frog fire salvage project range specialist...

Frog Fire Salvage Project

RANGE SPECIALIST REPORT

Prepared by: ___ /s/ Garrett Noles_________________ Date: ___03/15/2016________

Garrett Noles

Rangeland Management Specialist

Prepared for: Big Valley Ranger District

Modoc National Forest

March 2016

Frog Fire Salvage Project Range Report

2

INTRODUCTION

This report addresses the rangeland resource in association with the Frog Fire Salvage Project.

Discussion about the Proposed Action and Alternatives are included in this report in relation to

their effects to the rangeland resource.

ANALYSIS METHODS

The geographic boundary for this analysis is the entire Frog Fire perimeter that overlaps with the

Round Mountain Allotment. The effect of the proposed Frog Fire Salvage Project on the Round

Mountain allotment is assessed. Forage response, permittee access, and livestock distribution will

be used as the general categories to describe the direct, indirect and cumulative effects of the

proposal. All geospatial data used for this analysis is derived from the Modoc National Forest

database in March 2016. A site visit to the proposed Frog Fire Salvage Project area was made on

October 22, 2015 by the assigned Interdisciplinary Team.

The following specific indicators will be used:

Number of salvage harvest acres within the allotment

Number of acres of salvage harvest disturbance by alternative within the affected grazing

allotment

Number of acres of capable/suitable rangeland within salvage units for the allotment

AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

The Frog Fire began on July 30, 2015 as a result of a lightning strike on the Modoc National Forest.

The fire was contained on August 8, 2015, the final size of the fire was 4,863 acres. Approximately

4,389 acres of the Frog Fire were inside the Round Mountain Allotment which is 21,701 acres in

size. Map 1in Appendix A represents the Round Mountain Allotment. Approximately 20% of the

allotment acreage was burned by the Frog Fire. The term grazing permit associated with the Round

Mountain Allotment is for domestic sheep use, further described in table 2. Map 2 (Appendix A)

depicts the Frog Fire in relation to the Round Mountain Allotment.

Up to 1,937 acres of salvage logging will occur as part of the proposed Frog Fire Salvage Project;

which may be within or outside the Round Mountain Allotment. Also, 100 percent of the rangeland

within the salvage units is capable range, as shown in Table 1.

Table 1

Allotment Total

Acres

Salvage Harvest

Unit Acres

within

Allotment /

% of Allotment

Capable Acres

within Salvage Units

by Allotment / % of

Units

Round Mtn. 21,701 1,937 / 9% 1,937 /100%


3

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

The Modoc National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA Forest Service 1991)

established Forest management goals. The Livestock Management Strategies for the affected range

allotment, Round Mountain Allotment, can be found in Management Area 41 of the Big Valley

Ranger District; which emphasizes full utilization of available forage and cost effective

management systems. Cost effective management systems include: fencing and water

developments which are designed and applied to obtain relatively uniform livestock distribution

and use of forage to maintain plant vigor (Appendix O, Page O-1). The primary emphasis of

rangeland management prescription 10 is to manage rangeland vegetation, providing for healthy

ecosystems and making forage available for use by livestock, wildlife and wild horse herds

(Management Prescription, Page 4-93). Specifically, with respect to the Frog Fire Salvage Project,

the range management objective is to protect vegetative resources and continue the management

of the Round Mountain Allotment (designated area to graze) in a manner similar to that which had

occurred prior to the Frog Fire.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Range Vegetation

The vegetation characteristics of the Round Mountain Allotment include sagebrush, mountain

mahogany, juniper and pockets of commercial timber species. Predominant commercial timber

species are ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), sugar pine

(Pinus lambertiana) and white fir (Abies concolor). Aspen grow at the base of lava reefs with

perennial bunchgrasses dispersed between shrub and tree canopies. Perennial grass species

include: squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), sandberg blugrass (Poa secunda) and pine reedgrass

(Calamagrostis rubescens). Much of the Round Mountain Allotment may be categorized as

transitory range. Transitory range as defined by Spreitzer 1985 is: forestlands that are suitable for

grazing for a limited time following a complete or partial forest removal. Transitory range scattered

throughout the allotment provides important temporary forage and continues to fluctuate as the

forest canopy opens and closes depending on the level of timber harvest, fuels treatment and

wildfires.

Grazing permit Analysis

The purpose of this project, as described in the purpose and need, detailed in the EA, does not

include analysis or decisions related to permitted livestock grazing. Following 36 C.F.R. § 222.4

(8):

Modify the seasons of use, numbers, kind, and class of livestock allowed or the allotment

to be used under the permit, because of resource condition, or permittee request. One year's

notice will be given of such modification, except in cases of emergency.

