Vegetation other than Trees. The focus of this analysis on potentially impacted vegetation (other than trees, which are discussed below) in the Enrolled Lands are rare or protected plant species which are listed in Table 3-1. These are rare or protected plant species have the potential to occur on the Enrolled Lands. Further analysis appears below for these species with respect to each of the alternatives. However, under all alternatives, the vast majority of the potential habitat for these species will consist of either (1) Forests & Fish Buffers, which will remain virtually the same under all alternatives; or (2) commercial tree farm; which under any alternative will include a diverse mix of largely even-aged timber stands harvested on an approximately to 35 to 70 year rotation schedule. Neither the number of acres harvested nor the harvest rotation is expected to change significantly under any alternative. The principal difference between the alternatives with respect to vegetation will occur in the land types set aside for conservation purposes (e.g., Occupied Sites, Presumed Habitat, other SSAs). Generally speaking, the No Action Alternative will provide the least amount of habitat for rare or protected species because no land is specifically set aside under that alternative for conservation purposes beyond what is required under the Forest Practices Program. Under the two Action Alternatives, additional land (of varying amounts and types depending on the alternative) will be set aside that could potentially provide habitat for rare or protected species. The only impacts on plant species (positive or negative) from additional conservation set-asides will be on species that thrive in the habitat types that are set aside under each alternative. Those impacts are analyzed below for each alternative.
