Lost Bear Timber Sale EA - Attachment D 



with mitigation, there would be slight negative cumulative effects, and little long-term negative 

 effects to habitats important to grizzly bears. As a result of the proposed harvest in unit 36-3 

 (clearcut with reserves), vegetative response is likely to include growth of huckleberries 

 {Vaccinium spp), which are a preferred food source for grizzly bears. Within 10 - 15 years, 

 vegetative response and tree regeneration would likely reach 10-15 feet in height in profK)sed 

 harvest units and would likely serve as grizzly bear hiding cover. Additionally, all motorized 

 access would be controlled through a locked gate on private lands, thereby maintaining open road 

 density within the analysis area at 0.72 miles of open road per square mile (simple linear 

 calculation). Therefore, both the analysis and project areas would be relatively secure for grizzly 

 bears due to the low open road densities. Thus, there are slight negative cumulative effects, and 

 low risk for long-term negative effects to habitats important to grizzly bears under this alternative. 



Direct and Indirect Effects 



No Action 



No change from current conditions would be expected with this alternative. 



Action 



Section 36 and adjacent sections are composed of habitat types suitable for potential denning and 

 foraging by lynx. Additionally, unit 36-3, the unit proposed for clearcutting with reserves, does 

 contain downed material suitable for lynx denning. However, 36-2c and 36 - 2d, which would be 

 commercially thinned, also contain potential denning habitat and 36 - 2d is adjacent to a densely 

 regenerating seed tree cut composed of 40% western larch, and 20% each of lodgepole pine, 

 Douglas-fir, and subalpine fir. The stand was recently pre-commercially thinned. However, the 

 widely scattered, over story seed trees are still present. Thus, potential denning and foraging 

 habitat would still exist within section 36. Negative effects would be partially mitigated by: 



1. Not harvesting stand level inventory stand 15(16 acres; Fig. D2), a predominately Douglas- 

 tlr/lodgepole pine/subalpine fir stand with abundant downed wood for denning, and is 

 adjacent to potential foraging habitat in the aforementioned densely regenerating clearcut. 



2. Reducing the level of harvest in stand level inventory stand 18 (34 acres) such that more 

 large live trees, snags, and coarse woody debris is retained than in the general commercial 

 thin prescription that would be applied to units 36-1 and 36-2a-b. 



3. The size of the planned clearcut in unit 36-3 was reduced from 1 10 acres to 101 acres, and 

 moved away from the ridge top, to minimize fragmentation, provide riparian habitat, and to 

 decrease potential negative effects to lynx habitat. Additionally, the riparian-like area in 

 stand 36-3 should contain lynx foraging habitat due to the abundance of alder in the 

 understory. 



Thus, with mitigations in place, direct and indirect impacts to lynx would be reduced to a low 

 potential for impact in the project area. 



Cumulative Effects 



No Action 



There would be no change from current conditions expected under this alternative. 



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