STATE OF MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION White Porcupine Multiple Timber Sales Project Executive Summary August2008 Initial Proposal and Public Concerns SwanRiverStateForest, EnvironmentalImpactStatement DNRChasthetaskof MontanaDepartmentof (DEIS)fortheWhitePorcupine managingStateschooltrust NaturalResourcesand MultipleTimberSalesProject. lands. Theprimarypurposes Conservation(DNRC),is ofthistimbersaleprojectareto TheDEISpresents: planningtheWhitePorcupine provideincomefortheschool descriptionsofano-action MultipleTimberSalesProject. trust,grownewstandsof alternativeand3action Theproposedsaleareais healthytrees,andimprovethe alternativesandtellshoweach locatedapproximately7miles growthandvigorofthe alternativewouldaffectSwan southofSwanLake,Montana remainingtrees. Thisproject RiverStateForest. onschooltrustlandsinthe followsthe StateForestLand westportionoftheforest. The adetailedanalysisthat ManagementRules(Annotated projectareatotals explainshowtheprojectwould RulesofMontana[ARM] approximately6,295acresand affectorimpactspecific 36.11.401through36.11.450) includesallorportionsof wildlifespecies,oldgrowth, andisbasedonthepremise Sections2,16,22,23,and24, waterquality,fishhabitat,etc. that,fortheforeseeablefuture, Township23north,Range18 timbermanagementwill ThisExecutiveSummary: west,andSections22,23,26, continuetobetheprimary isdesignedinaccordancewith 28,and34,Township24north, sourceofrevenue. Timber theMontanaEnvironmental Range18west. Theproject managementwillbethe PolicyAct(MEPA)rules; areaalsoincludestheexisting primarytoolforachieving andproposedroadsneededto iswrittentobeeasily biodiversityobjectivesonState accessandsupportthe understoodwithsupporting forestlands. proposedprojectactivities. photographsandmaps; (SeeVICINITYMAP,page2, brieflydescribestheproject andPROJECTAREAMAP, proposalandthealternatives page3.) thathavebeenconsidered;and TableofContents ThisExecutiveSummaryis informsyouofthenextstepin VicinityMap 2 partoftheDraft thisproject. ProjectAreaMap 3 Accomplishmentstobe 4 AchievedbytheAction 4 DevelopingtheProjectand 4 DisplayingtheConcerns InitialProposalandPublic 5 Swan River Concerns State Forest Headquarters SummaryofAlternatives 6 GeneralDifferencesofthe ActionAlternatives 6 SummaryofEffects 7 OverviewoftheDEIS Page VICINITY MAP Koocanusa ·#E/(ureka North Glacier S# 93S#Fortine Stillwater Fork S# ôó StateForest 37 Flat S# S# hea Stryker d ke CoalCreek R. a StateForest L i n c o l n L Troy#S KootenaiR Olney S# National (/ &\ Whitefish Libby #Y 2 #Y Park Columbia Falls F l a t h e a d ôó 56 (/ &\ 2 Kalispell #SHappy'sInn Clark Fork R. ôó S#SwanLake Trout S# Flathead35 Creek ø÷200 Thompson Elm#So lake SwanRiver River StateForest StateForest Sa n de r s WhitePorcupineProjectVLicainiktye &\Polson Hot Springs S ôó Thompson&\ S# wan83 Falls ôó R 28 .-, # #· (/ S#Condon 90 Plains 93 M is so ul a ø÷ S# 135 ø÷ 200 St.Regis S# Ravalli SeeleyLake S# 0 10 20 30 40 50 Miles N Highways Lakes OtherRoads Streams W E Countyline State Land S Page2 Page3 Accomplishments to beAchieved by theActionAlternatives Dependingonwhetheranaction harvesttreesthathavebeen construct9.5to14milesof alternativeischosen,andwhich affectedbyinsectsand newroadsandimprove41.6 one,6to8timbersaleswouldbe diseases,therebyreducingfuel to62.9milesofexistingroads soldandharvestedduringthe3- loadsand,subsequently,fire tomeetBestManagement yearopenactive-management hazards; Practices; period. Theproposedtimber generate$1,148,446to repair3to4streamcrossings saleprojectswouldharvest15.5 1,949,598fortheCommon andinstall2to14newstream to24.2millionboardfeet Schooltrustinsupportof crossings; (MMbf)oftimber(3,100to4,830 