The management objective for upland rangelands is to maintain native mountain grassland and shrubland plant communities, restore native communities on sites dominated by short grass and/or non-native grass species, and maintain long term soil productivity. The desired vegetation composition is to increase the abundance of
desirable mid-grass plant species (e.g. bluebunch wheatgrass, bearded wheatgrass, western needlegrass, needle-and-thread grass, Idaho fescue, tufted hairgrass). Proposed management under Alternative 3 is designed to achieve these objectives. Specific proposed management practices include reduce grazing duration, improve livestock distribution, and balance stocking rates with available forage to stay within allowable use guidelines. Direct Effects
Direct effects occur at the same time and place as the proposed activity. Installation and reconstruction of water developments are the only activities considered to cause direct effects to upland vegetation plant communities under this alternative.
New or reconstructed proposed range management facilities vary between grazing allotments. For Burnt Fork allotment, clearing shrub and tree growth along stock trails is the only proposed activity. This should have minimal effect on soil and vegetation cover. Some level of fence construction (0.1 to 2.5 miles) is proposed for Hogan Creek, Rock Creek, and Sage Creek Allotments. The proposed Red Butte Allotment has 8.5 miles of fence construction proposed. Proposed fence construction is either re-constructing or moving of existing fences, construction of new boundary and pasture fences, or construction of fenced exclosure to exclude livestock use around springs or wildlife habitat areas. These actions may impact soil and vegetation during construction, but the impacts would be localized and temporary. The sites should recover rapidly, but the rate of recovery would be relative to the grazing pressure on these sites. A water well and 3.5 miles of pipeline are proposed for the Sage Creek Allotment. In the proposed Red Butte Allotment one water well and 3.5 miles of water pipeline are proposed. There would be short term disturbance and displacement of vegetation and soil along the pipeline route. The level of disturbance and displacement would depend on construction method used. Trenching would displace more soil and vegetation than plowing the water line into the ground. Depending of level of surface disturbance to the top soil, disturbed areas should become naturally re-vegetated. In the absence of natural recovery, disturbed sites would be re-seeded with native plant species.
Indirect Effects
Indirect effects occur at a later time or distance from the proposed activity. Free-ranging livestock are considered indirect effects to upland rangeland ecosystems as the activity is dispersed spatially and temporally. However, the exact timing and degree of effect on upland rangeland ecosystems is difficult to quantify.
The effects of the proposed changes in grazing management on upland rangeland ecosystems are based on a number of key factors and how they differ from current management. These factors include 1) proposed change
in allotment management (number of livestock, grazing duration and AUMs), 2) construction of new allotment and pasture fencing, 3) implementation of active management tools, e.g., herding, culling and the use of mid-season triggers to move livestock within, or remove livestock from, the pasture, and 4) existing condition and resiliency of upland rangeland areas.
It is important to understand that predicting the effects of livestock grazing management on future vegetation composition of grassland and shrubland communities is an uncertain task. This is due to the variability of natural processes and characteristics, the variability of implementation and administration of past and proposed
management, and the variability of the effectiveness of proposed management assuming adequate
implementation. Effects of livestock grazing can be estimated based on the body of research dealing with the grazing effects on vegetation and associated rangeland ecosystem components as a response to differences in timing, intensity, and duration of grazing; and amount of rest provided to grazed plants reported over the past 100 years. Given the body of rangeland research dealing with the effects of grazing, there is a reasonable
expectation that desired conditions would be meet, provided management as outlined in Alternative 3 is fully implemented and monitoring is used in conjunction with any needed subsequent management adjustments to validate management assumptions or adjust management practices.
Indirect Effects – Summary across Analysis Area
Alternative 3 provides prescriptive grazing management practices, balancing livestock numbers with estimated available forage, prescribing periods of rest during critical phenological periods for desirable key species, and specifying allowable use guidelines of 55% for key areas for native grass and 60% for areas with timothy (see Maps 5-A, 5-B, 5-C, 5-D, 5-E Percent Allowable Use). Proposed management would reduce AUMs in the Burnt Fork, Hogan Creek On/Off, Rock Creek Allotments and set the permitted stocking rate at the estimated capacity on the Sage Creek and proposed Red Butte Allotments. Proposed allotment and pasture fences are expected to assist livestock management to reduce livestock effects on desirable plant species and improve the health and vigor of these species. Healthy desirable plant species should increase in abundance and density, improving water infiltration and soil water storage which turn should improve forage productivity.
