Request for Commentsa123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic...2 Upon reviewing the States’ requests, the Chief designated approximately 45.6 million acres of National Forest

Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper

Logo Department Name Agency Organization Organization Address Information

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Forest

Service

Chattahoochee-Oconee National

Forests

Conasauga Ranger District

3941 Highway 76

Chatsworth, GA 30705

706-695-6736

FAX: 706-695-1872

File Code: 1950

Date: April 26, 2016

Request for Comments

Armuchee Healthy Forests Project

Dear Interested Citizen:

The Conasauga Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests is proposing the

Armuchee Healthy Forest Project located on National Forests System lands in Chattooga, Floyd, Walker

and Whitfield Counties, Georgia. The project is designed to reduce the risk for southern pine beetle

(SPB) infestations in over-crowded pine stands and restore the ecological integrity of those stands by

moving them towards a more ecologically appropriate composition that is more resilient to future insect

and disease outbreaks.

We have been working very closely with local interest groups, agencies and individuals over the last few

months to develop this proposed action. To date, district staff and our collaborative partners have

gathered for two workshops and a field trip to formulate the various components of this proposal. I would

like to thank those who have actively participated in this collaborative process thus far and I look forward

to our continued partnership as we approach project implementation.

I am considering using the authorities recently amended to the Healthy Forest Restoration Act to

implement this project. Under these authorities, my decision would be categorically excluded from

further documentation in an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Before

reaching this decision, however, I am seeking additional input to identify concerns that may not have been

raised during the initial collaborative phase of this project. I encourage you to participate by providing

your comments on this proposed action. Your comments will be used to identify relevant issues and help

guide the environmental analysis. Activities included in this proposal would likely begin during 2017 and

would be implemented over the next three to five years.

Background

Section 8204 of the Agriculture Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79) (also referred to as Farm Bill) amended

Title VI of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (HFRA) (16 U.S.C. 6591 et seq.) to add Sections

602 and 603 to address qualifying insect and disease infestations on National Forest System lands. The

Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture delegated authority to implement the provisions of the

Farm Bill to the Chief of the Forest Service on March 6, 2014.

Section 602 provides, in part, the opportunity for Governors to request designation of areas in their State

that are experiencing, or at risk of, an insect or disease epidemic. The Forest Service received letters from

35 states requesting designations. These requests were reviewed to ensure they met at least one of the

following eligibility criteria outlined in the Farm Bill: experiencing forest health decline based on annual

forest health surveys; at risk of experiencing substantially increased tree mortality based on the most

recent Forest Health Protection Insect and Disease Risk Map; or contains hazard trees that pose an

imminent risk to public infrastructure, health, or safety.

2

Upon reviewing the States’ requests, the Chief designated approximately 45.6 million acres of National

Forest System lands across 94 national forests in 35 States. Over 700,000 acres were designated on the

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, including nearly 60,000 acres on the Armuchee unit of the

Conasauga Ranger District. Information on the request and designation process, by state, can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us/farmbill/areadesignations.shtml.

Section 603 establishes a categorical exclusion (CE) for qualifying insect and disease projects in

designated areas on National Forest System lands. An insect and disease project that may be categorically

excluded under this authority is a project that is designed to reduce the risk or extent of, or increase the

resilience to, insect or disease infestation in the areas (HFRA, Sections 602(d) and 603(a)).

In order to utilize the available categorical exclusion under this section, projects must:

Maximize old-growth and large trees, as appropriate for the forest type, to the extent the trees

promote stands that are resilient to insect and disease threats;

Consider best available scientific information to maintain or restore the ecological integrity,

including maintaining or restoring structure, function, composition and connectivity;

Be developed through a collaborative process that includes multiple interested persons

representing diverse interests and is transparent and nonexclusive;

Not exceed 3,000 acres;

Not include construction of permanent roads;

Be consistent with applicable Land and Resource Management Plans;

Be located within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) or applicable condition class/fire

regimes.

