Cumberland Chapter Sierra Club Kentucky

The following are comments prepared By Dave Stawicki on behalf of the Cumberland Chapter regarding the draft decision memo on the Cerulean Warbler Project proposed for the Morehead Ranger District. These comments were submitted to James Manner, District Manager, Morehead Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest on January 30, 2006.

James D. Manner
Morehead Ranger District, DBNF
2375 KY 801 South
Morehead, KY 40351

Re: Tree removal to study effects on cerulean warbler habitat - DRAFT of Decision Memo

Given the quick turnaround from scoping to this draft, we were not surprised to see our comments not reflected in the decision memo. Because of this, we will reiterate our arguments and once again state our opposition to this project.

First, we note that the warbler breeding areas are already affected by prior projects awaiting implementation that meet the projected treatments. Since these projects received prior approval, we do not intend to challenge them. These existing projects are: Light treatment: Crop tree thinning and oak seedling growth enhancement - 8-29-2003; Intermediate treatment: Buck Creek RAU - 7-3-1996; Heavy treatment - Carrington Branch RAU - 1-8-1997 (attachment A – email from Jeffrey Lewis)). However, the acreage included in this proposal is additional treatment acreage that we feel is unnecessary for the study.

The project decision memo does not document how much of the warbler breeding area is affected by these projects. However, in a telephone conversation with Dave Maehr of the research team, he gave the impression that the proposal would treat 3 areas of 25 acres each. If this is the case, then approximately half of the breeding area in question will already undergo the planned treatments without this project’s additional acreage.

Second, we contend that the impact of timber activity in the Intermediate and Heavy treatment areas have already been determined, making the studies in these areas unnecessary. Specifically, these proposed treatments call for canopy removal of 45% (intermediate) and 80% (heavy), and Cerulean Warbler activity in such disturbed areas is already known to diminish and/or cease, with significant population declines. “Study sites in southern Arkansas and in Ontario experienced severe modification to vegetative structure as a result of winter ice storms. The Ontario population, by all accounts a large one, responded to the storm by a one-year reduction in reproduction in the breeding season following the storm (Jones et al. 2001), whereas the Arkansas population declined to the point of disappearance from the study area (I’. Hamel unpubl. obs.).” And “In West Virginia, abundance and territory density had a positive association with forest cover in the landscape and a negative association with large-scale edge created by mining activities (Weakland and Wood 2002, Bosworth and Wood 2003).” (Attachment B, ‘How We Can Learn More About the Cerulean Warbler’). These studies already prove the negative impacts of severe canopy removal on the Cerulean Warbler and need not be repeated to observe the results.

We did not find mention of results identified from minimal canopy removal but feel that in this case, where a treatment area will undergo “light” canopy removal, the additional acreage should not be required for a valid study. It is our contention that the impact of this study will be to cause a decline in Cerulean Warbler populations and stability. Sincerely, Dave Stawicki Cumberland Sierra Club Forest Issues Chair

(Attachments included on following page)

ATTACHMENT A – email from Jeffrey Lewis, DBNF staff

Thank you for your interest in the Cerulean warbler project.

Here are some clarifications related to the questions you had in regard to this project. I will number them as you have.

1. The areas selected are part of three different existing projects that have yet to be fully implemented. I will list the treatment planned and the existing project title and date.

Light treatment: Crop tree thinning and oak seedling growth enhancement - 8-29-2003
Intermediate treatment: Buck Creek RAU - 7-3-1996
Heavy treatment - Carrington Branch RAU - 1-8-1997

2. The area included in the treatments are actively used by cerulean warblers. That is the reason for their selection.

3. The areas that are the subject of this decision area areas that are needed for the research that fall outside of the areas with existing decisions. The are the areas with cross hatching on the maps. Our initial hope was that the research plots would fall entirely inside the areas with existing decisions. The field work completed by the researchers found that ceruleans were not using all of the areas within the boundaries of the existing areas and the final research design needed to include areas outside of the previous decisions to ensure that the treatments were taking place in areas used by the species.

4. We are working with Dave Maehr at UK (859-257-4807) and Shawchyi Vorisek with KDFWR (502-564-7109 Ext. 368)

Jeffrey F. Lewis
Silviculture and Planning Forester
Morehead Ranger District
Daniel Boone National Forest
2375 KY 801 South
Morehead, KY 40351
Phone: (606) 784-6428
FAX: (606) 784-6435
E-mail: jefflewis@fs.fed.us

ATTACHMENT B – reference article (web link included)

HOW WE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CERULEAN WARBLER (DENDROICA CERULEA)
PAUL B. HAMEL, DEANNA K. DAWSON, AND PATRICK D. KEYSER
The Auk 121(1):7-14,2004
www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/viewpub.jsp?index=638

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