Additional management tools are proposed to manage livestock use on an annual basis in all analysis area allotments. These tools include: 1) The annual operating instructions (AOI). The AOI would specify the class of livestock planned to be grazed, grazing season, and period of use for each pasture, 2) A utilization guideline of 55 percent would be implemented on key use areas throughout the allotments (60 percent in areas primarily
composed of timothy grass). This standard is a tool or “mid-season trigger” for herding livestock out of key areas or moving livestock off the pasture. It is also an “end of season indicator” to help evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of management during the past grazing season, 3) Consistent and diligent herding practices would be required by the permittee to ensure utilization standards are not exceeded, 4) The use of mineral supplements would be encouraged to help draw livestock away from key areas, and 5) Herding would be encouraged to help move livestock away from key areas.
Implementation of proposed management practices, including planned grazing systems and allowable use guidelines should help reduce livestock grazing pressure on desirable species, and improve key areas. Since long term monitoring has never been implemented to track changes in range condition or trend in any of the above allotments, there is uncertainty about the effectiveness of these guidelines and the proposed management prescriptions in moving existing conditions to desired conditions. This uncertainty is due to 1) the lack past monitoring information, comparing allowable use guidelines and deferred rotation grazing systems in achieving desired vegetation composition and 2) uncertainty about the level of implementation and administration that would occur. Monitoring would be crucial to determine the effectiveness of the proposed allowable use guidelines in conjunction with planned grazing systems to achieve desired conditions in upland rangeland ecosystems.
Indirect Effects by Allotment/Pasture Burnt Fork Allotment
Under Alternative 3 livestock grazing would take place under management direction contained in Part Three,
Special Terms and Conditions, of the Term Grazing Permit (Allotment Management Plan). The grazing permit for
the Burnt Fork Allotment would authorize up to a maximum of 98 AUMs at 1.8 acres/AUM (178 acres of primary range. This is a 23 percent reduction in stocking rate compared to the existing permitted number of AUMs (127 AUMs). The Allotment would be continue to be managed under a three pasture deferred rotation system. Grazing management is reviewed and prescribed on an annual basis through the annual operating instructions (AOI). The proposed 23 percent stocking reduction, turn-on date after July 1, and deferred rotation grazing system would meet most of the management objectives for this allotment. The planned grazing management would provide for maintaining the physiological health of desirable key plant species by balancing livestock numbers with estimated available forage, prescribing periods of rest during critical phenological periods for desirable key species, and specifying allowable use guidelines of 55% for key areas for native grass and 60% for areas with timothy (see Map 5-A, Percent Allowable Use). Under this alternative the abundance of desirable key species should be maintained on 42 acres currently with moderate to high floristic similarity (Table 14) and abundance of desirable key species should increase on 33 acres with moderate floristic similarity. The 56 acres with low to moderate and low floristic similarity currently dominated by non-native grass species, principally timothy and Kentucky bluegrass would probably continue to be dominated by non-native species (Table 14).
Table 14. Summary of Floristic/Functional Group Similarity for Burnt Fork Allotment
Floristic Similarity Acres
Moderate to High 42
Moderate 33
Low to Moderate 36
Low 20
Hogan Creek On/Off Allotment
Under Alternative 3 livestock grazing would take place under management direction contained in Part Three,
Special Terms and Conditions, of the Term Grazing Permit (Allotment Management Plan). The grazing permit for
the Hogan Creek On/Off Allotment would authorize up to a maximum of 773 AUMs at 1.6 acres/AUM (1,202 acres of primary range). This is a 29 percent reduction in stocking rate compared to the existing permitted number of AUMs (1,091 AUMs). The Allotment would continue to be managed under a three pasture rotation system. With this Alternative the Hogan Creek On/Off Allotment would continue to be managed under a three pasture deferred rotation grazing system with a 29% stocking reduction. The proposed grazing management balances livestock numbers with estimated available forage, prescribes periods of rest during critical phenological periods for desirable key species, and specifying allowable use guidelines of 55% for key areas for native grass and 60% for areas with timothy (see Map 5-B, Percent Allowable Use). Grazing management is reviewed and prescribed on an annual basis through the annual operating instructions (AOI). The planned grazing management would provide for maintaining the physiological health of desirable plant species. Under this alternative the abundance of desirable species should be maintained on 171 acres currently with moderate to high floristic similarity and abundance of desirable species should increase on 94 acres of with moderate floristic similarity (Table 15). Non- native species, primarily timothy, Kentucky bluegrass, and orchard grass would probably continue to be the dominant grass species on 107 acres currently identified with low to moderate floristic similarity (Table 15).
