Lincoln National Forest Forest Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Report Fiscal Year 1999

Forest Supervisor's Certification The Lincoln National Forest was scheduled to begin Plan Revision during fiscal year 98 and complete it by 2001. However, due to pending new congressional direction, this schedule was altered and Forest Plan Revision processes were postponed. The new schedule is to begin the Forest Plan Revision in 2000.

One new Plan amendment may result from the Sacramento River Road Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Plan Amendment Needs Since implementation of the Lincoln's Land and Resource Management Plan in 1986, four corrections and nine amendments have been completed, including the Southwestern Region "Final Environmental Impact Statement, For Amendment of Forest Plans", to incorporate Mexican spotted owl and Northern goshawk management direction.

Changing social conditions in and around the community of Timberon, New Mexico, prompted the Lincoln to submit a Forest highway proposal to the Federal Highway Administration to improve the surface and location of the Sacramento River Road. The proposal was accepted, is being analyzed in an Environmental Impact Statement, and may result in a Forest Plan amendment. Other changes were identified during this monitoring and evaluation cycle, but are most appropriately addressed during Forest Plan Revision, as discussed in the following section.

Forest Plan Changes Needed at Plan Revision Human Dimension - A number of trends are occurring in the Southwest that affect Forest Plan direction, goals, and objectives. Demographics are shifting to an older-aged population, and there will be a continually increasing influx of people of all ages from outside the area. This trend includes an overall transition from a public, which desires emphasis on commodity-oriented products and services, to a public that wants programs and program delivery to be amenity-oriented. Results of this shift will include an increase in the kind and number of recreational opportunities, accessibility to all publics, and an ever-increasing sensitivity to macro- and micro-environmental issues.

The existing Forest Plan does not adequately reflect this social trend. Although Plan implementation has been flexible in meeting many of society's changing needs, an increase in administrative appeals and litigation demonstrates that Plan direction can be improved to guide resolution of many of these issues. Plan Revision will assess this situation, and these issues will be addressed at that time.

Specific human dimension program areas needing analysis and possible modification at Plan Revision are: • Transportation System o What roads and trails will be available for public use or additional resource needs? o What uses will be allowed and are we considering all uses to protect resources? o What rights-of-way are needed? • Public land use, land exchanges, and special uses • Allowable Sale Quantity of wood products • Recreation Opportunities o Are our developed recreation sites adequate in kind and number? o Is our variety and number of dispersed recreation opportunities adequate? o What are our existing and future maintenance obligations? • Heritage Resource Management o What National Register sites established since 1986 need to be incorporated? o What standards and guidelines developed since 1986 need to be incorporated as appropriate?

Physical/Biological Dimensions - The evolution toward an ecosystem management approach has refocused the Lincoln's sensitivity to ecological issues at the landscape level. Coupled with human dimension trends, this situation has brought needed Plan modifications to the forefront. Foundation concepts upon which Plan Revision will be built include: 1) an increase in the number of listed threatened and endangered plants and animals, 2) an increase in knowledge of the function, processes, and interrelationship of ecosystems, and 3) a recognition that thresholds exist beyond which those ecosystems may no longer be sustainable.

Specific Plan modifications to be considered during Plan Revision are: • Watershed o Ecological objectives need to be strengthened. o Proper functioning conditions need to be identified. o Standards and guidelines need to be clear and achievable. o Water rights need to be more clearly addressed. o Riparian management needs to be more clearly addressed. • Fire o Natural fire needs to be brought back into appropriate ecosystems. o Prescribed natural fire needs to be more clearly addressed. o Wildland-urban interface needs to be emphasized. • Range and Wildlife o Elk and livestock management needs to be re-assessed. • Noxious weeds o Accomplishments need to be incorporated. • Forest health o Areas with more urgent resource needs should be identified. o Tools to address resource needs should be strengthened. • TE&S plants and animals o Consider continuation of single-species management. o Keeping plants and animals from becoming threatened or endangered needs to continue. 2

o Plans for a more efficient recovery of various species needs to be coordinated.

