BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION
FOR THE
Barry Point South Salvage Project
Modoc National Forest
Prepared by: _____________________________________
East Zone Wildlife Biologist
Date: ______________________
I. INTRODUCTION
This biological evaluation (BE) documents the analysis of the potential effects due to implementation of
activities considered in the Barry Point South Salvage Project (Barry South Salvage) Environmental Analysis.
The Barry South Salvage project area is located on the Devil’s Garden Ranger District roughly sixteen air
miles northwest of Davis Creek, California. The project area used as a basis for the effects analysis includes
all of the acres encompassed within the project area boundary, whether they are proposed for treatment or
not. The area within the treatment units is 1,668 acres.
Biological evaluations document the analysis necessary to ensure proposed management actions will not likely
jeopardize the continued existence or cause adverse modification of habitat for federally listed or Forest
Service sensitive species as described in the Forest Service Manual (FSM) (section 2672.43) (Forest Service
2005). This BE is prepared in accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and follows
standards established in Forest Service Manual direction (FSM 2671.2 and 2672.42) for threatened,
endangered and sensitive (TES) wildlife species.
A Biological Assessment was not completed for the Barry South Salvage, since there are no federally listed
species within the proposed project area; there are currently no proposed species on the Modoc National
Forest. However, the documentation about the federally listed species is found in Table 1.
The determination of whether to include wildlife species in this analysis was based on review of (1) the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service species list (website accessed on 11 March 2013) and (2) Forest Service Region 5
sensitive species list (USFS 2012). Table 1 displays whether the project is within the range of the species,
whether suitable habitat is contained within or adjacent to the project, and whether the species has been
previously detected within the area. Geographical information system (GIS) queries for Table 1 used a
minimum 3-mile radius from the treatment unit boundaries; in some cases the closest known sighting was
used (e.g. northern spotted owl).
Table 1. List of TES terrestrial wildlife species on the Modoc NF and the status of each within the Barry
South Salvage Project Area.
TES
status
Species
detected
w/in or
adjacent to
project
area?
Suitable
habitat
within or
adjacent
to project
area?
FT
No
No
No, the range of species consists of the Medicine Lake
Highlands (DHRD) for the Modoc NF. The Barry Point
Fire is outside of the range of this species.
Gray wolf (Canus lupus)
FE
No
No
No, outside of the range of the species. One lone, young
male gray wolf had been wandering throughout various
portions of northern California and southern Oregon
since 2012. He has not been detected near the Barry
Point Fire to date. Although he could occur incidentally
in Barry South Salvage project area, is not likely to be
affected by the proposed management actions.
California wolverine
(Gulo gulo luteus)
FP,
FSS
No
No
No, lack of remote, high-elevation habitat within the
project area.
Greater sage-grouse
(Centrocersus urophasianus)
FC,
FSS
No
No
No, there are no suitable sagebrush stands within or
adjacent to the treatment units.
Species name
Northern spotted owl
(Strix occidentalis caurina)
Species addressed in this document?
American marten
(Martes americana)
FSS
Species
detected
w/in or
adjacent to
project
area?
No
Bald eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
FSS
Yes
No
No, due to lack of suitable nesting habitat within
treatment units.
California spotted owl (Strix
occidentalis occidentalis)
FSS
No
No
No, project is outside range of species, which consists of
Manzanita Peak area for the Modoc NF.
Greater sandhill crane
(Grus canadensis tabida)
FSS
Yes
No
No, lack of suitable riparian habitat within the treatment
units.
Pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus
idahoensis)
FSS
No
No
No, there are no suitable sagebrush stands with friable
soils within or adjacent to the treatment units.
Swainson’s hawk (Buteo
swainsonii)
FSS
No
No
No, lack of suitable open habitat in the treatment units.
Townsend’s big-eared bat
(Corynorhinus townsendii)
FSS
No
No
No, due to lack of roost habitat in or near treatment
units.
Willow flycatcher (Empidonax
traillii)
FSS
No
Yes
No, lack of suitable riparian habitat within the treatment
units.
Fringe-tailed myotis (Myotis
thysanodes)
FSS
No
Yes
Yes
Great gray owl (Strix
nebulosa)
FSS
Yes
Yes
Yes
Northern goshawk (Accipiter
gentilis)
FSS
Yes
Yes
Yes
Pallid bat
(Antrozous pallidus)
FSS
Yes
Yes
Yes
Species name
TES
status
Suitable
habitat
within or
adjacent
to project
area?
No
Species addressed in this document?
No, lack of suitable late-seral habitat within the
treatment units.
Symbols used: FT = threatened, FC = candidate for listing, FSS = Forest Service sensitive
The following information from Christopher Stewart, Modoc NF Hydrologist, was employed to determine
the suitability of the project area for terrestrial riparian dependent species. Willow Creek is the only perennial
Class I stream with intact riparian vegetation near the Barry South Salvage project area. Although Unit 52 is
adjacent to Willow Creek, the removal of burned coniferous snags will have no affect to riparian vegetation
structure or function (C. Stewart, pers. comm.). All other channels in and near the proposed units are
ephemeral or intermittent Class III and IV channels. These channels currently exhibit no riparian vegetation,
either because the ephemeral streams could not support the riparian vegetation or because the riparian
vegetation was burnt during the Barry Point Fire. Single trees could be removed within Streamside
Management Zone. This work would not manipulate riparian vegetation. Therefore, there are no expected
effects to greater sandhill crane and willow flycatcher.
There are no large expanses of open sagebrush habitat for greater sage-grouse, pygmy rabbit, or Swainson’s
hawks within the project area. The closest historic greater sage-grouse lek is about 4 miles southeast from the
Householder unit on the flat habitats near Goose Lake. There is no known occupied pygmy rabbit habitat on
the Modoc (electronic files) or Fremont-Winema NFs (T. Forbes, pers. comm.). The closest occupied habitat
is in sagebrush flats with soils capable of excavation on the Surprise Resource Area in Nevada (E. Flores,
pers. comm.). There are likewise no large expanses of grassland or agricultural landscapes used by Swainson’s
hawks (England et al. 1997) adjacent to the Barry South Salvage project.
No caves or cave analogs exist within or near the proposed project boundaries; Townsend’s big-eared bats
have not been detected near or within the project boundaries.
Region 5 Forest Service sensitive carnivore species have not been documented within the project area, and
the project area does not have suitable habitat for any of the carnivore species. Wolverines prefer remote,
high-elevation, tree line habitat (Forest Service 2001 chapter 3, p. 45). Marten prefer later seral mesic
coniferous forest, especially those with complex physical structure near the ground (Buskirk and Powell 1994
in Ruggiero et al. 1994). In addition, marten have not been photographed in east side pine habitats on the
nearby Eagle Lake Ranger District of the Lassen NF (T. Rickman, pers. comm.); east side pine habitats on the
Eagle Lake Ranger District are similar to those in the Barry South Salvage project area, so this information is
germane. Therefore, due to lack of sighting and suitable habitat, there should be no effect to wolverine or
American marten or their habitats by implementation of the proposed activities.
Given the information above, fringe-tailed myotis, great gray owl, northern goshawk, and pallid bat are the
only USFS sensitive species carried forward for further analysis.
II. CURRENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION
Management direction for USFS sensitive species is provided by a variety of sources: the Forest Service
Manual (2005), the 1991 Modoc NF Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan), and the Sierra
Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (SNFPA) FSEIS (Forest Service 2004). The direction found in Forest
Service Manual 2670.22 has three parts (see below).
1. Develop and implement management practices to ensure that species do not become threatened or
endangered because of Forest Service actions.
2. Maintain viable populations of all native and desired nonnative wildlife, fish, and plant species in habitats
distributed throughout their geographic range on National Forest System lands.
3. Develop and implement management objectives for populations and/or habitat of sensitive species.
The Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (2004) does provide specific direction concerning salvage
harvest. With respect to wildlife it states, “Design projects to protect and maintain critical wildlife habitat.
Examples are activities that would: (1) avoid areas where forest vegetation is largely intact; (2) provide for
sufficient quantities of large snags; (3) maintain existing large, woody material as needed; (4) provide for
additional large, woody material and ground cover as needed; (5) accelerate the development of mature forest
habitat through reforestation and other cultural means; and (6) provide for a mix of seral stages over time.”
Applicable Forest Plan direction (as amended by Forest Service 2004) for great gray owl, northern goshawk,
and pallid bat is found below. Neither the Modoc NF LRMP (1991), nor the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan
Amendment (Forest Service, 2004) contains direction for fringe-tailed myotis. The snag guidelines (below)
provide the most applicable guidance for this species.
Great gray owl
Although the Modoc NF LRMP (1991) contained no direction for this species, the Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision for the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (2004)
direction employs the use of: 1) Protected Activity Centers (“The PAC encompasses at least 50 acres of the
highest quality nesting habitat [pg 38]”); 2) Limited Operating Periods (“typically March 1 to August 15” [pg
61]); 3) survey to provide for viability of great gray owls (pg 54); and 4) maintaining meadow vegetation
within and adjacent to PACs will improve habitat for voles and pocket gophers, the Great Gray Owl’s prey
(pg 39).
Northern Goshawk
Goshawk Protected Activity Centers (PACs)
Delineate 200 acre PACs around all recently active northern goshawk territorial sites (Forest Service
2004, p. 38).
Management of northern goshawk PACs: Conduct mechanical treatments in no more than 5 percent
per year and 10 percent per decade of the acres in northern goshawk PACs.
