4.3.3.2.4.4 Cumulative Effects of Alternative B: Harvest 



The proposed action would harvest approximately 888 acres of stand 

 replacement-burned timber within preferred fisher habitat types. This 

 amounts to approximately 4% of the 24,489 acres of preferred fisher 

 habitat types within a 1-mile radius of the Fish Creek Complex Fires. 

 Cumulative effects for fisher are primarily related to past harvesting on 

 the surrounding private industrial lands, which have largely been 

 harvested under a seed tree/shelterwood silvicultural system in recent 

 years and reduced habitat connectivity for fisher between School Trust 

 lands and habitat on nearby USPS lands. Because of the extent of 

 stand replacement fire in the Deer Creek drainage, current linkages for 

 fisher habitat connectivity are to unbumed USFS lands NW (TUN, 

 R25W) and SE (T13N, R24W) of the Fish Creek Complex. 

 Otherwise, there currently is no habitat connectivity between patches 

 of fisher habitat on School Trust land within the analysis area due to 

 habitat fragmentation on adjacent private industrial lands. Thus, the 

 risk of cumulative effects to fisher would vary with the extent of future 

 bug salvage that would be related to the Fish Creek Complex. The 

 proposed fire salvage itself would have low risk of cumulative effects 

 because it is largely harvesting timber in areas that are currently 

 unsuitable habitat to fisher, due to stand replacing fire. However, fire- 

 related salvage of insect-killed timber, depending on the spatial extent, 

 could increase the risk level to moderate for fisher. 



4.3.3.3 Other Sensitive Species 



4.3.3.3.1 Harlequin Duck 



4.3.3.3.1.1 Alternative A: Deferred Harvest (No Action) 



With Alternative A: Deferred Harvest (No Action), there would be no 

 change from current conditions. Thus, there would be low risk of 

 direct or indirect effects to harlequin ducks as a result of this 

 alternative. 



4.3.3.3.1.2 Cumulative Effects of Alternative A: No Harvest 

 (No Action) 



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

 Thus, there would be low risk of cumulative effects to harlequin ducks 

 as a result of this alternative. 



4.3.3.3.1.3 Alternative B: Harvest 



The proposed action would have a higher likelihood of producing 

 effects to harlequin ducks through increasing sedimentation, which 

 would affect water quality, and subsequently, this species' ability to 

 locate aquatic food. Under undisturbed, post-bum conditions, the 

 highest sedimentation levels would occur during the first 2 years post- 



Fish Creek Salvage Environmental Assessment 4-30 



