and is separated from other 

 subunits based on landscape 

 features. This project is 

 proposed in the South Fork Lost 

 Soup Subunit . 



Commitments made in the SVGBCA 

 apply to this project. This 

 project proposes to salvage 1 to 

 1.5 MMBF of wind- thrown and dead 

 standing trees, which would be 

 expected to exceed the 30 -day 

 timing stipulations set forth in 

 Section 3(b) (iv) of the SVGBCA. 

 Since this extraordinary wind 

 event resulted in a large amount 

 of salvageable material , DNRC 

 requested an exception to the 

 SVGBCA, as allowed under Section 

 3(b) (iv) , to capture the value of 

 these trees, reduce wildfire 

 hazard, and help reduce Douglas - 

 fir bark beetle populations. 

 This exception has been 

 tentatively approved, but 

 official approval is still 

 pending . 



The Big Slowdown Project area is 

 located in Sections 17, 18, 19, 

 20, 29, and 30, T24N, R17W 

 (approximately 550 acres of 

 harvest units) of the South Fork 

 Lost Soup Grizzly Bear Subunit; 

 Sections 19, 20, 29, and 30 fall 

 within a linkage zone. In 

 addition, the Soup Creek Salvage 

 Project would be completed during 

 the same period as this project 

 {FIGURE E-1 - LOCATION OF THE 

 PROJECT AREA AND PROPOSED HARVEST 

 UNITS) . This 48 -acre harvest 

 unit is expected to be completed 

 in 1 week. The Big Slowdown 

 Project area currently 

 experiences disturbances 

 associated with highway traffic 

 and several open roads in and 

 around the area (Soup Creek, 

 Cilly Creek, and Center Loop 

 roads) . Grizzly bear use of the 

 project area is probably limited 

 due to the amount of disturbance 

 inherent in the area; however, 

 especially in spring and autumn, 

 grizzly bears would likely travel 

 through the area. 



ssf*, The proposed project would 



primarily use existing roads. To 

 access harvest units, harvest, 

 and haul timber. Use of 

 approximately 0.9 miles of open 

 roads, 0.2 miles of private/ 

 administration, and 5.8 miles of 

 restricted roads would be 

 required to access harvest units 

 and harvest and haul timber. 

 Additionally, 0.1 miles of road 

 would be constructed, and 0.1 

 miles of road would be abandoned 

 by removing a bridge across Soup 

 Creek. The road system accessed 

 by the bridge across Soup Creek 

 would be accessed from Highway 83 

 for this and future projects. 

 Presently, all-terrain vehicle 

 breeches are common at the 

 closure device that restricts 

 access over the bridge. 

 Conversely, breeches of the 

 barricade that restricts access 

 off Highway 83 have not been 

 documented since the inception of 

 the SVGBCA monitoring program 

 (1997) . 



Direct Effects to Grizzly Bears 



• Direct and Indirect J^ffects oftJie JVo- 

 »lction Mtemative to Gruezly Bears 



No additional direct or 

 indirect effects would occur. 



• Direct and Indirect Elffects of thdction 

 Jlltemative to Grizzly Bearg 



The proposed project could 

 result in direct effects to 

 grizzly bears by displacing or 

 preventing bear use of 

 important habitats and indirect 

 effects by altering habitat 

 components. Areas of important 

 habitat around Soup Creek would 

 not be salvaged; thereby, 

 unaltered movement corridors 

 along Soup Creek would be 

 retained. Salvage operations 

 could occur in 79 acres of 

 preferred habitat; however, 

 vegetation important for hiding 

 cover and visual screening 

 would be retained. On 0.4 

 acres along the north edge of 



Page E-8 



Wildlife Analysis 



