These USPS acres will likely remain unharvested (S. Kratville, Lolo 

 NF, personal communication, September 2003). Additionally, within 

 a 70-mile radius of the Fish Creek Complex, there were 7 other major 

 fires (Appendix C: Figure C-2), totaling >150,000 acres of bum, of 

 which >20% of the burned acreage was stand replacement fire. Thus, 

 although the amount of suitable black-backed woodpecker habitat 

 would be reduced within the project area, and within the proposed 

 Dirty Ike Fire Salvage project, the two projects combined would 

 reduce the amount of habitat available from the 2003 fires by 

 approximately 3%. This represents a relatively small proportion of 

 potential black-backed woodpecker habitat being affected within the 

 analysis area. It is reasonable to assume that a sizable proportion of 

 USFS acres that burned at stand replacement intensity will retain 

 attributes that render them suitable for use by black-backed 

 woodpeckers, due to their occurrence in wilderness areas (e.g.. 

 Mineral Primm) and other areas where salvage is activities are 

 unlikely. Thus, the risk of adverse cumulative impacts on black- 

 backed woodpeckers would be low as a result of this proposed action. 



4.3.3.2.3 Flammulated Owls 



4.3.3.2.3.1 Alternative A: Deferred Harvest (No Action) 



No change from the current situation would be expected if this 

 alternative were selected. The recent 36,683 acre Fish Creek Complex 

 Fires removed approximately 457 acres of preferred flammulated owl 

 habitat types from School Trust land through stand replacement fire. 

 Such habitat would not be replaced by natural succession for 

 approximately 50 to 60 years. Thus, there would be low risk of direct 

 and indirect effects to flammulated owls as a result of Alternative A: 

 No Harvest (No Action). 



4.3.3.2.3.2 Cumulative Effects of Alternative A: Deferred 

 Harvest (No Action) 



With no action, there would be no change from current conditions. 

 Thus, there would be low risk of cumulative effects to flammulated 

 owls as a result of this alternative. 



4.3.3.2.3.3 Alternative B: Harvest 



The proposed action would harvest 759 acres, out of a possible 2031 

 acres of flammulated owl preferred habitat types, of which 

 approximately 291 acres are fire-killed timber that was subjected to a 

 high intensity, stand replacing fire. The remaining 468 acres of 

 flammulated owl preferred habitat types that would be harvested 

 experienced mixed severity fire intensity. Thus, there would be low to 

 moderate risk of direct or indirect effects of the proposed fire salvage 

 to flammulated owls. In addition to the fire salvage, this proposed 



Fish Creek Salvage Environmental Assessment 4-27 