publicschools(kindergarten prepareloggedareastogrow truckloadsoflogs)from1,186to throughgrade12); newtreesbybroadcast 1,563acres. developa22-acregravelpit,a burningorpilingandburning Inadditionthisprojectwould: littleatatime,toprovidea slashandscarifyingthe movetheforeststands rocksourceforthisandfuture groundtoallowseedsto towardshistoricalconditions; projects; germinatenaturallyortreesto beplanted. Developing the Project and Displaying the Concerns OnMarch13,2003,theDepartmentadoptedthe AdministrativeRulesforForestManagement(Rules). The RulesprovideguidanceonhowDNRCwillmanagetheirforestsanddealwithspecificitemsthatneedto beconsideredwhenplanningandconductingatimbersale. TheIDTeamfollowedtheserulesduringthe developmentofthistimbersaleprojectproposal. TheRulesmaybefoundonthewebat: www.dnrc.mt.gov/trust/default.asp. IngeneraltheseRulescoverhowthefollowingitemsshouldbe managed: biodiversity(theforestconditionsaremanagedforadesiredmixofstandstructuresandforesttypes); roads; watersheds; fisheries; wildlifespecies,includingthoselistedasthreatened,endangered,andsensitive,andbiggame; weeds;and economics. Page4 Initial Proposal and Public Concerns Duringtheinitialstagesofthisproject,adjacent DNRCstaff,fieldwork,andrequirements landowners,interestedparties,andthepublic imposedbyapplicablerules,laws,and wereinformedoftheproposedactionandinvited regulations,theissuesfromthepublicprovided tosubmitanyissuesorconcernstheymayhave. theIDTeamtheframeworktodevelopa reasonablerangeofalternatives. InJuneof2007,DNRCsolicitedpubliccomments throughthedistributionoftheWhitePorcupine Afterdiscussingtheseconcernsandstudyingthe MultipleTimberSaleInitialProposal. The area,wefoundthatexplanationsoftheeffectsthat proposalincludedmaps,objectives,andcontact theproposedtimbersaleprojectwouldhaveon information,andwasmailedtoindividuals, thefollowingresourceswereneeded: agencies,internalDNRCstaff,industry Vegetation(trees,includingoldgrowth) representatives,andotherorganizationsthathad Watershedandhydrology(water) expressinterestinSwanRiverStateForest’s Fisheries managementactivities. Additionally,public Wildlife noticeswereplacedinareanewspapers. Thirty Threatenedandendangeredspecies daysweregiventosubmitcomments,and21 Canadalynx responseswerereceived. Graywolf DNRCalsoheldfieldtoursduringSeptember Grizzlybear 2007andJulyof2008,anopenhouseduringApril Sensitivespecies 2008,andattendedacommunitymeetingduring Fisher June2008. Newsletterswerealsodistributedto Pileatedwoodpecker interestedpartiesduringDecember2007and Biggamespecies March2008;thenewsletterselicited2additional Geologyandsoils comments. Economics Airquality TheInterdisplinaryTeam(IDTeam)reviewedthe Recreation responsesandidentifiedmorethan110issues Aesthetics relatedtotheproject. Alongwithissuesraisedby Page5 Summary ofAlternatives Afterstudyingthelistofconcerns,4possiblechoices(alternatives)weredevelopedbytheIDTeam. Each ofthealternativeswasdesignedtoaddressaparticularconcernorgroupofconcerns. No-ActionAlternativeA ActionAlternativeB Timberwouldnotbeharvested. 21.5MMbfoftimberwouldbeharvested Nomoneywouldbecontributedtothe from1,519acres. CommonSchooltrustortheForest Approximately$1,588,477wouldbe ImprovementProgram. contributedtotheCommonSchooltrustand Roadswouldnotbebuiltorimproved. $586,950wouldbecontributedtotheForest ImprovementProgram. Agravelpitwouldnotbedeveloped. 