4.3.12.1.3 Alternative B: Harvest - Direct and Indirect Effects 



The proposed harvest activities are designed to reduce competition from 

 encroaching Douglas-fir on sites that, historically, were dominated by 

 ponderosa pine. Removal of primarily suppressed, and sub-dominant trees 

 would open forest stands, creating better foraging conditions for 

 flammulated owls. Removal of dense, small tree patches in the Project 

 Area could affect roosting habitat, however, retention in the area along 

 Deadman Gulch, patches of advanced regeneration throughout the central 

 and southern portions of the Project Area, and the designated leave area 

 along the main ridge could provide potential roosting habitat. Large 

 ponderosa pine (potential nest cavity trees >2r' dbh) are not planned for 

 removal, and snags that are not a safety hazard would be retained. 

 Removal of smaller, suppressed, trees should also result in increased vigor 

 in the retained trees and improving foraging conditions by creating more 

 open forest conditions. In addition, stand scale disturbance risk would be 

 reduced and recruitment potential into the large tree class would increase 

 over time. Small openings would be created in areas with heavy dwarf 

 mistletoe infestations, thereby creating some edge habitats that could be 

 used as foraging areas by flammulated owls. 



The proposed harvest activity would reduce the risks of disease, insect, 

 and catastrophic wildfire disturbances, thereby returning these stands to 

 more historically correct conditions. Thinning the smaller trees while 

 retaining the large trees would decrease competitive stress on the 

 remaining large trees, especially ponderosa pine, while encouraging 

 medium-sized trees to grow larger and serve as long term replacements to 

 the largest tree cohort. Although this may reduce tree density and roosting 

 habitat conditions in the short term, by slowing the mortality of large 

 ponderosa pine trees and removing some larger trees in areas of high 

 density, proposed treatments would provide more stable, higher quality 

 (i.e. better foraging habitat with retention of nesting and roosting habitats) 

 conditions within the harvest units over the long term. Consequently, 

 there would be minor positive effects on flammulated owl if the 

 Alternative B: Harvest were implemented. 



4.3.12.1.4 Cumulative Effects of Alternative B: Harvest 



From a cumulative effects standpoint, suitable flammulated owl habitat is 

 generally limited in the western and southern portion of the Analysis Area 

 due to intensive harvesting on private lands that has created early 

 successional types not suitable for flammulated owl nesting activity. Fire 

 suppression has also reduced the value of flammulated owl habitat by 

 increasing stem densities in historically open ponderosa pine stands, 

 although ponderosa pine dominated stands on the south facing slope in the 

 northern portion of the Analysis Area has been maintained in a relatively 

 open condition and contains considerable grass development in the 

 understory as found in preferred flammulated owl habitats. The proposed 



Deadman Gulch Timber Sale Environmental Assessment 4-18 



