all hazardous and nonhazardous (accord- 

 ing to OSHA guidelines) high-value 

 western larch snags would be retained and 

 protected during the logging operation; 

 clumps of larger grand fir would be re- 

 tained to provide nesting habitat; 

 large (over 18" dbh) western larch that 

 possess characteristics indicating they 

 would become high-value snags in the 

 future would be retained. 



COMMON LOON 



No-Action Alternative 



Roads would not be obliterated and motorized 

 vehicle access along these lakes would remain. 



Action Alternatives A and B "^ tRf -rdsli > 



Segments of road near or alongside Beaver, 

 Little Beaver, Woods, Dollar, and Murray lakes 

 would be obliterated; therefore, motorized 

 vehicle traffic along these lakes would de- 

 crease. Obliterating the roads should decrease 

 disturbance to loons to some degree and may 

 result in long-term improved water quality 

 near the shoreline, which may improve feed- 

 ing habitat. 



Four new cabinsite leases are proposed for the 

 north end of Murray Lake, furthest from the 

 area determined to provide the best loon 

 nesting habitat on the lake. Whether the 

 potential nesting habitat quality would de- 

 crease for loons is hard to predict. At present, 

 recreationists, who sometimes leave garbage, 

 create noise, and may harass or unintention- 

 ally disturb the loons, use the lake. The 

 cabinsite lessees may adopt a "caretaker" 

 attitude toward the loons and help decrease 

 disturbances. However, boating activity may 

 increase with the lessees' more frequent 

 occupation of the lake. Educational materials 

 would be distributed to cabinsite lessees in the 

 Beaver Lake area to encourage them to help 

 protect the loons and their habitat. 



BIG GAME SPECIES 



ELK 



• Habitat 



Calving grounds 



No- Action Alternative 



The No-Action Alternative would result in 

 existing small openings filling in with 

 natural regeneration, resulting in fewer 

 preferred open calving sites. 



Action Alternatives A and B 



Since calving is dispersed throughout the 

 area, operations from the action alterna- 

 tives would not disturb any concentrations 

 of animals. There is also abundant cover 

 in the area and it would continue to be 

 abundant after completion of the project. 

 There would be fewer miles of open roads 

 that displace elk and additional new, small 

 openings in selectively logged units that 

 elk would gravitate to for calving. 

 Postharvest calving habitat would be 

 improved. 



The new cabinsite leases would be close to 

 Murray Lake, where recreational use 

 already displaces elk. 



Winter range and thermal cover 



No- Action Alternative 



The project area has a great amount of 

 regeneration. The No-Action Alternative 

 would result in this suppressed, or soon- 

 to-be suppressed, regeneration slowly 

 forming improved snow interception and 

 thermal capabilities. 



Action Alternatives A and B 



Logging would reduce winter thermal 

 cover on elk winter range by only 13 acres, 

 reducing thermal cover from the current 

 38% to 35% of the 472-acre winter range. 

 The sale units generally avoid elk winter 



W-12r 



Stillwater State Forest • Beaver Lake Timber Sale Project 



