porkey heights project de young project pine bear...

United States Department of Agriculture

Porkey Heights Project

De Young Project

Pine Bear Project

Supplemental Environmental Assessments

Scoping Document

Forest Service Allegheny National Forest

Elk and Forest Counties, Pennsylvania

September 2016

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Cover photo: Black cherry dieback in stand 648015 in Porkey Heights project, photo taken by Edward Baker, Forester, Forest Service

Porkey Heights, DeYoung, and Pine Bear Supplemental Environmental Assessments – Scoping Document

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Who is proposing the projects? The Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Allegheny National Forest (Forest), is initiating

supplemental environmental analyses for the Porkey Heights, De Young, and Pine Bear projects pursuant

to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The Forest Service is scoping these projects together

due to their similarity, but will be separating them into individual supplemental environmental

assessments.

What are we proposing to do? The Porkey Heights, De Young, and Pine Bear Project Decision Notices were signed in 2009, in 2011,

and in 2012 respectively. These three projects proposed a combined total of nearly 3,200 acres of

intermediate thinning treatments based upon expectations that the residual overstory of these stands

would remain healthy through the next cycle of project planning for each respective area. However,

mortality and crown dieback of black cherry and other species has been noticed in many of the stands that

were originally proposed for intermediate thinning treatments. All of the stands proposed for thinning in

these projects were field reviewed this past summer by the Marienville silvicultural staff. Based on the

results of this review, stand examination data was collected in 103 of the stands (2,053 acres) to verify

field observations and forest health concerns. Ninety-four of these stands (1,935 acres) are being carried

forward in this proposal. The deteriorated condition of these stands is similar to that shown in the attached

images. In addition to the mortality and crown dieback that is ongoing in these stands, a recent windstorm

caused severe damage to some stands in the Pine Bear project

Photos taken by Edward Baker, Forester, Forest Service.

This mortality and crown dieback of black cherry, white ash, and American beech are reducing healthy

tree stocking levels to the point where reforestation activities are needed to ensure that a new cohort of

desirable tree seedlings can be established and successfully become the next generation of healthy forest.

We are concerned that seed tree abundance and distribution is declining within these project areas to the

point that it will become more difficult to successfully regenerate these forest stands to desirable tree

species that include red maple, black cherry, yellow-poplar, cucumber tree, sugar maple and other

species. Regeneration of these areas should occur now. In some areas, few to no seed trees exist within

these hardwood stands. Deferring regeneration of these stands will very likely increase the difficulty of

successfully restocking them with diverse naturally established tree seedlings that would result in a

resilient future forest.


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Additionally, as noted in the 2008-2013 Allegheny National Forest Monitoring and Evaluation Report,

only 3.8 percent of the Allegheny National Forest consisted of early structural forest in 2015 (USDA-FS

2014, p. 120). This amount is less than half of the desired 2020 condition of 8 percent (USDA-FS 2007,

p. 19). The Allegheny National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) desired

conditions include a diversity of healthy vegetative structural stages, age classes and forest types across

the landscape within the context of multiple use management.

Modified treatments are now being proposed in these three projects in order to address this changed

condition and shortfall in early structural vegetation. We are proposing to regenerate these previously

thinned stands or stands that were proposed for thinning now, before natural regeneration opportunities

are lost as stand health and stocking continues to decline. These activities are being proposed to improve

ecosystem resilience and sustain biological diversity on the Allegheny National Forest, by regenerating

declining or poorly stocked stands to vigorous well-stocked stands using a variety of reforestation and

timber harvest treatments that are described later in this document. This project will help achieve Forest

Plan goals and objectives by sustaining a desirable mix of tree species in areas impacted by forest health

stressors including native and non-native insects and diseases to provide a healthy, diverse, and resilient

forest in treated areas. In some areas, regeneration harvests combined with past and other previously

approved regeneration harvests will create temporary openings that will exceed 40 acres in size. None of

the projects approved any temporary openings greater than 40 acres in the original project decisions. Our

analysis will examine the effects to vegetation and other resources from the proposed temporary openings

greater than 40 acres. As with all proposed activities, Forest Plan standards and guidelines will be

followed for temporary openings created by the application of even-aged silviculture (USDA-FS 2007,

p.68).

Where are the projects located? The Porkey Heights project area includes 5,319 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands and is

located in Warrants 5104, 5105 and 5267 in Kingsley Township and Warrants 3188, 3192, 3194, 4790,

4791, 4823, 5101, 5104, 5267 and 5282 in Howe Township, Forest County, Pennsylvania, approximately

6 miles north of Marienville, Pennsylvania (see attached map).

The De Young project area includes 16,672 acres on NFS lands and is located in Warrants 2018, 2019,

2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2032, 2033, 2463, 2464, 2808, 2882, 2916, 2977, 3662, 3663, 3664,

3667, 3668, 3669, 3753, 3761, 3779, and 3783 in Howe and Jenks Townships, Forest County and in

Highland Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Russell City, Pennsylvania (see attached

map).

