摘要: Arnold Air Force Base (Arnold AFB) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) (January 2005) that evaluates the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with implementation of the Prescribed Burning Program.... 展开 Arnold Air Force Base (Arnold AFB) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) (January 2005) that evaluates the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with implementation of the Prescribed Burning Program. Description of the Proposed Action. The Proposed Action is to implement the Prescribed Burning Program and wildfire management policy to support the Integrated Ecosystem Management Plan, Forest Management Plan, Eggert's Sunflower Management Plan, and Barrens Management Plan. The objectives of the Proposed Action are to: Control forest fuel levels and promote habitat development Maintain fire breaks Protect soils from erosion. The Prescribed Burning Program is a necessary component of ecosystem and forest management on Arnold AFB. Prescribed burning is conducted in pine forests to maintain low forest fuel levels and to minimize forest resource damage in the event of a wildfire. Selected hardwood forests are burned to promote more open grassland or savanna habitat as part of the restoration of the Barrens mosaic on Arnold AFB. Established open areas within the Barrens mosaic also are burned to maintain habitat conditions. The Barrens mosaic is an important natural resource both regionally and on Arnold AFB. Habitat of the Eggert's sunflower, a federally listed threatened species that occurs on Arnold AFB, requires prescribed burning to promote habitat conditions, as specified in the Barrens Management Plan and the Cooperative Management Agreement (CMA) between the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Arnold AFB. 收起