Limit mechanical treatments for goshawk PACs located within wildlife-urban interface (WUI) areas;
for goshawk PACs located outside WUIs, limit stand-altering activities to reducing surface and ladder
fuels through prescribed fire treatments (Forest Service 2004, p. 59-61).
Implement limited operating periods (LOPs) of February 15-September 15 within unsurveyed
suitable northern goshawk reproductive habitat (Forest Service 2004, p.60).
LOPs for northern goshawk PACs: prohibit vegetation treatments within approximately ¼ mile of
the nest site during the breeding season (February 15-September 15), unless surveys confirm the
goshawks are not nesting (Forest Service 2004, p. 60).
Outside of WUI defense zones, salvage harvests are prohibited in PAC’s and known den
sites unless a biological evaluation determines that the areas proposed for harvest are
rendered unsuitable for the purpose they were intended by a catastrophic stand-replacing
event.
Pallid Bat
Although not highlighted specifically in the SNFPA Record of Decision, pallid bat direction consists of
conservation measures listed in Volume 3 of the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (Forest Service 2001,
page 55 of chapter 3, part 4.4). These measures are paraphrased as follows: Provide for hardwood stands into
the future (especially older stands, to produce healthy hardwood crowns or regeneration as well as adequate
flight space), adopt mine and cave plans, and develop a mosaic of stands in chaparral.
Snags and Down Woody Material
Determine down woody material retention levels on an individual project basis, based on desired conditions.
Emphasize retention of wood in the largest size classes and in decay classes 1, 2, and 3. Consider the effects
of follow-up fire in achieving desired down woody material retention levels.
Determine snag retention levels on an individual project basis for vegetation treatments…
East-side pine and east-side mixed conifer forest types – [retain] three of the largest snags per acre
III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTIONS
Proposed Project
The proposed actions consist of salvage harvest of trees on approximately 1,668 acres, and potential
reforestation of 1,500 acres within the salvage area. The trees proposed for removal were either killed or
severely damaged during the Barry Point Fire; no trees greater than 30 inches dbh (diameter at breast height)
would be removed within the stand matrix during harvest except for hazard trees along roads; these trees may
be greater than 30 inches dbh. Alternative 1 equates to the no action; Alternative 2 proposes salvage and
planting; and Alternative 3 consists of salvage only.
The proposed project is located on the Devil’s Garden Ranger District within the following legal locations:
Table 2. Legal location for the Barry South Salvage Project.
Sections
15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34
11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30
Township Range
47N
11E
47N
12E
Treatment Prescriptions:
Retain three snags per acre from among the largest size class available on an acre by acre
basis for wildlife habitat. Harvest no snag 30” dbh or greater outside of roadside hazard
abatement areas. Within roadside hazard abatement areas, trees greater than 30” dbh may be
harvested if they meet hazard tree criteria.
Approximately 1253 acres of treatment units, outside of designated goshawk Protected
Activity Centers (PACs):
o Harvest trees exhibiting percent crown length scorched (PCLS) greater than or equal
to 85%.
Approximately 67 acres of treatment units that lie within designated goshawk PACs:
o Harvest trees exhibiting a PCLS of 100%.
Approximately 323 acres of the total treatment area would be treated for Roadside Hazard
Abatement along roads within treatment units. The following prescription would be
followed for roadside hazard abatement trees:
o Harvest trees within falling distance of road that:
 Meet hazard tree rating of moderate or greater as defined in the Regional
Hazard Tree Guidelines (April 2012 Report# RO-12-01).
 Have 75% or greater PCLS
Planting ponderosa pine seedlings on approximately 1500 acres within treatment units.
Removal of materials felled during fire suppression along a 3 mile segment of Householder
road.
Building approximately 0.5 miles of temporary road to facilitate removal of logs. Roads
would be obliterated following logging. This proposed road is located near unit 19 in the
Middle Fletcher Creek Watershed (180102040101)
Decommissioning of approximately 3.5 miles of existing roads including portions of Forest
Roads 47T09A, 47T09VA, 47A49B, and 47N53. Forest Road 47N53 is not included in the
analysis area because no ground-disturbing activities would be necessary to decommission
the road.
Removal of culvert on road 47N09V and creation of low water crossing in its place.
Retain a minimum of 40 cubic feet per acre of dead wood post-harvest for purposes of
down woody debris recruitment.
For a complete list of design features, see Chapter 2 in the EA.
IV. EXISTING ENVIRONMENT
The Barry Point Fire started on 6 August 2012 approximately 22 miles southwest of Lakeview, Oregon.
After burning several days in Oregon, it headed south into California. The final size of the fire was 93,071
acres; there were 16,587 acres that burned on the Modoc NF. The fire severity on the Modoc NF could be
described as a patchwork of impacted vegetation with numerous inclusions of unburned islands. Although
there were expanses where stand replacement fires impacts (e.g. Tournquist Loop, Pease Flat, and Grassy
Ravine), 68 percent of the habitats may still function similar to their unburned condition (Table 3). The Barry
South Salvage project is focused on the areas with high burn severity.
Table 3. Acres of vegetation by burn severity for various scales, Barry South Salvage Project.
Vegetation
Mortality
Treatment Acres
Acres Burned
on Modoc NF
Burn Severity Comparison by Acreage
Stand
Low <25% Mixed 25-75%
Replacement
Totals
>75%
13
343
1,287
1,643
4,421
6,886
5,280
16,587
Percentage of Total
Burn Areas Within
Treatment Areas
9.9%
Currently, many of the stands in the proposed units consist of fire blackened snags with little to no
understory. During seeding efforts conducted fall 2012, some shrub and grass sprouts were observed.
California Wildlife Habitat Relationship (CWHR) vegetation data (a part of the 2004 Modoc NF electronic
vegetation dataset) combined with the Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC) data was used in the
effects analysis presented below. Field validation of the electronic data (using one tenth acre plots) was
conducted in proposed units, at random sites near units, and in Northern Goshawk PAC’s.
Table 4. Existing coniferous vegetation in the Barry South Salvage treatment units and Barry Point Fire
impacted acres on the Modoc NF by habitat types
CWHR Coniferous Habitat
Project Area Acres
WHR
Type
WHR
Size
WHR
Density
EPN
EPN
EPN
EPN
EPN
EPN
EPN
EPN
EPN
EPN
EPN
EPN
JUN
PPN
PPN
PPN
PPN
PPN
PPN
PPN
PPN
PPN
PPN
SMC
SMC
SMC
SMC
SMC
SMC
SMC
SMC
SMC
2
2
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
P
S
D
M
P
S
D
M
P
S
D
M
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
5
5
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
M
P
S
M
P
S
D
M
D
M
S
M
P
S
D
M
P
D
M
Low
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.70
1.19
0.00
0.00
8.08
1.31
0.11
0.00
0.00
0.14
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Barry Fire Acres
Med
High
Low
2.39
1.88
0.00
5.15
19.14
3.60
11.39
226.19
57.81
4.53
0.00
0.00
1.98
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
4.76
2.61
0.00
16.59
54.69
4.04
46.81
985.81
154.24
3.05
0.00
0.00
3.24
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
2.58
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
24.67
125.86
0.00
33.01
204.77
68.35
12.45
391.00
223.68
59.57
2.51
1.02
367.85
0.00
0.13
0.43
1.03
0.00
1.97
0.00
0.00
0.04
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.24
1.16
0.00
2.93
0.79
0.01
0.01
Med
High
63.58
267.27
0.45
92.79
599.09
122.69
117.36
2,316.69
965.96
88.89
26.19
8.46
384.20
0.00
15.70
10.35
0.69
0.00
0.00
0.74
0.97
3.74
0.45
0.00
1.89
3.38
6.51
11.63
33.32
8.95
3.50
0.30
64.16
146.74
0.86
71.52
271.37
30.89
151.94
2,843.68
547.98
13.19
52.11
4.09
93.80
2.17
50.55
103.38
1.49
104.37
0.00
12.58
27.42
188.82
0.78
0.08
0.34
8.38
2.42
3.76
37.85
6.06
0.00
3.50
Differences between the values in the Silvicultural Report and this table are due to rounding and exclusion areas.
Table 5. Existing non-coniferous vegetation in the Barry South Salvage treatment units and the Barry Point
Fire impacted acres on the Modoc NF by habitat types
CWHR Other Habitat
WHR Type
Project Area
Acres
Barry Fire Acres
ASP
0.00
3.50
BAR
1.22
7.92
BBR
0.00
1.93
LSG
10.59
3,367.08
MCP
0.00
358.61
PGS
3.07
897.65
SGB
0.52
655.13
WTM
0.26
65.59
It is anticipated that the habitats in the Barry Point Fire will mirror those of the Fletcher Fire (which burned
in 2007) within a few years; this assumption was made based on the fact the these fires are directly adjacent to
each other on similar sites. The Fletcher Fire plant composition and structure consists of various sized
burned snags and shrubs with an interspersed grass-forb component. Snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus)
dominates the area; however, there is a significant component of pinemat manzanita (Arctostaphylos nevadensis);
greenleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula), rose (Rosa sp.) and snowberry (Symphoricarpos sp.) occuring in
smaller proportions (C. Carlock, pers. comm.). Seedling pine trees appear within the shrub matrix at various
intervals.
Snag data
A majority of the snags within the proposed treatment units are smaller than 22 inches diameter at breast
height (Figure 1 is from the silvicultural report prepared for the Barry South Salvage Project). Harvest is
proposed on roughly 10 percent of the area burned on the Modoc NF and is limited to trees that do not have
a high likelihood of surviving. Figure 1 displays the data for trees with 85 percent or greater crown scorch
and the total snags within proposed units.
