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Reticulate Gila Monster (Forest Service Sensitive Species and Reptile Focal Species) Table 43: Analysis Area - Existing Condition and Proposed Change Table by Alternative Reticulate Gila Monster Habitat (Desert Shrub/Grassland) Analysis Area on USFS Land = 18,138 acres 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 25 -2 -10 -12 -8 -8 Acres 3,905 -360 -1,427 -1,648 -1,075 -1,215 Reopen Closed ML 1 Miles 0 0 0 0 0 0 Acres 0 20 0 0 0 0 Administrative Route Miles 0 1 4 3 2 2 Acres 0 245 551 490 411 359 Add Unauthorized Route Miles 0 0 0 0 0 0 Acres 0 60 56 30 60 65 Add Admin. Unauthorized Miles 0 0 0 0 0 0 Motorized Trails Acres 0 20 28 28 20 20 Existing Road to OHV Trail Miles 0 0 1 0 1 1 Acres 0 11 108 0 109 109 Closed Road to OHV Trail Miles 0 0 0 0 0 0 Acres 0 89 83 0 83 83 Add Unauthorized Trail Miles 0 1 0 0 1 1 Acres 0 272 29 0 83 83 Total FS Routes and Trails Percent in Miles of Alt. B Miles 25 26 20 16 20 20 (Existing) %Miles 4% -21% -34% -19% -19% Motorized Dispersed Camping Percent in Acres of Alt. B Acres 15,795 -14,838 -14,993 -15,795 -14,858 -14,995 (Existing) %Acres -94% -95% -100% -94% -95% Motorized Areas Acres 0 0 0 0 0 0 Motorized Big Game Retrieval Percent in Acres of Alt. B Acres 15,795 -2,508 -14,993 -15,795 -7,426 -14,995 (Existing) %Acres -16% -95% -100% -47% -95% No Action Alternative (Alt. B): Under the existing condition for reptiles and amphibians there are 42 miles of motorized routes in the Mexican gartersnake analysis area, 138 motorized routes in the Arizona toad and narrow headed gartersnake analysis area, and 25 miles of motorized routes in the Reticulate Gila monster analysis area. These routes continue to cause habitat loss and the potential for direct effects like vehicle collision, poaching, and collection. The potential disturbance zone for Mexican gartersnake is 2,330 acres, 6,858 acres for Arizona toad and narrow headed gartersnake, and 3,905 acres for Reticulate Gila monster. Within these potential disturbance zones motorized routes continue to cause the potential for disturbance, displacement, avoidance and harassment. 66
Under this alternative you continue to have motorized cross country travel, dispersed camping, and big game retrieval allowed across the Gila National Forest. These three types of uses continue to have potential effects to upland, riparian, and wetland species of reptiles and amphibians. Additionally, these three types of uses perpetuate the development of additional roads and motorized trails; potentially allowing for the development of higher road densities. Under the no action alternative through time the potential for the direct loss of individuals and habitat would increase, as would the potential for disturbance affects to these species. Action Alternatives (C, D, E, F, and G): Under all action alternatives motorized cross country travel (see assumption) is no longer allowed. The change from the existing condition is a 100% reduction in motorized cross country travel. In the Mexican gartersnake analysis area motorized dispersed camping is reduced by 90 to 100% under all action alternatives; Arizona toad and narrow headed gartersnake analysis area 92 to 100%; and 94 to 100% in the Gila monster analysis area. For these focal species the area of potentially affected habitat for motorized big game retrieval is reduced by 100% under Alternative E, 95 to 96% under Alternative D, 46 to 94% under Alternative F, 95% under Alternative G, and 16 to 22% under Alternative C. Motorized areas are locations where we have had traditional uses like motorized camping and OHV use. Under all action alternatives no areas currently exist in the reptile and amphibian analysis areas, and no areas have been designated. Miles of motorized routes and trails and acres of potentially affected habitat within the analysis area for reptiles and amphibians are reduced by 34 to 51% under Alternative E; 21 to 37% under Alternative D; 9 to 19% under Alternative F, and 19 to 24% under Alternative G. Under Alternative C motorized routes are increased by 4% in the Gila monster analysis area, 3% in the Mexican gartersnake analysis area, and reduced by 1% in the Arizona toad and narrow headed gartersnake analysis area. For the focal species and their associated analysis areas Alternative E adds 0 miles of routes, Alternatives D, F, and G adds 1 mile of currently unauthorized route; and Alternative C adds up to 10 miles of unauthorized routes. Because the Gila currently allows cross country travel most proposed routes even though unauthorized/recognized are currently being used. Findings: Table44: Amphibian and reptile Forest Service sensitive species determination by alternative Sensitive Species Alt. B Existing Condition Determination by Alternative Alt. C Alt. D Alt. E Alt. F Alt. G Mexican gartersnake MI* MI MI MI MI Arizona toad MI MI MI MI MI 67
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Gila National Forest Travel Managem
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that are on the Regional Forester S
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ALTERNATIVES and MITIGATION MEASURE
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AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT The Gila Natio
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In 1977, a study was published by a
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Regional Forester Sensitive Species
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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 and 60: iparian (cottonwood/sycamore), and
Page 61 and 62: Reptiles and Amphibians-Effects by
Page 63 and 64: effects to the species and its habi
Page 65: Arizona Toad and Narrow Headed Gart
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
Page 115 and 116: Costa’s Hummingbird (Forest Servi
Page 117 and 118:
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
Page 127 and 128:
Findings: Table 96: Mearn’s quail
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showed an increase in numbers from
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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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