Project Area Location and Description

The project area includes National Forest lands on the Armuchee unit of the Conasauga Ranger District in

Chattooga, Floyd, Walker and Whitfield Counties, Georgia within the HFRA section 602 designated

treatment area. Project stands are located in parts of management compartments 903, 905, 907, 915, 916,

917, 918, 925, 931, 932, 935, 938, and 948 (see Project Maps). All treatment areas are considered WUI

and/or can be described as condition class 2 or 3 within Fire Regime II.

Project area stands are located across three (3) Management Prescriptions. Project activities are not

planned for the embedded Riparian Corridor Management Prescription.

Management Prescription Acres Percent of Project Area

7.A Scenic Byway Corridor 126 8%

7.E.1 Dispersed Recreation Areas 46 3%

9.H Management, Maintenance, and Restoration of Plant

Associations to Their Ecological Potential

1,394 89%

Total 1,566 100%

Purpose and Need

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to reduce the risk for southern pine beetle infestations and restore

the ecological integrity of overstocked pine stands within the project area. Actions included in this

proposal are in conformance with the following Goals and Objectives described in the Chattahoochee-

Oconee National Forests Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan):

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Objective 3.6: Within the first 10 years of Plan implementation, restore oak or oak-pine forests

on 1,250 acres on the Chattahoochee and 550 acres on the Oconee on appropriate sites currently

occupied by pine plantations or other hardwood species such as gum and maple.

Objective 40.1: Maintain forest-stocking levels at no more than ‘fully stocked’ for the species,

age, and site quality with priority for treatment given to those vegetation communities at highest

risk of insect or disease attack.

o Reduce stem density on an annual average of 1,500 acres of overstocked loblolly pine

stands on the Chattahoochee during the first 10 years of Plan implementation.

o Reduce stem density on an annual average of 1,500 acres of overstocked shortleaf pine

stands on the Chattahoochee during the first 10 years of Plan implementation.

Need: The Armuchee unit of the Conasauga Ranger District is marked by a history of active timber

management that has resulted in thousands of acres of even-aged pine stands. As in other areas across

the South, early even-aged management on the Armuchee unit emphasized reforestation of regenerated

areas to loblolly pine because of its rapid growth rates, ease of establishment and adaptability to a broad

range of site conditions. Reforestation of areas to loblolly pine during that time period often displaced

native mixed oak-yellow pine forests.

Later, during the 1990s, even-aged management practices shifted away from the earlier emphasis on

loblolly pine timber production and towards concepts of restoration. Cleared areas created from even-

aged management were frequently reforested with shortleaf pine to establish mixed oak-shortleaf pine

forests. Inherently slower juvenile growth rates and poor survival of shortleaf pine prompted

experimental plantings of pitch pine on some sites based on its performance in other areas of the Forest.

Today, these even-aged stands have grown crowded. Overstocked stand conditions reduce the vigor of

individual trees because site resources (water, nutrients, light) become very limited. Competition for

limited site resources causes stress, decreasing the resilience of trees to insect and disease outbreaks, such

as southern pine beetle. These trees are further stressed and at additional risk, because they were planted

on sites outside of their native range of habitats.

Southern pine beetle (SPB) is considered the most destructive native insect pest in southern pine forests.

The frequency and severity of SPB outbreaks have increased region-wide over the last four decades.

Such events have been attributed to increases in acreage of pine growing stock, the presence of larger and

older pine trees, and changes in forest structure (Belanger et al. 19931). While all yellow pine species

are susceptible to SPB, loblolly and shortleaf pines are considered the most vulnerable. During the last

major SPB episode on National Forest lands in north Georgia (1998-2001), nearly 300 individual SPB

spots were identified on the Armuchee unit alone.

Initial SPB infestation and subsequent spot growth are most commonly associated with slow-growing,

overstocked pine stands where individual tree vigor is low due to stress caused by competition for limited

site resources (Nebeker and Hodges 19852). Pine stands where stocking levels exceed 120 ft2 per acre in

basal area are considered highly vulnerable to attack by SPB and to subsequent rapid spot development.