Diameter Distribution
35.0
30.0
25.0
T 20.0
P
15.0
A
10.0
All Trees
85 - 100 PCLS
5.0
0.0
DBH
Figure 1. Distribution of snags by size class in the proposed Barry South Salvage Project Units
V. EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT
The following information for fringe-tailed bat, great gray owl, northern goshawk, and pallid bat provide an
account of habitat characteristics, fire effects to habitat, and known occurrences of each species. In addition,
the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of implementation of activities for the Barry South
Salvage project are also provided.
Fringe-tailed myotis
Species Account
Fringe-tailed bat have a patchy distribution ranging from British Columbia (Canada) south to Chiapas
(Mexico) and from Santa Cruz Island (California) east to the Black Hills (South Dakota) (Western Bat
Working Group 2005). These bats occur from sea-level to 9,350 feet, but are most common at middle
elevations (3,937 to 6,890 feet). They appear to be most common in drier woodlands (oak, pinyon-juniper,
ponderosa pine), but are found in a wide variety of habitats (Western Bat Working Group 2005). This species
is not common in California; it is one of the rarer taxa found during surveys conducted in the central coast
area to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada (California Department of Fish and Wildlife website).
Data from the Western Bat Working Group (2005) indicate that one young per female is generally born
beginning in late June; young are fully capable of flight at 20 days. Young could be born from late May to
early July with the timing of reproduction fairly consistent throughout the range (O’Farrell and Studier 1980).
In lieu of surveys, presence was assumed in the project area.
Habitat Account:
Although this species is found in a variety of habitats (dry woodlands, desert scrub,
mesic coniferous forest, grassland, and sage-grass steppe [Western Bat Working Group 2005]), the lack of
records make it difficult to assess habitat preferences for it in California (CDFW website).
This species roosts in rock crevices, caves, buildings, and mines as well as large snags generally in small
clusters of females (CDFW website). In some forested settings, M. thysanodes appears to rely heavily on tree
cavities as roost sites. Data from different regions provides two separate pictures of the importance of snags
for this species. Data from ponderosa pine habitats on the east side of the Cascades (including the Fremont
–Winema NF), fringe-tails only used large snags on 6 occasions; the sites in Oregon were all in rock crevices
(Lacki and Baker 2007). Lacki and Baker (2007) noted the following about the snags used as roosts: (1) roost
snags were located in stands of higher live tree densities; (2) these areas had greater basal areas of larger
diameter trees and snags than the random sites; (3) the snags were the largest in the area (i.e. average size was
32.5 inches diameter at breast height, it was tallest in height and it extended farther above the canopy).
In contrast, Rabe et al. (1998) found 80 percent of the time fringe tailed bats used tree roosts in ponderosa
pine and mixed conifer sites in northern Arizona. Like Lacki and Baker (2007), roost snags were surrounded
by higher tree densities, greater tree species diversity, and higher densities of snags and logs than random
locations. Average snag diameters in their study were 27.2 inches diameter at breast height. On a study site
in northwestern California, Weller and Zabel (2001) found similar findings to the Lacki and Baker (2007) and
Rabe et al. (1998). The roost snags were usually the tallest trees in the area in stands with higher tree canopy
covers (78.5 percent) and higher amounts of snags; average roost snags were 47.56 inches diameter at breast
height.
In the Fire Effects Database, Luensmann (2005) discussed the potential effects of fire on bat habitat based on
a mathematical model. This model suggested that the fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes) and the Yuma myotis
(M. yumanensis) could be adversely affected by post-wildfire conditions; this decrease was brought on by a
perceived decrease in habitat suitability.
Fringe-tailed bats fly close to tree canopy and forage on small invertebrates along streams and rivers
(http://www.norcalbats.org/aboutbats.shtml). Various authors cited on this website drew the following
conclusions. Black (1974) concluded the species appeared to be a beetle strategist, based on work conducted
in New Mexico. Whitaker et al. (1977) found that moths were the dominant prey item in western Oregon.
The feces of one individual captured on the upper Sacramento River in California contained predominantly
beetles (Rainey and Pierson 1996).
The presence of non-flying taxa in the diet of the Oregon animals suggests a foraging style that relies at least
partially on gleaning (Western Bat Working Group 2005).
There was a dearth on information concerning invertebrate responses to fire. At least 40 species of
arthropods are attracted to fires (Evans 1971 in Smith 2000), alerted by stimuli including heat, smoke, and
increased levels of carbon dioxide. Many use burned trees for breeding; when the larvae hatch, they feed on
the burned trees (Smith 2000). Saint-Germain et al. (2004) [in Boyles and Aubrey (2006)] found Coleopterans
had been in greater abundances and species richness in burned forests. Insect abundance above ground
decreases immediately after fire in prairies but then increases as fresh, young plant growth becomes available
(Robbins and Myers 1992 in Smith 2000). Although not specific to fire, researchers found opening overstory
conifer cover can increase understory vegetation with a complementary increase of invertebrate biomass
(Rumble and Anderson 1996 in Mills, Rumble, and Flake 2000).
Based on the above information, only stands that sustained low to mixed fire severities would be considered
as habitat. Using CWHR classes of 4 and 5 with M and D densities, there are 246 acres of stands sustaining
low to mixed severities within proposed Barry South Salvage units, and 2,933 acres (east-side pine and mixed
conifer stands with M and D densities, 4 and 5 size classes, low to mixed severities) within the Modoc NF.
Effects of Proposed Actions
Key Habitat Factor(s) for the Analysis: Potential removal of residual green habitat, future tree
canopy cover, and disturbance to roosting bats.
Alternative 1
Direct/Indirect Effects: The Barry Point Fire caused the greatest change in the amount of potential roost
habitat. Under Alternative 1, there would be no change in the amount of potential roost habitat on the
Modoc NF. Based on the above literature, an increase is invertebrates post-fire is expected. These insects
could provide a potential source of food for foraging bats. The changes in habitat for both bats and prey
would continue to develop as natural plant regeneration occurs.
Based on information from Roy Cuzick, Supervisory Forester, the areas sustaining stand replacing fires
should remain in early seral conditions for fifty years, if there is no planting. Therefore, it is anticipated the
return of potential roost habitat in areas that sustained stand replacing fires would be delayed when compared
to Alternative 2.
Cumulative Effects:
There are no cumulative effects associated with this alternative.
Alternative 2
Direct/Indirect Effects:
Salvage logging within low and mixed severity stands could remove potential roost trees. There are no
CWHR size 5 class stands (stands with average tree sizes 24 inches dbh and greater) within proposed
treatment units; these areas would provide the best potential habitat. The size 4 class stands with M and D
canopies in low severity fire areas would provide the next best potential for fringe-tailed bat habitat.
Cumulatively, only 8 acres of harvest are proposed in the low severity stands. The largest concentration of
low severity stands occurs in the hazard tree unit near Pease Flat. The remaining potential habitat in low
severity stands within the Modoc NF would remain untreated (410 acres or 98 percent). By adding in the
mixed severity stands, which may provide some habitat, 246 acres out of 2,933 acres (or 8.4 percent) could be
affected by the Barry South Salvage on the Modoc NF.
On its website, the Western Bat Working Group indicated the removal of large blocks of habitat was
considered a potential threat to this species. There would be no removal of large blocks of forested habitat
under Alternative 2. The fire changed the canopy cover thereby decreasing the area’s potential to serve as
habitat. Salvaging in areas of mixed severity could remove potential roost trees; this effect would be partially
ameliorated by the retention of all trees larger than 30 inches dbh except hazard trees along roads. These
larger trees are the best possible potential roost trees.
Salvage harvest has the potential to disturb individual bats. If timber sale operations begin in early July, there
would be about a month and a half overlap with the breeding season. There could be an effect to tree
roosting bats during the breeding season on 8 percent of the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc NF (see above).
Since 98 percent of the potential habitat would not have salvage harvest treatments, the anticipated effects to
the bat population would be low.
Data from the Fremont-Winema NF (north of the Barry South Salvage project area) indicate bats used rock
crevices, therefore assuming that they exclusively use coniferous forests possibly inflates the potential
disturbance to females and their young. Rocky areas are generally avoided by operators of logging equipment,
thus reducing the potential for disturbance to bats.
The removal of salvaged trees could have an effect on the amount of potential prey within the Barry South
Salvage treatment units depending on the type of beetles fringe-tailed bats consume. A total of 1,643 acres
(there would be no harvest in the Householder area) could have trees removed out of the 16,587 acres of the
Barry Point Fire, which is 10 percent of the burned area. This would leave 90 percent of the area available to
provide foraging opportunities unaffected by harvest activities.
Unpublished data from a fire located in central Oregon indicates at least seven species of bats had higher bat
activity within areas that had been salvage logged; the researchers attributed this pattern to the increased
mobility the open areas provided in relation to the presence of insects (Manning, Hayes, and Cissel
unpublished data).
Reforestation could help hasten the return of potential habitat. There are approximately 1,500 acres of tree
planting proposed under Alternative 2, which is 9 percent of the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc NF. Under
Alternatives 1 or 3, only natural regeneration would occur; Alternative 2 would provide the most rapid return
of potential roosts.
The other activities proposed within the Barry South Salvage EA are not expected to affect fringe-tailed
myotis. Road closures may provide minimal amounts of habitat as conifers seed into the road bed. Physical
noxious weed treatments would remove non-native invasive plants while leaving the native plant species that
bat prey evolved with.
Cumulative Effects: The past management actions have been obscured by the effects from the Barry Point
Fire. The foreseeable actions are discussed below. The geographical extent of the cumulative effects analysis is
the perimeter of the Barry Point Fire in Oregon and California. The timeframe for cumulative analysis is five
years.
