Final Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Record of Decision

The Bighorn National Forest Service officials have released a Draft Record of Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Invasive and Other Select Plant Management project.  

According to a release, if selected, the preferred alternative (Alternative 2) would adaptively implement the annual treatment of up to approximately 5,310 acres of invasive plant species and up to 5,100 acres of mountain big sagebrush using a combination of manual treatments, mechanical treatments, biological treatments, cultural treatments, and aerial and ground based application of herbicide.

The project area is all within the boundaries of the Bighorn National Forest which includes approximately 1.1 million acres of National Forest System (NFS) land in four Wyoming counties: Big Horn, Johnson, Sheridan, and Washakie. Annual implementation meetings would determine the extent of treatments each year.

According to the service, the Responsible Official is planning to implement Alternative 2, which proposes the following activities: Treat invasive plant species on the Bighorn National Forest using a condition-based and integrated invasive plant treatment strategy. Alternative 2 would also treat mountain big sagebrush, which is not considered an invasive plant species, to achieve desired resource conditions as outlined in the FEIS. Treatment of any newly introduced invasive plant species that is classified as a noxious weed or Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) species by the Big Horn, Johnson, Sheridan, and Washakie Counties and the State of Wyoming. Use of new, and sometimes more species-specific, EPA-registered herbicides, some of which are more species-specific such as only affecting annual grasses. Aerial application of herbicide as a cost effective and critical tool for early detection and rapid response of treatment for new infestations. Very targeted application by small unmanned aerial systems (UAS), more commonly referred to as drones, would be the preferred tool, however application by larger fixed and rotor wing aircraft would be used when necessary and appropriate.

Implementation of the resource protection measures listed in Appendix A of the FEIS would be an integral part of the implementation actions to reduce impacts of the proposed activities. If resource protection measures do not adequately mitigate concerns raised for risks associated with treatment, then the line officer could decide not to treat certain areas at that time.

The following preferential order of treatment methods would be used within the project area for mountain big sagebrush to achieve desired ecosystem and habitat conditions: prescribed burning, mowing, ground-based application of herbicides, and aerial application of herbicides. If resource protection measures do not mitigate concerns raised for risks associated with treatment, then the line officer could decide not to treat the mountain big sagebrush area at that time.

Project documents and information are available on the Bighorn National Forest’s website, here.