Susceptibility to SPB also increases with stand age. Mature and over-mature pine stands are considered

at a higher risk for SPB infestation than younger stands due to declining vigor associated with tree age

1 Belenger, B.P., R.L. Hedden and P.L. Lorio, Jr. 1993. Management strategies to reduce losses from the southern

pine beetle. So. J. Appl. For 17(3): 150-154. 2 Nebeker, T.E. and J. D. Hodges. 1985. Thinning and harvesting practices to minimize site and stand disturbance

and susceptibility to bark beetle and disease attacks. In Branham, S.J. and R.C. Thatcher (eds). Proceedings of

integrated pest management research symposium. Gen Tech. Rep. SO-56, USDA Forest Service, pp. 263-271.

4

and because they offer more suitable feedings sites (larger boles) for the beetle. Based on observed

conditions within the project area and input provided by participants during the collaborative process,

there is a need to reduce the risk of, or increase the resilience to, SPB infestations by decreasing stocking

levels in overcrowded pine stands.

Current management recommendations to prevent and/or limit SPB infestations and subsequent spread

include altering stand structure through thinning. Thinning reduces competition among trees, increases

tree vigor, removes weaker individuals more susceptible to SPB and increases distance between host-

susceptible trees. Current thinning guidelines recommend thinning stands to stocking levels at or below

80 ft2 per acre (Nowak et al. 20083).

Other preventive methods include regeneration of mature pine forests and conversion of sites to more

resistant species (Belanger et al. 1993). Managing for mixed stands of hardwood and yellow pine has

also been suggested because SPB prefers stands with a uniform and continuous composition of host

susceptible species. Mixed stands break this continuity, which can limit spot spread.

Ecological concepts, such as ecosystems, habitat, and stand dynamics, also indicate that these stands are

highly departed from their reference condition as mixed-aged, native oak-pine forests. Departure can be

considered in terms of forest structure, composition, function, and connectivity (FSM Ch. 2020.5). Forest

structure has transitioned from multi-leveled canopy with many openings to a single, continuous canopy

layer. Forest composition has transitioned from native oak-pine forests to planted monocultures of

loblolly pine or pitch pine that are not native to these sites, and these stands are generally very low in

diversity. These changes have reduced ecological function, including the loss of wildlife habitats such as

snags and loss of wildlife food resources such as acorns and grass seeds. These stands also reduce

connectivity by creating a barrier for many species between patches of native forest on either side of the

stands.

The Forest Service Manual defines restoration as: The process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem

that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. Ecological restoration focuses on establishing the

composition, structure, pattern, and ecological processes necessary to facilitate terrestrial and aquatic

ecosystem sustainability, resilience, and health under current and future conditions (FSM Ch. 2020.5).

Based on observed conditions within the project area and input provided by participants during the

collaborative process, there is a need to restore stands in the project area to a more ecologically

appropriate condition. Management activities under this project will promote ecological restoration by

reducing departure of non-native, overstocked, even-aged pine plantations by beginning transition of

these stands towards their site-specific reference condition of native oak-pine forest. These transitions

will lead to more resilient ecological systems capable of absorbing negative effects associated with

various natural and human-caused stresses.

Proposed Action

This proposed action has been collaboratively developed with the help of interested groups and

individuals through a series of public workshops, field trips and other forms of information sharing. The

proposed action contains two key elements: (1) vegetation management, which includes a variety of

silvicultural practices designed to meet the purpose and need; and (2) road management activities

needed for project implementation.

3 Nowak, J., C. Asaro, K. Klepzig, and R. Billings. 2008. The southern pine beetle prevention initiative: working

for healthier forests. Journal of Forestry July/August, 261-267.

5

Vegetation Management

Proposed vegetation management activities include commercial thinning, commercial regeneration

harvest, and non-commercial thinning. Collectively, these activities would reduce the potential for SPB

infestations in treatment areas, decrease the presence of off-site loblolly pine, limit natural

regeneration/perpetuation of loblolly pine, and trend or restore treatment areas to more ecologically

appropriate species composition with greater resilience to insect and disease outbreaks.

The proposed vegetation management actions are more fully described below.

