Exhibit 5b CT_CNG_Manual_Mechanical_Requirements.pdf

Pages 16 thru 17 of the August 2021 Record of Decision for Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Curlew National Grassland Integrated Weed Management Analysis

Exhibit 2.

Manual and Mechanical Control

Manual and mechanical treatments would typically be used on a limited basis, primarily to control individual plants or very small, isolated infestations of invasive plants. Larger infestations, or infestations which occur on steep slopes with rocky soils are very difficult to control with manual and mechanical treatments.

Manual and mechanical treatments consist of methods that physically destroy, disrupt growth, or interfere with the reproduction of invasive and noxious plants. The term “manual” defines treatments such as hand pulling or using hand tools (e.g., hand clippers, hoes, rakes, shovels) to remove plants or cut off seed heads. The term “mechanical” refers to the use of equipment and power tools, including actions like mowing, torching (i.e., using a propane burner to kill invasive plants with heat), and weed whipping. For aquatic invasive treatments, hand digging and removing rooted, submerged plants and then disposing of plant parts could be used to control small or low-density infestations of species such as Brazilian elodea, hydrilla, curlyleaf pondweed, and Egeria. These species of aquatic invasive plants are not known to occur on the CTCNG, but the threat exists that they could become established.

Manual and Mechanical Treatment Design Criteria

• Obtain necessary state and federal permits, when and where required.

• Prior to any burning invasive species using a torching device, a prescribed burn plan will be completed and compliant with Forest Service Manual 5140 and the Interagency Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation Procedures Guide, PMS 484.

• Notify the Forest Archaeologist prior to initiating work to determine the appropriate design criteria for project implementation.

• Minimize soil disturbance as much as possible to minimize germination of invasive plant seeds and bare soil.

• Mechanical methods, such as disking, chaining, and tilling, will not be used for controlling invasive plants.

• Avoid non-target species damage to the extent practicable. Select mechanical methods to effectively control the target species (e.g. grubbing/hoeing is inappropriate for rhizomatous species and may increase the density of the invasive plant population as root fragments sprout and become new plants).

• Apply mechanical treatments at the proper stage of plant growth when treatment will be most effective at controlling the target invasive plant.

• Thoroughly inspect and clean all equipment and clothing to remove invasive plant seeds or vegetative propagules to prevent the movement of the invasive plant to another site.

• To the extent practicable, conduct clipping and removal of seed stalks prior to seed maturity to reduce inputs to the seed bank or when seeds are easily picked up and transported by vectors such as wind, humans, or animals.

• Maintain a 25-foot vegetative buffer next to live water to leave ground cover intact and prevent erosion into streams or adjacent waterbodies.

• All weeds that are mechanically or hand excavated after bud stage will be bagged and properly disposed.

• Treatments in Riparian Conservation Areas will only be accomplished using tools that do not disturb the soil (e.g., chainsaws, power brush saws, and line trimmers).

• Specific to aquatic invasive plants, use hand-pulling and/or smothering when an infestation is very limited in extent and occurs close to the shoreline of a waterbody and has not yet infested deeper waters.