Modifications to grazing management on the Round Mountain Allotment as a result of change in

resource condition have been made separately from the proposed action.

Permitted Use

The Chief, Forest Service, shall develop, administer and protect the range resources and permit

and regulate the grazing use of all kinds and classes of livestock on all National Forest System

lands and on other lands under Forest Service control (36 CFR 222.1 a). The Chief, Forest Service,

is authorized to issue permits for livestock grazing and other use by livestock of the National Forest


4

System and on other lands under Forest Service control (36 CFR 222.3 c). Use of the allotment is

permitted through the Term Grazing Permit which is issued under these authorities, below is a

description of the allotment and the permitted number and season within the project area. The

Round Mountain Allotment is managed under livestock management strategy C, described as:

“management seeks full utilization of forage available to livestock. Cost effective

management systems and techniques, including fencing and water developments, are

designed and applied to obtain relatively uniform livestock distribution and use of forage

to maintain plan vigor”. (Appendix O-1)

Livestock movement and grazing management is facilitated by utilizing water developments and

herding. Range management practices such as season of use and utilization standards are

implemented through annual operating instructions between the district rangeland management

specialist and the permittee. For the location of the allotment and associated range improvements

(fences, water developments and etc.) within the analysis area: refer to the range map in the project

file. Table 2 summarizes the authorized grazing use on the Round Mountain Allotment:

Table 2: Round Mountain Permitted Use

Allotment

Total Acres

(Private acres)

Permitted Use

Number

(s) Sheep

Season of

Use

Head

Months

AUMS

Round Mtn. 21,701 (99) 1,250 06/01-9/30 5,014 1,504

Burned Area within the Round Mountain Allotment

The District Ranger, District Rangeland Management Specialist and affected livestock permittee

met on January 12, 2016 to discuss necessary changes in livestock management to protect

vegetative resources in the burned portion of the Round Mountain Allotment. Through review of

the unburned portions of the allotment, it was determined that the permittee will be capable of

managing livestock on the 80% unburned portion of the allotment; allowing for the 20% burned

area one full season rest from grazing. Herding, water location and strategic bedding locations

were identified as keys to effectively manage sheep grazing off of the burn area. Further

instructions and livestock rest guidelines will be outlined in the 2016 Annual Operating

Instructions for the affected permittee. If vegetation conditions do not meet desired recovery

standards after one full season of rest, an additional rest period may be negotiated for the 2017

grazing season.

A map developed by the Frog Fire BAER team was utilized to assist in estimating tree mortality

levels and associated acreages impacted for both analysis as well as ground reconnaissance

purposes. Estimates were derived from the August 26, 2015 Rapid Assessment of Vegetation

Change (RAVG) mapping. RAVG maps are generated by utilizing satellites to compare near and

mid infrared reflectance values. Near infrared light is largely reflected by healthy green

vegetation. That means that near infrared bands will be very high in areas of healthy green

vegetation and low in areas where there is little vegetation. Mid infrared light is largely reflected

by rock and bare soil. That means that mid infrared band values will be very high in bare, rocky

areas with little vegetation and low in areas of healthy green vegetation. Imagery collected over a

forest in a pre-fire condition will have very high near infrared band values and very low mid


5

infrared band values. Imagery collected over a forest after a fire will have very low near infrared

band values and very high mid infrared band values”

http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/rsac/baer/RAVG.html).

The Estimated Vegetation Mortality Map delineated three categories of vegetation mortality

across the entire fire area.

Low Mortality: <25%

Mixed Mortality: 25-75%

Stand Replacement (High Severity) >75% Mortality

Table 3 provides a summary of the burned acres, salvage unit acres and the acres of capable (the

potential of an area of land to produce accessible, available forage) rangeland within the salvage

units. This table shows that 10% of the total allotment acres were severely burned, 5% were

moderately burned, and 4% were in low severity or unburned categories.

Table 3: Allotments and Pastures within Frog Fire Perimeter

As the total area of the salvage harvest units for Alternative 2 would make up only 9 percent of

the total area of the affected allotment, it is expected that the effect of the action alternatives on

the grazing allotment forage response would be negligible to the affected area.