62.9milesofroadswouldbeimprovedand Old-growthstandswouldnotbetreatedor 14milesofnewroadswouldbebuilt. maintained. A22-acregravelpitwouldbedevelopedin Forestcoverandconnectivityforwildlife stages. travelwouldnotbealtered. Roadconstructionandimprovementswould Insectinfestationsanddiseaseinfections enhancetheinfrastructureandtheabilityto wouldlikelyincrease. suppressfiresinthelongterm. Roadmaintenanceprojects,firesuppression, 3wetand16drystreamcrossingswouldbe andrecreationactivitieswouldcontinueasin installed. thepast. Insectanddiseaseissuestobemanagedand Theviewshedwouldnotchange. treated. Newriskstofisheriesorwaterquality/ 1,146acresofoldgrowthhabitatswouldbe quantitywouldnotbecreated. harvested,thusremoving963acresfromthe old-growthstatus. Effectstofisheriesandwaterquality/ quantitywouldbespreadoverabroadarea thatincludesWhitetail,Woodward,and SouthWoodwardcreeks. Thelocaleconomyissupportedviajobscreatedby Moneyearnedfromtimbersaleshelpssupportschools timbersales. Page6 ActionAlternativeC ActionAlternativeD 24.2 millionboardfeetoftimberwouldbe 15.5millionboardfeetoftimberwouldbe harvestedfrom1,563acres. harvestfrom1,186acres. Approximately$1,949,598wouldbe Approximately$1,148,446wouldbe contributedtotheCommonSchooltrustand contributedtotheCommonSchooltrustand $423,150wouldbecontributedtotheForest $660,600wouldbecontributedtotheForest ImprovementProgram. ImprovementProgram. 60.4milesofroadswouldbeimprovedand 41.6milesofroadswouldbeimprovedand 11.2milesofnewroadswouldbe 9.5milesofnewroadswouldbebuilt. constructed. A22-acregravelpitwouldbedevelopedin A22-acregravelpitwouldbedevelopedin stages. stages. Theold-growthpatchintheWhitetail 3wetand8drystreamcrossingswouldbe drainagewouldbemaintained. installed. Foreststandswouldcontinuetoshifttoward Insectanddiseaseissueswouldbemanaged historicconditions(desiredfuture andtreatedintensively;maintenanceof conditions). additionalstandswouldbeallowed. 5wetand11drystreamcrossingswouldbe 1,219acresofoldgrowthhabitatswouldbe installed. harvested,thusremoving1,114acresfrom Onlyasmallportionoftheinsectanddisease theold-growthstatus. issueswouldbemanaged. Managementforlargerforestpatchsizes 610acresofold-growthhabitatswouldbe wouldminimizepotentialhabitat harvested,removingall610acresfromthe fragmentation. old-growthstatus. Effectstofisheriesandwaterquality/ quantitywouldbeconfinedtoWhitetail Creek. GENERAL DIFFERENCES OF THE ACTION ALTERNATIVES Differencesamongtheactionalternatives: Numberofacresharvested Amountofboardfeetharvested AmountofmoneygeneratedfortheCommonSchooltrust Amountofacresremovedfromtheold-growthstatus Milesofnewroadtobebuilt Milesofexistingroadstobemaintained Numberofstreamcrossingstobeinstalled Acresofstandpromotedtodesiredfutureconditions Theintensityofinsectanddiseasetreatments Page7 Summary of Effects VEGETATION Douglas-fir,grandfir,subalpinefir,westernred Vegetationisdifferentthanwhatwashistorically cedar,westernhemlock,lodgepolepineand onSwanRiverStateForest andwhatisdesiredin westernwhitepinemortality. thefuture. Treesthatareabletogrowintheshade WildfiresacrossSwanriverStateForestvaryin andstandsofmixedconifers(Engelmannspruce, frequencyandintensity,leavingaassortedpattern westernredcedar)areplentiful,whiletreesthat ofageclassesandcovertypes. Immediately areunabletogrowinshade(westernlarch, followingtimberharvestingunderalloftheaction Douglas-fir,andwesternwhitepine)aremore alternatives,theamountoffinefuelswould scarce. Presently,theacresoftreesintheseedling- increase. However,pilingandburningslashand saplingageclasshavebeenreduced,whiletreesin othervariousfueltreatmentswouldreducethese theold-standageclassareoverlyplentiful. hazards. Standswherethinningandregenerationharvest Sensitiveplantswerefoundintheprojectareain treatmentsareusedwouldshifttheforest wetmeadows,areasnotusuallyconsideredfor vegetationtowardthedesiredfuturecondition. timberharvesting. Nosensitiveplantspecieswere Shade-tolerantandmixed-coniferspecieswould foundintheproposedharvestunits;therefore beremovedtoallowwesternlarch,ponderosa