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<br />2 <br />these established tracts, the overall habitat value for the riparian woodland community would <br />remain essentially the same and be rated as fair with a HSI of 0.51. <br /> <br />The assumed HSI for an established floodplain forest is 0.51. It is also assumed that it could <br />take a full 50 years for a created forest to reach its full functioning level. Over a 50-year planning <br />horizon (the standard for the Corps planning activities), assuming a starting HSI of 0 and an <br />ending HSI of 0.51, would amount to an average HSI value of 0.25. Thus, approximately 303.2 <br />acres of floodplain forest habitat would be needed to generate the 75.8 Habitat Units of <br />mitigation needed to offset the 148.7 acres of forest impacts. <br /> <br />FMM Project impacts will occur in both North Dakota and Minnesota. Mitigation in each state will <br />be proportional to the number of impacts resulting from construction. A summary of forest <br />impacts and the required mitigation can be found in the following table (Table 1). <br /> <br />Table 1. Forest Impacts and Mitigation Needs <br />Impact Footprint Area <br />Lost (ac) <br />Existing Habitat Quality Score Habitat Units <br />Lost <br />Created Forest Habitat Quality Score <br />Mitigation <br />Needs (ac) <br />ND MN ND MN ND MN <br />Forest 132.8 15.9 0.51 67.7 8.1 0.25 270.8 32.4 <br />Total 148.7 0.51 75.8 0.25 303.2 <br /> <br />It is uncertain what portion of the forests identified could be classified as forested wetland; <br />however, all forest impacts would be mitigated for by converting former building sites and farm <br />fields adjacent to rivers into forested habitat; utilizing three primary strategies: planting of <br />floodplain forest community with a combination of bare-root and container tree stock; planting <br />and seeding Oak-Savanna habitat; and utilizing willow, cottonwood, and sumac for streambank <br />stabilization. Each planting strategy is detailed below. <br /> <br />4. Forest Planting Strategies <br />Three distinct types of reforestation strategies were developed to address the variability in the <br />project sites. Some sites currently have streambank erosion issues that could be stabilized by <br />planting species that develop dense root systems, some sites have elevations suitable for <br />floodplain forest reforestation, and other sites have elevations that lend themselves to recreating <br />Oak Savanna habitat. Planting will be adapted to the topography at each site but minor grading <br />and earth moving may occur to enhance plantings or to provide adequate drainage. These <br />strategies or prescriptions were developed site by site to suit each location individually, based <br />on opportunity, need, and streambank condition. <br /> <br />4.1 Bank Stabilization <br />Bank stabilization along the streambanks shall be accomplished with a combination of live stake <br />plantings and riparian tree plantings along with an herbaceous seed mix for stabilization. Live <br />stakes are utilized best closer to the water, as the live stakes need contact with the water table <br />for success. Live stake species can consist of willow (Salix spp.), red-osier dogwood (Cornus