Compliance Checks and Monitoring

To ensure management direction as outlined in the Annual Operating Instructions (AOI - annual

management instructions to the permittee) are followed, range management staff will conduct

allotment inspections throughout the grazing season. Allotment resource condition monitoring

takes place throughout the grazing season. This frequent monitoring allows for adjustments to the

instructions, if necessary, as a response to a change in resource conditions. End-of-season

monitoring is conducted across the district as a measure of compliance with the allowable forage

use standards and is also an indicator of successful management. Allotment inspections, resource

condition and end of season monitoring will be conducted on the allotments/pastures included in

the analysis area at the end of the 2016 grazing season.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES

Direct and Indirect Effects

All Alternatives

The effects of the fire on the allotment will require modifying grazing management off of the burn

area until the forage vegetation has recovered. The total capable range acres within the maximum

salvage acres alternative are 1,937 acres. The effect of the Frog Fire Salvage Project in addition

Allotment

Total

Allotment

Acres

%

Allotment

Acres

within

Frog Fire

Salvage

Unit

Acres

Capable

Range Acres

within

Salvage

Area

Allotment Acres by Burn Severity

*Stand Replacing Mixed Low

Round Mtn. 21,701 20% 1,937 1,937 2,271 1165 953

http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/rsac/baer/barc.html


6

to the effects of the frog fire on the forage response and the management of the allotment would

be relatively small.

Regardless of the alternative chosen, an increase in transitory range is expected as a result from a

decrease in canopy cover and early seral conditions in forested plant communities post fire. This

availability would be from a combination of existing forage plants becoming more palatable post-

fire and new plants become established.

No Action - Alternative 1

Forage Response

This alternative would result in an increase of grass, forb and shrub production and a subsequent

increase in available forage in areas directly affected by the fire. Often the first post-fire vegetation

to appear are shrubs that sprout from surviving rootstocks, to a varying degree the earliest plant

community reflects the pre-fire understory vegetation regarding species composition (Walker,

Johnson, Fecko, and Johnson 2013). The severity of the burn would largely affect the degree to

which individual species respond. It is anticipated that the Frog Fire would function to enhance

the understory vegetation relative to plant vigor, productivity, and diversity and consequently

result in an increase in forage and browse available for grazing by permitted livestock within the

allotment. Also there would be a slight increase in production in non-forested plant communities

post fire. This increase would be due to an opening in canopy cover where tree mortality has

occurred, in areas where conifers were encroaching into non-forested plant communities, or where

shrub cover and decadent plant material has been removed.

Over time (5 -15 years), the forest understory and non-forest vegetation would develop towards a

mature condition. Continued reduction in the intensity and spectral quality of the light below the

canopy would suppress understory growth and survival of intolerant species (Freyman 1968).

Shade tolerant species would out-compete less shade tolerant forest community species. Over

time, trees would dominate, resulting in the associated shrubs, herbs and grasses becoming less

abundant due to the corresponding increase in canopy cover and associated increased shading

(Naumburg and DeWald 1999). Downed fire-impacted material (snags and debris) would

contribute further to an increase in cover and associated shading. Correspondingly, understory

productivity (forage production) and diversity would also decline (Moir 1966).

There would be no reduction in post-fire forage vegetation recovery from salvage harvest activities

as there would be no soil disturbance or mechanical damage to regenerating plants. However, this

alternative would make the least amount of transitory range available. This would be mainly

because livestock distribution caused by the accumulation of dead down trees associated with no

commercial salvage (discussed further below) would be limited. Access to the increased

production expected in non-forested plant communities could be diminished because of dead and

down tree accumulation. No mitigation measures would be required specific to this alternative.

Permittee Access and Livestock Distribution

The No Action Alternative would have no initial effect on permittee access and would provide

current road access to the allotment. Over time (5-15 years), as snags fall and material accumulates

on the ground, implementation of the No Action Alternative would result in disruption of livestock

distribution and grazing patterns. According to research performed by McIver and Ottmar (2007),

in post-fire unlogged areas 10% of the standing dead trees fell within three years. Areas that are


7

currently open due to the Frog Fire burning natural barriers would, as a result of no salvage harvest,

begin to exhibit accumulations of down dead trees which could restrict access to watering locations

or grazing areas. An increase in effort on the part of the permittee could be required to manage

the allotment with the accumulation of down trees. As danger trees begin to fall and make roads

unsafe, roads would be closed, which would force the permittee to drive sheep for longer distances

to access bedding, water and shipping locations. Natural regeneration would occur as described

under Forage Response above.

Alternatives 2 - Proposed Action Alternatives

Forage Response

Alternative 2 proposes various amounts of mechanical removal of forested overstory in areas that

sustained moderate to high levels of tree mortality (generally greater than 75 percent mortality).

The direct effects of removing the fire-impacted overstory would be: 1) a further decrease in shade

and a corresponding increase in the intensity of direct sunlight reaching the forest understory

compared to pre-fire conditions, 2) reduction in the amount of debris that would ultimately

accumulate on the forest floor, and 3) mechanical damage to regenerating plants and creating

additional soil disturbance with the potential of soil erosion and soil compaction, contributing to

an increase in vegetation recovery time and a delay in forage production. The relatively small

effect of each of these factors is discussed in more detail below.

