and water. In areas adjacent to or within root disease pockets, timber productivity may 

 increase for those species not susceptible to root disease (western larch, ponderosa pine) 

 and those susceptible species not currently infected. The increased productivity would 

 most likely be short lived as the root disease centers continue to enlarge and infect new 

 trees. Natural regeneration of serai species would be unlikely without disturbances to 

 prepare the proper seedbed for serai tree regeneration. 



Action Alternative : Trees would be harvested from 408 acres of the project area from 8 

 different harvest units using seedtree harvest on 1 72 acres, overstory removal on 97 

 acres, and commercial thinning on 139 acres. Silvicultural objectives are aimed at 

 thinning the overstory to reduce overcrowding, improve forest health, promote resistance 

 of the overstory to root disease and bark beetles and promote regeneration of serai tree 

 species such as western larch. In addition, prescribed broadcast burning would provide 

 increased timber productivity and improve establishment and growth of regeneration on 

 the 176 acres to be burned. The reduced stocking and promotion of trees less susceptible 

 to insect and diseases would result in improved tree vigor and growth production by 

 reducing the competition for moisture, nutrients and growing space. Timber productivity 

 on the remaining 432 acres within the project area but outside of any harvest units may 

 decrease in the short term with this alternative. Many of these acres are where high 

 logging costs and lack of merchantable trees for harvest exist. 



2. Cumulative Effects 



No Action Alternative : Timber productivity in the Richards Peak Project Area would 

 continue to decline over time without disturbance to open the canopy and reduce stand 

 stocking. 



Action Alternative : Timber productivity in the Richards Peak Project Area would 

 generally improve over the 408 acres that would be harvested under this alternative. 

 Silvicultural prescriptions would reduce stocking levels to provide more light and 

 nutrients to remaining trees, retain the healthiest trees in the stand and retain species that 

 are less susceptible to insects and disease. The reduced stocking will ensure increased 

 growth and vigor and improve long-term timber productivity in these areas. Prescribed 

 burning would increase timber productivity on the 176 acres to be burned. In most areas 

 that would not receive treatment at this time, timber productivity would continue to 

 decline. 



D. Insect and Disease Effects 



1. Direct and Indirect Effects 



No Action Alternative : 



1 . Bark Beetles: Bark beetles would continue to be present at endemic levels for the 

 short term. With continued drought and presence of overstocked lodgepole pine stands, 

 mountain pine beetle numbers may dramatically increase in the project area in the near 

 fliture. Douglas-fir beetle populations will hold steady and may decline with overall 



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