Summary of Monitoring Activities Some of the efforts covering administration and operational activities, baseline inventories, implementation, effectiveness, and validation monitoring were captured on Forest monitoring forms. During fiscal year 1999, approximately 187 forms were completed. A summary of the information submitted on the monitoring forms has been included in Appendix A (following Page 13). The table below shows the numbers associated with this type of monitoring documentation (by activity) for the past several years.

Number of Monitoring Activities by Type, by Year

YEAR BASELINE IMPLEMENTATION EFFECTIVENESS VALIDATION TOTAL 1993 14 45 33 0 92 1994 16 28 55 0 99 1995 27 58 34 5 124 1996 44 65 49 2 160 1997 30 85 19 5 139 1998 52 128 135 2 317 1999 3 145 36 3 187

TOTALS 186 554 361 17 1,118

Other monitoring activities are summarized below. They were gathered from reports, assessments, official files, employee interviews, etc. They have been categorized by monitoring activity.

Baseline Forest roads, facilities, recreation sites, and range allotments were monitored to determine condition and value, and deferred maintenance cost estimates.

Cave volunteers continue to inspect and report cave conditions. Photo history is also used to document damage to cave formations, and identify restoration work.

Soil condition inventories (Terrestrial Ecosystem Survey) were conducted on the Sacramento Ranger District, S4 Ecosystem Management Area. This baseline-mapped inventory will be added to the Forest GIS database in FY2000.

Baseline, air quality data continues to be collected for the Tularosa Basin. A permanently mounted camera in the White Mountain Wilderness is used for photo comparisons.

Stream cross-sections and proper functioning conditions are being collected for the Rio Penasco.

To determine attainment of designated State water quality uses, baseline and existing condition information for Fresnal and La Luz Canyons are being collected in cooperation with the New Mexico Environment Department.

Proper functioning conditions of watersheds within the Sid West area were conducted. Last Chance Canyon sites were monitored for proper functioning conditions and visual effects to assess changes in management.

In cooperation with the New Mexico Environment Department, the Lincoln identifies existing and potential non-point source water pollution on National Forest system lands.

Threatened, endangered, and sensitive species were surveyed for project and program monitoring requirements (e.g. Mexican spotted owl recovery plan), as well as to provide planning information during project analysis. Approximately 25,827 acres were inventoried and monitored for TE&S species. Inventories included: Mexican spotted owl, Northern goshawk, Cloudcroft checkerspot butterfly, Sacramento Mountain salamander, Kerr's milkvetch, Gooddings onion, and Kuenzler cactus.

Excavation and core drilling in caves have allowed the Forest to analyze prehistoric bone and pollen material. Results will provide information on pre-settlement vegetation and fire regimes.

Heritage resource surveys are conducted to locate historic and prehistoric sites (per Section 110, National Historic Preservation Act). Many of these surveys are carried out under the Passports in Time Program, giving the public an opportunity to participate.

Additional vegetation data was collected and existing information refined. The information is used to determine existing conditions for support to wildland-urban interface and forest health projects.

Baseline monitoring was done within the Ruidoso Fuels Reduction project. Fuels reduction was accomplished through mechanical and fire treatments.

Baseline monitoring, analysis, and planning continued on the Rio Penasco Landscape Restoration Project (S4 Wildland Urban Interface).

The Rio Penasco Landscape Restoration Project Proposal was written during fiscal year 1999. This Proposal is a new approach to identifying and analyzing resource management needs. The actual implementation techniques seek to integrate efficiency with economic feasibility. Photo points, vegetation surveys, and other baseline information gathering began during fiscal year 1999.

Implementation The Regional Office and Forest selected a sample of decision documents at random from each administrative unit. The documents were reviewed for NEPA compliance.

Unit safety reviews were conducted and included wildfire response readiness and aircraft checks.

Approximately 200 Sikes Act Program projects have been implemented between 1988 and 1999. The projects are monitored after completion and are put on an annual monitoring schedule. They are visited annually to check implementation work and sometimes photographed to document project effectiveness. The data has been added to the Forest GIS. The Forest assisted the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish in the development of Sikes Act habitat improvement project--relocation of problem bears.