sensitiveplants,wouldnotlikelybeaffectedby pine,Douglas-fir,andwesternwhitepineto theproposedaction. regenerate. Standswhereselectiveharvest Canadathistle,spottedknapweed,yellow treatmentsareusedwouldgiveexistingtreesmore hawkweed,orangehawkweed,oxeyedaisy,and roomtogrow,thuscreatinghealthier,stronger commonSt.John’s-wortareestablishedalongroad forests. edgesintheprojectarea. Weedseedwould Theinsectanddiseaseproblemsintheprojectarea continuetobeintroducedbyforestrecreationists onSwanRiverStateForestincludetheDouglas-fir andloghaulingandotherloggingactivitieson barkbeetleandvariousrootdiseasesthatattack neighboringownerships. SwanRiverStateForest Douglas-fir. Thewhitepineblisterrust,dwarf mayinitiatespotsprayingundertheForest mistletoe,mountainpinebeetle,andIndianpaint Improvementprogramtoreducethespreadof fungusarealsopresent. Therefore,treesselected noxiousweedsalongroads. Undertheaction forharvestingareprimarilythoseaffectedby alternatives,loghaulingandmovingequipment insectsanddiseases. wouldintroduceseedsfromothersites. However, Approximately31.1percentofSwanRiverState weedestablishmentandspreadwouldbereduced Forestisconsideredtobeoldgrowth. Theproject byrequiringcontractorstowashandhavetheir areacontains2,722acresofoldgrowthstands. machineryinspectedpriortoenteringtheproject From610to1,219acresofoldgrowth,depending area. Requiredgrassseedingofnewand onalternative,wouldbeharvested. Thiswould disturbedroadsandlandings,spotsprayingareas curtaildiseaseinfectionsandinsectinfestationsin ofnewweedinfestations,andsprayingherbicides old-growthstandsandpotentiallyreduce onroadsideswouldalsohelp. Page8 WATERSHED AND HYDROLOGY FISHERIES Duringprojectplanning,thewatershedsofSouth Westslopecutthroattrout,bulltrout,anumberof Woodward,Woodward,Whitetail,andEast nativefishspecies,and3nonnativefishspeciesare Porcupinecreekswereassessedtodeterminehow presentintheprojectarea. TheU.S.fishand thesecreekswouldbeaffectedbytheincreased WildlifeServicehaslistedbulltroutas sedimentationandstreamflowthatisrelatedto ‘threatened’undertheEndangeredSpeciesAct. cuttingtrees,constructingandimprovingroads, Bothbulltroutandwestslopecutthroattroutare andotherloggingactivities. Sedimentlevelswere listedasClass-AMontanaAnimalSpeciesof measuredandpossibleimpactsfromtheproposed Concern. activitieswerestudied. Adeterminationwas WhitetailCreekistheonlyareawhereharvesting madethatsedimentlevelsinEastPorcupineCreek activitieswouldlikelyaffectthepresenceofnative wouldbeunaffectedand,thus,thiscreekwas fisheriespopulations. Currently,impacts dismissedfromfurthersedimentationanalysis. unfavorabletonativefishpopulationsinthis SouthWoodwardCreekcurrentlyreceives watershedarehigh. Thistimbersaleisexpectedto approximately23.6tonsofsedimentperyear, haveapositiveeffectonthesefisheriesby WoodwardCreekreceives3.5tons,andWhitetail providingnewhabitatfreeofnonnativefish Creekreceives5.9tons. Theroadimprovementsin species. Subsequently,long-termriskstonative thethreeactionalternativeswouldeithernot westslopecutthroattroutpopulationswouldbe changesedimentdeliverytosomecreeksorwould reduced. reducetheamountofsedimentdeliveredtothe Otherimpactstofisheriesincludeflowregime, creeksby1.4to4.7tonsperyear. sediment,channelforms,ripariancondition,large Thesesamefourcreeksweremeasuredforcurrent woodydebris,temperature,macroinvertebrate waterlevels(wateryield)andthepossibleimpacts richness,andconnectivity. Thefollowingarethe fromtheproposedactivitieswerestudied. The effectsofthe5analysisareasincludedinthe wateryieldinSouthWoodwardCreekwatershed projectarea: ispresentlyabout8.3percentoverthenaturally SouthWoodwardCreek-Lowimpactsorno occurringlevel;WoodwardCreekis7.2percent impactswouldlikelybeexperiencedunderall