 
 Native
Vegetation
 It is anticipated
that there may be mortality to the few native trees and shrubs that
are scattered within the study area. However, the benefits of developing
roadside fuels management techniques that can be applied to protect
native forest resources throughout the greater landscape, and the fuelbank
that will result from the study site itself, will far outweigh the minor
and relatively insignificant adverse impacts of the treatments.
The potential for impact to native forest several kilometers
upslope resulting from an escaped burn exists, however every effort imaginable
will be made to preclude the possibility of this occurrence and quickly arrest
any fire that may get away. Prescribed burn plans will be prepared in accordance
with federal standards and approved by federal prescribed burn course instructors
from the USDA Forest Service, US Army, State Division of Forestry and Wildlife,
and academic fire scientists from Colorado State University. Forest Service
prescribed burn course instructors will be present to oversee the burns. Fuel
breaks a minimum of 30 feet wide will be established surrounding the project
site and bordered y a wetting agent such as foam or reterdant. In addition,
virtually every available fire suppression resource, including multiple pumper
trucks, helicopter pilots trained in wildland fire suppression, helicopter
dip ponds, water tankers, and crews of trained wildland fire fighters from
county, state, and federal agencies will be on site to assist in conducting
the burns.
Erosion
Reduction and/or temporary removal of the vegetation in various
treatments may result in erosion on certain plots over the life of the project.
However, three factors make these potential impacts insignificant in comparison
to the conditions that are typical of the region: (1) The soils of the site
are generally barren lavas and aridisols possessing a little soil development;
(2) Exposure of underlying lava soil substrate resulting from frequent large
wildfires occurs at regular intervals; (3) The low angle of the slope and
relatively narrow width of the treatment areas are sufficiently small that
soil runoff is anticipated to be insignificant.
Vehicular Traffic
The study site is surrounded on three sides by unimproved dirt
roads accessible by four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive vehicles with clearance,
and on the fourth side by the Mamalahoa Highway. Burns will be conducted during
periods when the unimproved roads are not being used by the public. Burns
will be scheduled with the Wildlife West Section to coincide with periods
of non use of the Puu Anahulu GMA. Burns will be scheduled at night to coincide
with optimum environment conditions (high relative humidity, high fuel moisture,
and low wind speeds) and therefore very little traffic is expected along the
Mamalahoa Highway. However, traffic management personnel will be deployed
along the highway to manage vehicular traffic during the burns.
Aerial spraying of herbicide will be scheduled to occur during
periods of no wind to light upslope winds to avoid impacts on motorists. In
addition, other standard precautions used by state county highway spray crews
will be taken.
Historical and Archeological Resources
The project area has no know pre-contact archeological sites.
The study area lies between two existing roads. If any historical or archeological
features are discovered during the course of the project, the State Historic
Preservation Division will be notified for evaluation.
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