areas that experienced mixed severity fire, more forest structure would 

 be retained within these areas that would contribute to mature foraging 

 habitat, once the understory vegetation recovers from the effects of the 

 fire. Although there are currently no plans to harvest within the areas 

 that experienced mixed severity fire, or forest stands adjacent to the 

 fire, these are the areas that are most likely to become infested with 

 bark beetles within the next few years, due to fire/heat-induced stress 

 on the trees. In all likelihood, these areas may then be subject to 

 additional salvage harvesting to recover timber killed or damaged by 

 insects. Thus, it is possible that additional mature foraging and 

 denning habitat would be lost from the proposed action. Additionally, 

 establishment of early foraging habitat within the burned area will 

 likely require 15 to 20 years while the area becomes revegetated 

 through natural succession. Therefore, there is low to moderate risk of 

 direct and indirect effects to lynx from the proposed action. 



4.3,3,1.3.4 Cumulative Effects of Alternative B: Harvest 



The proposed action would harvest 204 acres of fire-killed timber from 

 what is currently classified as being preferred lynx habitat types. As 

 previously discussed, this would result in potential losses of future 

 denning materials. With 776 acres of forest burned during the Dirty 

 Ike fire (486 acres on Plum Creek land), there was a temporary loss of 

 foraging habitat for lynx: approximately 486 acres of early foraging 

 habitat on Plum Creek land, and approximately 100 acres of mature 

 foraging habitat in DNRC's section 6. The proposed action, which 

 includes potential salvage of subsequent insect damage associated with 

 the fire could further reduce the availability of mature foraging habitat 

 within the project area. Additionally, the proposed construction of 1.5 

 miles of new road under the Dirty Ike Road project, and this project's 

 scheduled winter harvest activities would likely permit competing 

 predators to temporarily gain access to the analysis area while 

 operations are on-going during the winter. Thus, there would be low 

 risk of cumulative effects to lynx as a result of the proposed action. 



4.3.3.2 Sensitive Species Issue 



4.3.3.2.1 Pileated Woodpeckers 



4.3.3.2.1.1 Alternative A: No Harvest (No Action) 



Under Alternative A: No Harvest (No Action), no change from the 

 current situation would be expected. Pileated woodpeckers require 

 large diameter snags (>15 inches dbh) in late successional forest for 

 nesting and roosting. Thus, areas that experienced stand replacing fire 

 would not suffice for nesting and roosting habitat for several decades, 

 until vegetation has recovered and would provide late successional 

 structural characteristics. Within section 6, areas that experienced 



Dirty Ike Salvage Environmental Assessment 4-15 