over;WhitetailCreekis7.4percentover,andEast 3actionalternatives. ActionAlternativeB PorcupineCreekis6.6percentover. Underthe wouldresultinalllowimpacts,exceptfor actionalternatives,wateryieldwouldeither connectivity,whichwouldhavenoimpacts. C remainthesameorincreaseby0.6to6.5percent, wouldresultinnoimpacts;andDwould dependingonthecreek. resultinamixtureofnotolowimpacts. WoodwardCreek- Underall3action alternatives,flow,sediment,channelforms, andmacroinvertebraterichnesswouldlikely experiencelowimpacts,andriparian condition,largewoodydebris,temperature, andconnectivitywouldlikelyexperienceno impacts. Page9 WhitetailCreek-Underall3action  ActionAlternativeB- Theold-growthamount alternatives,flow,channelforms,riparian wouldbereducedby35percent,thoughthe condition,largewoodydebris,temperature, numberofpatchesandtherelativelargepatch andmacroinvertebraterichnesswouldlikely sizewouldremainthesame. Therefore, experiencelowimpacts,sedimentwould wildlifespeciesthatuseoldgrowthforliving experiencemoderateshort-termimpacts,and requirementswouldbeonlyslightlyaffected. connectivitywouldexperiencepositive  ActionAlternativeC-Theoldgrowthamount impacts. wouldbereducedby41percent. Large SwanFaceDrainage- Underall3action patchesofoldgrowthwouldbereducedinthe alternatives,flow,sediment,channelforms, projectarea. Wildlifespeciesthatuseold andmacroinvertebraterichness,wouldlikely growthforlivingrequirementswouldbe experiencelowimpacts,andriparian moderatelyaffected,althoughtheeffects condition,largewoodydebris,temperature, wouldbelimitedtotheWhitetaildrainage. andconnectivitywouldlikelyexperienceno  ActionAlternativeD- Theold-growthamount impacts. wouldbereducedby22percent. Large PorcupineCreek—Underall3action patchesofoldgrowthwouldremainplentiful alternatives,ripariancondition,largewoody intheprojectarea. Therefore,wildlifespecies debris,temperature,andconnectivitywould thatuseoldgrowthforlivingrequirements likelyexperiencenoimpacts. UnderAction wouldbeonlyslightlyaffected. AlternativesBandC,flow,sediment,channel Forestconnectivityhasbeenfairlywellmaintained forms,andmacroinvertebraterichnesswould intheprojectarea. Theprojectareahasabout likelyexperiencelowimpactsandnoimpacts 4,403acresofconnectedforestthatprovide underD. habitatsthatallowwildlifespeciesthatinthe WILDLIFE forestmovementwithoutbeingeasilydetected. General Habitat Attributes Followingareeffectsinsummaryforeachaction Themixed-conifercovertypesiscurrently alternative: overrepresentedonSwanRiverStateForest,which  ActionAlternativeB- Theamountof hasincreasedhabitatforwildlifespeciesthatuse connectedforestwouldbereducedby871 denseforeststands. Speciesthatusethemore- acres. Thenorthernmostandsouthernmost openstandshavefewerhabitatsavailable. More portionsoftheprojectareawouldbeaffected standsthatarematureexistthanyoungstands; theleast. Therefore,wildlifeconnectivityin therefore,speciesthatrequireyounger-aged theprojectareawouldbeaffectedtoaminor standshavelessavailablehabitat. Underthe3 degree. actionalternatives,somecovertypeswouldbe  ActionAlternativeC-Theamountof convertedfromshade-toleranttoshade-intolerant connectedforestwouldbereducedby1,001 andolderstandswouldbereplacedwithyounger acres. TheuplandsoftheWhitetaildrainage stands. Thus,futurehabitatwouldbemorein wouldbethemostheavilyimpacted. keepingwithhistoricconditionsandthedesired Therefore,wildlifeconnectivityintheproject futureconditions. areawouldbemoderatelyaffected. About2,722acresofoldgrowthexistintheproject  ActionAlternativeD—Theamountof area. Followingareeffectsinsummaryforeach connectedforestwouldbereducedby821 actionalternative: acres. Theeffectswouldbescattered throughouttheprojectarea;though Page10