Fuelwood-harvest monitoring includes field checks for "leave" trees and an assessment of public harvesting. Information learned from monitoring is applied to cleanup efforts within fuelwood areas. Cleanup efforts are also monitored. Site visits are often documented on Forest monitoring forms. Recommendations and actions by the person monitoring are normally documented.

Pre-commercial thinning and salvage sale activities include post-sale inspections. Areas are examined to ensure contract requirements are met, and the results captured in the Forest vegetation database (RMRIS).

After monitoring “blowdown” within some of the recreation sites and along trails, the Maintenance Timber Sale was executed.

Fire prevention monitoring resulted in the implementation of a proactive Fire Prevention Program. The Program focuses on boundaryless behavior by reaching out to surrounding customers in West Texas.

Travel routes were monitored for resource damage. In addition, routes no longer needed for Forest resource management were identified.

Ski Apache continues to be monitored via the snow ranger. Other operational monitoring results were provided by wilderness patrols, road and trail sign inspectors, and trail volunteers.

Recreation, facility construction projects include post-occupancy reviews to ensure contract work meets specifications and EA requirements. They are monitored to determine how well the design has met the needs of users.

Effectiveness Road closures or obliteration were monitored to determine if methods used were effective. This information and district feedback were evaluated, and changes to closure or obliteration techniques were determined.

Both known and potential locations of threatened, endangered, and Forest Service designated sensitive plant species were monitored. When a species is present, monitoring is done both before and after management activities.

A trend monitoring study was conducted on the Mexican spotted owl from 1990 to 1994. As of the 1999 field season monitoring, there are 106 established Protected Activity Centers (PAC’s). The Forest is working on a restricted habitat analysis for target/threshold conditions.

Heritage resource sites were monitored to document damage, erosion, and changed conditions. To avoid disturbance, site monitoring occurs before, during, and after road or project implementation phases. We collaborated with the Mescalero Apache Tribe in monitoring and identification of Apache sites on tribal and Forest lands.

Vegetation treatments, including Christmas tree cutting, receive post-treatment monitoring to assess their effectiveness. Areas of natural regeneration are also inspected for rate of success.

Prescribed fire treatments were monitored through site visits. Project objectives (i.e. reducing canopy cover of the pinyon/juniper and increasing forbes) were evaluated, and recommendations and follow-up actions were determined.

The Sacramento Ranger District continues to use surveillance plots on their commercial timber sales. These are a critical part of our timber theft prevention program.

Both implementation and effectiveness monitoring led to adjustments in treatment and communication methods of noxious weeds during fiscal year 1999.

Rangeland was monitored and evaluated for trend and utilization. Where necessary, changes were made to both long- and short-term on-the-ground management.

Monitoring resulted in fee demo authority for some of our campgrounds. In FY99, these critical funds were utilized to repair damage from a significant blowdown.

Monitoring and inventorying recreation needs helped to position the Forest to utilize New World Backlog Maintenance funds. In FY99, the public was provided a new toilet at the Cedar Creek Picnic area and the South Fork Campground water storage tank was renovated.

Monitoring of the cave resources is being accomplished in partnership with the National Speleological Society (NSS). Over $100,000 of volunteer cave protection, enhancement, and education has resulted from this partnership in New Mexico.

The Cave Permit program has resulted in enhanced customer service as evidenced by the caving community receiving two National volunteer awards.

Monitoring activities resulted in the reconstruction of the Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area. In response to safety and health issues, this recreation area now has potable water, access for the disabled, a new parking lot, and handrails. Trails were located to protect plants and rare animal species, and the parking lot and railing designed to minimize other resource damage. The reconstruction is being monitored for effectiveness.

Recreation technicians and campground hosts provided monitoring feedback from the public.

Rio Ruidoso water quality information is being collected to support possible improvements in the Ski Apache area parking lot. Water quality concerns (as a result of past storm events at Ski Apache) are being addressed through monitoring efforts with the Ruidoso River Association. The White River NF assisted with watershed improvement at the Ski Area.