Table 15. Summary of Floristic/Functional Group Similarity for Hogan Creek On/Off Allotment
Floristic Similarity Acres
Moderate to High 171
Moderate 94
Low to Moderate 144
Low 107
Rock Creek Allotment
Under Alternative 3 ivestock grazing would take place under management direction contained in Part Three,
Special Terms and Conditions, of the Term Grazing Permit (Allotment Management Plan). The grazing permit for
the Rock Creek Allotment would authorize up to a maximum of 98 AUMs at 4.7 acres/AUM (457 acres of primary range). This is a 54 percent reduction in stocking rate compared to the existing permitted number of AUMs (215 AUMs). The Allotment would be continue to be managed under a four pasture modidified deferred rotation system.
This Allotment would continue to be managed under the four pasture modified deferred rotation grazing system with a 54% stocking reduction. This alternative balances livestock numbers with estimated available forage, prescribes periods of rest during critical phenological periods for desirable key species, and specifies allowable use guidelines of 55% for key areas for native grass and 60% for areas with dominated by non-native grass species (see Map 5-C, Percent Allowable Use). Grazing management is reviewed and prescribed on an annual basis through the annual operating instructions (AOI). A deferred rotation grazing schedule would be
implemented so grazing would never occur during the same period two years in a row. Under this scenario the turn on date is July 1 each year. The majority of grazing would occur after critical phenological stages of desirable grass species are completed, maintaining the physiological health of desirable key plants. The abundance of desirable species should be maintained on 438 acres currently with moderate to high floristic similarity (Table 16). Non-native species such as Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, timothy, and cheatgrass would probably continue to be the dominant or co-dominant grass species on 140 acres currently with low to moderate and low floristic similarity (Table 16).
Table 16. Summary of Floristic/Functional Group Similarity for Rock Creek Allotment
Floristic Similarity Acres
Moderate to High/High 438
Low to Moderate 83
Low 57
Sage Creek Allotment
Under Alternative 3 livestock grazing would take place under management direction contained in Part Three,
Special Terms and Conditions, of the Term Grazing Permit (Allotment Management Plan). The grazing permit for
the Sage Creek Allotment would authorize up to a maximum of 1,023 AUMs at 3.4 acres/AUM (3,458 acres of primary range). This is a 20 percent increase in carrying capacity compared to the existing permitted number of AUMs (818 AUMs) due to new water development opening up secondary range. The increase in AUMs is based on the construction of all of the proposed water developments, especially the proposed pipeline extensions. The proposed Sage Creek Well and Pipeline would allow charging of the Elk Springs Pipeline system providing water to the upper slopes of Lower Sage Pasture (adds 146 AUMs) and the West Sage Pasture (adds 100 AUMs) for a total of 246 AUMs. The proposed Trapper Cabin Pipeline Extension in the South Schwend Pasture adds 23 AUMs. The proposed Teeples Spring Pipeline adds 10 AUMs in the Smith-Roberts Bench Pasture and 13 AUMs in the Upper Sage Pasture. Combined, these water developments provides an additional 292 AUMs of total livestock forage capacity to the Sage Creek Allotment. The Harsten Flat Pasture (formally private property) would also be added to the Sage Creek Allotment under this alternative which adds 84 AUMs. Grazing on the Sage Creek Allotment would take place under a modified seven pasture grazing rotation system.
Under this Alternative livestock grazing would be managed under a seven pasture modified deferred grazing schedule. This alternative balances livestock numbers with estimated available forage, prescribes periods of rest during critical phenological periods for desirable key species, and specifies allowable use guidelines of 55% for key areas for native grass and 60% for areas with timothy (see Map 5-D, Percent Allowable). Grazing
management is reviewed and prescribed on an annual basis through the annual operating instructions (AOI). Under the deferred rotation grazing schedule the turn-on date would be July 1 and grazing would not occur during the same period two years in a row. Desirable grass species in the upper and lower pastures would receive complete rest during critical phenological stages every two years. The physiological health of desirable species should be maintained with the proposed management. Abundance of desirable species should be maintained on 1,763 acres currently with moderate to high similarity and increase on 1,176 acres currently with moderate floristic similarity (Table 17). Non-native species such as timothy and Kentucky bluegrass would probably continue to be the dominant and co-dominant grass species on 613 acres currently identified as low to moderate and low floristic similarity (Table 17).
