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Additional smoke produced from prescribed burning on adjacent USPS, private, and State trust 

 forestland would remain within the standards for air quality, but cumulative effects during peak 

 burning periods could affect individuals with respiratory illnesses at local population centers for 

 short durations. Ail known major burners operate under the requirements of the Montana 

 Airshed Groups, which regulate the amount of emissions produced cumulatively by major 

 burners. 



VEGETATION COVER, QUANTITY AND QUALITY: 



1/Vhaf changes would the action cause to vegetative communities? Consider rare plants or cover types that 

 would be affected. Identify cumulative effects to vegetation. 



INTRODUCTION 



The following analysis provides a detailed description of the present conditions of the forest and 

 addresses the potential effects of the proposed alternatives in relation to the following: 



• The condition of several stands within the project area is being severely impacted by various 

 forest insects, diseases, and/or abiotic factors. 



• The ongoing Douglas-fir bark beetle outbreak would likely cause significant, additional tree 

 mortality if salvage harvesting does not remove active brood trees. To the greatest extent 

 possible, trees, especially brood trees, would be removed this winter through March 31. 

 However, the contract would continue until March 31 , 2006 to allow 2 winter seasons and one 

 30-day operating period (consistent with the SVGBCA) during the summer season (June 16 

 through August 31). 



• The risk of catastrophic fires would increase on Swan River State Forest and adjacent lands if 

 standing dying, dead, and/or down woody fuels (trees) are not removed. Three recent lightning 

 strikes on 2 snags and 1 live tree were observed within the proposed salvage units; the heavy 

 rains occurring in conjunction with the thunderstorm appear to have prevented a wildfire. 



• Harvesting would remove significant numbers of dead, dying, severely diseased, windthrown, 

 and damaged trees in the harvest units; individual snags and groups of snags would be retained 

 as habitat for snag-dependent species. Snag-recruitment issues would also be addressed. 



Background 



As a whole, the forest has an ongoing and severe bark beetle problem. Douglas-fir bark beetles, 

 mountain pine beetles, fir engravers, and flatheaded fir borers are currently attacking trees on 

 Swan River State Forest. The Douglas-fir bark beetle and flatheaded fir borer have caused 

 extensive tree mortality within the project area. (See APPENDIX D - FOREST INSECT AND 

 DISEASE REPORT for further discussion). The flatheaded fir borer attacks are a fairly recent 

 development. The attacks in the project area started approximately 2 years ago, but live larvae 

 were found in recently dead western larch trees in the project area in the late summer of 2004. 



DNRC is required by law to establish a timber program that provides for the timely salvage of dead 

 and dying timber that is threatened by insects, diseases, wildfires, or windthrow on State forests 

 {Section 77-5-207, MCA). Under this requirement, DNRC shall, to the extent practicable, harvest 

 dead and dying timber before there is substantial wood decay and value loss. 



Current Habitat Types and Forest Productivity Within The Project Area 



All stands within the project area are a grand fir habitat type. Three of the 4 stands are in the warm, 

 moist habitat-type group, and the other is in the moderately cool habitat-type group. Forest 

 productivity (growth) is rated as high on these stands. These stands typically contain varying 



Cilly Bug Salvage Timber Sale Project Page CEA-1 1 