Evaluation of Monitoring Results and Conclusions What was Learned Infestations of noxious weeds are widespread on the Sacramento and Smokey Bear Ranger Districts. Current infestations are estimated to be about 4,500 acres and are spreading. These plants are aggressive competitors and will out-compete existing indigenous vegetation (including threatened and endangered plants) for light, water, nutrients, and space. Exotic weeds of concern reduce rangeland productivity and habitat quality for many species of wildlife. Public resistance to herbicide use and biological techniques make a successful noxious weed management program more difficult to implement.

Monitoring of the Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Area assisted in identifying the need for major repairs. After reconstruction in 1998, the area was made a fee demo project. Forest personnel and a campground host accomplish the ongoing monitoring. Vandalism has been eliminated and recreation use has increased.

Monitoring of the Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly has extended the range from 100 acres to an area of approximately 20 square miles--encompassing the Village of Cloudcroft.

Progress Toward Desired Future Conditions (Goals described as per the Draft USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan (2000 Revision)) Ecosystem Management The need to work collaboratively with local partners has emerged as a priority issue over the past few years. The Forest hosted a three-day Building Community-Based Partnerships Workshop in fiscal year 1999.

Approximately 26,300 acres of cave withdrawal from mineral, oil, and gas activity was recommended in the Lincoln Land and Resource Management Plan. The Forest prepared and submitted an application for withdrawal covering about 80% of the known significant caves.

In response to customer issues, we successfully implemented programs in Wildland Urban Interface, fuels reduction, wildlife habitat, and watershed restoration.

The Upper Rio Penasco Landscape Restoration Project was developed through the collaborative efforts of the Village of Cloudcroft, Otero County, local forest products operators, and the Forest. 7

The Forest has successfully treated a limited acreage of pinyon/juniper woodland that had unsatisfactory and impaired soil conditions.

A fuels management project around the National Solar Observatory at Sunspot has been completed. This project will lessen fire damage risk to the facility.

We accomplished 1,853 acres of wildlife improvement in primarily pinyon/juniper woodlands through thinning and prescribed fire. Completed 300 acres of thinning and four structures to improve wildlife habitat.

We accomplished 10,000 acres of prescribed fire to provide watershed enhancement, biodiversity, and fuel loading reduction.

The High Guads Restoration Project participants contributed many hours to restoring cave formations, monitoring, and gathering bat counts.

There is strong local support to treat watersheds to improve water quality/yield and to reduce noxious weed infestations. Approximately 2,500 acres of noxious weeds have been treated in the past three years. We are evaluating the success of the treatments and determining future management strategies.

Selected riparian sites are being monitored to record condition and trend. The information is being used to determine management progress toward desired conditions.

The Forest conducted many and varied activities that directly or indirectly improved water quality. Some of those activities include: • Watershed and rangeland improvements were accomplished utilizing fuelwood harvest, mechanical vegetation management, thinning, and prescribed fire. • Wildlife habitat improvements were implemented to increase ground cover and stimulate browse. • Further restoration needs were planned. • Proper functioning condition (PFC) surveys were conducted on 14.1 miles of perennial streams. • Environmental analysis including soil condition assessment and PFC determination was conducted on several allotments. • Gathered information and evaluated 15 long-term trend transects on three allotments on the Sacramento Ranger District. Transects showed trends in range condition and soils condition. • Treated several pinyon/juniper areas to improve ground cover and soils conditions. • Monitored 15 key area sites for forage-use levels and to determine amount of use by elk and livestock. • Reconstructed Sitting Bull Falls. Reconstruction included applying drainage control, rehabilitating impacted sites, and fencing to protect the riparian area. • Training on the NMED monitoring protocol was provided to the Forest. • Progress was made on the public water supply inventory. • Sampling of soil and water was conducted in conjunction with the noxious weed treatments. No chemical was detected. 8

Multiple Benefits to People In cooperation with the Fish & Wildlife Service, Mexican spotted owl Working Group, and White Sands Forest Products, work began on a test plot to evaluate the economic feasibility of small-diameter timber removal for fuels reduction.

In conjunction with the City of Alamogordo, Phase I of the Bonito Road Project was completed. This project addressed the needs of many thousands of recreationists.

The Windy Point Vista project was completed and the Oak Grove Campground reconstruction was initiated in September 1999.