MODOC NF: A separate Categorical Exclusion for reforestation activities will be completed for an additional
1,500 acres in the stands affected by the Barry Point Fire beginning in FY2015. Planting would encourage the
establishment of seedling, sapling, and pole sized pine trees and return of denser canopied coniferous habitat.
There could be 3,000 acres out of 16,587 acres or 18 percent within the Barry Point Fire may be reforested
under these two efforts. This amount is almost double that proposed in both Alternatives 1 and 3.
There are also plans to continue to use prescribed fire working with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to
regenerate understory vegetation in areas that have been logged adjacent to the Barry Point Fire. East-zone
Fuels Specialist, Mark Deperro, estimates there could be 5,000 acres of follow up under-burning within the
next 5 years in pine stands that have been previously logged (M. Deperro, pers. comm.). Post-burn, it is
anticipated that there would be an increase in understory grass, forb, and shrub production that could
enhance insect availability.
The baseline activities that occur in the area are livestock grazing, fishing, hunting, and firewood collection.
Livestock grazing can have localized significant impacts on the establishment of conifers; however, based on
data from survival exams there appears to be no significant effect to the conifer establishment (C. Carlock, pers.
comm.). Therefore, the impact to future fringe-tailed bat habitat is deemed insignificant.
According to Paul Bailey (retired Devil’s Garden Ranger District Timber Management Officer), the Barry
South Salvage area has little use by firewood cutters. He also added that fire wood gathering activities are
usually focused on burned juniper; burned pine receives very little use (P. Bailey, pers. comm.). Therefore,
firewood gathering would have negligible potential roost sites for fringe-tailed bats.
Other recreational activities, such as hunting, do not appear to have any effects on snag quantity or trend.
Based on the various activities discussed above, there appear to be beneficial to neutral cumulative effects to
fringe-tailed bat and its habitat.
PRIVATE LANDS: The following information comes from Lee Fledderjohann, Collins Timber Manager,
and personal observations made by Mary Rasmussen-Flores. Roughly 75 percent of the lands under Collins
control sustained stand replacing fire intensities. Additional Collins holdings were impacted by the Fletcher
Fire (2007); therefore, potential habitat for fringe-tailed bat is currently very limited. Trees that were not
expected to survive one growing season were removed beginning in late summer/early fall of 2012. This
harvest occurred outside of the timing when roosting young bats might be susceptible to harvest activities.
Working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2 percent of the harvest area was set aside for
black-backed woodpecker. Additional habitats with riparian areas were also left unharvested. There are plans
to reforest areas, but they are contingent on verification of site conditions conducive to regeneration.
FREMONT-WINEMA NF: The potential cumulative effects on fringe-tailed bat for this analysis are limited
to plans developed for the Barry Point Salvage in Oregon. Information concerning the Fremont-Winema NF
was provided by the district for the Barry Point Salvage Project (Lakeview, Oregon). It is critical to note that
proposed actions and potential effects are contingent on their Forest’s analyses and public scoping.
Depending on the outcome of their analyses, the potential effects could be substantially less than stated
below.
Using the maximum value of areas that could be harvested, 15,700 acres is currently being analyzed for
treatment on the Fremont-Winema NF. Up to 815 acres or 10 percent of the low severity stands could
receive treatment. In other words, 90 percent of areas that have the best potential fringe-tailed bat habitat
would remain post-treatment.
Roughly 6,300 acres or 37 percent of the mixed severity stands could be harvested. Except along roadsides,
only fire affected trees that have no green needles would be harvested. The retention of all of the green trees
would minimize effects to residual canopy cover in mixed severity stands outside of the hazard tree units.
Given their preference for areas with high canopy covers, the removal of burnt trees within stands that
sustained 25 to 75 percent mortality should have little effect to fringe-tailed bat potential roost sites.
To summarize, the effects of Modoc NF management activities combined with those of adjacent private land
owners and National Forest system lands may affect potential roost trees; however, the management activities
are not expected to cause a trend toward listing for the fringe-tailed bat.
Alternative 3 (Salvage only)
Direct and Indirect Effects to Habitat. The effects of this Alternative would be the same as Alternative 2,
except for the planting. Based on information from Roy Cuzick, Supervisory Forester, the areas sustaining
stand replacing fires should remain in early seral conditions for fifty years, if there is no planting. Therefore,
this Alternative could delay the return of potential habitat longer than Alternative 2 on 1,500 acres.
Cumulative Effects to Habitat in the Analysis Area. The cumulative effects on both the Modoc NF and
adjacent land owners would be the same as Alternative 2. There would be no reforestation under either the
Barry Point South Salvage or a separate environmental document, if Alternative 3 is selected.
Great Gray Owl
Species Account: Surveys have been conducted by Department of Fish and Wildlife Staff within the Barry
Point Fire perimeter in California; great gray owls have been detected at three locations during these surveys.
The Modoc NF and CDFW are currently conducting surveys for great gray owls in order to determine habitat
use and in the case of the Modoc NF, to ascertain if Limited Operating Periods needed to be incorporated
into management strategies to protect nesting owls. Great gray owls are uncommon throughout their range
(Bull et. al. 1989).
Egg laying at lower elevation sites in California begins in late March or early April; the incubation period is
about 30 days and the fledglings leave the nest 26 to28 days after hatching (Beck and Winter 2000).
Habitat Account:
Great gray owls usually nest in dense, timbered stands with large open meadows
nearby. However, great gray owls within the Barry Point Fire perimeter used east-side pine stands that often
had smaller trees and more open canopies than discussed in the literature; it appeared that micro sites
containing pockets of dense trees (i.e. trees with mistletoe and larger branches) were important to owls (J
Croteau, pers. comm.). Various researchers found great gray owls commonly used stick nests made by other
species (e.g. northern goshawks [Bull and Duncan 1993]); roost sites were in stands with 11 to 59 percent
canopy cover.
Meadows associated with nest stands need to contain enough cover to provide for prey. Diets for great gray
owls consisted mainly of voles and pocket gophers (Bull and Duncan 1993). Males preferentially foraged in
stands with 11 to 59 percent canopy cover and avoided clearings.
The Barry Point Fire may have caused a combination of both positive and negative effects to great gray owl
habitat. The following information comes from various authors in the Fire Effects database (Ulev 2007).
Stand-replacing fire may negatively affect the potential nesting habitat, due to the destruction of (1) canopy
cover and (2) of stick nests and other structures used as nesting substrate. Monitoring conducted in Yosemite
showed that bird detections shifted after fire (Maurer 2006). Another study in Yosemite noted that a nonbreeding female great gray owl continued to use areas impacted by a large fire even though large portions of
the habitat had converted to mixed chaparral (van Riper III and Wagtendonk 2006).
However, fire may reduce conifer invasion and remove grass layers, thereby increasing prey availability in
grass dominated sites. This lack of cover may be detrimental to prey over time. Based on research conducted
in Oregon, some small mammals were absent to rare on severely burned sites [shrews (Sorex sp., deer mice
(Peromyscus maniculatus), creeping voles (Microtus oregoni), and Townsend's chipmunks (Neotamias townsendii)],
while other species such as pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides and T. mazama) generally increased following
stand-replacing fire (Ulev 2007).
The habitat needs for great gray owl are similar to the fringe-tailed bat, although owl nesting activity is usually
focused around meadows. The unique condition in the location of the units provides meadow habitat near
most of the proposed units. Only stands that sustained low to mixed fire severities would be considered as
potential nesting habitat. Using CWHR classes of size 4 and 5 with M and D densities, there 246 acres of
potential habitat within the proposed Barry South Salvage units and 2,933 acres (east-side pine and mixed
conifer stands with M and D densities and 4 and 5 size classes) within the fire affected acres on the Modoc
NF.
Effects of the Alternatives
Key Habitat Factor(s) for the Analysis: Potential removal of residual green habitat, future tree
canopy cover, and disturbance to nesting owls.
Alternative 1 (No Action)
Direct and Indirect Effects There would be no change in the current amount of residual green trees
and fire effected snags within the proposed harvest units; nor, would there be any disturbance to nesting
owls. It is anticipated that the re-establishment of coniferous forests would be delayed at least 50 years in the
absence of reforestation activities (R. Cuzick, pers. comm.). To summarize, no potential great gray owl
habitat would be affected by implementation of Alternative 1; however, there would be a delay in the return
of habitat over time.
Cumulative Effects
There would be no cumulative effects associated with this alternative.
Alternatives 2 (Salvage and planting)
Direct and Indirect Effects: Disturbance to nesting owls does not appear to an issue. Using the dates
in the species account, young should be fledged by early to mid-June within the Barry South Salvage Project.
Harvest activities are not expected to begin until July.
Under this Alternative, 1,643 acres could receive salvage treatments; this equates to 10 percent of the acres
affected by the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc NF. The majority of the stands scheduled for salvage harvest
sustained stand replacing fire intensities and would no longer be considered as suitable nesting habitat. As
with the fringe-tailed bat, the low severity stands provide the best potential habitat.
Acres of low mortality within the general salvage area are comprised of small fragmented pieces rather than
contiguous portions of land. There are a total of 8 acres within the proposed units (CWHR size class 4 with
M density). The average size of the low mortality areas within the treatment areas is 0.37 acres. The largest
parcel, encompassing 4 acres, is located near Pease Flat. This area is at the eastern edge of the fire and could
provide habitat similar to other nest sites found near the Barry South Salvage project. A heavier thin in this
area could degrade the potential use by owls within that treatment unit. The removal of residual greens trees
would affect 1.6 percent of the potential great gray owl habitat within the Barry South Salvage proposed units.
