APPENDIX G GREENWOOD VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT RECREATION RESOURCE REPORT Prepared by: Laurie A. Smith Supervisory Forester Stearns Ranger District Daniel Boone National Forest August 4, 2016
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Table of Contents Introduction... 1 Affected Environment... 1 Existing Condition... 1 Environmental Consequences... 7 Alternative 1 No Action... 7 Alternative 2 Proposed Action... 8 Alternative 3... 9 Summary... 9 List of Figures Figure 1. Alpine area and treatment units... 2 Figure 2. Trail 518 and treatment units... 3 Figure 3. Trail 512 and treatment units... 4 Figure 4. Trail 514 and treatment units... 5 i
INTRODUCTION This analysis will discuss the existing developed and dispersed recreation opportunities in the Greenwood Vegetation Management Project area and the effects the proposed project will have upon recreation. The spatial bounds for this analysis is the Greenwood project area. The temporal bounds for this analysis is 5 years post-treatment. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT EXISTING CONDITION The Daniel Boone National Forest is considered an urban forest due to its proximity to large cities and populations. Within a 250 miles radius of the forest are large population cities such as Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; Charleston and Huntington, West Virginia; Roanoke, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee; Indianapolis, Indiana; Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky. The Stearns Ranger District offers a variety of developed and dispersed motorized and nonmotorized recreation opportunities. Popular activities include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping, OHV riding, fishing, hunting, sightseeing from motor vehicles, and bird watching. The Greenwood analysis area contains opportunities for hiking, OHV riding, dispersed camping, picnicking, hunting, sightseeing from motor vehicles, fishing, and boating. The developed recreation sites within this analysis area include the Alpine Picnic Area, Boone Docks Marina (scheduled to open in 2016) and Bowman, Middle Ridge, Swain, and Three Forks of Beaver trailheads. Alpine Picnic Area and Trails 520 and 520A Alpine Picnic Area is next to unit 5058/52 (shortleaf pine restoration) and a prescribed burn unit and is within ½ mile of units 5058/1 and 5058/2 (low thinning) 5053/4 and 5053/12 (pre-commercial thinning). Trails 520 and 520A are within units 5058/1, 5058/2 and 5058/52 and within a prescribed burn unit. Approximately 0.33 miles of trail 520 would be used as a control line (This does not include the length of trail that is coincident with roads). Trails 506, 512, 514, 518 Trail 518 is used for 0.13 miles of control line for prescribed burn unit 17. Approximately 340 feet of this trail are within unit 5076/44 (woodland establishment). Trail 512 is used for 0.44 miles of control line for prescribed burn unit 19. Approximately 0.74 miles of this trail are within unit 5050/8 (midstory control). This trail also follows the edge of wildlife opening 5080. Approximately 200 feet of Trail 514 is within unit 5063/24 (pre-commercial thinning). Trail 506 is used for approximately 0.29 miles of control line for prescribed burn unit 5. Approximately 0.18 miles of this trail are within unit 5047/30 (pre-commercial thinning). 1
FIGURE 1. ALPINE AREA AND TREATMENT UNITS 2
FIGURE 2. TRAIL 518 AND TREATMENT UNITS 3
FIGURE 3. TRAIL 512 AND TREATMENT UNITS 4
FIGURE 4. TRAIL 514 AND TREATMENT UNITS 5
FIGURE 5. TRAIL 506 AND TREATMENT UNITS 6
Fishing Lake Cumberland/Cumberland River is popular for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, striper and crappie. Visitors come from throughout the state to fish. Boone Docks Marina The Boone Docks Marina has a special use permit to operate a marina and boat ramp on NFS property. They are scheduled to open in 2016. No treatments are planned for the special use permit area. Hunting The area encompassing the Greenwood project area is popular for both small and large game hunting including squirrels, turkey, deer and bear. The Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area encompassing 17,083 acres of this area are managed cooperatively with the Kentucky Division of Fish and Wildlife Resources. There are 75 acres of wildlife openings maintained in the project area. Dispersed Camping Most of the dispersed camping within this area occurs within the Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area and Beaver Creek Wilderness. These dispersed campsites are generally near wildlife openings and trails Sightseeing Visitors drive along County Road 50 (Bauer Road) and Kentucky 90 (Falls Road) to view wildlife and scenery. Special Area Designations Beaver Creek Wilderness is within the boundary of the Greenwood project area. However, no management activities are proposed in the wilderness. The effects of this project upon the wilderness is described in the Greenwood Vegetation Management Project Wilderness Resources Report. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ALTERNATIVE 1 NO ACTION Direct and Indirect Effects Alternative 1 would have no direct or indirect impacts upon the trails, dispersed camping, picnicking, hunting, sightseeing, hunting, fishing or boating, in the project area. Cumulative Effects Alternative 1 would have no cumulative impacts upon the trails, dispersed camping, picnicking, hunting, sightseeing, hunting, fishing or boating, in the project area. 7
