wildlife species presently using 

 these riparian areas and other 

 special habitats would not be 

 affected under this alternative. 



• Direct and Indirect Lfffects qf Action 

 .UternntiveB on Special Habitats 



On each side of selected perennial 

 streams, 165-foot no-harvest 

 buffers would protect the riparian 

 plant communities; 50-, 83-, or 

 100-foot buffers would protect 

 other perennial and intermittent 

 streams and adjacent wetlands. 

 Within the proposed project area, 

 approximately 296 acres of the 

 unharvested 165 -foot riparian 

 buffers would continue to move 

 toward the more shade -tolerant 

 conifer species (grand fir and 

 Engelmann spruce) . Paper birch 

 and black cottonwood would 

 continue to occur within these 

 buffers and the intermittent 

 stream corridors, meadows, and 

 seasonal wetlands. Therefore, the 

 wildlife species associated with 

 these riparian areas would not be 

 affected under this alternative. 

 Likewise, wildlife species using 

 the cliffs, rock outcrops, and 

 other special habitats would also 

 not be affected. 



Cxomulative Effects 



Since this project would not affect 

 riparian communities and other 

 special habitats, no cumulative 

 effects would be expected. 



FINE-FILTER ASSESSMENT 



In the fine-filter analysis, 

 individual species that are 

 recognized to be of special concern 

 are evaluated. These species are 

 addressed below and include 

 Federally "threatened" or 

 "endangered" species, species listed 

 as "sensitive" by DNRC, and species 

 managed as "big game" by DFWP. 



Threatened and Endangered Species 



Four species indigenous to Montana 

 are classified as "threatened" or 

 "endangered" under the Endangered 



Species Act of 1973. The bald 

 eagle, grizzly bear, and Canada lynx 

 are listed as "threatened", while 

 the gray wolf is listed as 

 "endangered" . 



> Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 



Issue 



There is concern that timber 

 harvesting could alter habitat or 

 create disturbance that would be 

 detrimental to bald eagles. 



Existing Environment 



Strategies to protect the bald 

 eagle are outlined in the Pacific 

 States Bald Eagle Recovery Plan 

 (United States Fish and Wildlife 

 Service [USFWS] 1986) and the 

 Montana Bald Eagle Management Plan 

 (Montana Bald Eagle Working Group 

 1994) . Management direction 

 involves identifying and 

 protecting nesting, feeding, 

 perching, roosting, and wintering/ 

 migration areas {USFWS 1986, 

 Montana Bald Eagle Working Group 

 1994) . This project was designed 

 in accordance with the Montana 

 Bald Eagle Management Plan and 

 Habitat Management Guide for Bald 

 Eagles in Northwestern Montana. 

 The Stillwater Bald Eagle Nesting 

 Territory Site-Specific Management 

 Guidelines: Upper Stillwater Lake 

 (Jacobs and Kuennen 1998) was the 

 main source of the site-specific 

 information used. 



Bald eagles are diurnal raptors 

 associated with significant 

 waterbodies, such as rivers, 

 lakes, and coastal zones. The 

 bald eagle diet consists primarily 

 of fish and waterfowl, but 

 includes carrion, mammals, and 

 items taken from other birds of 

 prey. In northwestern Montana, 

 bald eagles begin the breeding 

 process with courtship behavior 

 and nest building in early 

 February; the young fledge by 

 approximately mid-August, ending 

 the breeding process. Preferred 

 nest-stand characteristics include 



Page E-6 



Dog/Meadow Timber Sale Project Draft EA 



