action also includes salvage of future insect-killed timber within the 

 project area. Stands that would be most susceptible to insect-related 

 mortality are those stands subjected to ((I) mixed severity fire; (2) 

 stands adjacent to the burned area that may have experienced heat 

 related stress induced by the fire, which would leave them in a 

 weakened state for infestation by bark beetles; and (3) nearby stands 

 previously stressed by drought.) Thus, additional forested acres within 

 the project area, containing preferred flammulated owl habitat types, 

 may be subject to salvage harvest of varying intensity. Subsequent 

 insect-related salvage operations may serve to open up stands, and 

 may increase habitat suitability for the flammulated owl. However, 

 approximately 425 acres of flammulated owl preferred habitat types 

 would be deferred from harvesting for a minimum of 5 years (pursuant 

 to ARM 36. 11. 438 (l)(b)), and any subsequent harvest operation 

 would retain snags of suitable size for flammulated owls, pursuant to 

 ARM 36.11.411. Thus, there would be low risk of direct and indirect 

 effects to flammulated owls as a result of the proposed action. 



4.3.3.2.3.4 Cumulative Effects of Alternative B: Harvest 



Cumulative effects of the proposed action relate primarily to long-term 

 impacts from the removal of fire-killed trees and the absence of 

 suitable flammulated owl habitat on adjacent private industrial land. 

 In the short-term, flammulated owls are not likely to utilize the stand 

 replacement areas for nesting or roosting due to the lack of a forest 

 canopy and understory growth, which would provide habitat for their 

 preferred insect prey. However, in the long-term, removal of large 

 diameter snags would reduce the availability of nesting and roosting 

 substrate once suitable vegetative cover and forest structure developed. 

 Within a 1-mile radius of the project area, shelterwood/seed-tree 

 harvests have been the predominant silvicultural system on adjacent 

 private industrial lands over the last 10 years. As a result, suitable 

 forest structure conditions for nesting and roosting are currently 

 lacking on these lands, and will not develop for at least another 40 

 years. Finally, there is the prospect of harvesting insect-killed timber 

 that is related to the fire (e.g., insect infestations of fire/heat stressed 

 trees), which is part of the proposed action. Under the proposed 

 action, there would be approximately an additional 647 acres of 

 flammulated owl preferred habitat types eligible for bug salvage, while 

 approximately 425 acres of flammulated owl preferred habitat types 

 would be deferred from harvesting for a minimum of 5 years (pursuant 

 to ARM 36.1 1.438 (l)(b)). Thus, within the proposed action, 759 

 acres of flammulated owl preferred habitat types would be harvested 

 for fire salvage, and an additional 647 acres would be eligible for bug 

 salvage in the future. As a result, there would be a total of 1,406 acres 

 eligible for harvest, depending upon the extent and intensity of future 

 insect infestations within the project area. Thus there would be a low 



Fish Creek Salvage Environmental Assessment 4-28 