Table 17. Summary of Floristic/Functional Group Similarity for Sage Creek Allotment
Floristic Similarity Acres
Moderate to High 1763
Moderate 1176
Low to Moderate 465
Low 148
Red Butte Area
Alternative 3 establishes a new grazing allotment and ten year term permit to graze livestock on former private land recently purchased by the Forest Service. Under this Alternative livestock grazing would take place under management direction contained in Part Three, Special Terms and Conditions, of the Term Grazing Permit (Allotment Management Plan). The grazing permit for the Red Butte Allotment would authorize up to a maximum of 616 AUMs at 1.1 acre/AUM (691 acres of primary range). The Allotment would be managed under a six pasture deferred rotation system.
Alternative 3 proposes managing livestock grazing under a six pasture deferred rotation schedule. Grazing management is reviewed and prescribed on an annual basis through the annual operating instructions (AOI) which would specify allowable use guidelines of 55% for key areas and 60% in areas composed primarily of smooth brome and timothy(see Map 5-E, Percent Allowable Use. The physiological health of desirable native species should be maintained with the proposed management and leave sufficient vegetation and ground cover to protect the soil from erosion. Under this alternative the abundance of desirable native species should be
maintained on 120 acres currently with moderate to high floristic similarity. The abundance of desirable key native species should increase on 14 acres with moderate floristic similarity (Table 18). Smooth brome and timothy would probably continue to be the dominant grass species on 535 acres currently identified with low to moderate and low floristic similarity (Table 18). The North Fork and Northwest Pastures have a mix of native and non-native dominance types within the pasture boundary. There is a possibility that non-native timothy and smooth brome may spread into the native grass communities. The palatability differences between non-native and native grass species during the mid to late growing season may result in higher utilization and lower vigor of native grass species. This could provide openings in the native plant community and over time timothy and smooth brome could become established in these openings. Utilization of native grass species would need to be closely monitored in these two pastures.
Table 18. Summary of Floristic/Functional Group Similarity for Red Butte Area
Floristic Similarity Acres
Moderate to High/High 120
Moderate 14
Low to Moderate 78
Low 455
Cumulative Effects for Alternative 3
Implementation of Alternative 3 is not expected to contribute to significant cumulative effects. Livestock grazing is the principle activity affecting upland rangeland ecosystems and associated grass and shrub communities within the analysis area.
Past and present timber harvest activities, prescribed fire, wildfire, existing roads, and dispersed recreation would continue to be an insignificant influence on upland rangeland ecosystems as described under the affected
environment.
Forest Plan Consistency and Other Required Disclosures for Alternative 3
Alternative 3 would implement the 1986 Custer National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) standards and guidelines for range management related to Management Areas B, D, G, G, and M. Compliance with Forest Plan standards and guidelines for range management would be met. It would provide conditions conducive to maintaining healthy, vigorous vegetative cover, provide cover for wildlife habitat, provide livestock forage, and maintain soil stability. The Alternative may not fully achieve the desired vegetation goal for restoring native grass communities. Sites currently occupied by non-native grass species such as timothy, smooth brome, and Kentucky bluegrass would probably continue to be dominated by these species. Sites currently dominated by desired native grass species would continue to be maintained as native mountain grassland communities.
Conclusions for Environmental Consequences for Alternative 3
Stocking levels should be balanced with available forage under Alternative 3. Grazing should not result in consistently exceeding allowable use. The health and vigor of individual desirable plant species should be maintained or improve under the proposed stocking levels and grazing prescriptions. This Alternative should provide for recovery towards desired conditions for grazing impacted upland areas currently with moderate floristic similarity and still dominated by native grass species.
Areas currently with low to moderate and low floristic similarity and dominated by non-native grass species would probably continue to be dominated by timothy, Kentucky bluegrass, and smooth brome. Reducing the dominance of these non-native invasive species to restore native mountain grassland and shrubland communities would require more aggressive grazing management and targeted grazing that would reduce the vigor, health, and competitive advantage these species have over native species. Timothy is not resistant to heavy grazing and can