The Forest currently has one town site, seven purchases, seven ROW cases, two land exchanges, and one small-tracts case in progress.

Scientific and technical Assistance We continue to make progress in transferring resource inventories into the Forest GIS.

Effective Public Service We increased collaboration with Lincoln County through better communication, cooperation and support. We cooperatively manage the Ruidoso Lookout tower with the Village of Ruidoso.

We worked collectively with local citizens, the Lincoln County Forest Health Coalition, and local governments in completing a fuel break around the Village of Ruidoso. Additional fuel reduction work, including door-to-door visitation is being planned for FY2000.

An agreement was developed with the Roswell BLM to manage the Three Rivers area on the Smokey Bear Ranger District.

Emerging Issues The Forest has identified a need to acquire scientific information on how cutting in the pinyon/juniper woodland zone can affect the water table and municipal water supplies.

The Forest is experiencing an influx of urban growth on private land that intermingles with forested areas. Dry winter months contribute to the possibility of winter and spring catastrophic fires.

The President’s “Roadless” Initiative has allowed us the opportunity to review our RARE II and other special designated areas.

The Sacramento Mountain salamander is a Southwestern Region Sensitive species and is endemic to the Lincoln National Forest. The Forest has contributed extensively to a 10- year monitoring study of salamanders in vegetation treatment areas. The Fish and Wildlife Service New Mexico Field Office has recently questioned the validity of the Working Group guidelines and the Forest projects that carefully implement those guidelines.

Water, a scarce and precious commodity throughout the Southwest, requires healthy forest watersheds. The quality, and potentially the quantity of water supplies for nearby communities, agricultural centers in the Pecos River Valley and the Tularosa Basin, and local wildlife and livestock are affected by the conditions of forest watersheds. Water quality limited reaches have been designated as part of Section 303(d) of the Federal Water Pollution Act. On the Smokey Bear Ranger District, three different streams are designated. The water in many reaches does not meet water quality standards. Even after the application of technology based effluent limitations, the water is not expected to meet standards.

We need to find ways and seek opportunities to increase public involvement in our monitoring efforts.

Barriers While monitoring is part of a project or job and not something additional, reporting requirements are often difficult to accomplish. This is mainly due to the need to locate and consolidate the information from so many different sources.

Status of Previous and Current Years Recommendations Because monitoring documentation is consolidated from many different sources, it is difficult to report on individual recommendations. Recommendations can be found in project reports, meeting notes, etc. Where feasible, recommendations are recorded in work plans and action taken is documented.

Update on Research Needs Ongoing Activities with the Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station A strong partnership has formed between the Lincoln National Forest and the Rocky Mountain Experiment Station. In some instances, the Forest is only an indirect partner, providing support to studies initiated by other agencies such as the study of noise impacts from low-level helicopter over flights on Mexican spotted owls. For this study, scientists specially designed the project to include analysis of chain saw noise for future application to management on the Lincoln. The following are some of the recently finished or ongoing studies being conducted on the Forest: • Mexican spotted owl prey ecology, Sacramento Mountains • Habitat use of Mexican spotted owls • Replacement of the Continuous Forest Survey with establishment of study plots on a 5,000 meter grid across all ownerships within the National Forest boundary • Effect of small-scale disturbance on prey of the Mexican spotted owl in the Sacramento Mountains • Ecological analysis of old-growth montane conifer forests of the Sacramento Mountains • Ecosystem needs assessment • Hazard rating of Southwestern white pine blister rust 10

• Site and stand factors associated with the occurrence of roundheaded pine beetle outbreaks in Ponderosa pine • Reconstructing forest history in mixed conifer and adjacent forests, Sacramento Mountains • Decay dynamics and ecology in the mixed conifer ecosystem of the Sacramento Mountains • Regional dendroecology research • Area application of Verbenone to reduce the mortality of Ponderosa pine by roundheaded pine beetle in the Sacramento Mountains • Study noise impacts on Mexican spotted owls from low-level helicopter overflights • Mexican spotted owl distributions in relation to human activities in the past decade: an analysis of accommodation on two 7.5 minute quadrangles

Informal information sharing occurs between scientists and Lincoln personnel, especially at the district level.