Commercial Thinning

Tree density in areas proposed for commercial thinning currently exceeds stocking levels recommended

for preventing major SPB outbreaks and infestations and is departed from reference conditions. To

reduce the risk for SPB, these areas would be commercially thinned to residual stocking levels below 80

ft2 per acre. This treatment would provide additional growing space and access to site resources for

residual trees, improving their vigor and resilience to SPB, while also trending the forest towards a less-

departed species composition.

Most stands included in this treatment are single species plantations established post-1970. Planted

species include loblolly, shortleaf and pitch pines. In some of these areas, other species such as oak,

hickory, yellow poplar, sweetgum, red maple and Virginia pine have co-developed with the planted

species. In general, these areas average more than 300 stems and 140 ft2 per acre in trees greater than 5

inches dbh (diameter at breast height or 4.5 feet). Thinning would be applied from below in these young

stands, removing weak or suppressed pine trees most susceptible to initial SPB attack. Based on site-

specific conditions, thinning of trees other than pine may occur in areas where specific species are

uncharacteristically abundant and/or areas where pine thinning alone would be insufficient to move the

stand towards reference structural conditions. For example, if site-specific characteristics indicate that

yellow poplar is uncharacteristically dense, thinning may be used to move the forest towards reference

conditions. Oaks and hickories would be favored as leave trees. Treated areas would average 90-120 trees

per acre after treatment. The treatment should begin transitioning these areas from single species

plantations to native oak-pine forest that are less departed from their reference condition.

A few stands included in this treatment are older (50 to 100 yrs. old), and perhaps were thinned during

earlier management entries. In these areas, thinning from below would be prescribed in combination with

free thinning (i.e. removal of trees from all canopy positions) to remove weaker trees susceptible to SPB

and to regulate species composition and residual stand quality. These stands are dominated by loblolly

pine, but may contain other desired species that could be featured as leave trees in the post-thinned stands

(e.g. shortleaf pine, oak and hickory) to restore the stand to more appropriate species composition given

site-specific characteristics. These areas typically average from 130 to 150 trees per acre (120 to 150 ft2

per acre). Post-treatment, these areas would average 45 to 70 trees per acre.

Commercial thinning is proposed on 1,465 acres. Young (post-1970) pine stands account for over 80

percent of the commercial thinning included in this proposal. Commercial thinning would be

implemented under two prescribed levels of thinning.

Commercial Thinning - Minimum Residual Basal Area of 60 ft2 per acre

Under this method, treatment areas would be thinned to a target residual basal area averaging 60 ft2 per

acre. This method would be employed in areas contained within existing prescribed burn units where

periodic surface fires could be used to limit the undesired natural regeneration of loblolly pine in the

understory of post-thinned stands. Oaks and hickories, where present, would be retained during the

6

commercial thinning to increase stand diversity and trend the areas towards a more ecologically

appropriate composition. Areas within stand boundaries where hardwoods comprise more than 50

percent of the overstory basal area would be excluded from treatment, except where such exclusion would

make treatment of other areas of stand grossly impractical or impossible.

Commercial Thinning - Minimum RBA of 70 ft2 per acre

This method would be prescribed in areas where controlled burning could not be used to limit natural

regeneration of loblolly pine in the understory of post-thinned stands. Loblolly pine does not readily

establish beneath overstory densities in excess of 60 ft2 per acre (Shelton and Cain 20004). Retaining a

higher average RBA of 70 ft2 per acre, instead, would be utilized to deter the establishment of loblolly

pine reproduction in post-thinned areas. As described for the 60 ft2/ac RBA treatment, oaks and

hickories, where present, would be retained to improve diversity and shift species composition towards

the reference condition. Likewise, areas dominated by hardwoods would be excluded from the prescribed

treatment.

Treated areas would feature fewer trees with greater access to site resources (water, nutrients, light),

which would improve individual tree and stand-level health and decrease the risk for SPB infestations.

Treated areas would also feature proportionally fewer loblolly pine trees, allowing for a gradual shift in

species composition to be realized.