The mixed severity stands have varying amounts of green trees. In Unit 31 and Unit 19, additional plots were
run to verify the fire severity. In Unit 31, the tree mortality (trees with 90 to 100 percent crown scorch)
ranged from 60 to 87.5 percent. Based on observations of the stand as a whole, the amount of residual live
trees was low (C. Carlock, pers. comm.). This area would provide little potential habitat. I found the same
pattern to be true in most of the mixed severity stands except for the areas around Upper Fletcher Creek in
Unit 19.
The focus of the prescription is not to thin a green stand, but to remove trees that are fire affected and not
expected to survive. In Unit 31, only trees without green needles would be harvested. On the remaining 222
acres (or 8 percent of the potential habitat within the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc NF), the prescription is
to remove trees that are anticipated to die. Therefore, potential effects to residual habitat in mixed severity
stands are expected to be limited.
Reforestation could help hasten the return of potential habitat. There are approximately 1,500 acres of tree
planting proposed under Alternative 2, which is 9 percent of the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc NF. Under
Alternatives 1 or 3, only natural regeneration would occur. Alternative 2 would provide the most rapid return
of potential nesting habitat.
The other activities proposed within the Barry South Salvage EA are not expected to affect great gray owl.
Road closures may provide minimal amounts of habitat as conifers seed into the road bed. Physical noxious
weed treatments would remove non-native invasive plants leaving plant species that owl prey evolved with.
To summarize, there could be a small effect to potential great gray owl habitat by the removal of trees that
exhibited green needles in fall 2012; however, management activities proposed in the Barry South Salvage
project would not lead to a trend toward listing for the great gray owl or its habitat.
Cumulative Effects: The past management actions have been obscured by the effects from the Barry Point
Fire. The foreseeable actions are discussed below. The geographical extent of the cumulative effects analysis is
the perimeter of the Barry Point Fire in Oregon and California. The timeframe for cumulative analysis is five
years.
MODOC NF: A separate Categorical Exclusion is being planned for additional reforestation. Roughly 3,000
acres out of 16,587 acres or 18 percent of the acres within the Barry Point Fire may be reforested under these
two efforts. This amount is almost double that proposed in both Alternatives 1 and 3. Although some pocket
gophers may be removed during reforestation efforts, there has been little change in the gopher population in
other stands, where gopher abatement activities occurred (based on tree survival exam data run by C. Carlock
[pers. comm.]). Therefore, reforestation activities are not expected to affect great gray owl prey.
Prescribed fire is not expected to have any cumulative impacts to great gray owls or their habitats. The stands
have been previously thinned and are not adjacent to meadows, so they currently provide little potential as
nesting habitat.
The additional baseline activities that occur in the Barry South Salvage treatment units are livestock grazing,
firewood collection, fishing and hunting. The district is planning on resting the Ranger Field on the Blue
Mountain Allotment and the Beaver Dam Allotment until 2014. The West pasture on the West Grizzlie
Allotment could be used in 2013, if ecological objectives are met; this area could be grazed in September if
sufficient cover is present. The delay in livestock use could provide cover for great grey prey during the
nesting season.
According to Paul Bailey (retired Devil’s Garden Ranger District Timber Management Officer), the Barry
South Salvage area has little use by firewood cutters. He also added that fire wood gathering activities are
usually focused on burned juniper; burned pine receives very little use (P. Bailey, pers. comm.). Therefore,
there is no expected effect to potential nest trees. Other recreational activities, such as hunting, do not
appear to have any effects on great gray owls.
PRIVATE LANDS: There were great gray owls present on private lands prior to the advent of the Barry
Point Fire (L. Fledderjohann and J. Croteau, pers. comm.). Since a majority of the lands sustained stand
replacing fire intensities, the owl’s current status is not known. The Department of Fish and Wildlife has
worked with Collins timber in the past for great gray owl management. CDFW biological staff determined
that operations on Collins private lands would not have significant adverse impacts (J Croteau, pers. comm.).
Between the logging outside of the nesting season, the focus of removing fire affected trees, and the
continued coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, it is anticipated that harvest would not
significantly affect great gray owls on the private land.
FREMONT-WINEMA NF: Fringe-tailed bat utilized the same CWHR types as great gray owl; therefore, the
basic analysis for the bat would be the same for the owl. Up to 15,700 acres is currently being analyzed for
treatment on the Fremont-Winema NF. A maximum of 815 acres or 10 percent of the low severity stands
could receive treatment. Ninety percent of areas that have the best potential habitat for great gray owl would
remain post-treatment.
Roughly 37 percent of the mixed severity stands could be harvested. Except along roadsides, only fire
affected trees that have no green needles would be harvested. The retention of all of the green trees (except
in the hazard tree units) would minimize effects to residual canopy cover in mixed severity stands. With the
focus of harvest on fire affected snags, proposed treatments on the Fremont-Winema in combination for the
areas proposed on the Modoc NF are not expected to cause a trend toward listing for the great gray owl or its
habitat.
To summarize, there could be some effect to the amount of potential great gray owl habitat on private or
federal lands; however, it is not anticipated that there would be cumulative effects to cause a trend toward
listing.
Alternative 3 (Salvage only)
Direct and Indirect Effects to Habitat. The effects of this Alternative would be the same as Alternative 2,
except for the planting. Based on information from Roy Cuzick, Supervisory Forester, the areas that
sustained stand replacing fires should remain in early seral conditions for 50 years, if there is no planting.
Therefore, this Alternative would delay the return of denser canopied conifer stands longer than Alternative 2
thereby delaying the return of potential great gray owl habitat.
Cumulative Effects to Habitat in the Analysis Area. The cumulative effects would be the same as
Alternative 2, except for the amount of reforestation. There is no reforestation planned under any NEPA
document within the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc NF, if this Alternative is selected. The effects of
prescribed fire, grazing, and recreational activities would be the same as Alternative 2. The effects for private
lands and the Fremont-Winema would be the same as discussed under the cumulative effects section for
Alternative 2 as well.
Northern Goshawk
Existing condition
Species Account
The northern goshawk is the largest accipiter in North America. It occupies a wide distribution, including
boreal and temperate forests throughout the Holarctic (Squires and Reynolds 1997). The Holarctic
encompasses all the non-tropical parts of Europe and Asia, Africa north of the Sahara, and North America
south to the Mexican desert region (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/269108/Holarcticregion).
There were five PAC’s affected to varying degrees within the Barry Point Fire perimeter in California.
Although many of the trees in the mixed severity areas retained green needles, the true effect of the flames
may not be known until the 2013 field season.
The following information comes from Squires and Reynolds (1997). Eggs are usually laid by late April to
early May. By 40 to 42 days post-hatching, the young are fledged. Around day 45, adults provide food away
from the nest.
In 2012, Forest Service personnel surveyed roughly 1,200 acres within and adjacent to the Barry Point Fire
using intensive stand searches and broad cast calls. Goshawks were detected near Round Willow and Enquist
Reservoir; a nest with one fledged juvenile goshawk was located near Mulkey Place.
Habitat Account:
Nesting Habitat
Northern goshawk nesting habitat varies, given its wide distribution. Numerous habitat studies and modeling
efforts have found nest sites to be associated with similar factors: proximity to water or meadow habitat,
forest openings, level terrain or ‘benches’ of gentle slope, northerly aspects, and patches of larger, denser trees
(Woodbridge and Hargis 2006). High canopy cover was considered the most consistent structural feature
across studies of goshawk nesting habitat (Forest Service 2001).
Nest sites on the Devil’s Garden Ranger District exhibit these characteristics. They are generally on gentle to
moderate slopes with denser patches of large trees.
Foraging Habitat
The following information came from various authors on the Birds of North America Online website
(http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/298/articles/habitat). In northern Arizona, foraging sites had
greater canopy closure (Beier and Drennan 1997) (Bright-Smith and Mannan 1994 in Squires and Reynolds
1997) and greater density of trees (>41 cm dbh) relative to contrast plots (Beier and Drennan 1997). In
southwestern Yukon Territory, 33 percent of northern goshawk kills were in dense forests, even though this
habitat covered only 18 percent of the study area (Doyle and Smith 1994 in Squires and Reynolds 1997). In
two California studies, goshawks used mature and old-growth habitat (≥52 cm, canopy closure ≥40 percent)
(Austin 1993; Hargis et al. 1994 in Squires and Reynolds 1997). However, the authors found conflicting
patterns with respect to open areas. Austin (1993) found that goshawks avoided open habitats such as
meadows and seedling and sapling stands, but Hargis et al. (1994 in Squires and Reynolds 1997) noted some
populations readily forage in open habitats.
George Studinski, a long-tenured wildlife biologist on the Devil’s Garden Ranger District, noted goldenmantled ground squirrels, northern flickers, cottontail rabbits, and mourning doves as the most common prey
items (G. Studinski, pers. comm.). Northern goshawk prey species on the Devil’s Garden RD appear to
favor open forest types.
Other Habitats Used by Northern Goshawk
Northern goshawk roosting habitat has been identified as a management concern (Kennedy et al.1994).
Rickman et al. (2005) investigated night-roosting habitat of northern goshawks on the Eagle Lake Ranger
District of the Lassen NF. They found that roost trees tended to (1) be located on north and east aspect
slopes, and (2) have an average roost tree dbh smaller than nest tree dbh [41.7 cm (16.4 inches) verses 80.9
cm (31.8 inches)]. In addition, roost plots had significantly greater tree densities and fewer large trees than
did nest plots. They recommended leaving un-thinned patches in the treatment areas to provide potential
roost sites for goshawk.
