas. For the analysis of this species the analysis indicators (road miles and acres of potential disturbance) will analyze the change in desert shrub and grassland habitat by alternative from the existing condition. Amphibian and Reptile Summary: Table 37 list road associated and motorized trail/ORV factors related to amphibian and reptile focal species that represent this group (Gaines et al. 2003); analysis factors based on the analysis factor discussed above; and the indicator that will be used to compare the different levels of affect between the different alternatives. Table 37: Focal Group/ Species Amphibians & Reptiles Road Associated Factors Collisions, Collection Collisions³ Collection Disturbance, Displacement, Avoidance, Harassment Motorized Trail/ORV Associated Factors¹ Disturbance, Displacement, Avoidance, Harassment Combined Analysis Factors Analysis Indicator Harvest/Direct Effects Route Miles Disturbance/Indirect Effects Disturbance Zone Summarized In Acres Table 38 summarizes the harvest indicator, disturbance indicator, and analysis area that will be used to analyze the effects of the different alternatives to amphibians and reptiles. Table 38: Focal Species Motorized Chiricahua leopard frog Mexican Gartersnake Arizona Toad Narrow Headed Gartersnake Retculate Gila Monster Activity Motorized Trail/ORV Use Motorized Trail/ORV and Roads Motorized Trail/ORV and Roads Motorized Trail/ORV and Roads Harvest Indicator Route Miles Number of Stream Crossings Route Miles Route Miles Route Miles Disturbance Analysis Zone Area Miles of routes within: Occupied Sites - 1 mile overland - 3 miles along an ephemeral or intermittent drainage - 5 miles along a perennial stream 250m Low Elevation Riparian ” ” Low, Middle, & High Elevation Riparian Desert Shrub/Grassland 60
Reptiles and Amphibians-Effects by Alternative Chiricahua Leopard Frog (Federally listed Threatened species) Table 39: Analysis Area - Existing Condition and Proposed Change Table by Alternative: Chiricahua Leopard Frog Reasonable Dispersal Analysis Area (15 occupied sites) on USFS lands = 71,624 ac. Motorized Routes Existing Effects Change in Effects Alt B (No Action) Alt C Alt D Alt E Alt F Alt G Open Existing ML 2 - ML 5 Miles 71 -6 -21 -44 -14 -11 Reopen Closed ML 1 Miles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Administrative Route Miles 0.0 5.7 8.8 9.5 7.4 7.4 Add Unauthorized Route Miles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Add Admin. Unauthorized Miles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Seasonal - Resource Protection Miles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Motorized Trails Miles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Existing Road to OHV Trail Miles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Existing ATV Trail Miles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Closed Road to OHV Trail Miles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Administrative Trail Miles 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 Add Unauthorized Trail Miles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total FS Routes and Trails Percent in Miles of Alt. B Miles 71 70.6/-.5 59.7/-11.4 36.6/-34.5 64.5/-6.6 67.7/-3.4 (Existing) %Miles -0.6% -15.9% -48.5% -9.2% -4.7% Routes Crossing Streams Open Existing ML 2 - ML 5 Count 65 -21 -38 -57 -34 -23 Administrative Route Total FS Routes & Trails Count 20 21 23 21 21 Crossings Percent Change of Alt. B Count 65 64 48 31 52 63 (Existing) %Count -9.9% -32.5% -56.4% -26.8% -11.4% Private Rd. Stream Crossings Count 2 NC NC NC NC NC Motorized Dispersed Camping Percent in Acres of Alt. B Acres 39,828 -38,529 -38,971 -39,828 -38,643 -38,612 (Existing) %Acres -96.7% -97.9% -100% -97% -96.9% Motorized Areas Motorized Area - All Vehicles Acres 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Motorized Area - OHV Only Acres 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Motorized Big Game Retrieval Percent in Acres of Alt. B Acres 39,828 -4,966 -38,971 -39,828 -16,873 -38,612 (Existing) %Acres -12.5% -97.9% -100% -42.4% -96.9% No Action Alternative (Alt. B): Under this alternative there are 71 miles of motorized routes within a reasonable dispersal area of occupied chiricahua leopard frog sites. The 61
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Gila National Forest Travel Managem
Page 3 and 4:
that are on the Regional Forester S
Page 5 and 6:
ALTERNATIVES and MITIGATION MEASURE
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AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT The Gila Natio
Page 9 and 10: In 1977, a study was published by a
Page 11 and 12: Regional Forester Sensitive Species