With the proposed actions, the forest canopy would be open and there would be an increase in light

that reaches the ground. Green tree research indicates that the removal of the forest component of

dry forest ecosystems results in the stimulation of the associated understory component (Clary and

Folliot 1966, Carleton and Maycock 1981, Host 1988, Lieffers and Stadt 1994, Agee 1994c, Riegel

et al 1995, Griffith 1996, Ricard and Messier 1996, Naumburg and DeWald 1999). In general, the

research indicates that productivity of understory vegetation is inversely related to tree density and

directly proportional to the amount of solar radiation that reaches the understory vegetation. The

indirect effect of increased plant productivity is an increase in forage and browse that is available

for grazing by livestock. Within the salvage harvested areas with the absence of large woody

debris, forage would be more readily available over a longer time period compared to the non-

salvage harvested areas that would limit livestock access and forage availability as the snags fall

and accumulate on the ground. Conversely, in non-salvage harvested post-fire forest

environments, down snags and coarse wood provide protection for establishing seedlings by

providing shade, trapping water, and protecting seedlings from wind and cold.

The effect of the action alternatives on forage vegetation recovery would be negligible compared

to the no action alternative; however the action alternative would create corridors for better access

to and distribution through the transitory range within the burned area (further discussed under

Permittee Access and Livestock Distribution below). There would be a net long-term improvement

to the range forage resource with the implementation of the action alternatives.

The direct effect of mechanical damage to regenerating plants and soil by salvage logging and the

indirect effect on vegetation recovery and forage production would be very small in relation to the

total amount of forage base currently available within the allotment.


8

Permittee Access and Livestock Distribution

Salvage harvest activities would likely have very limited direct effect on livestock distribution as

the timing of the salvage harvest would likely start before vegetation recovery on the burned

portion of the allotment has been reached. If any of the activity occurs during the scheduled

grazing periods, between June and the end of September, activity noise or vehicle haul traffic may

temporarily require sheep to avoid the immediate area. The accumulation of down woody material

would be minimized within stock trails, and within areas of traditional sheep movement.

Coordination between the Range Specialist, Sale Administrator, and grazing permittee would

occur to help prevent any conflicts.

All Action Alternatives would have no effect on permittee access to the affected grazing allotment.

All alternatives would re-close roads that were or would be opened for the purposes of

implementing this project. Many roads currently existing within the allotment (including some

closed roads) provide permittee access.

An increase in transitory range would result in increased livestock distribution through natural

movement of the animals. With salvage harvest, a more open structure in forested vegetation

communities would develop and improve livestock distribution. The relative increase in transitory

range would be small but would have the potential to relieve livestock grazing pressure from

historical pre-fire use areas, mainly non-forested plant communities.

The effects of proposed reforestation on the grazing allotments would have a minimal effect on

livestock distribution for the allotment. The permittee would be made aware of current

reforestation efforts through the annual operating instructions and an added protection would be

to use bedding areas and water sources away from reforestation areas.

Summary of Direct and Indirect Effects

The Frog Fire burned approximately 20 percent of the total area of the Round Mountain Allotment.

The total area of the salvage units for the proposed action would make up only 9 percent of the

total allotment acreage. Relative to the effect of the Frog Fire on the affected allotment, the effects

of the Frog Fire Salvage Project would be very small.

Cumulative Effects – Proposed action and No action Alternatives

The following activities will have a cumulative effect on the rangeland resource and will be

considered in this cumulative effects analysis: fire suppression facilities, timber harvest, road

construction and maintenance, prescribed burning, other wildfires, BAER activities, range

recovery measures, invasive plant treatments, and dispersed recreation. The geographic boundary

for this cumulative effects analysis is the entire Frog Fire burned area including the entire area of

the Round Mountain Allotment. The temporal boundary is the period of time when the activities

associated with this project area occurring from the early 1900s to 2016 when activities would be

complete. Because effects on soils are localized, this cumulative effects analysis is limited to the

immediate area surrounding the actual units.


9

Past Actions

Frog Fire suppression activities in 2015 involved construction of dozer line, and hand line with

many created clearings for drop points, safety zones, staging areas, and helispots. These areas may

be re-seeded with a seed mix or have shrub seedlings planted for weed competition and soil

stabilization in 2016. There is a potential that these clearings would be beneficial to sheep

movement and facilitate grazing distribution; conversely these clearings, when re-seeded, may

attract sheep to use these areas before the areas have completely healed. Since the sheep are with

a herder at all times, re-seeded areas could easily be avoided as long as the herder is made aware

of sensitive recovery areas up front in order to avoid these areas before sheep are in the vicinity.