Post-fledging areas (PFAs) are areas surrounding goshawk nest locations that roughly correspond to the
territory (defended area) of a goshawk pair (Reynolds et al. 1992). The PFA represents an area of
concentrated use by goshawk young from the time the young leave the nest until they are no longer
dependent on the adults. PFAs provide hiding cover for the young, as well as prey.
Dispersal habitat has not been studied locally on the Modoc NF. Results from a study from the Kaibab area
in Arizona (a pine dominated system surrounded by sage steppe habitat) indicated that northern goshawk
young had a wide range of dispersal movements reflecting great mobility and variation in behavior; young
goshawks readily dispersed beyond the pine forests in the surrounding matrix of pinyon-juniper woodlands
and shrub steppe cover types (Weins, Reynolds, and Noon 2006).
Wintering goshawk habitat is poorly understood. In the Rocky Mountain region, wintering goshawks used
riparian areas with cottonwood, aspen, spruce/fir, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, and open habitats (Squires
and Ruggerio 1995). Although there is no data concerning winter use of the Barry South Project area, various
individuals have seen northern goshawks using the valleys floors near Alturas and Cedarville (Yamagiwa,
Studinski, Carlock, and M.Flores, pers. comm.). Based on these sightings, it appears northern goshawks make
a seasonal elevational migration during the winter months, presumably when prey would be less abundant.
The electronic EVEG data was clipped to the Barry Point Fire in California to assess the potential effects.
Using CWHR classes 4 and 5 with M and D densities, there are 246 acres of stands sustaining low to mixed
severities within proposed Barry South Salvage units, and 2,933 acres (east-side pine and mixed conifer stands
with M and D densities, 4 and 5 size classes, low to mixed severities) within the Modoc NF. There are 68
(rounded) acres of proposed treatment units within Northern Goshawk PACs; 25 acres sustained mixed
severity fire and 43 acres sustained high severity fire.
Effects of the Alternatives
Key Habitat Factor(s) for the Analysis: Potential removal of residual green tree habitat, future
tree canopy cover, and disturbance to nesting northern goshawks.
Alternative 1 (No Action)
Direct and Indirect Effects: According to various authors in Griffith (1993), large, stand-replacing fires
can destroy large blocks of northern goshawk nesting and foraging habitat, resulting in uniform habitat
instead of a mosaic of open and forested areas.
There would be no change in the current amount of residual green trees and fire effected snags within the
proposed harvest units; nor, would there be any disturbance to nesting goshawks. It is anticipated that the reestablishment of coniferous forests would be delayed at least 50 years in the absence of reforestation activities
(R. Cuzick, pers. comm.). To summarize, no potential northern goshawk habitat would be affected by
implementation of Alternative 1; however, there would be a delay in the return of habitat over time.
Cumulative Effects:
There are no cumulative effects associated with this alternative for northern goshawk.
Alternatives 2 (Salvage and planting)
Direct and Indirect Effects:
One cannot divorce the effects of fire on northern goshawk habitat from the effects of salvage harvest.
Researchers have indicated that fires can destroy goshawk habitat. McGarth et al. (2003) cautioned about
potential reduction in habitat following severe wildfires. Based on initial reconnaissance of the Barry Point
Fire, it appears there has been a decrease in the amount of occupied habitat, which should be validated during
the 2013 field season.
Studies of the response of prey to fire is limitedin the literature. Kennedy and Fontaine (2009) reported that
there was no significant difference to mourning dove densities across burn severity gradients. Although
golden-mantled ground squirrels (gmgs) were detected in ponderosa pine forests in Arizona within high burn
severities (Kyle and Bock 2000), data did not indicate gmgs use of high severity burns (Fontaine and Kennedy
2012). Converse et al (2006) noted increases in total small mammal biomass after wild fires in ponderosa pine
forests in the southwestern United States.
Salvage activities are expected to have minimal effects on nesting northern goshawks. Based on survey data
from PACs in the Barry Point Fire, birds were incubating by early May. According to Squires and Reynolds
(1997), young fledge and are fed away from the nest by 45 days. In the Barry South Salvage area, young
should be mobile by the time harvest operations are anticipated to begin based on data collected on site. By
coupling the timing of operations with the use of Limited Operating Periods, nesting goshawks would be
protected from disturbance.
Canopy cover was destroyed by the fire in both the mixed and high severity stands. The areas sustaining high
severity burns would not function as nesting habitat; treatment in the 238 acres of mixed severity stands have
the greatest potential to affect northern goshawk nesting habitat. Salvage harvest project design criteria
would partially ameliorate negative effects. Only trees without green needles would be removed within PACs
(e.g. near Grassy Ravine). In the remaining units, the focus of salvage harvest would be the removal of trees
that have died or are expected to die. There are 222 acres of these mixed severity stands (total potential
habitat minus the low severity and the acreage in unit 31) out of 2,933 acres of potential habitat within the
Barry Point Fire, where residual canopy cover could be reduced; this value is 8 percent of the potential
goshawk nesting habitat within the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc NF.
Prey habitat could be impacted by proposed salvage activities, especially in the mixed severity stands. A longterm study noted a higher nesting density of northern flickers in unlogged burned ponderosa pine-Douglas fir
stands, which sustained mixed severity fire (Saab et al. 2007). In contrast, researchers found little effect on
population parameters from salvage logging on four species of small mammals including golden-mantled
ground squirrel based on a study conducted in central Oregon (Hayes 2009). Golden-mantled ground
squirrels were positively correlated with treatments, which provided open forests, in pine forests of Arizona
(Kalies et al. 2012).
The more open conditions found in low and mixed severity stands might benefit prey. In western Montana,
Shick et al. (2006) found that gmgs were common in ponderosa pine with more open habitat structure; they
went on to conclude that treatments may increase gmgs populations, where the understory is thinned while
retaining the mature pines. Authors have suggested retaining the various stand conditions after fires could
maximize wildlife diversity (Fontaine and Kennedy 2012).
The edges along the high severity treatment units and inclusions of mixed severity stands could still provide
foraging opportunities for northern goshawk. In similar eastside pine habitats, northern goshawks have been
observed moving from closed stands into open areas to capture prey (B. Woodbridge, pers. comm.).
Reforestation would increase the rate of return of conifer cover and later seral conditions over time.
Approximately 1,500 acres sustained stand replacing fire severities that do not provide potential nesting
habitat currently, but could 50 years earlier than stands left to natural regeneration (see Barry South Salvage
Silviculture Report).
Noxious weed treatments would utilize physical treatments of weed occurrences. Removing noxious weeds
would benefit the native plants in the project area, thereby providing food and cover for the prey from plant
species they have evolved with. Therefore, noxious weed treatments should have beneficial effects to
goshawk and its habitat.
Cumulative Effects: Past management actions have been obscured by the effects from the Barry Point Fire.
The foreseeable actions are discussed below. The geographical extent of the cumulative effects analysis is the
perimeter of the Barry Point Fire in Oregon and California. The timeframe for cumulative analysis is five
years.
MODOC NF: A separate Categorical Exclusion will be completed for an additional 1,500 acres of
reforestation in the stands affected by the Barry Point Fire beginning in FY2015. Planting will encourage the
establishment of seedling, sapling, and pole sized pine trees, which in the very long-term (100 plus years) will
provide for later seral coniferous habitat. Roughly 3,000 acres out of 16,587 acres or 18 percent of the acres
within the Barry Point Fire could be reforested under these two efforts. This amount is almost double that
proposed in both Alternatives 1 and 3. Reforestation activities would benefit northern goshawk in the future.
Prescribed fire to regenerate understory vegetation in areas that have been logged adjacent to the Barry Point
Fire is expected to have little effect to northern goshawk nesting habitat; however, prey may benefit for an
increase in understory vegetation within ponderosa pine stands.
The additional baseline activities that occur in the Barry South Salvage treatment units include: livestock
grazing, fishing, hunting, and firewood collection. These other management activities on the Modoc NF are
not expected to have cumulative effects on northern goshawk or its habitat.
PRIVATE LANDS: Please see the discussion of habitat conditions under the great gray owl Cumulative
Effects section for Alternative 2. The majority of the lands sustained stand replacing fire intensities and are
expected to have limited northern goshawk habitat. Logging outside of the nesting season would lessen
potential effects to unknown nesting birds. Therefore, it is anticipated that harvest would not significantly
affect northern goshawk on private lands.
FREMONT-WINEMA NF: The potential effects of proposed salvage on the Fremont-Winema are similar
to those discussed under the great gray owl cumulative effects section. The Fremont-Winema NF also has
Limited Operating Periods to ameliorate potential disturbance to nesting northern goshawks.
To summarize, the effects of the other activities occurring within the Barry Point Fire area on both private
and forest system lands are not anticipated to cause a trend toward listing for northern goshawk or its habitat.
Alternative 3 (Salvage only)
Direct and Indirect Effects to Habitat. The effects of this Alternative would be the same as Alternative 2,
except for the planting. Based on information from Roy Cuzick, Supervisory Forester, the areas sustaining
stand replacing fires should remain in early seral conditions for at least fifty years, if there is no planting.
Therefore, this Alternative would delay the return of denser canopied conifer stands longer than Alternative
2.
Cumulative Effects to Habitat in the Analysis Area. The cumulative effects would be the same as
Alternative 2, except for the amount of reforestation. There is no reforestation proposed for the Barry Point
Fire on Modoc NF, if this Alternative is selected. The effects of prescribed fire, grazing, and recreational
activities would be the same as Alternative 2. The effects for private lands and the Fremont-Winema would
be the same as discussed under the cumulative effects section for Alternative 2 as well.