The Pine Bear project area includes 10,055 acres of NFS lands and is located in Warrants 1464, 1465,

1776, 1778, 1783, 1799, 1831, 1858, 1863, 2032, 2033, 2034, 3655, 3656, 3657, and 3776, Highland

Township; Warrants 3252 and 4846, Jones Township; and Warrant 4846, Ridgway Township, Elk

County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Russell City, Pennsylvania (see attached map).

When would the project be implemented? The decisions on these supplemental proposals are expected by the end of 2017. Following the decisions,

implementation would begin in 2018 and activities are anticipated to occur over the next 5 to 15 years.


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Why here and why now?

Purpose and Need

The proposed actions for the Porkey Heights, De Young, and Pine Bear projects has been designed to

meet Forest Plan goals and objectives. These proposed activities are needed to create a diversity of

vegetation patterns across the landscape that would:

Represent well distributed habitats and a range of forest age classes and vegetative stages.

Provide a variety of healthy functioning vegetation layers including moderate to well stocked

forest cover.

Create the variety of species or forest types necessary to achieve multiple resource objectives and

sustain ecosystem health (USDA-FS 2007, p. 14).

Specific to Forest Plan Management Area 3.0 direction, these proposed activities would contribute to

Forest Plan desired conditions by providing a mix of vegetative conditions and quality timber products

that would contribute to the local and regional economy. Regeneration harvests, along with reforestation

treatments would allow for the establishment of an early structural forest, which is characteristic of this

management area and helps achieve the desired condition of a diversity of healthy vegetation patterns

across the landscape (USDA-FS 2007, pp. 113-116).

Changed Condition The following section discusses the conditions in the Porkey Heights, De Young, and Pine Bear project

areas since the original project decisions were signed.

Black Cherry Declining Health

Monitoring Data

Recent monitoring on the Allegheny National Forest indicates that the proportion of standing dead cherry

basal area on 97 intensive forest health monitoring plots has increased from 8.3 percent in the 1998–2001

measurement cycle to 15.7 percent in the 2014-2015 measurement cycle (Long and others 2015,

unpublished). In other words, we are finding a much higher rate of mortality in black cherry across the

Forest. In contrast, the overall proportion of dead basal area for all other species combined has fluctuated

around 8.8 to 12.0 percent since 1998. In addition, other research indicates that the crown condition of

black cherry is worsening, resulting in smaller live-crown ratios and reduced crown densities. The lack of

consistent seed production and other factors are indeed affecting the regeneration potential of black cherry

(Long 2016, personal communication).

The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Continuous Forest Inventory for 2009-2013 also noted increased

levels of standing dead black cherry (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry 2015, unpublished internal report).

In the High Plateau ecoregion that includes the Allegheny National Forest, the report noted an increase

from 3.4 percent dead black cherry stems in the 1997-2000 measurement cycle to 30.7 percent in the

2009-2013 measurement cycle. Standing dead for all other species combined was 17.3 percent in 2009-

2013 cycle.

These observed mortality rates are substantially higher than typical or normal mortality rates observed on

the Allegheny National Forest and Pennsylvania. Based on Forest Inventory and Analysis data analysis

(website accessed 7/28/2016 http://apps.fs.fed.us/Evalidator/evalidator.jsp), the “background” or normal

mortality rate for all tree species averages around 0.9 percent mortality per year (9 percent per decade)

http://apps.fs.fed.us/Evalidator/evalidator.jsp


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across Pennsylvania. Similarly, these background mortality rates have averaged around one percent

mortality per year (10 percent per decade) for all tree species on the Forest.

Defoliation Events

Cherry scallop shell moth is a defoliator of black cherry, and occasionally other native cherries. Cherry

scallop shell moth is a native insect to Pennsylvania and the eastern United States. Damage to black

cherry trees range from a loss of radial growth, partial crown mortality to total tree mortality, depending

upon the severity (percentage of the crown) of the defoliation and the duration (how many years) of

defoliation. In most cases, tree mortality associated with cherry scallop shell moth occurs when

defoliation is combined with other tree stressors, i.e. drought or other defoliators (Allen 1993). Cherry

scallop shell moth defoliations have occurred on the Forest in 2014, 2015, and 2016 and each year the

outbreak area has increased in size. These outbreaks typically last about 3 years. Short and long term

implications of this most recent stressor to black cherry health are somewhat uncertain, given other

factors affecting black cherry health.

Another known health stressor is fall webworm defoliations that occurred on portions of the Forest in

2011 and 2012. Fall webworm is another native pest that favors black cherry, thought to cause primarily

aesthetic damage to black cherry.

Although these defoliations may have accelerated the dieback and mortality of black cherry, the early

stages of this decline in health of many black cherry trees began several years in advance of these events.

Other Forest Health Influences

A number of other factors threaten the overall health of forest ecosystems on the Allegheny National

Forest. As of 2009, black cherry comprised an estimated 25 percent of the tree species composition in

inventoried areas across the Forest. When considered in conjunction with other major pests and pathogens

impacting the Allegheny National Forest, such as beech bark disease, emerald ash borer, and hemlock

woolly adelgid, a decline in black cherry crown health exacerbates the overall effect on forest stocking,

health, and resilience to other forest disturbances, threatening the future productivity, biodiversity, and

resilience of the Forest.

Structural Imbalance

The Forest Plan identified desired vegetation structural class distribution for the Forest for the year 2020.

