Wildlife Specialist report
Wildlife Specialist report
Wildlife Specialist report
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area is 98,052 acres. Within this potential disturbance zone motorized routes continue to<br />
cause the potential for disturbance, displacement, avoidance and harassment. Increase in<br />
the level of use on these routes through time would increase the potential for indirect<br />
effects.<br />
Under this alternative you continue to have motorized cross country travel, dispersed<br />
camping, and big game retrieval allowed across the Gila National Forest. These three<br />
types of uses continue to have potential effect cavity nesting birds. Additionally, these<br />
three types of uses perpetuate the development of additional roads and motorized trails;<br />
potentially allowing for the development of higher road densities. Under the no action<br />
alternative through time the potential for the direct loss of individuals and habitat would<br />
increase, as would the potential for disturbance affects to these species.<br />
Action Alternatives (C, D, E, F, and G): Under all action alternatives motorized cross<br />
country travel (see assumption) is no longer allowed. The change from the existing<br />
condition is a 100% reduction in motorized cross country travel. Motorized dispersed<br />
camping is reduced by 95 to 100% under all action alternatives. Motorized big game<br />
retrieval is reduced by 100% under Alternative E, 96% under Alternative D and G, 33%<br />
under Alternative F, and 11% under Alternative C.<br />
Motorized areas are locations where we have had traditional uses like motorized camping<br />
and OHV use. In this analysis area currently there are 9 acres of habitat being affect by a<br />
motorized area. Alternative E and D eliminate these acres of affected habitat, and the<br />
remaining action alternatives propose no change from the existing condition.<br />
Under Alternative D, E, F, and G miles of motorized routes and trails and acres of<br />
potentially affected habitat are reduced, respectively by 30%, 48%, 20%, and 21% in this<br />
analysis area. Under Alternative C miles of motorized routes and trails and acres of<br />
potentially affected habitat are increased by 1%.<br />
For the focal species and their associated analysis areas Alternative E adds 0 miles of<br />
routes; Alternatives D adds 8 miles, Alternative F 22 miles, Alternative G 23 miles, and<br />
Alternative C adds 53 miles of unauthorized routes. None of the action alternatives allow<br />
for an actual increase in the total miles of routes through the associated analysis areas,<br />
except Alternative C which allows for a 1% increase. Because the Gila currently allows<br />
cross country travel some proposed routes even though unauthorized are currently being<br />
used.<br />
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