The following areas are proposed for commercial thinning:

Compartment Stand Acres Forest Type

Prescribed

Treatment

Management

Prescription

Map

Reference

903 01 53 13 – Loblolly Pine-

Oak

60 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 1

903 04 19 31 – Loblolly Pine 60 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 1

903 05 44 12 – Shortleaf Pine-

Oak

60 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 1


Oak

60 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 1

903 10 42 12 – Shortleaf Pine-

Oak

60 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 1


Oak

60 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 1


Oak

60 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 1






Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 10


Oak

60 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 4


Oak

60 ft2/ac RBA 7.A 3


Oak

60 ft2/ac RBA 7.A 4


4 Shelton, M.G and M.D. Cain. Regenerating uneven-aged stands of loblolly and shortleaf pines: current state of

knowledge. Forest Ecology and Management 129: 177-193.

7








Sub-total 60 ft2/ac RBA 790


Prescribed

Treatment

Management

Prescription



Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 1




916 04 11 31 – Loblolly Pine 70 ft2/ac RBA 7.A 3

916 32 39 32 – Shortleaf Pine 70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 3


Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 3




Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 5


Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 8


Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 8

938 03 32 15 – Pitch Pine-Oak 70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 6




Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 6


Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 6


Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 6


Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 6


Oak

70 ft2/ac RBA 9.H 9

Sub-total 70 ft2/ac RBA 675

TOTAL 1,465

Commercial Regeneration

This activity is prescribed for areas where restoration to the desired reference condition could be

accelerated through removal of the existing overstory using a regeneration harvest method. Areas

included under this activity have been previously thinned or prescribed burned in earlier management

entries (1980s-1990s). The referenced treatments have promoted the development of large advance oak

reproduction in the understory. Removal of the existing loblolly pine overstory would release the oak

reproduction, allowing for the sites to naturally regenerate to the reference native oak-pine forest type.

8

The regeneration harvest would also supply early-successional forest habitat, which is generally lacking

across the Forest.

A two-aged regeneration harvest method would be applied in areas proposed for commercial

regeneration. This method would create large openings for oak seedlings to develop within, while

retaining a desired component of the parent overstory to meet other compatible benefits such as structural

diversity, regeneration sources and scenic integrity. The existing overstories in areas proposed for

commercial regeneration are dominated by loblolly pine, but also contain a varying component of other

species, including shortleaf pine, oaks, hickories, Virginia pine, red maple, yellow poplar and sweetgum,

among others. Loblolly pine would be targeted for removal under this regeneration treatment. Other

species with a high propensity to seed, which if retained, could create unfavorable competition for oak

seedlings, would also be harvested from the site (Virginia pine, red maple, yellow poplar, sweetgum).

The two-aged condition would be formed by retaining a desired portion of the parent overstory (15-30 ft2

or 10-30 trees per acre). Oaks, hickories and shortleaf pine would be selected as reserve trees to be

retained. These trees would be retained in a non-uniform and variable pattern according to their

distribution within the regeneration treatment areas and would remain on site indefinitely. Incidental

amounts of these species would be removed for operational purposes (landings, skid trails) or to reduce

reserve tree stocking to the target levels to ensure adequate growing space for the newly regenerating oak

stand.

Connected site preparation treatments, including a manual slash-down of un-harvested trees in sub-

merchantable size classes (1-8 inches dbh) and a growing season prescribed burn would be applied

following the commercial regeneration harvest to prepare the sites for natural regeneration. To

supplement the natural oak regeneration if necessary, areas would be hand-planted with white oak

seedlings on a wide spacing. Planted and naturally regenerated oak seedlings would be released from

competition one or more times during the first 10 years using manual methods to maintain the desired oak

composition.

The following areas are proposed for commercial regeneration:


Management

Prescription

Map

Reference 948 59 23 31 – Loblolly Pine 9.H 9 916 11 32 32 – Shortleaf Pine 9.H 3

55

Non-Commercial Thinning

This activity would be prescribed in areas previously impacted by southern pine beetle, leaving areas of

young loblolly pine that have not yet attained merchantable sizes. Non-commercial thinning would

consist of manually felling a portion of the small diameter trees in an area (trees between 1 and 6 inches at

breast height) and leaving them on site. Specific areas of this stand are in need of the prescribed

treatment, because they cannot be protected from southern pine beetle by treating adjacent areas. Native

shortleaf pine, oak, hickory and desirable soft mast producing hardwoods would be favored as the

primary leave trees to increase species diversity. An approximate six-foot radius would be cleared

around the selected leave trees. A residual stocking of approximately 300-450 trees per acre would be

retained. The non-commercial thinning would be applied by contract hand-crews using chainsaws or other

handtools.