As shown in the Forest’s 2008–2013 monitoring report, there is a vegetation structural imbalance across

the Forest and Forest Plan desired structural class distribution is not present (USDA-FS 2014, p. 120).

While mid and late structural stages are well-represented and meeting desired conditions, stands in early

structural stages (young forest) are falling far short of desired conditions. Only 3.8 percent of the

Allegheny National Forest consisted of early structural forest in 2015. This amount is less than half of the

desired 2020 condition of 8 percent (USDA-FS 2007, p. 19). The proposed silvicultural prescription

changes would help move the overall age class distribution toward the Forest Plan desired condition. The

uniformity of second growth forest across the Forest increases vulnerability to damage from repeated

natural stresses and exotic insects and diseases.

In the absence of further silvicultural treatment, forest stocking levels may continue declining, which

would potentially result in areas with few seed trees, with forest understories dominated by interfering

vegetation, including thickets of beech, striped maple, and ferns. In some areas, few to no seed trees

would remain. Non-native invasive plants may invade areas with reduced trees stocking levels, where

they are present or nearby. Where American beech succumbs to beech bark disease, dense understories of


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beech root suckers will become established, forming thickets that prevent the establishment of other tree

seedlings and creates a virtual monoculture that lacks the benefits of natural forest biodiversity (Forrester

and others. 2003; Hane 2003; Latty and others 2003). Stands with reduced stocking due to insects and

diseases are more vulnerable to damage from windthrow, storms, and other general injury to tree crowns.

Windstorm Damage

There is a need to regenerate stands that were severely damaged by a windstorm that struck the Allegheny

National Forest region on July 27, 2012. Within the Pine Bear project area, heavy damage occurred on

110 acres, moderate damage, on 275 acres, and light damage, on 60 acres. In a letter to the file dated

September 10, 2013, Robert T. Fallon, Marienville District Ranger (Responsible Official) allowed the

removal of damaged timber having commercial value from several stands in the Pine Bear project area as

part of the North FR 339 Salvage, South FR 339 Salvage, and Twin Pine Salvage Sales. Now that the

damaged timber has been removed it is evident that these stands were severely damaged during the

windstorm and are no longer functioning as healthy forest stands. Stands 872041, 881016, 881017,

881020, 881021, and 881050 need to be regenerated to healthy fully stocked stands. Reforestation

treatments are being proposed and additional timber harvest, where needed, to establish tree seedlings that

will result in a more resilient future forest.

Delayed Shelterwood Seed Cuts in Pine Bear Project

In the Pine Bear Environmental Assessment, delayed shelterwood seeds cuts (shelterwood starts) and

associated reforestation activities were proposed for the following stands: 872020, 872035, 872036,

873034, 880002, 887001, and 890003, which total about 130 acres. With the supplemental environmental

assessment for Pine Bear, the shelterwood removal cuts for these stands are being proposed at this time to

ensure timely removal of the overstory when these stands have adequate regeneration. Four of these

stands, 873034, 880002, 887001, and 890003, that are proposed to be treated in this proposal would result

in or are part of temporary openings greater than 40 acres.

How are we proposing to take action?

Proposed Action Modified treatments are proposed to regenerate declining or poorly stocked stands to vigorous, well

stocked forest stands in order to increase the long-term resilience of these forests. This is proposed to

occur through a combination of timber harvest and reforestation treatments. Managing and regenerating

declining stands now would promote natural regeneration of a diversity of desired trees and help meet

Forest Plan early structural (young forest) vegetation objectives. It would sustain healthy, well-stocked

forested stands over the long-term.

Deferring silvicultural action in these stands would very likely increase the difficulty of successfully

restocking them with diverse naturally established tree seedlings that will would produce a resilient future

forest. All seed sources would be utilized on these sites, which include red maple, cucumbertree, yellow

poplar, black cherry, sugar maple and other species, while canopies are still moderately healthy in order

to manage regeneration conditions.


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Proposed Treatments

A silvicultural system is a planned series of treatments by which we establish, grow, manage, and

regenerate a forest stand for a specific purpose. This process includes all practices necessary for

replacement and development of the forest stand.

Even-aged silvicultural systems are being proposed in this project to meet the overall objectives and the

desired future condition of the management area. Under an even-aged silvicultural system, stands are

managed with harvest methods and associated reforestation treatments that regenerate trees of a single age

class at the time of regeneration harvest. In all cases, areas managed using even-aged systems retain trees

that provide ecological function and structure inherited from past ecosystems and are important in

recovery of the biological community. All of the stands that are being proposed for an even-aged

treatments have understory vegetation that interferes with the establishment of new seedlings; therefore,

reforestation treatments are often required to provide adequate conditions for seedlings to germinate and

grow.

The Allegheny National Forest is divided into geographic subdivisions known as compartments and then

further divided into smaller units known as stands. The silvicultural methods and reforestation activities

proposed for this project are summarized in the table below. Successful regeneration of the forested

stands identified in this project typically involves a combination of the proposed treatments implemented

over a 6 to 20 year time period.