Information Needs Information needs for the Lincoln National Forest occur at multiple scales, from landscape to organism. The following are relationships, processes, and species about which more or better information would greatly enhance management of the Forest. • How do motorcycles affect Mexican spotted owls? • What are the landscape effects of white pine blister rust? Are there individuals or groups with resistance? Can resistance be created through genetic manipulation? • How are Rocky Mountain elk using the landscape and how do they affect other plants, animals (willows, cows) and systems (riparian)? • What are the historic fire regimes and how does fire affect all landscapes, from alpine to xeric (especially riparian)? • What are the best trail building materials to improve accessibility for users with disabilities. • To help restore natural fire into the Sacramento Mountains, what behavior, affects, and prescriptions for fire are needed for mixed conifer forests (75% of Lincoln commercial-forestland)? • What monitoring techniques can help us to best implement the requirements of the Mexican Spotted Owl Recovery Plan? (We need micro monitoring of habitat changes and macro monitoring of population changes.)

Research Needs Defined in FY99 Both plant and animal species were added and removed from the Southwestern Region’s Sensitive Species List and the Forest list. Because we have limited knowledge of some species habitat needs, population sizes and distribution, research and field studies are needed to understand the biology of these species. The research would be used in management of the species for continuing viability in compliance with FSM 2670.

Research is needed regarding the flow and groundwater recharge of the travertine springs that form the primary habitat for the federally threatened Sacramento Mountain Thistle, Cirsium vinaceum. The effect of vegetation manipulation on the flow of these surface water

11 habitats is not well understood. A Recovery Task for this species calls for the development of a hydrologic model that can be used as a management tool for these habitats.

List of Preparers Ron Hannan, Forest Planner Janet Baca, Management Analyst

Location of Supporting Documentation for Monitoring Activities • Hardcopy and electronic files • Biological Assessments & Evaluations (BA&E’s) • Other assessments • Forest Monitoring and Evaluation Forms • Geographic Information System • Official correspondence • Staff and District Records • Photo Library • Maps • Daily Maintenance Logs • Forest’s Performance Reports • Management Attainment Reports • Leadership Team Meeting Notes • Customer Comment Cards

Public Participation/Disclosure Plan We involve the public in monitoring activities through field trips, conferences, and training. Some collaborative activities that took place in 1999 were: • The publics participated in field trips and interviews during the Regional Forester’s Review in October 1999. • Employees are involved in over 30 local organizations that resulted in many volunteer hours and grants. Several projects were accomplished and collaboration on local issues continued. • We built and maintained relationships, and solicited input by visiting about 10 service groups and community organizations. • The Otero Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Bureau of Land Management, Otero County, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the New Mexico Highway Department are cooperating to control noxious weeds. • New Mexico Rails to Trails and the Lincoln National Forest were successful in acquiring a $200,000 grant to construct a pedestrian foot bridge across U.S. 82. • We work closely with local Chamber of Commerce offices to better meet the needs of visitors. The Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce sold Christmas tree tags on Saturdays and Sundays to meet the needs of El Paso, Las Cruces and West Texas customers.

• We worked closely with local citizens and groups to obtain feedback and improve successes on wildland-urban interface projects. • We collaborate with the Mescalero Apache tribe and National Park Service on reconnaissance surveys and documentation of known sites. • A “Business After Hours” session was held in the Supervisor’s Office for local business owners and Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce members. • We sponsored a Community-Based Partnerships training session as part of the Southwest Strategy effort. The training included 10 local cooperating agencies. • The Smokey Bear Ranger District has established a nationally recognized leadership role for watershed restoration on the Carrizo Project through field tours and on-the-ground restoration work. • The administration of our unique Cave Permit Program has resulted in enhanced customer service as evidenced by the recognition of the caving community via two national awards for volunteers. This successful program has resulted in a value of $100,000 of cave monitoring and resource conservation work.

Some of the ways we inform our publics of monitoring activities are through news releases, public meetings, field trips, presentations, open house, and on-forest demonstrations.