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Non-commercial thinning would be applied in the following areas:


Management

Prescription

Map Reference

925 07A 46 46-Bottomland Harwood-Yellow Pine 7.E.1 5 AThis area was previously impacted by southern pine beetle which killed most overstory loblolly pine - hence the current forest typing. Loblolly

pine has naturally regenerated beneath the canopy in some areas of this stand. An estimated5 acres of non-commercial thinning is proposed in these areas. Location of prescribed treatment is on western side of stand in areas immediately adjacent to Forest Service Road 226. If other

suitable areas are located, additional acres would be treated within the boundary of stand 07.

Road Access Management

The following road management activities would be needed to implement the proposed vegetation

management actions:

Road No. Road Maintenance Miles Reconstruction Miles

310 0.6 0

226 2.2 0

253 0.2 0

232 1.1 0.3

233 0.9 0

702 0.3 0

204 1.5

204B 4.4 4.4

254 3.4 0

250 4.1 1.4

250A 1.5 1.5

259 1.6 0

259A 0.7 0

257 1.2 0

255 0.8 0

Total 24.5 7.6

Temporary

Roads

Miles 8.4

An estimated 24.5 miles of Forest Service Roads would be needed to access proposed vegetation

management treatment areas. These roads would be maintained during project implementation by timber

harvest contractors. Road maintenance activities could include road surface grading, repair and

maintenance of drainage structures (dips, culverts), brushing of road-side vegetation, and spot placement

of gravel.

Roughly one-third, or 7.6 miles, of the roads needed for project implementation would require minor

reconstruction to correct drainage, recondition road surfaces, and to widen narrow curves. Typical

activities for road reconstruction work includes road surface blading and/or reconditioning,

brushing/removal of vegetation on road shoulders, excavation of road cut banks at entrance and exits of

curves to straighten ingress and egress for log trucks in curves, erosion control (revegetation, silt barriers),

and resurfacing of road with gravel.

An estimated 8.4 miles of temporary access roads would be used to gain direct access to project areas.

Most treatment areas contain existing routes established from previous management. These would be re-

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opened for access during project implementation. Temporary roads would be decommissioned after use

by ripping and planting road surfaces with grass and forbs, construction of water diverting structures, and

placing barriers at entrance of roads to effectively block illegal motorized access.

A summary of the proposed action is presented in the table below:

Vegetation Management

Proposed Action Acres Management

Prescription

Forest Plan Goals

and Objectives

Commercial Thinning 1,465 7.A, 9.H Obj. 40.1; Obj. 3.6

Commercial Regeneration

Harvest 55 9.H Obj. 3.6

Pre-commercial Thinning 46 7.E.1 Obj. 40.1; Obj. 3.6

TOTAL 1,566

Road Access Management for Project Implementation

Proposed Action Miles

Road Maintenance 24.5

Road Reconstruction 7.6

Temporary Road Construction 8.4

Project Monitoring

Monitoring of the project actions would occur to ensure that various aspects of the project adhere to the

standards of the Forest Plan, the applicable State Best Management Practices, the mitigation measures set

forth in the project’s decision document, and to measure whether the restoration goals of the project are

being achieved. Due to the collaborative nature of the project development, we envision conducting

monitoring trips with the public prior to, and throughout implementation of the activities within the

project. Specific monitoring commitments include:

Reviewing the project prior to implementation to ensure that the locations of any access routes,

sale boundaries, and the silvicultural prescriptions are carried out as described by the decision

document;

Field inspection of timber sale activities during implementation to ensure State BMPs, Forest

Standards and project specific mitigations are being met;

Survey forest structure and composition in the understory, midstory, and overstory 5 years post-

harvest to evaluate progress towards stated project objectives. Consider additional management

activities if stands are not trending towards reference conditions;

Survey stands during project implementation and 2 years post-harvest to monitor control needs

for non-native invasive plants;

Monitor temporary road locations, landings, and bladed skid roads following sale closure to

ensure sites are stable and adequately re-vegetated.