Page 13 and 14: MacGillivray’s Warbler HP Painted
Page 15 and 16: Barriers to Animal Travel or Moveme
Page 17 and 18: occupied sites, etc.). For habitat
Page 19 and 20: Issues identified during scoping re
Page 21 and 22: Elk (Game Species identified as spe
Page 23 and 24: Table 12 summarizes the harvest ind
Page 25 and 26: Table 14: Pronghorn Analysis Area -
Page 27 and 28: Bighorn Sheep (Forest Service Sensi
Page 29 and 30: Mule Deer (Gila Management Indicato
Page 31 and 32: Wide Ranging Carnivores Table19: Wi
Page 33 and 34: from a road, except when feeding. K
Page 35 and 36: HUC 1303020202 Hot/Cold Springs 195
Page 37 and 38: Percent Change -0.17% -20.66% -45.4
Page 39 and 40: Mountain Lion and Black Bear (game
Page 41 and 42: So under this alternative through t
Page 43 and 44: microhabitat in the desert landscap
Page 45 and 46: Southern red-backed vole (Forest Se
Page 47 and 48: largely unknown, but it is thought
Page 49 and 50: Small Mammals-Effects by Alternativ
Page 51 and 52: Beaver (Gila Management Indicator S
Page 53 and 54: White-nosed Coati, Western Red Bat,
Page 55 and 56: 2% in the Hooded Skunk and Botta’
Page 57 and 58: The literature documents that a lar
Page 59: iparian (cottonwood/sycamore), and
Page 63 and 64: effects to the species and its habi
Page 65 and 66: Arizona Toad and Narrow Headed Gart
Page 67 and 68: Under this alternative you continue
Page 69 and 70: from grassland areas, and game bird
Page 71 and 72: Spotted Owl and determined that roa
Page 73 and 74: and Miller, 1997, Hamann et al, 199
Page 75 and 76: Shrub/Grassland vegetation types, a
Page 77 and 78: Table 49: Mexican Spotted Owl Criti
Page 79 and 80: The potential disturbance area in P
Page 81 and 82: Table 51: Mexican spotted owl feder
Page 83 and 84: Northern Goshawk (Gila MIS Species,
Page 85 and 86: Peregrine Falcon (Forest Service Se
Page 87 and 88: dates the species’ successful nes
Page 89 and 90: NMPIF High-Priority Species Alt. B
Page 91 and 92: Cavity Nesting Birds-Effects by Alt
Page 93 and 94: Findings: Table66: Hairy woodpecker
Page 95 and 96: 2008). The GBMA is primarily manage
Page 97 and 98: trees, and succulents dominated by
Page 99 and 100: New Mexico, where it is resident in
Page 101 and 102: Table 71: Analysis Area - Existing
Page 103 and 104: In these analysis areas the area of
Page 105 and 106: Neotropic Cormorant (Forest Service
Page 107 and 108: the Wilson’s phalarope analysis a
Page 109 and 110: NMPIF High Priority Species Common
Page 111 and 112:
Gray Vireo (Forest Service Sensitiv
Page 113 and 114:
Song Bird Summary: Table 82 list ro
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Costa’s Hummingbird (Forest Servi
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Plains Titmouse (Forest Service Sen
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For the focal species and their ass
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the forest edge (New Mexico Partner
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conifers with dense foliage. Limiti
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Merriam’s Wild Turkey (Ponderosa
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Findings: Table 96: Mearn’s quail
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showed an increase in numbers from
Page 131 and 132:
Insect - Effects by Alternative A M
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Dashed Ringtail (Forest Service Sen
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area. These routes continue to caus
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ecreational activities, game manage
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6 th codes remains between 1.5 to 2
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Table 107: 5th Code 6th Code Waters
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MSO PACs Analysis Area 187,083 Acre
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HUC 1302020804 Alamocito Canyon Tot
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6th Code Watershed Alt B Alt C Alt
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Forest Plan and Other Laws and Regu
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Topic Threatened & Endangered Speci
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Appendix A Gila National Forest Neo
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Oak-Juniper Acorn Woodpecker Dark-e
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Ponderosa Pine Acorn Woodpecker Chi
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Marsh/Open American Avocet Clark’
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