The Forest Service is proposing to change the previous thinning prescriptions of the stands listed in the

tables below to shelterwood regeneration harvests or overstory removal harvests, both with associated

reforestation activities. If the thinning has already occurred or is currently under contract, an overstory

removal will be implemented once advance regeneration is established. If the thinning has not occurred

yet, then a shelterwood seed cut will be implemented instead of the originally proposed thinning followed

by a shelterwood removal cut once advance regeneration is established.

The following silvicultural treatments and associated reforestation activities are proposed:

Overstory removal cut is a regeneration harvest in which nearly all of the overstory trees are removed

after adequate trees seedlings develop allowing full sunlight to reach the established seedlings

Shelterwood seed cut/shelterwood removal cut is a multiple-step regeneration harvest in which

approximately one-third of the overstory is removed in the initial (shelterwood) seed cut to provide

sunlight on the ground to encourage tree seedling development. After adequate tree seedlings

develop, the shelterwood removal cut follows, in which nearly all of the overstory trees are removed,

allowing full sunlight to reach the established seedlings.

Herbicide treatments remove or reduce undesired understory vegetation in stands contain a dense

ground cover of grasses, fern, beech root suckers and striped maple that interfere with desired tree

seedling establishment and growth. Herbicides approved for use by the Forest Plan include the active

ingredient glyphosate in the form of Rodeo® and the active ingredient sulfometuron methyl in the

form of Oust®.

Manual site preparation is used when mid-story trees and brush cast shade that interferes with the

development of tree seedlings. Chainsaws or brush saws would be used to remove or reduce

competing vegetation by felling mid-story non-preferred species in order to increase sunlight levels to

the forest floor.


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Fertilization is used to accelerate the growth of natural seedling regeneration. Fertilization generally

involves the aerial or ground application of nutrients on existing seedlings, usually during the month

of May or June.

Where deer browsing impacts are high, area fencing and/or tree shelters are installed and maintained

to exclude deer and reduce browsing on desired seedlings. This promotes tree seedling growth and

understory plant diversity. Fences and tree shelters are removed when objectives have been met.

Tree planting is prescribed in areas where planned natural regeneration has failed, or where it is

desirable to supplement natural tree seedling establishment in order to improve species diversity.

Release involves the non-commercial, manual cutting of tall-growing woody vegetation that

interferes with the growth and survival of desired tree seedlings, saplings, or shrubs in young stands

(age class 20 years or less). Release promotes tree species diversity.

About 541 acres of regeneration harvests were proposed (about 10 percent) on the National Forest System

lands in the Porkey Heights project area for the original analysis and decision. We are proposing an

additional 721 acres of regeneration harvests (shelterwood and overstory removal harvests; about 13.5

percent) in the Porkey Heights project area, which would result in 1,262 acres of regeneration harvests (or

23.7 percent) on National Forest System lands in the Porkey Heights project area.

About 542 acres of regeneration harvests were previously proposed (about 3 percent) on the National

Forest System lands in the De Young project area. We are proposing an additional 263 acres of

regeneration harvests (about 1.6 percent) in the De Young project area, which would result in 805 acres of

regeneration harvests (or about 5 percent) on National Forest System lands) in the De Young project area.

Combined with previously approved regeneration harvests, this would result in about 12 percent early

structural habitat (young forest) in the project area.

About 1,316 acres of regeneration harvests were previously proposed (about 13 percent) on the National

Forest System lands in the Pine Bear project area. We are proposing an additional 1,155 acres of

regeneration harvests (about 11.6 percent) in the Pine Bear project area, which would result in 2,471 acres

of regeneration harvests on about 25 percent of the National Forest System lands within the project area.


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Porkey Heights Project

Summary of Proposed Activities for Porkey Heights Project

Even-aged Vegetation Management (acres) Original Revised

Intermediate Thinning Harvests 1,050 1,038

Intermediate Thinning Harvests (non-commercial) 157 157

Shelterwood Seed Cut Harvests/Shelterwood Removal Harvests 532 544

Shelterwood Removal Harvests (Removal Cut with Reserves) 9 9

Overstory Removals (Removal Cut with Reserves) 0 709

Understory Vegetation Treatments (acres) Original Revised

Herbicide–Reforestation 696 1,417

Site Preparation 663 1,384

Fertilization 302 1,023

Fencing 642 1,363

Install Tree Shelters 0 72

Tree Planting for Species Diversity 248 320

Release for Species Diversity 1,140 1,861

Prescribed Burning 54 54

(same, no new proposal)

NNIP Species Treatments 5 to 10 5 to 10


All but one stand (632049) in the Porkey Heights decision that were originally proposed for commercial

thinning have already been thinned (the actual acres treated are reduced because of stand adjustments in

the field to protect other resources). Twenty-eight (28) stands (about 69 percent of the acres originally

proposed for thinning) that were thinned or proposed for thinning in this project are now being proposed

for regeneration once adequate advanced regeneration is established in each stand. The specific stands to

be treated are listed in the next table.