Project Design Features Project design features to be incorporated into the implementation of the proposed action would include,

but are not limited to, the following:

Resource Design Feature

Soil and Water

Temporary roads would be constructed on previous exiting routes (old woods roads or skid trails)

where possible to minimize the need for new temporary road construction.

Temporary roads would follow the general contour as practical and will generally not exceed

sustained grades over 10%.

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Resource Design Feature The travel way of temporary roads would generally not exceed 14-16 feet except at turnouts and

landings.

Drainage structures, such as outsloping and waterbars, would be installed along temporary roads

when the use of the road is no longer needed.

Once the temporary roads are no longer needed, they would be decommissioned and closed to

normal vehicle traffic and so that illegal ATV use is discouraged. The closures may include such

things as the installation of an earthen barrier, re-contouring, placement of logging debris along

the road surface, or placement of boulders.

Skid trails will be closed at their junction with landing sites by placing slash on the skid trail in

order to discourage illegal ATV use.

Log landings and skid trail locations would be evaluated and approved by the Forest Service prior

to harvesting in order to ensure that they are placed in locations with adequate drainage and away

from sensitive soils or riparian areas.

Skidding and decking would be limited to designated and approved routes along ridges and gentle

slopes to protect sensitive soils. Skidding would not be allowed on sustained slopes over 35%.

Operation of ground-based equipment would only be allowed when soils are dry. Soil moisture

would be assessed during harvest operations to determine periods when equipment should be

halted to minimize compaction and rutting.

Skid trails, log landings, temporary roads, or other areas of exposed soil, would be seeded and

fertilized as soon as practical after harvest activities have been completed in order to restore

vegetative cover and reduce the potential for erosion. Use brush barriers, silt fencing, or hay bales

to prevent visible sediment from entering stream courses as needed. Revegetate all exposed cut

and fill slopes within 30 days of initial disturbance. Revegetate and/or mulch disturbed soil at

stream crossings the same day.

Water bars would be installed on skid trails and temporary roads at the completion of the project

to minimize the potential for erosion.

Compacted soils on skid trails, temporary roads, and log landings would be ripped or tilled in

areas of detrimental soil compaction to maintain soil quality standards and increase water

infiltration.

Sensitive soils discovered during timber sale layout would be protected by restricting access or

activities in these areas.

Riparian and

Aquatic Habitats

A protective buffer would be established to exclude activities adjacent to perennial and

intermittent stream channels. Buffer width would vary based on slope steepness and would be

applied to both sides of the stream using the following Forest Plan Standards: 100 ft. buffer for

slopes < 11%; 125 ft. for slopes 11-45%; and 150 ft. for slopes >45%.

To protect ephemeral stream channels, a minimum 25 ft. protective buffer would be established on

both sides of ephemeral streams to exclude management activity.

Skidding would not occur within riparian corridors or ephemeral streamside zones except for at

designated crossings.

Heritage Resources

Heritage resources subject to direct or indirect effects resulting from the activities associated with

this project would be avoided and protected from project effects as needed.

Heritage resource sites would have a minimum protective buffer of 50 feet as needed. The buffer

would be marked on the ground and excluded from project activities.

Recreation

In the following stands, harvest activity and hauling would be prohibited on all weekends and on

federal holidays during the summer recreation season (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day), unless

otherwise agreed: C932 S02, C918 S38, S40, S48, C925 S04, S05, C916 S34, C915 S20, S917

S07, C935 S12, S31, S32, S34.

Visual

Within treatment areas located in Management Prescription 7.A- Scenic Byway Corridor, all slash

and other logging debris created from treatment activities shall be lopped to an average height of 2

feet, when visible, for a distance of 100 feet of the Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway and other

open Forest Roads.

