SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 3 ⎯ Affected Environmentbluejoint grass, oak fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris), red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), lowbushcranberry (Vaccinium vitis idaea), and red currant (Ribes triste). Graminoid/herbaceous wetlandscover about 21 percent of lowland forest wetlands; bluejoint reedgrass (Calamagrostis canadensis),and sedges (Carex spp.) dominate. Sweetgale-ericaceous shrub wetlands cover about11 percent of the lowland forest wetland type. These wetland types are found bordering ShipCreek, McVeigh Marsh, in the Fossil Creek bottomlands, areas southwest of ERF, and drainagessouth and west of Clunie Lake.• Lacustrine Wetlands (1 percent) – These areas surround open water and are vegetated withsedges (Carex rhynophysa and Carex kelloggii). These wetlands also contain marsh five-finger(Potentilla palustis), marsh (Equisetum palustre) and woodland horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum),Cahmiss’ cottongrass (Eriophorum russeolum), shore sedge (Carex limosa), and sphagnum moss(Sphagnum spp.) (Lichvar et al. 1997).• Alpine and Subalpine Wetlands – Alpine and subalpine wetlands comprise about 0.3 percent ofFRA. Bluejoint meadow wetlands, found in subalpine areas, are the most common of these.USARAK has obtained a 5-year wetland permit to conduct military training in wetlands at FRA. Thispermit allows limited maneuver or other military activities to occur in some wetland areas, where inthe past, no activity was permitted at all. USARAK may not damage more than 40 acres per year ofwetlands. If that amount is exceeded, training in wetlands will be prohibited, and individuals may beliable for fines and other penalties. Restoration of all damage is mandatory. Monitoring for 2000 and2001 indicated that approximately 3.5 acres were damaged each year (USARAK 2004).Noxious WeedsInvasive species occur at Fort Richardson in Alaska; however, relative to military installations andfederal lands in the lower 48 states, the invasive problem is currently minimal in nature. USARAK iscommitted to taking a proactive approach to managing invasive species.In 2000, USARAK Environmental RTLA Coordinators met with other Alaska land managers (NPS,U.S. Forest Service [USFS], BLM, and U.S. Air Force) to discuss Alaska’s weed management concerns.This was the first meeting among Alaska’s plant scientists to assess invasive weed concerns.Area agencies decided that a cooperative and coordinated effort within the state was needed to monitorand manage invasive plants, and the Committee for Noxious and Invasive Weeds Management(CNIPM) was formed. The main goal of CNIPM is to heighten the awareness of the problems associatedwith nonnative invasive plants and to bring about greater statewide coordination, cooperation,and action to halt the introduction and spread of undesirable plants. The committee holds monthlyteleconference meetings and an annual conference. USARAK participates regularly in these conferencesand has presented their invasive plant monitoring efforts via poster and oral presentations(USARAK 2000e).WildlifeWildlife and fisheries management on USAGAK lands has traditionally supported recreational andsubsistence use, maintenance of populations and habitats, and preservation of biological diversity.Wildlife and fish populations and their habitats are managed cooperatively by USAGAK, ADFG, andUSFWS. More information on wildlife and fisheries can be found in the Transformation of U.S.Army Alaska Final Environmental Impact Statement (USARAK 2004).The Army’s specific goals for wildlife include improving habitat quality for game and non-game species,using nesting structures to improve productivity of birds, and maintaining sustainable harvest ofFebruary 2008 3–123 2/25th SBCT Final EIS