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Acronyms and abbreviations used in proposed silvicultural treatments tables below Silvicultural Treatments (1

st Entry, 2

nd Entry, 3

rd Entry Timber Harvests)

SWSC Shelterwood Seed Cut SWR Shelterwood Removal OR Overstory Removal

Note: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636. For the majority of the stands that are now being proposed for regeneration using an overstory removal cut (OR), the original proposed thinning has occurred or is being implemented. For those stands where the proposed thinning has not occurred yet, these stands are being proposed for shelterwood sequence with a shelterwood seed cut (SWSC) in the first entry and a shelterwood removal cut (SWR) in the second entry. For those stands with previous timber harvests completed or under contract, the actual acres treated is listed for each stand in the “Treated Acres” column. Treated Acres may be different than Planned Acres due to changes that were made during treatment area layout in the field. Typically changes are made during layout for stand changes, sensitive features encountered during layout, and operational considerations. A dash “-“ in the Treated Acres column means that proposed timber harvest has not occurred yet and actual acres treated will be determined during implementation. These actual treated acres should be close to the Planned Acres. In all cases, where a treatment in shown (SWSC, SWR) in the columns for 2nd Entry or 3rd Entry, these treatments are yet to be completed and are included in this project analysis. A dash under the 3rd Entry column implies that all treatments will be completed through 2nd Entry and no 3rd Entry treatment is needed.


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Proposed silvicultural treatments for Porkey Heights Project

Stand MA Planned Acres

Treated Acres

1st Entry

2nd Entry

Herbicide Site Prep

Fertilize Fence Tree

Shelter Plant Release

632049 3.0 12 - SWSC SWR 12 12 12 12 1 1 12

636007 3.0 38 38 Completed OR 38 38 38 38 4 4 38

636012 3.0 23 23 Completed OR 23 23 23 23 2 2 23

636013 3.0 30 28 Completed OR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30

636014 3.0 40 40 Completed OR 40 40 40 40 4 4 40

636055 3.0 41 32 Completed OR 41 41 41 41 4 4 41

637014 3.0 21 21 Completed OR 21 21 21 21 2 2 21

637015 3.0 54 49 Completed OR 54 54 54 54 5 5 54

637033 3.0 39 35 Completed OR 39 39 39 39 4 4 39

645058 3.0 8 8 Completed OR 8 8 8 8 1 1 8

645059 3.0 10 10 Completed OR 10 10 10 10 1 1 10

646002 3.0 27 27 Completed OR 27 27 27 27 3 3 27

646005 3.0 14 14 Completed OR 14 14 14 14 2 2 14

646006 3.0 35 35 Completed OR 35 35 35 35 4 4 35

646010 3.0 17 17 Completed OR 17 17 17 17 2 2 17

646016 3.0 7 7 Completed OR 7 7 7 7 1 1 7

646019 3.0 29 29 Completed OR 29 29 29 29 3 3 29

646020 3.0 22 22 Completed OR 22 22 22 22 2 2 22

646021 3.0 32 32 Completed OR 32 32 32 32 3 3 32

646022 3.0 8 8 Completed OR 8 8 8 8 1 1 8

646037 3.0 11 11 Completed OR 11 11 11 11 1 1 11

647011 3.0 12 12 Completed OR 12 12 12 12 1 1 12

647029 3.0 31 31 Completed OR 31 31 31 31 3 3 31

647030 3.0 17 10 Completed OR 17 17 17 17 1 1 17

648006 3.0 22 19 Completed OR 19 19 19 19 2 2 19

648015 3.0 41 39 Completed OR 41 41 41 41 4 4 41

648016 3.0 50 42 Completed OR 50 50 50 50 5 5 50

648017 3.0 30 30 Completed OR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30

Note: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636.


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Temporary opening blocks over 40 acres in size in Porkey Heights project area

Block Stands Total Acres

1 632049, (632032) 52 acres

2 637014, 637015 74 acres

3 636007, 636012, 636013, 636014, 636055, (636008), (636010), (636018), (636053), (636064)

292 acres

4 648006, 648015, 648016, 648017, (648014), (648049) 192 acres

5 646006, 646010, 646019, 646020, 646021, 646022, 646037, 647011, 647029, 647030, (646008), (647008), (647037)

316 acres

6 645058, 645059, (645004) 58 acres

7 646002, 646005, 646016 48 acres


Stands with parenthesis are recent regeneration harvests or previously approved regeneration harvests.


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De Young Project

Summary of Proposed Activities for De Young Project


Intermediate Thinning (commercial timber harvest) 657 644

Intermediate Thinning (non-commercial) 112 112

Shelterwood Seed Cut Harvests/Regeneration Harvests (Shelterwood Removal with Reserves) (1

st and 2

nd entries))

441 454

Salvage Shelterwood Seed Cut Harvests/Regeneration Harvests (shelterwood removal with reserves) (1

st and 2

nd entries)

101 101

Overstory Removal 0 250

Understory Vegetation Treatments (acres)

Herbicide–Reforestation 548 811

Fertilization 276 539

Fencing Option 548 811

Install Tree Shelters 0 28

Site Preparation 542 805

Tree Planting for Species Diversity 136 164

Release for Species Diversity 552 815

Non-native invasive plant species treatments (chemical/mechanical/manual)

50 50


Most of the stands in the De Young decision that were originally proposed for commercial thinning have

already been thinned (the actual acres treated are reduced because of stand adjustments in the field to

protect other resources). Eleven (11) stands (about 40 percent of the acres originally proposed for

thinning) that were thinned or proposed for thinning in this project are now being proposed for

regeneration once adequate advanced regeneration is established in the stand. The specific stands to be

treated are listed in the next table.