Non-native Invasive

Species (NNIS)

Significant infestations of NNIS along planned access routes or in treatment areas would be pre-

treated in order to prevent the spread of NNIS into new areas. Subsequent follow-up treatments

would be applied as necessary to eradicate NNIS populations.

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Resource Design Feature Equipment cleaning would be required in order to minimize the spread of NNIS and to minimize

the potential to introduce new NNIS to the area.

Skidding through known populations of NNIS should be avoided, where possible, to reduce the

potential for spread. Non-harvest buffers should be established in areas where avoidance is

impossible.

Many of the known populations of NNIS in the project area are within riparian corridors. Skidding

in riparian corridors is prohibited, except at designated crossings, to minimize the potential for

spread.

Wildlife Habitat

Standards

No cutting of snags >6 inches DBH.

In all silvicultural treatments, retention priority is given to the largest available trees with

favorable characteristics as bat roost trees (yellow pines and oaks with crevices, cracks, or

hollows).

Protect known bat roosts from cutting or modification as long as suitable.

Category

A preliminary assessment indicates that the actions proposed for this project fall within a category of

action authorized under Section 603 of the amended Healthy Forest Restoration Act that is excluded from

documentation in an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. The applicable

category is also identified in agency procedures Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Chapter 30, Section

32.3 – Categories Established by Statute, #3 Insect & Disease Infestation.

The Insect & Disease category is applicable to this project because:

Proposed treatments are in an area designated in accordance with Section 602 (b) and (c) of the

Healthy Forest Restoration Act.

Proposed treatment areas are located within the Wildland Urban Interface and/or can be described as

Conditional Class 2 or 3 within Fire Regime II.

Proposed treatment areas are not located within: congressionally designated Wilderness or

Wilderness Study Areas; in areas where the removal of vegetation is prohibited by statute or by

Presidential proclamation; or in areas where the activities described above would be inconsistent with

the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests Land and Resource Management Plan.

The proposed treatment acreage does not exceed 3,000 acres.

The project does not include establishment of permanent roads. Additionally, if temporary roads are

constructed they will be decommissioned no later than three years after the project is complete.

The project is being developed and would be implemented through a collaborative process that

includes multiple interested persons representing diverse interests and is transparent and

nonexclusive.

The best available scientific information is being considered in prescribing treatment methods and

design features.

The project would maximize the retention of old growth and large trees, as appropriate for the forest

type, to the extent that the trees promote stands that are resilient to insect and disease.

The project maintains or restores the ecological integrity, including maintaining or restoring structure,

function, composition, and connectivity.

Public notice and scoping is being conducted.

How to Provide Comments:

Please make your responses as specific as possible so that we can be sure they are adequately addressed.

This would include the following information:

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Your name and address

Title of Project

Specific substantive comments (215.2) on the proposed action, along with supporting reasons that the

Responsible Official should consider in reaching a decision.

Your signature or other means of identification verification. For organizations, a signature or other

means of identification verification must be provided for the individual authorized to represent your

organization.

Comments must be post marked or received by May 31, 2016

You may send your comments and suggestions as follows:

Comment Format Contact Information

Hard Copy Letter Conasauga Ranger District

3941 Highway 76

Chatsworth, Ga 30705

Attn: Armuchee Healthy Forests

Project

E-mail [email protected]

Fax 706-695-1872

Phone

Danny Skojac,

706-695-6736, ext.104

Phone or hand delivered comments may be made at the Conasauga Ranger District office during normal

weekday business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00-1:00 p.m.). In accordance with

regulations, all written comments received, including those submitted electronically, will be placed in the

project file and will become a matter of public record. Electronic versions of the information provided in

this scoping notice are available on-line at the Forest’s website at:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=48119

If you have questions or need additional information concerning this project, please contact

Danny Skojac, Timber Management Assistant, at 706-695-6736 x 104.

Thank you for your interest in the management of the Conasauga Ranger District.

Sincerely,

/s/ Jeff Gardner

JEFF GARDNER

District Ranger Enclosures: Armuchee Healthy Forests Project maps

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=48119

Documents

Request for Commentsa123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic...2 Upon reviewing the States’ requests, the Chief designated approximately 45.6 million acres of National Forest