Based on the above discussion, of Alternatives 2 and 3, the project “May affect individuals, but is not likely to
result in a trend towards federal listing or loss of species viability” for northern goshawk.
Pallid Bat
Existing condition
Species Account
The pallid bat distribution extends from southern British Columbia to Queretaro and Jalisco (Mexico), and
east to Texas (Western Bat Working Group 2005). A. pallidus inhabits low-elevation (less than 6,000 feet)
rocky arid deserts, canyon lands, and shrub-steppe grasslands to higher-elevation coniferous forests; it is most
abundant in xeric ecosystems such as the Great Basin and the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts (Western Bat
Working Group 2005). It is ranked as vulnerable in California (NatureServe 2012).
The following information comes from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Website
(http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=2349&inline=1). The pallid bat is a locally common
species of low elevations in California. It occurs throughout California except in the high Sierra Nevada from
Shasta to Kern counties, and the northwestern corner of the state from Del Norte to northern Mendocino
County. It is a year-long resident in most of its range.
Young are born typically from May through June in the southwestern United States and are capable of flight
by about 49 days of age (Hermanson and O’Shea 1983). Baker et al (2008) found pregnant females during
the first week of July and post-lactating females on 22 and 25 July on the Plumas NF (within a similar
geographical location as the Barry Point Fire).
In lieu of surveys, presence was assumed within the Barry Point Fire perimeter in California.
Habitat Account: Pallid bats use open habitats (e.g. grasslands) and forests in California CDFW website
(http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/). Pallid bats tend to be more prevalent within edges, open stands, and open areas
without trees (Forest Service 2001, Vol. 3, chapter 3, part 4.4, pg 55).
Pallid bats roost (1) in caves, (2) in rock and cliff crevices, (3) under bridges or in buildings, or (4) in dead or
living trees with a cavity or other deformity (Zeiner et al 1990, Lewis 1994, Szewczak et al 1998). Both day
and night roosts are used. Night roosts are used between foraging endeavors. Tree roosts on the Plumas NF
had micro site conditions of open canopies and minimal mid-story cover (Baker et al 2008).
Even on a local scale, there was variability in the sites chosen as roosts. Night roosts in Oregon consisted of
buildings, rock overhangs, and bridges (Lewis 1994). Roosts on the Plumas NF included four live trees, four
snags, one rock crevice, and a building (Baker et al. 2008); the trees used for roosting were large in diameter
(greater than 39.4 inches), tall, and possessed a high percentage of bark. Data from the Lassen NF (just south
of the Modoc NF) indicate that maternity roosts in trees were usually in larger trees (the average diameter of
the roost trees was 30.3 inches dbh); the smallest diameter roost was a 12.7 inch dbh aspen and the smallest
coniferous roost tree was a 23.5 inch dbh ponderosa pine (T. Rickman, pers. comm.).
Primary prey species are large, terrestrial arthropods such as scorpions, ground crickets, and beetles [including
Tenebrionidae and Carabidae] (Hermanson and O'Shea 1983). They forage over open shrub-steppe
grasslands, oak savannah grasslands, open ponderosa pine forests, talus slopes, gravel roads, lava flows, fruit
orchards, and vineyards (Western Bat Working Group 2005). Females travelled greater than 2.5 mi to reach
foraging areas with one going 4.2 mi (Baker et al 2008).
Peer reviewed journals did not reveal data specific to pallid bat use of fire affected trees. Little brown myotis
(Myotis lucifugus) roosted under the bark of fire affected cottonwood snags in New Mexico (ChungMacCoubrey 1999).
It is anticipated over time more roosts could developed within areas affected by the fire. On a study in
Washington and Oregon, more than half of the snags had broken tops 15 years after the fire and almost all
did within 25 years of the fire (Peterson and Harrod 2010 and 2011). These authors found that cavity nesting
birds almost exclusively used broken topped fire killed snags in ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forests.
As stated previously, fire is expected to enhance foraging opportunities. The richness and diversity in both
taxa family Carabidae (ground beetles) and family Tenebrionidae (darkling beetles) increased after fuel
reduction and wild fire; the authors attributed this trend to the heterogeneity in habitats created by fire (Chen
et al. 2006).
For this analysis, potential roosting habitat was defined as larger-diameter pines in open canopied forests (S
and P densities all fire severities). There are 221 acres of potential pallid bat roosting and foraging habitat
within the Barry South Salvage project area and 1,915 acres in the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc National
Forest.
A. Environmental Effects: Direct and Indirect Effects
Key Habitat Factor(s) for the Analysis: Possible removal of potential roost sites and disturbance
to roosting bats.
Alternative 1
Direct/Indirect Effects: Under Alternative 1, there would be no change in the amount of potential roost
habitat on the Modoc NF. Based on the above literature, an increase is invertebrates post-fire is expected.
These insects could provide a potential source of food for foraging bats. The changes in habitat for both bats
and prey would continue to be expressed as natural plant regeneration occurs.
Cumulative Effects:
There are no cumulative effects associated with this alternative on pallid bat or its habitat.
Alternative 2 (Salvage harvest with reforestation)
Direct/Indirect Effects: The potential effects of implementation of management activities is somewhat
masked by the effects of the fire. As stated in previous sections, the fire is anticipated to increase the amount
of invertebrates in the area. Pallid bats are known to use darkling and predaceous beetles (Hermanson and
O'Shea 1983), which increased after fires in ponderosa pine stands, in Arizona (Chen et al. 2006). There was
nothing in the literature concerning pallid bat use of fire affected snags. There could be a decrease in the
suitability of snags, where fire has “case hardened” snags making burrowing beneath the bark difficult.
With respect to salvage harvest, some roosting individuals could be disturbed, if harvesting operation took
the roost tree or one adjacent to it. This disturbance could occur on 221 acres within the treatment units,
which is 12 percent of fire affected acres on the Modoc NF.
Harvest could impact the number of large snags and possibly their longevity in treated stands. All trees above
30 inches dbh would remain on site except in 47 acres or 2.5 percent of potential habitat on the Barry Point
Fire on the Modoc NF, where large trees pose hazards to roads and human safety. In the rest of the
treatment units, three of the largest snags would be left on site post-harvest. Russell et al. (2006) found
salvage harvest decreased the longevity of ponderosa pine snags; they went on to state that preservation of
dense stands of snags would promote the longer-term persistence of suitable snags for cavity nesting birds.
Since pallid bats prefer more open stands, it is unknown if the decrease in longevity could affect potential
pallid bat habitat.
The majority (88 percent) of potential pallid bat habitat in the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc NF would
remain unharvested under Alternative 2. Since pallid bats select for larger diameter coniferous trees, most of
the trees with the greatest potential for roosting habitat would remain in the project area after implementation
(Figure 2).
SPA Across Analysis Area
50
40
47
42
S 30
P
20
A
10
Pre Harvest
Post Harvest
9
8
7.4 6.7
0
5 - 11.9
12-14.9
DBH
Figure 2. Snags per acre pre-and post- harvest.
15-30
Salvage harvest may enhance the area as potential foraging habitat, especially for species with less agile flight
patterns. Armitage and Ober (2012) attributed increases of bat use in open space being important for larger,
less maneuverable bat species. According to Hermanson and O'Shea (1983), pallid bats were less
maneuverable than smaller evening bats (like Myotis species).
Various researchers in the eastern United States have noticed increased bat use of areas where canopies had
been opened by prescribed fires (Boyles and Aubrey 2006; Armitage and Ober (2012); various authors in
Perry 2012). Lacki et al. (2009) attributed this pattern to bats foraging areas with “less clutter”. Manning,
Hayes, and Cissel (unpublished data) documented the same pattern in salvage harvested stands; they
attributed the difference to increases in shrubs associated with logging. The shrubs attracted more insects,
which could serve as potential prey.
Reforestation could hasten the return of large diameter trees in the future, as stated previously.
Noxious weed treatments and road improvements are not expected to negatively affect pallid bats. Removing
noxious weeds would benefit the native plants in the project area, thereby providing food and cover from
plant species that prey species have evolved with. Road improvements could affect small trees on small
acreages. They would not affect potential roost trees.
To summarize, management activities could disturb bats on 12 percent of the area impacted by the Barry
Point Fire on the Modoc National Forest. Salvage harvest could improve foraging habitat. The other
activities are not expected to negatively affect pallid bats or their habitats.
Cumulative Effects: Past management actions have been obscured by the effects from the Barry Point Fire.
The foreseeable actions are discussed below. The geographical extent of the cumulative effects analysis is the
perimeter of the Barry Point Fire in Oregon and California. The timeframe for cumulative analysis is five years.
MODOC NF: Over time reforestation would decrease the open character of the habitat, thereby decreasing
the area’s potential as foraging habitat. A separate Categorical Exclusion will be completed for 1,500 acres of
additional reforestation in the stands affected by the Barry Point Fire beginning in FY2015. Roughly 3,000
acres out of 16,587 acres or 18 percent within the Barry Point Fire could be reforested under these two
efforts. This amount is almost double that proposed in both Alternatives 1 and 3.
There are plans to continue to use prescribed fire working with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to
regenerate understory vegetation. East-zone Fuels Specialist, Mark Deperro, estimated within the next five
years there could be around 5,000 acres of follow up under-burning in pine stands that have been previously
logged (M. Deperro, pers. comm.). Post-burn, it is anticipated that there would be an increase in snags
(which could potentially provide roost sites) as well as understory grass, forb, and shrub production that
could enhance insect availability.
