CHAPTER 2 : DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ALTERNATIVES 



I. INTRODUCTION 



This chapter describes development of alternatives, including a "no-action" alternative and 

 compares the alternatives by summarizing their environmental consequences. For this project, 

 only one action alternative was developed and was designed to meet the project objectives. In 

 addition to describing and comparing the aUematives, this chapter describes the alternative 

 development process and mitigation and compensation measures that are designed for the action 

 alternative. 



II. DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES 



A. Purpose of Alternatives 



Action alternatives are developed to meet project objectives in alternative ways that would 

 resolve issues. Because resolving some issues creates conflicts with others, it is often necessary 

 to develop several action alternatives to accommodate these conflicts. For this project, all 

 resource concerns were resolved by incorporating mitigation and compensation measures into 

 the project design. As a result, only one action alternative was developed. 



A "no-action" alternative provides the baseline for comparing the environmental consequences 

 of other alternatives. 



B. Description of the Alternatives 



This section describes the action alternative and the no-action alternative, proposed harvesting, 

 logging methods, and mitigation and compensation measures that are specific to the action 

 alternative. 



1. No Action Alternative 



If the no action alternative were selected, there would be no timber harvesting and no 

 new road construction. Current land management activities and uses would continue. 

 Many of these activities would be limited depending on fiinding and would include: spot 

 treatment for noxious weeds, road maintenance, dispersed recreation (mostly hunting), 

 and fire suppression. 



2. Action Alternative 



If the action alternative were selected, 408 acres of timber would be harvested from 8 

 harvest units. Seedtree/shelterwood harvest systems will be prescribed on 172 acres, 

 commercial thinning on 139 acres, and 97 acres will have the overstory seedtrees 

 removed. Follow up treatments will include 176 acres of prescribed burning and 

 approximately 100 acres of hand tree planting. 2.2 miles of new road will be constructed 

 to meet logging system requirements, which include 232 acres of skyline/cable logging 

 and 176 acres of ground based harvesting. 