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Proposed silvicultural treatments for De Young Project

Stand MA Stand Acres

Treated Acres

1st Entry

2nd Entry

Herbicide Site Prep

Fertilize Fence Plant Tree

Shelters Release

700140 3.0 11 10 Completed OR 11 11 11 11 1 1 11

703028 3.0 40 40 Completed OR 40 40 40 40 4 4 40

709029 3.0 13 13 SWSC SWR 13 13 13 13 1 1 13

710014 3.0 35 35 Completed OR 35 35 35 35 4 4 35

710015 3.0 30 30 Completed OR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30

710045 3.0 30 30 Completed OR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30

711003 3.0 26 26 Completed OR 26 26 26 26 3 3 26

711014 3.0 37 37 Completed OR 37 37 37 37 4 4 37

876020 3.0 9 9 Completed OR 9 9 9 9 1 1 9

876028 3.0 18 10 Completed OR 18 18 18 18 2 2 18

877030 3.0 14 14 Completed OR 14 14 14 14 2 2 14



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Temporary opening blocks over 40 acres in size in De Young project area


1 703028, (700008), (703041), (703042) 111 acres

2 711003, 711014, (711052), (711053), (711054) 97 acres

3 710045, (710037) 69 acres

4 709029, (699053), (709003), (709028), (709038), (709041), (709042)

103 acres

Notes: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636.


Pine Bear Project

Summary of Proposed Activities for Pine Bear Project


Intermediate thinning (commercial) 1,550 1,506

Salvage Harvests (1st entry) 0 74

Shelterwood seed cut/shelterwood removal (regeneration harvests) (1

st and 2

nd entries)

970 1,014

Overstory removals (2nd

entry) 0 907

Delayed shelterwood seed cut (2nd

entry) 130 130

Delayed shelterwood removal (regeneration harvest (2nd

entry) 164 164

Delayed shelterwood removal (regeneration harvest (3rd

entry) 0 130

Understory Vegetation Treatments (acres) Original Revised

Herbicide–reforestation 1,404 2,429

Site preparation 1,349 2,374

Fertilization 621 1,668

Fence construction (optional) 449 1,569

Tree shelter installation 266 372

Tree planting for species diversity 248 361

Release for species diversity 2,215 3,240

Prescribed burning 609 609


Non-native invasive plant species treatments (herbicide and manual)

23 to 35 23 to 35


Travel Management Original Revised

Road Construction (new corridor) (miles) 0 0.23

Most of the stands in the Pine Bear decision that were originally proposed for commercial thinning have

already been thinned or are under contract to be thinned (the actual acres treated are reduced because of


15

stand adjustments in the field to protect other resources). Sixty-two (62) stands (about 59 percent of the

acres originally proposed for thinning) that were thinned or proposed for thinning in this project are now

being proposed for regeneration once adequate advanced regeneration is established in the stand. The

specific stands to be treated are listed in the next table.

Black cherry dieback in stand 887036 in Pine Bear project, photo taken by Edward Baker, Forester,

Forest Service


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Proposed silvicultural treatments for Pine Bear Project


