Decision Memo

Timber Stand Improvement Project

USDA Forest Service

Hiawatha National Forest

Eastside Administrative Unit

Chippewa County, Michigan

I. Decision

A. Description of Decision

It is my decision to implement the timber stand improvement project on the Eastside Administrative Unit of the Hiawatha National Forest. The project consists of the release of approximately 490 acres of seedling and sapling size red pine plantations and approximately 23 acres of under planted white pine from competing and overtopping vegetation. Only overtopping and competing vegetation within a three-foot radius of individual pines will be cut. All individual trees of oak, cherry, and juneberry will be reserved from cutting. Three stands in the project, compartment 58 stands 41 and 45 and compartment 78 stand 70, have potential Kirtland’s Warbler habitat due to denser conifer stocking in the stands. Treatment of these stands will be deferred for four years. Seventy per cent of the trees in a three acre patch adjacent to the Dick Road in compartment 58 stand 45 will be cut to extend the useful life of an existing sharp-tailed lek. The thirty per cent trees retained in this patch will be planted red pine. The project also includes the pruning of red pine plantations with low stand densities to improve the growth and form of the trees. The project stands are located in Chippewa County, Michigan within the administrative boundary of the Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District.

B. Purpose of Decision

The purpose of this project is to improve the growth and form of the red pine and white pine trees. Releasing the red and white pine from competing and overtopping vegetation will increase the growth of the remaining trees. Pruning of red pine stands with low stocking levels will improve the growth and form of the trees.

II. Reasons Categorically Excluding the Decision

A. Category of Exclusion

This project is within the category of exclusion that includes “Timber stand and/or wildlife habitat improvement activities which do not include the use of herbicides or do not require more than one mile of low standard road construction” as stated in Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Chapter 30, Section 31.2, Category 6.

B. Relationship to Extraordinary Circumstances

Threatened, endangered, or sensitive (TES) plant or animal species, or habitat determined to be critical under the Endangered Species Act, may not be affected except as noted below. The “Consideration of Federally Endangered, Threatened and Regional Forester Sensitive Animal Species” for this Timber Stand Improvement Project has identified the occurrence of Sharp-tailed grouse, and the potential habitat for the Kirtland’s Warbler and the Canada Lynx in this project area. A mitigation to extend the useful life of an existing sharp-tailed grouse lek in compartment 58 stand 45 will include removing nearly all the trees (70%) in a three acre patch adjacent to the Dick Road. The 30% retained trees will be planted red pine. A biologist will flag the three acre patch to be cut prior to treatment. Three stands in the project have potential Kirtland’s Warbler habitat due to areas of dense conifer pockets within the stands. These three stands, compartment 58 stands 41 and 45, and compartment 78 stand 70 will be deferred from treatment for four years. The project does not completely comply with the standard in the Lynx Conservation Assessment and Strategy (LCAS) to leave dense pine stands to provide hare habitat until lower branches self-prune (LCAS p. 7-5). However, individual well-spaced trees will remain with lower branches intact to provide for some hare habitat. Also leaving all cherry, oak and juneberry will reduce the impacts of the thinning on hare habitat. The LCAS contains a timber management standard that states, “pre-commercial thinning will be allowed only when stands no longer provide snowshoe hare habitat” (LCAS p. 7-6).

The project will not affect highly erosive soils or steep slopes. Soils in the proposed stands are moderately to well-drained sands not prone to erosion and with flat to gently rolling terrain. The project will not affect flood plains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds.

This project will not occur in a congressionally designated wilderness, wilderness study area, wild and scenic river, national recreation area, inventoried roadless area or research natural area.

There are no Native American religious or cultural sites, archaeological sites, or historic sites in the proposed stands.

III. Public Involvement

This project was first reported in the January 2002 NEPA Quarterly that is a publication describing proposed projects on the Forest. Interested and affected citizens and organizations were contacted by mail on March 20, 2002 regarding this proposed action. All responses were in favor of the proposed action except for one. The concern was the pruning of the red pine plantations in the project area. The respondent stated that high stocking levels in red pine plantations will provide sufficient shading and die off of lower branches to produce high quality red pine trees with less cost and time invested than mechanical pruning. While this is true for red pine stands with high stocking levels, the stands proposed for thinning in this project have low stocking levels that are not conducive to the self pruning of lower branches. Among those in favor of the project, one respondent voiced support in keeping the current road system open and maintained for multiple uses of the forest. The proposed action was not modified based on this comment as road closure is beyond the scope of this project.

IV. Findings Required by Other Laws

It is my finding that this decision is consistent with the Forest Plan (Hiawatha National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan) and complies with the requirements of the National Forest Management Act and other applicable laws. The project is feasible and reasonable, and it results in applying management practices that meet the Forest Plan's overall direction of protecting the environment.

Implications to floodplains, wetlands, prime lands, threatened and endangered species, minerals, heritage resources, and Congressionally designated areas have been considered and will not be adversely affected.

V. Appeal Rights:

This decision is not subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR 215.8 (a) 4.

VI. Implementation

This decision may be implemented immediately.

VII. Contact Person

For further information on this decision contact Theresa Reilly, St. Ignace Ranger District, Hiawatha National Forest, 1798 West US 2, St. Ignace, Michigan, 49781, by calling 906-643-7900-ext. 125, Fax 906-643-8759, TDD 906-643-7611, or by email, tareilly@fs.fed.us.

VIII. Responsible Official

I have determined that this action can be categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment based on information presented in this document and the planning record.

/s/Stevan J. Christiansen (tr) Date 8/01/02

STEVAN J. CHRISTIANSEN

District Ranger

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