According to Paul Bailey (retired Devil’s Garden Ranger District Timber Management Officer) the Barry South
Salvage area has little use by firewood cutters. He also added that fire wood gathering activities are usually
focused on burned juniper; burned pine receives very little use (P. Bailey, pers. comm.). Therefore, firewood
gathering would have negligible potential roost sites for pallid bats.
Other activities, such as grazing and hunting, do not appear to have any effects on snag quantity or trend.
Based on the various activities discussed above, there appear to be beneficial to neutral cumulative effects to
pallid bat and its habitat.
PRIVATE LANDS: The following information comes from Lee Fledderjohann, Collins Timber Manager,
Joe Croteau, CDFW Senior Environmental Scientist, and personal observations made by Mary RasmussenFlores. Roughly 75 percent of the lands under Collins control sustained stand replacing fire intensities. The
pre-fire stands were dominated by conifers less than 14 inches diameter at breast height; therefore, potential
habitat for pallid bat was very limited before the fire.
Trees that were not expected to survive one growing season were removed beginning in late summer and
early fall of 2012. Harvest was conducted outside of the timing when roosting young bats might be
susceptible to tree removal. Additional habitats with riparian areas were also left unharvested. There are
plans to reforest areas, but they are contingent on verification of site conditions conducive for regeneration
objectives.
FREMONT-WINEMA National Forest (NF): The effects of activities for this forest are limited to plans
developed for the Barry Point Salvage. It is critical to note that proposed actions and potential effects are
contingent on their Forest’s analyses and public scoping. Therefore, the information presented for this forest
is draft, but provides as a measure of potential cumulative effects. This information was provided by
Fremont-Winema staff for the Barry Point Salvage Project (Lakeview, Oregon).
Under the various action Alternatives, there is a range of 5,231 to 15,700 acres where salvage harvesting could
occur. This value is 10 to 29 percent of the Barry Point Fire on the Fremont-Winema NF. Salvage harvest is
proposed targeting fire-killed trees between 12 inches and 26 inches dbh up to 1200 feet from ML2 through
ML5 roads in moderate and high severity burn areas excluding areas for certain resource concerns (e.g. higher
snag densities for cavity nesting birds/woodpecker species or bald eagles).
Under any action Alternative for the Fremont-Winema, there could be disturbance to bats and removal of
potential nest trees. There could 38,740 to 49,209 un-harvested acres on the Fremont-Winema NF
depending on the action alternative selected. Given the proclivity for this species to use open xeric
ecosystems, salvage harvest on the Fremont-Winema or on the Modoc NF is not expected to lead to a trend
toward listing for pallid bat.
To summarize, the effects of the management activities occurring within the Barry Point Fire area on both
private and national forest system lands are not anticipated to cause a trend toward listing for pallid bat.
Alternative 3 (Salvage only)
Direct and Indirect Effects to Habitat. The effects of this Alternative would be the same as Alternative 2
with the exception of reforestation. There would be more open foraging habitat than under Alternative 2.
Cumulative Effects to Habitat in the Analysis Area. The cumulative effects would be the same as
Alternative 2 with the exception of reforestation activities. Those would be the same as Alternative 1.
To summarize, the effects of the management activities occurring within the Barry Point Fire area on both
private and national forest system lands are not anticipated to cause a trend toward listing for pallid bat.
VI. DETERMINATION
It is my determination that effects of the proposed actions for the Barry Point South Salvage Project are as
follows in Table 6.
Table 6. Determination for federally listed, proposed, candidate, and sensitive species with respect to the
Barry Point South Salvage Project.
Species
Northern spotted owl
Gray wolf
California wolverine
Greater sage-grouse
American marten
Bald eagle
California spotted owl
Greater sandhill crane
Pygmy rabbit
Swainson’s hawk
Townsend’s big-eared bat
Willow flycatcher
Fringe-tailed myotis
Effect of Alternative 1
No Effect.
No Effect
No Effect
No Effect
No Effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
Great gray owl)
No effect
Northern goshawk
No effect
Pallid bat
No effect
Effect of Alternatives 2 and 3
No Effect.
No Effect
No Effect
No Effect
No Effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
No effect
May affect individuals, but not likely to lead to a trend
toward federal listing or loss of viability in the planning area
May affect individuals, but not likely to lead to a trend
toward federal listing or loss of viability in the planning area
May affect individuals, but not likely to lead to a trend
toward federal listing or loss of viability in the planning area
May affect individuals, but not likely to lead to a trend
toward federal listing or loss of viability in the planning area
VI I. PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS
Paul Bailey. 2013. Retired Timber Management Officer, Devil’s Garden Ranger District. Modoc NF.
Alturas, CA.
Cathy Carlock. 2013. East-zone Culturist. Modoc NF. Cedarville, CA.
Joe Croteau. 2013. CDFW Senior Environmental Scientist. Yreka, CA.
Roy Cuzick. 2013. Supervisory Forester. Modoc NF. Alturas, CA.
Mark Deperro. 2013. East-zone Fuels Specialist. Modoc NF. Alturas, CA.
Lee Fledderjohann. Collins Timber Manager. Lakeview, OR.
Elias Flores. 2013. Wildlife Biologist. Surprise Resource Area. Bureau of Land Management. Cedarville,
CA.
Todd Forbes. 2013. Wildlife Biologist. Bureau of Land Management. Lakeview, OR.
Jenny Jayo. 2011. Devil’s Garden Ranger District Rangeland Specialist. Modoc NF. Alturas, CA
Tom Rickman. 2011. Wildlife Biologist, Eagle Lake RD. Lassen NF. Susanville, CA
Christopher Stewart. 2013. Forest Hydologist. Modoc NF. Alturas, CA.
George Studinski. 2011. Retired Wildlife Biologist, Devil’s Garden Ranger District. Alturas, CA.
Brian Woodbridge. 2012. Wildlife Biologist. USFWS. Yreka, CA.
Marty Yamagiwa. 2012. Forest Wildlife Biologist. Modoc NF. Alturas, CA.
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California-Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist 58 (1): 66-75.
Ulev, Elena D. 2007. Strix nebulosa. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer).
Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [ 2012, December 31].
Van Riper III, C. and J. van Wagtendonk. 2006 Home range characteristics of great gray owls in Yosemite
National Park, California. Journal Raptor Research 40(2): 130-141.
Weller, T. and C. Zabel. 2001. Characteristics of fringed myotis day roosts in northern California. Journal of
Wildlife Management 65(3): 489-497.
Western Bat Working Group. See website list below
Wiens, J.D., R. Reynolds, and B. Noon. 2006. Juvenile movement and natal dispersal of northern goshawks
in Arizona. Condor 108: 253-269.
Woodbridge, B. and Hargis, C.D. 2006. Northern goshawk inventory and monitoring technical guide. Gen.
Tech. Rep. WO-71. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 80 p.
Zeiner, D.C., W.F. Laudenslayer, K.E. Mayer, and M. White. 1990. California’s wildlife, Volume III,
Mammals. California Department of Fish and Game. Sacramento, CA. 407 pp.
Websites
Definition of holartic –
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/269108/Holarctic-region
Definition of WHR tree size - http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/rsl/projects/frdb/tables/table114b.html
Fringe-tailed bat background information (http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/nongame/ssc/docs/mammal/species/14.pdf)
Pallid bat distribution in California http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=2349&inline=1.
Pallid bat status in California - http://www.natureserve.org/explorer
USFWS Species list for Modoc County –
http://www.fws.gov/klamathfallsfwo/
APPENDIX A
- Wildlife Habitat Relationships, Standards for Tree Size
For more information regarding the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System, go to Department of
Fish and Wildlife's WHR web page at: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cwhr/.
CWHR
Code
CWHR Size Class
Conifer Crown
Diameter
Hardwood Crown
Diameter
DBH
1
Seedling tree
n/a
n/a
<1.0"
2
Sapling tree
n/a
<15.0'
1.0" - 5.9"
3
Pole tree
<12.0'
15.0' - 29.9'
6.0" - 10.9"
4
Small tree
12.0' - 23.9'
30.0' - 44.9'
11.0" - 23.9"
5
Medium/large tree
>24.0'
>45.0'
>24.0"
6
Multi-layered tree
0
Not Determined /
Not Applicable
A distinct layer of size class 5 trees over a distinct layer of
size class 4 and/or 3 trees, and total tree canopy of the
layers >60% (layers must have >10.0% canopy cover and
distinctive height separation).
Errata
Added sixth standard and guideline for Northern Goshawk PACs, Page 5.
Revised wording and added additional text to 3rd paragraph, Page 12.
Deleted ‘an affect’, added ‘a small effect’, Page 16.
Deleted ‘a’ replaced with ‘the’, Page 19.
Added ‘Studies of’ and ‘limited in’ and removed ‘limited within’, Page 20.
Replaced ‘the’ with ‘of’ and added ‘the project’, Page 21.
Replaced ‘in California’ with ‘on the Modoc National Forest’, Page 23
Replaced ‘Potential’ with ‘Possible’, Page 23.
Deleted ‘within the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc NF in caption for Figure 2, Page 24.
Changed title of Figure 2 from ‘SPA Across Burned Area of Modoc National Forest’ to ‘SPA
Across Analysis Area’, page 24.
Replaced ‘above’ with ‘previously’, Page 24.
Replaced ‘fire’ with ‘area impacted by the Barry Point Fire on the Modoc National Forest’, Page
24.
Added ‘National Forest’, Page 26.