Appendix W 

 Happy Valley Wildlife 



Negligible changes to patch size, shape, landscape connectivity, and habitat fragmentation are 

 expected. The resulting stands, being more open than the current stands and dominated by western 

 larch and Douglas-fir, would be more sustainable while being less susceptible to stand replacing fires. 

 No appreciable changes to the wet meadow or the species that utilize it are anticipated. 



These open stands of mature trees would favor species requiring more open habitats as likely existed 

 under natural disturbance regimes, while negatively impacting those species that use dense, multi- 

 layered stands. Extensive firewood gathering on the state parcel has largely eliminated much of the 

 snag and dead-wood habitats from the state parcel. Snags and dead-wood would be removed from 

 approximately 43 acres (approx. 10% of area treated under this alternative) in the Special Operating 

 Area along the parcel boundaries, however habitat for species using snags and dead-wood would be 

 maintained within the other proposed units. Future habitat for old stand-associated species like 

 American marten, northern goshawk, and pileated woodpeckers would be reduced in the short-term, 

 however the retention of mature trees is expected to expedite the development of a multi-layered 

 canopy, which would benefit these species in the long-term. However, future use is unlikely for many 

 of these species because of high levels of disturbance and the relatively small size of the state parcel. 

 Habitat for forest-interior species, especially a variety of resident and migrant birds, would be reduced 

 by 359 acres with this alternative. By opening up the stands, this alternative could remove some great 

 homed owl nesting habitat, but foraging habitat would persist. Prescriptions for this alternative call 

 for the retention of existing snags and coarse woody debris outside the Special Operating Area, which 

 would benefit great homed owls and their prey. Changes in sub-canopy and ground cover vegetation 

 may alter available habitat for great homed owl prey species. Short-term increases in edge habitats 

 may increase some great homed owl prey numbers. 



Cowbird numbers are not expected to appreciably change with this altemative. Cowbirds use forested 

 tracts, open habitats, and the,edge habitats between these types. Studies are largely inconclusive about 

 the effects of a more open stand and greater amounts of edge habitats on the levels of cowbird brood 

 parasitism, despite considerable attention given to the perceived increases in parasitism levels within 

 more fragmented landscapes. Some effect is expected, however inconclusive studies make this 

 determination difficult. The proposed project would be improving habitat conditions for birds 

 requiring more open, mature stands and species requiring shrub stages for nesting: the proposed 

 project would reduce habitat for bird species requiring multi-layered forested habitats and foliage- 

 gleaning species. The proposed project may have an effect on bird nest success, and ultimately local 

 population numbers, through alterations to habitat and potential changes in levels of brood parasitism 

 and nest predation, however these reductions may be somewhat offset by the increases in available 

 habitat for other bird species. 



Cumulative Effects 



No-Action Alternative 



Under this altemative, the existing habitats within the proposed project area would continue to provide 

 habitat for wildlife requiring denser stands with a closed canopy. To the north and west of the 

 proposed project area, housing subdivisions have fragmented the landscape and introduced 

 considerable anthropogenic disturbance. Compared to more traditional subdivisions, these 

 subdivisions are somewhat unique, as they have retained some of the forested attributes interspersed 

 with the human development, which would lessen the effect of the subdivision to some species that are 

 able to tolerate human disturbance within their habitats. To the east of the proposed project area is 

 considerable agricultural fields and other human-infiuenced open habitats. These have, and 

 presumably would continue to provide habitat for species requiring open field habitats. As such these 

 areas may be providing habitat for brown-headed cowbirds which may be acting as brood parasites to 

 birds nesting in the state parcel or other forested parcels in the analysis area. 



Smaller woodlots exist to the south and southwest of the proposed project area, contributing to the 

 amount of forested habitat in the analysis area. Edge habitats exist benveen the various open habitats 



W-4 