Treated Acres

1st Entry

2nd Entry

3rd Entry

Herbicide Site Prep



864036 3.0 37 30 Completed OR - 37 37 37 37 4 4 37

864042 3.0 29 22 Completed OR - 29 29 29 29 3 3 29

8640431

3.0 12 12 Completed OR - 12 12 12 12 1 1 12

864044 3.0 13 15 Completed OR - 13 13 13 13 1 1 13

864045 3.0 11 12 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11

864056 3.0 50 50 Completed OR - 50 50 50 50 5 5 50

864057 3.0 18 18 Completed OR - 18 18 18 18 2 2 18

865005 3.0 14 14 Completed OR - 14 14 14 14 2 2 14

865065 3.0 4 4 Completed OR - 4 4 4 4 1 1 4

865075 3.0 2 1 Completed OR - 2 2 2 2 0 0 2

871024 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20

871041 3.0 33 31 Completed OR - 33 33 33 33 3 3 33

871057 3.0 33 27 Completed OR - 33 33 33 33 3 3 33

871080 3.0 12 6 Completed OR - 12 12 12 12 1 1 12

872003 3.0 12 12 Completed OR - 12 12 12 12 1 1 12

872020 3.0 13 - - SWSC SWR 13 13 13 13 1 1 13

872030 3.0 19 - SWSC OR - 19 19 19 19 2 2 19

872031 3.0 10 - SWSC OR - 10 10 10 10 1 1 10

872035 3.0 9 - - SWSC SWR 9 9 9 9 1 1 9

872036 3.0 18 - - SWSC SWR 18 18 18 18 2 2 18

872041 3.0 6 - SWSC OR - 6 6 6 6 1 1 6

872049 3.0 8 8 Completed OR 8 8 8 8 1 1 8

873025 3.0 29 24 Completed OR - 29 29 29 29 3 3 29

873026 3.0 32 30 Completed OR - 32 32 32 32 3 3 32

873029 3.0 31 21 Completed OR - 31 31 31 31 3 3 31

873034 3.0 22 - - SWSC SWR 22 22 22 22 2 2 22

873039 3.0 11 11 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11

873041 3.0 28 9 Completed OR - 28 28 28 28 3 3 28

8730582

3.0 39 39 Completed OR - 39 39 39 39 4 4 39

874048 3.0 30 22 Completed OR - 30 30 30 30 2 2 30

879018 3.0 7 5 Completed OR - 7 7 7 7 1 1 7

880002 3.0 27 - - SWSC SWR 27 27 27 27 2 2 27

880004 3.0 17 17 Completed OR - 17 17 17 17 2 2 17

880007 3.0 10 10 Completed OR - 10 10 10 10 1 1 10

880010 3.0 23 23 Completed OR - 23 23 23 23 3 3 23


17


Treated Acres

1st Entry

2nd Entry

3rd Entry

Herbicide Site Prep



880019 3.0 11 11 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11

880024 3.0 24 24 Completed OR - 24 24 24 24 2 2 24

880028 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20

880043 3.0 17 17 Completed OR - 17 17 17 17 2 2 17

880044 3.0 10 10 Completed OR - 10 10 10 10 1 1 10

880045 3.0 11 11 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11

880051 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20

880058 3.0 12 12 Completed OR - 12 12 12 12 1 1 12

880064 3.0 41 41 Completed OR - 41 41 41 41 4 4 41

881016 3.0 19 4 Completed OR - 19 19 19 19 2 2 19

881017 3.0 9 8 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9

881018 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20

881020 3.0 20 19 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20

881021 3.0 11 7 Completed OR - 11 11 11 11 1 1 11

881049 3.0 20 20 Completed OR - 20 20 20 20 2 2 20

881050 3.0 9 9 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9

881051 3.0 9 9 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9

882104 3.0 15 - SWSC SWR - 15 15 15 15 2 2 15

887001 3.0 11 - - SWSC SWR 11 11 11 11 1 1 11

887004 3.0 35 24 Completed OR - 35 35 35 35 4 11 35

887034 3.0 7 7 Completed OR - 7 7 7 7 1 1 7

887035 3.0 9 9 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9

887036 3.0 9 9 Completed OR - 9 9 9 9 1 1 9

889014 3.0 22 22 Completed OR - 22 22 22 22 2 2 22

889021 3.0 19 17 Completed OR - 19 19 19 19 2 2 19

889025 3.0 26 26 Completed OR - 26 26 26 26 3 3 26

890003 3.0 30 - - SWSC SWR 30 30 30 30 3 3 30

Note: The six-digit stand number listed in this table consists of the compartment number (first three digits) and the stand number (last three digits). For example, stand 636001 is stand 1 in compartment 636. 1 Since the original Pine Bear decision, stand 864043 has been combined with stand 864042..

2. Stand 873058 was stand 873038 in the original Pine Bear decision.


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Temporary opening blocks over 40 acres in size in Pine Bear project area


1 874048, (874005), (874047), (874051), (875008), (875009) 100 acres

2 864044, 864045, (864010) 49 acres

3 864056, 864057, (864007), (864055), (864064), (872014) 121 acres

4 871024, 871041, 871057, 872003, 872049, (871083), (871085) 171 acres

5 873039, 873041, (873040), (873055) 105 acres

6 873025, 873026, 873029, 873038, (873024), (873034) 175 acres

7 880019, 880024, 880028, 880043, 880044, 880051, 880064, (880029), (880039), (880041), (880042), (880059)

235 acres

8 889025, 889037 46 acres

9 889021, (890003) 49 acres

10 880004, 880010, 880058, (880002), (880005) 92 acres

11

872030, 872031, 887035, 887036, 872041, 881016, 881017, 881018, 881020, 881021, 881049, 881050, 881051, 887001, 887004, 887034, (887005), (887007), (881015) (881022), (887051)

324 acres



Transportation Management No additional road construction is being proposed for the Porkey Heights or De Young supplemental

analysis. Forest Road (FR) 339E was proposed and analyzed for 0.42 miles of road construction using a

new corridor as part of Alternative 1–Proposed Action for the Pine Bear project. Alternative 3–No New

Roads was selected by the responsible official for the Pine Bear project. Stands 881015, 881018, 881049,

and 881051 were harvested with the North FR 339 Salvage Sale. We are proposing to construct 0.42

miles of FR339E to access these and other stands as part of the supplemental analysis for Pine Bear.

Constructing 0.42 miles of FR339E would shorten the distance needed to skid/forward logs from these

stands, would minimize disturbance to the hydrologic functions, and protect soil productivity.

Constructing FR339E would result in shorter overall skidding distances. The proposed location of

FR339E is show on the Temporary Openings Greater Than 40 Acres Pine Bear scoping map and is

located in Block 11.

Due to refinements in mapping, the present size of the Pine Run #40 Unroaded Area is 750 acres.

Constructing 0.42 miles of FR339E will reduce the size of this unroaded area. Proposed road construction in Pine Bear project area

Location Length (miles)

Road Management Remarks

FR339E 0.42 Closed New corridor


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How does supplementing these projects implement the Forest Plan?

