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Forest Plan Amendment

Kuakan Timber Sale

This amendment to the Forest Plan modifies the Deer Island Small Old Growth Reserve to better meet size, location and habitat composition criteria in VCU 525.

The decision to amend the Forest Plan was documented in the Record of Decision for the Kuakan Timber Sale signed by the Assistant Forest Supervisor on March 28, 2000.

March 28, 2000
Wrangell Ranger District

Small Old Growth Habitat Reserve Adjustments in VCU 525
Non-significant Forest Plan Amendment

Based on the project level analysis process as described in the Old-growth Management Prescriptions and Appendix K of the Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1997), the Deer Island Small Old Growth Reserve, located in VCU 525 in the Kuakan Project Area, has been adjusted to better meet size, location and habitat composition criteria in the VCU. The reserve as mapped in the Forest Plan met the productive old growth acreage requirement for small reserves, but the size of the reserve was selected before the criteria in the Forest Plan were finalized and the total size of the reserve as mapped was smaller (by 325 acres) than 16% of the VCU, the criteria specified in Appendix K of the Forest Plan.

The Secretary of Agriculture's implementing regulation indicates the determination of significance is to be "…based on an analysis of the objectives, guidelines and other contents of the forest plan" (36 CFR 219.10(f)). The Forest Service has issued guidance for determining what constitutes a "significant amendment" under the National Forest Management Act. This guidance, in Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 1909.12 - Chapter 5.32, identifies four factors to be used in determining whether a proposed change to a forest plan is significant or not significant. These four factors are (1) timing; (2) location and size; (3) goals, objectives, and outputs; and (4) management prescriptions. The Alaska Region issued a Supplement to FSH 1909.12, Chapter 5.32, effective October 17, 1990 that includes an additional factor that can be considered in determining the significance of a Forest Plan Amendment. This additional factor deals with technical changes. An analysis of the factors is presented below.

Timing - The Tongass Forest Plan Revision was completed in 1997. The Old-growth Habitat Management Prescription in the TLMP indicates the small mapped reserves have received differing levels of field verification and integration of site-specific information in their design. During project level environmental analysis, for project areas that include or are adjacent to mapped old growth habitat reserves, the size, spacing and habitat composition of mapped reserves may be further evaluated.

Location and Size - The location of the Deer Island small old-growth reserve has been adjusted to an area on the northeast corner of the island (see the Record of Decision map, ROD page 21). The size of the adjusted reserve is 1564 acres, of which 655 acres were classified as suitable and available for timber production.

Goals, Objectives, and Outputs

Goals - The TLMP Goal for Biodiversity is to maintain healthy forest ecosystems; maintain a mix of habitats at different spatial scales (i.e. site, watershed, island, province and forest) capable of supporting the full range of naturally occurring flora, fauna, and ecological processes native to Southeast Alaska. The adjustment to the Deer Island Reserve is consistent with the Goals of the TLMP.

Objectives - The TLMP Objectives include: (1) to maintain a Forest-wide system of old growth forest habitat (includes reserves, non-development LUDs, and beach, estuary and riparian corridors) to sustain old growth associated species and resources; and (2) to ensure that the reserve system meets the minimum size, spacing and composition criteria described in Appendix K of the TLMP. The adjustment to the Kuakan Reserve was specifically designed to meet the Forest Plan Objectives. The North Reserve incorporates important wildlife habitat including three known goshawk nests, and is the location recommended by the group of inter-agency biologist working on the project.

Outputs - Adjustment of the Deer Island Small Old Growth Reserve will have only minor effects on Forest Plan Outputs. The original TLMP reserve on the west side of Deer Island contained 931 acres of productive old growth (POG), 416 of which would be suitable aside from its designation within an old growth reserve. The North Deer Island Reserve contains 999 acres of productive old growth, 655 acres of which was suitable timber. Implementation of TLMP standards for 100-acre nest buffers around the three known goshawk nests would have removed 113 acres from the suitable base, if the reserve had not been moved. Thus, goshawk nest buffers would reduce the suitable base from 655 acres to 542 acres. The result of adjusting the Kuakan old-growth reserve from the TLMP location to the North Reserve location in terms of suitable POG is a net reduction of 126 acres of suitable POG from the overall timber base (542 acres minus 416 acres).

Cumulative Changes - Kuakan is one of nine NEPA decisions as of January 2000, to make non-significant amendments to the Tongass Forest Plan by modifying LUD boundaries. Niblack EA changed Wild River non-development LUD to Old Growth Habitat and Timber Management LUDs. The rest of the amendments involved enlargement or reduction of Old Growth Habitat LUDs, usually exchanging acres with one of the resource development LUDs in order to more effectively meet Forest Plan objectives. Usually, wherever an Old Growth Habitat LUD was expanded, it caused a corresponding reduction of acres suitable for timber harvest. Likewise, an Old Growth Habitat LUD size reduction usually meant an increase in suitable acres.

While LUD changes within project decisions each constituted non-significant Forest Plan amendments, Table 1 displays the accumulated effect on suitable acres for all projects. For each project the table displays suitable acres changed from a non-development LUD to a resource development LUD, or from a development LUD to Old Growth Habitat.

ROD - Table 1. Effects of Forest Plan Amendments on Acres Suitable for Timber Harvest as of January, 2000

Management Prescriptions - The Deer Island Small Old Growth Reserve has been adjusted as noted in the TLMP Record of Decision and in accordance with the Old-growth Land Use Designation Management Prescription. None of the standards and guidelines associated with the Management Prescriptions has been changed.

Technical Changes - Technical changes to a Plan's management direction may be made on the basis of new information about the actual resource characteristics of the area. This category does not apply to the Kuakan Timber Sale.

Conclusion - Based on a consideration of the factors above, I conclude adoption of this amendment is not significant in a NFMA context. This amendment is fully consistent with current Forest Plan goals and objectives. The amendment provides added detail on implementation of the Old-growth Habitat Management Prescriptions of the Forest Plan.

This analysis in combination with the Kuakan FEIS and planning record, document my decision to amend the Forest Plan with a non-significant amendment by adjusting the Deer Island Small Old Growth Reserve as shown on the Kuakan Record of Decision Map.

USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest
Last Modified: February 06, 2006