by the proposed activities. 

 Within the proposed project 

 area, canopy on 93 9 acres 

 proposed for harvesting would be 

 too open for appreciable 

 pileated woodpecker use. 

 Recently harvested stands within 

 the proposed project area 

 reduced some of the pileated 

 woodpecker habitat; however the 

 silvicultural prescriptions 

 within these harvested areas 

 would likely improve long-term 

 habitat quality for pileated 

 woodpeckers. Additionally, the 

 quality of habitat on adjacent 

 private timberlands has largely 

 been reduced through recent 

 harvesting; some of the 

 beneficial attributes that have 

 been retained on past State 

 timber sales do not appear to 

 have been managed for on these 

 private lands. The loss of 

 pileated woodpecker habitats 

 from the proposed harvesting 

 would be additive to habitat 

 loss associated with past 

 harvesting both on DNRC lands 

 and adjacent private 

 timberlands; continued 

 widespread use of Stillwater 

 State Forest is expected. After 

 the proposed harvesting, the 

 project area would still be able 

 to support a couple of pairs of 

 pileated woodpeckers. 



Mitigation Measures Included: 



• Favor western larch in retention 

 and regeneration decisions. 



• Reclose roads and skid trails 

 opened with the proposed 

 activities to reduce potential 

 loss of existing snags to 

 firewood gathering. 



Big Game 



Issue - Winter Range 



There is concern that timber- 

 harvesting activities associated 

 with this proposed project could 

 reduce cover important for the 

 survival of wintering elk, white- 



tailed deer, and mule deer. 



Existing Environment 



Winter ranges enable big game 

 survival by minimizing the effects 

 of severe winter weather conditions . 

 Winter ranges tend to be relatively 

 small areas that support large 

 numbers of big game, which are 

 widely distributed during the 

 remainder of the year. These winter 

 ranges have adequate midstory and 

 overstory to reduce wind velocity 

 and intercept snow, while moderating 

 ambient temperatures. Besides 

 providing a moderated climate, the 

 snow-intercept capacity effectively 

 lowers snow depths, which enables 

 big game movement and access to 

 forage. Snow depths differentially 

 affect big game; deer are most 

 affected, followed by elk (Cervus 

 elaphus) , then moose (Alces alces) . 

 The proposed project area does not 

 provide winter range for white - 

 tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) 

 or mule deer (Odocoileus hemxonus) , 

 but does provide winter habitat for 

 elk and moose. DFWP identified the 

 entire proposed project area as 

 moose winter range and delineated 

 elk winter range along the lower 

 elevations of the project area (see 

 FIGURE E-1 - ANALYSIS AREA FOR 

 PROPOSED PROJECT AREA SHOWING 

 LOCATIONS OF PROPOSED HARVEST UNITS 

 AND IMPORTANT WATER RESOURCES) . In 

 the contiguous 270, 160 -acre elk 

 winter range, approximately 2,150 

 acres fall within the proposed 

 project area and 16,000 acres fall 

 within Stillwater State Forest (see 

 FIGURE E-2-ELK WINTER RANGE IN 

 RELATION TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT 

 AREA AND STILLWATER STATE FOREST) . 

 Winter snow depths and suitable 

 microclimates influence elk 

 distribution and use within 

 Stillwater State Forest and the 

 proposed project area. The proposed 

 project area is a mosaic of stands 

 of differing ages. Portions of the 

 project area include stands that 

 were harvested during the last 15 

 years and are not currently 

 providing thermal cover for big 



Page E-22 



Dog/Meadow Tivnber Sale Project Draft EA 