Management Direction The Forest Plan provides a programmatic framework regarding allocation of National Forest System

lands and the measures necessary to protect resources. It describes how the Allegheny National Forest

should be managed and what resources should be provided by these lands now and into the future. The

Forest Plan provides a vision (USDA-FS 2007, pp. 7–16) that includes sustaining or improving forest

ecosystem health, enhancing the resiliency of the Allegheny National Forest ecosystems, and providing a

diversity of vegetation patterns across the landscape.

Proposed activities are consistent with management direction in the Forest Plan. Specifically, the

proposed action addresses the following Forest Plan goals and objectives (USDA-FS 2007, pp. 12–21):

Develop and enhance the seedling, shrub, and herbaceous diversity to improve structural conditions

(USDA-FS 2007, pp. 14, 19, A-1, A-2, and A-14). Provide a diversity of vegetation patterns across

the landscape that represents well distributed habitats, a range of forest age classes and vegetative

stages, a variety of healthy functioning vegetation layers, moderate to well-stocked forest cover, and

the variety of vegetation species or forest types necessary to achieve multiple resource objectives and

sustain ecosystem health (USDA-FS 2007, p. 14).

Continue to implement and monitor a range of silvicultural and reforestation practices in order to be

responsive to emerging issues and regenerate stands to a diversity of tree seedlings of good quality,

form, and health (USDA-FS 2007, p. 14).

Improve the overall health and sustainability of Allegheny National Forest ecosystems by reducing

understory dominance of native invasive species such as beech brush, ferns, grass and striped maple,

and non-native invasive species on 3,000 to 6,200 acres annually. Do this through direct treatments:

site preparation, herbicide application, scarification, mechanical treatment, or fencing to encourage

greater species diversity with a wider variety of herbaceous and woody plants or tree seedlings

(USDA-FS 2007, p. 21).

Provide a safe, efficient and economical transportation system that is responsive to public and

administrative needs, while having minimal adverse effects on the natural forest ecosystem (USDA-

FS 2007, p.16).

Provide a sustainable flow of commercial timber products that will contribute to the local and

regional economy, contribute to the annual forest-wide allowable sale quantity, and maintain 10 to 12

percent of MA 3.0 in early structural habitat (0 to 20 years old) over time (USDA-FS 2007, pp. 8, 14,

and 113).

Proposed activities will follow Forest Plan standards and guidelines.

Management Area Direction Lands managed by the Allegheny National Forest are assigned a management area designation. This

designation identified the suitable uses, desired conditions, and standards and guidelines for forest

management. The project includes the following management areas:


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Management Area 2.2 Late Structural Linkages emphasizes older, late structural forests that link

relatively large areas of older forest (core areas) across the landscape. Vegetation management is directed

to restoring late structural forest conditions with an emphasis on sustaining forest structure and forest

continuity. Management Area direction can be found on pages 109–112 of the Forest Plan.

Management Area 3.0 –Even-aged Management emphasizes even-aged management to provide a

forest that is a mix of predominantly shade intolerant and mid-tolerant hardwood stands of various ages

and associated understories and habitat for a diversity of plant and animal species. Management Area

direction can be found on pages 113-115 of the Forest Plan.

The acres within each management area (MA) in each project can be found in the original environmental

assessments for each project on the Allegheny National Forest website at:

For original Porkey Heights Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=16602

For supplemental Porkey Heights Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50629

For original De Young Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=30697

For supplemental De Young Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50267

For original Pine Bear Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=30846

For supplemental Pine Bear Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50628

References Cited Forrester, J.A., G.G. McGee, and M.J. Mitchell. 2003. Effects of beech bark disease on aboveground

biomass and species composition in a mature northern hardwood forest, 1985 to 2000. J. Torrey

Bot. Soc. 130: 70–78.

Hane, E.N. 2003. Indirect effects of beech bark disease on sugar maple seedling survival. Canadian

Journal of Forest Research. 33: 806-813.

Horsley, Stephen B., Susan L. Stout, and David S. deCalesta. 2003. White-tailed deer impact on the

vegetation dynamics of a northern hardwood forest. USDA Forest Service Northeastern Research

Station, Warren, Pennsylvania 16365

Latty, E.F., C.D. Canham, and P.L. Marks. Beech bark disease in northern hardwood forests: the

importance of nitrogen dynamics and forest history for disease severity. Can. J. Forest. Res., 33

(2003), pp. 257–268.

Long, R., A. Hille, A. Stottlemyer, and R. Turcotte. FHM Evaluation Monitoring Progress Report

FY2015: Evaluating and monitoring black cherry health trends in response to multi-year

stressors in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Unpublished (September 2015), 4 pp.

Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry. Continuous Forest Inventory, PA BOF Resources, Volume 2, Issue 1:

Black Cherry. Unpublished (2015), 4 pp.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 2007. Allegheny National Forest Land and Resource

Management Plan and Record of Decision. Warren, PA.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 2014. Allegheny National Forest FY 2008 – FY 2013

Monitoring and Evaluation Report. Warren, PA: USDA Forest Service, Allegheny National

Forest. 294 pp.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=16602






porkey heights project de young project pine bear...

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