Lost Bear Timber Sale EA - Attachment D 



SMZ law. Commercial thinning in section 14 would temporarily (approximately 20 years) reduce 

 snow-intercept cover on winter range in the section from 590 acres to 146 acres for moose and 

 mule deer, from 382 acres to 147 acres for white-tailed deer, and from 129 acres to 105 acres for 

 elk. Hlk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer do not have winter range habitat in section 36. In 

 section 36, snow-intercept cover on moose winter range would be reduced from 434 acres to 306 

 acres through commercial thinning and clearcutting with reserves in units 36-2c-d and 36-3. These 

 reductions in snow-intercept cover for moose in the project area have low likelihood of negative 

 effects because moose in the project area are associated with mesic shrub and aspen habitat in 

 winter, while avoiding wet coniferous forest (Burcham et al. 2000: Table 3). 



Elk security cover would be reduced from 27 acres (2. 1%) to 26 acres (2%) within the project area 

 (all security cover is within the southern half of section 36). With the proposed construction of 

 approximately 0.7 miles of new road under the Sunset Hills Reciprocal Access Agreement, the new 

 road would eliminate security cover within the project area because the half-mile buffer (Hillis et 

 al. 1991 ) associated with the proposed road would encompass current security habitat. However, 

 all roads within the project area, including the new proposed SHRAA road segment, are closed to 

 motorized access, but are open to hunters as a walk-in only hunting unit. Additionally, there would 

 also be a reduction in hiding cover within the project area from 30% to 22% through the 

 clearcutting with reserves of unit 36-3. This would reduce hiding cover from 382 acres to 281 

 acres within the project area. This would cause a short-term direct negative effect until 

 regeneration within the clearcut with reserves would reach a height of 10 - 15 feet (approximately 

 10-15 years). No long-term negative effects are expected. 



Cumulative Effects 



No Action 



With no action, there would be no change from current conditions, with the exception of 

 approximately 0.7 miles of new road that would be constructed under the SHRAA (see Sunset Hills 

 Environmental Analysis for effects of road construction). Construction of the new Sunset Hills 

 road within sections 35 and 36 would eliminate elk security cover within the project area because 

 new road would effect security habitat for a half-mile radius around it (Hillis et al. 1991 ). There 

 would be no short-term negative effect to moose, deer, and elk habitat. There would be a gradual 

 increase in risk of stand-replacement fire. This would be a long-term cumulative negative effect. 



Action 



The proposed action would reduce elk security cover within the analysis area from 3,255 acres 

 (13.9%) to 3,254 acres (13.9%). In conjunction with the Little Fish Creek Timber Sale and the 

 proposed Headquarters timber sale, there would be a cumulative reduction in elk security cover 

 from 13.9% to 13.7%, a low cumulative negative effect. 



Grizzly Bears 



Direct and Indirect Effects 



No Action 