ALTERNATIVE 2 PROPOSED ACTION Direct and Indirect Effects Picnickers, Hikers, OHV riders, and hunters would experience noise and disruption during the silvicultural treatments. Trails 506, 512, 514, and 518 would be temporarily closed for up to a week during implementation of the treatments. Trail 520 and 520A would be temporarily closed for up to a month during implementation of the treatments. Treatment of stand 5058/52 would occur during the seasonal closure of Alpine Picnic Area. Signs would be posted at the units and wildlife openings receiving herbicide treatment stating that the areas have been treated with herbicides. Recreationists would likely avoid these areas for a few days following treatment with herbicide. The use of prescribed fire would have temporary effects on recreation use through temporary decline in aesthetics reduction. By allowing fire to slowly back down slope from ridgetops, natural barriers and increased moisture/humidity would restrict the movement of backing fire into areas in close proximity to creeks. There should only be a short period of time when trails and roads are closed for safety during prescribed burn activities, temporary covering of some trail signs and the visual blackening of the landscape. Hikers, OHV riders, campers, picnickers, sightseers, hunters and anglers would experience smoke during prescribed burning operations and perhaps a few days following burning. Smoke from the prescribed fires may settle into the picnic area, trailheads and wilderness. This may cause problems for visitors with health problems or those sensitive to smoke. Visitors may leave in response to the smoke. Prescribed burning could occur during the peak hunting seasons and during colleges spring break. The prescribed burning however is not expected to have any long-term effects upon these users. Indirect effects from prescribed burning would likely be a small increase in snags along trails. Hunting - Prescribed burning would provide an increase in vegetative growth. Wildlife opening maintenance will also improve conditions in the openings and reduce NNIS. This should have a positive impact upon game species and therefore hunting potential by increasing volume of some food sources and providing cover for game species and hunters. Fishing Based on the hydrologist specialist report and The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model, there will be no measurable effects to Lake Cumberland/Cumberland River and its backwaters in Beaver Creek. Cumulative Effects Past, Present, and Foreseeable Activities Relevant to Cumulative Effects Analysis The past storm salvage in the Three Forks Area removed hazard trees along trail 512, 512A, 512B which improved safety. It also created pockets of increased browse, which is beneficial for wildlife and improved hunting opportunities for small and large game. 8
ALTERNATIVE 3 Direct and Indirect Effects Picnickers, Hikers, OHV riders, and hunters would experience noise and disruption during the silvicultural treatments. Trails 506, 512, 514, and 518 would be temporarily closed for up to a week during implementation of the treatments. Trail 520 and 520A would be temporarily closed for up to a month during implementation of the treatments. Treatment of stand 5058/52 would occur during the seasonal closure of Alpine Picnic Area. The use of prescribed fire would have temporary effects on recreation use through temporary decline in aesthetics reduction. By allowing fire to slowly back down slope from ridgetops, natural barriers and increased moisture/humidity would restrict the movement of backing fire into areas in close proximity to creeks. There should only be a short period of time when trails and roads are closed for safety during prescribed burn activities, temporary covering of some trail signs and the visual blackening of the landscape. Hikers, OHV riders, campers, picnickers, sightseers, hunters and anglers would experience smoke during prescribed burning operations and perhaps a few days following burning. Smoke from the prescribed fires may settle into the picnic area, trailheads and wilderness. This may cause problems for visitors with health problems or those sensitive to smoke. Visitors may leave in response to the smoke. Prescribed burning could occur during the peak hunting seasons and during colleges spring break. The prescribed burning however is not expected to have any long-term effects upon these users. Indirect effects from prescribed burning would likely be a small increase in snags along trails. Hunting - Prescribed burning would provide an increase in vegetative growth. Wildlife opening maintenance will also improve conditions in the openings; however it will be very difficult to reduce NNIS. These treatments however will still have a positive impact upon game species and therefore hunting potential by increasing volume of some food sources and providing cover for game species and hunters. Fishing Based on the hydrologist specialist report and The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model, there will be no measurable effects to Lake Cumberland/Cumberland River and its backwaters in Beaver Creek. Cumulative Effects The past storm salvage in the Three Forks Area removed hazard trees along trail 512, 512A, 512B which improved safety. It also created pockets of increased browse, which is beneficial for wildlife and improved hunting opportunities for small and large game. SUMMARY There would some short-term negative effects to recreationists during project implementation of alternatives 2 and 3. There would be some positive long-term effects, but no negative long-term effects from any of the alternatives on the developed and dispersed recreation opportunities in the Greenwood project area. 9