Decision and Rationale

It is my decision to move forward with the Arboretum Urban Wildfire Reduction Project. This project is located on the Coconino National Forest Peaks Ranger District within the Grand Canyon Forests Partnership planning boundary (180,000 acres). The project area is located adjacent to FSR 231 immediately adjacent to the Flagstaff Corporate Boundary. The area is due south of the Flagstaff Arboretum and the southeastern boundary is adjacent to Fort Tuthill.

The following document describes a management scenario for the "Arboretum Project Area" (602 acres), which is one of four areas the Partnership, is focusing their efforts in the year 2000. The other three project areas are Mountainaire, Airport and Elden.

This decision will allow the Peaks Ranger District to take advantage of funding that will be available after October 1, 2000 to begin Wildland Urban Interface Wildfire Reduction work this fall. This project is categorically excluded as described FSH 1909.15 Sec. 31.2 category 6. There are no extraordinary circumstances and no significant affects to the environment as documented in the project record file.

Purpose and Need

The purpose of this project is to reduce fuel loading, fuel ladders, and overall fire hazards within the urban interface and to improve forest ecosystem function and structure. The Arboretum Project specifically will reduce wildfire potential to The Arboretum at Flagstaff, Dry Lake Caldera (an important wildlife and ecological resource), and new developments planned in this area.

The treatments specified in this area will:

• create pre-conditions necessary for reintroduction of low-intensity fire in mid and young aged forest stands.
  
• provide breaks in forest canopy to reduce the threat of continuous crown fires.
  
• create stand conditions less susceptible to fires entering the crowns.

There will be additional ecological benefits from the treatments that include:

• an increase in overall health and vigor of trees to improve the resilience and survivability of these stands in the face of wildfire, insects and diseases.
  
• an acceleration of the development of larger trees for the benefit of wildlife species, which depend on late-success ional forests.
  
• improved understory growth in areas treated with mechanical thinning.

Specific Management Planned

Apply silvicultural prescriptions to thin sites totaling 100 acres (see map) as follows:

1) Thin from below in mid-aged forest stand #12604A with a Unevenaged Silvicultural Prescription (62 acres). An Unevenaged Silvicultural Prescription has been chosen for this stand to accomplish two management goals. The sivicultural prescription will provide breaks in the current homogenous closed canopy of this stand which will reduce the likelihood of a running crown fire and second will work to create stand conditions as described in the Management Recommendations in the Southwest for the Northern Goshawk. No old growth trees will be cut.

2) Thin from below in young-aged forest stand #13610A with a Silvicultural prescription which will remove smaller trees mostly 9" and less (38 acres). This prescription has been chosen to reduce laddering fuels that would take fire into the crowns of the trees.

3) Apply methods to thin sites in item 1 and 2 above as follows:

a. Mechanized, small-log "feller - bunchers" on a total of 100 acres or;
b. Conventional ground-based, tractor systems on a total of 100 acres or;
c. Hand -felling and firewood use for the 100 acres.

4) Use prescribed fire on 602 acres (see table and map) as follows:

a. Underburn 602 acres using Forest Service crews and city fire personnel;
b. Construct fire line;
c. Follow prescribed burning prescription as specified in burn plan;
d. Line all snags and rake large old growth yellow - pine prior to burning;

5) Apply fuel treatment methods within harvest sites in item 1 above as follows:

a. Rough pile and windrow thinning generated slash or;
b. Hand pile slash;
c. Chipping.

6) Implement the following transportation system improvements and obliterations for this project (see map) as follows:

a. Road 231 will be utilized for the main haul route;
b. Road 533 will be utilized for access to the western thinning unit and will require surface blading following treatment;
c. Roads 533, 390 and 390 B will be utilized for access to the eastern thinning unit, 533 and 390 will require surface blading following treatment and road 390B will require surface blading before treatment;
d. Roads 390B and 231 G will be obliterated.

Public Scoping

The Grand Canyon Forests Partnership, US Forest Service, private individuals and groups developed this plan in a cooperative venture. Several meetings were held to design the project and those who assisted included:

•Grand Canyon Trust
•Forest Alliance
•Arizona Game and Fish
•State Land Department
•Northern Arizona University
•Nature Conservancy
•USFWS
•Flagstaff Fire Department
•Rocky Mountain Research Station
•Coconino County

On July 24 a public meeting was held at the fire station on Lake Mary Road. Flyers were hand delivered to adjacent landowners; organizations and individuals that expressed previous interest were contacted (approximately 20). One individual attended this meeting. This project was listed in the Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) in February and all subsequent issues. The SOPA is mailed to approximately 500 addresses. Three organizations wrote letters in response to the SOPA asking to receive any NEPA documents related to this project. They were Forest Conservation Council, Center for Biological Diversity and Forest Guardians. A copy of this NEPA document will be mailed to all three organizations as requested. A field trip to the site is planned with the Forest Alliance, Center for Biological Diversity, Flagstaff Activist Network, and Grand Canyon Trust on October 9, 2000 to review the project. The review of the project will allow for adjustments to the project if necessary. Examples of changes might include modification of the prescriptions to provide for different clumpiness, or spatial patterns; discussion on sizes and distribution of trees. These types of modifications will not change any of the effects analysis completed for this project. Any major changes that would arise from the meeting may require the preparation of a new decision.

Findings Required by Other Laws

The areas under this decision are located in Management Area 3 as detailed in the Coconino Forest Plan and actions are consistent with the Standards and Guidelines of the Plan and all amendments. These activities are also consistent with Regional and National Forest Service direction, and all Arizona State and Federal laws.