Past activities within the analysis area include grazing, wildfire, timber sales, fuels reduction

projects, wildfire suppression and road maintenance. Several prescribed burns have recently

occurred within the analysis areas that have continued to contribute to or maintain additional

transitory forage. Wildfires, such as Quaking and Scarface, have contributed to additional

transitory range by removing the over story and allowing sunlight to increase the understory.

Present and On-going Actions

Livestock grazing, fire suppression and road maintenance are present or on-going actions in the

project area. In response to changes in resource conditions caused by the Frog Fire, livestock

grazing systems will be modified or grazing will be delayed where needed on the Round Mountain

Allotment. When standards are met that indicate sufficient vegetation recovery has occurred (Post

Fire Vegetation objectives), the management of the allotment will return to that of the pre-fire

grazing systems. Modifications to permitted use will be made and specific fire recovery measures

will be in place before grazing continues on burned portions of the allotment affected by the Frog

Fire.

Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions

Reasonably foreseeable future management activities may include timber management, road

maintenance, livestock grazing, prescribed fire and tree planting and re-seeding within the analysis

area.

Treatments would use existing landings where possible in order to utilize previously compacted

sites. Skid trail patterns would be designed to minimize soil disturbance and compaction. Proper

drainage on these features would reduce the potential for water concentration and runoff. Water

barring and slashing of skid trails and landings would reduce the potential for sedimentation and

erosion; even though the topography in the project area is relatively flat posing minimal erosion

potential. As time passes, forage availability would be reduced proportional to tree canopy closure.

Shade tolerant species would out-compete less shade tolerant species. If seedlings are successful

in competing for resources, canopy closure will begin to have an effect on the understory

vegetation over time. As predicted from growth of similar stands near the Frog Fire and referencing

Technical Bulletin #630 (Meyer, 1938), it will take approximately 30 years for planted tree

seedlings to reach a diameter at breast height (dbh) of 3 inches. It is expected that forbs, grasses,

and shrubs would naturally revegetate areas that are not planted with tree seedlings.


10

Conclusion

The cumulative effect of the Frog Fire and associated suppression activities will temporally reduce

the availably of forage due to the loss of vegetation and fire suppression activities. However, the

Frog Fire suppression activities, under normal climatic conditions and with the proposed

revegetation plan, will be re-vegetated and the fire damaged vegetation will recover, resulting in a

long term increase in forage production within the transitory range.

Implementing the proposed action will insure the most rapid recovery of burned area vegetation

resulting in a shorter period of grazing deferment. The cumulative effect of timber sales, grazing

and revegetation treatments will maintain or improve the range forage resource by reducing

invasive plant competitions and maintaining a more open forest canopy.

In summary, the effects of past, present and reasonably foreseeable future actions would contribute

to a short term decrease in the production and availability of the range forage resource. However,

actions proposed in the Frog Fire Salvage project would further open the canopy and increase

forage production, providing for better livestock distribution with a net benefit to the range forage

resource.

Appendix A

Map 1


11

Map 2

Literature Cited

Freyman, S. 1968. Spectral Distribution of Light in Forest of the Douglas fir Zone of Southern

British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 48(3): 326-328.

McIver J. and Ottmar R. 2007. Fuel mass and Stand Structure after Post-Fire Logging of a

Severely Burned Ponderosa Pine Forest in Northeastern Oregon. Forest Ecology and

Management, 238: 268-279.

Meyer, Walter H. 1938. Yield of even-aged stand of ponderosa pine. U.S.D.A., Washington,

D.C. Tech. Bull. No. 630, October, 1939.

Moir W. 1966. Influence of Ponderosa Pine on Herbaceous Vegetation. Ecology, 47(6), 1045-

1048.

Naumburg and DeWald 1999. Relationship between Pinus Ponderosa Forest Structure, Light

Characteristics, and Understory Graminoid Species Presence and Abundance. Forest

Ecology and Management, 124, 205-215.


12

Spreitzer, Patricia N. 1985. Transitory Range: A New Frontier. Rangelands, 7(1): 33-34.

Walker R., Fecko R., Johnson D., and Miller W. 2013. Wildfire Effects on Understory

Vegetation, Natural Regeneration, and Forest Floor fuels in a Sierran Mixed Conifer Stand.

Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 32(5): 456-494.

USDA Forest Service 1991. Modoc National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.

frog fire salvage project range specialist...

Documents