APPENDIX A

LINCOLN NATIONAL FOREST Project Monitoring Activities October 1, 1998 - September 30, 1999

Forest employees submitted approximately 187 monitoring and evaluation reports during fiscal year 1999. Below is a summary, by district, of the reports received.

Monitoring Type Smokey Bear Sacramento Guadalupe

Baseline 0 0 3 Implementation 141 3 1 Effectiveness 8 9 19 Validation 1 2 0 TOTAL 150 14 23

Baseline: What is out there? Collect basic information to later assess how resources change through implementation of plans, prescriptions, projects, and activities.

Implementation: Did we do what we said we would? Determine if plans, prescriptions, projects, and activities are implemented as designed and in compliance with Forest Plan objectives and standards and guidelines.

Effectiveness: Did our actions accomplish what we intended? Determine if plans, prescriptions, projects, and activities are effective in meeting management direction, objectives, and standards and guidelines.

Validation: Is our intent appropriate? Determine whether initial data and assumptions are correct.

The following pages summarize the monitoring reports. Copies of the individual monitoring reports can be obtained by calling Janet Baca at (505) 434-7215.

AREA MONITORED MONITORING OBJECTIVE OBSERVATIONS RECOMMENDED ACTION and/or ACTION TAKEN FOREST-WIDE Forest-wide To provide the State of New Mexico, See detailed report See detailed report Non-Point Source Program of the Clean Water Act, information concerning our activities to protect and improve water quality within the Forest. SMOKEY BEAR RD Lincoln County Long Rifles, Jicarilla To monitor permit compliance Permittee in compliance. Observed (Hoecradle) vehicles parked away from camps. Visited with campers. Trash was being picked up and campfires were out at night. Carrizo, Ecosystem Management Site visit with approximately 40 Observed the remarkable improvement Continue on a larger scale. Area, EMA L2 participants from the NM Watershed in watershed conditions. Coalition Gavilan Fuelwood Area, Lower To monitor fuelwood harvesting and off- Fuelwood areas will be an improvement Burn as much of the fuelwood area as Ruidoso, Management Area 1J, EMA road travel to the wildlife habitat and watershed. possible next Fall/Winter. Close road to L4 Off-road travel continues to be a Gavilan Canyon. problem. Lower Ruidoso, Management Area 1J, To monitor trick tanks Eight trick tanks were monitored and Continue annual maintenance and EMA L4 are in good working condition. periodic checks when in area.

Eagle Creek Area, Management Area To monitor Eagle Creek Sikes project Project was successful. A good Continue work west of project. 1J, EMA L4 diversity of habitat was created and soil erosion prevented. Patos Pasture Vegetation Treatment To burn dozer piles Piles burned consuming 100% of one Move piles >50' from private land Area and ten-hour fuels. Piles in drainages boundaries. with erosion were left to stabilize channels. A 1/10th acre spot on private land was burned--called owner. He was not concerned.

EMA L1 To observe road closures and talk with Several road closures were violated. Assisted a lost hunter and replaced hunters Some signs missing. Others were signs. working well. Spoke with local landowner. He was pleased with the area but thought poaching was occurring. Jicarilla, EMA L1 To monitor conditions of Jicarilla Sikes Burn was effective due to large fuel Recommend seeding. Seeding was Project after burning creation through thinning. A good done. mosaic created. Trail Canyon, Patos; EMA L1 To monitor road closure and nearby The gate and signing appear to be areas. working. Baca Fuelwood Area, Unit 3 To check progress Unit approximately 70% complete. No activity above fence and no cutting for approximately one year. Baca Spring, Unit 1 (two visits) To monitor progress Unit 35-40% complete and being cut to prescription, deep slash, low stumps. Big Rocks Fuelwood Area, Unit 2 To check progress Unit about 95% completed. SE corner needs cutting as well as some center clumps. Blanchard Canyon Fuelwood Area, To check progress About 50% complete. SE side (upper bowl) needs cutting. Unit 1 Blue Lake Personal-use Fuelwood To check progress Approximately 60% of volume removed, Road 120A needs improvement-- Area (two visits) "easy wood", high stumps common and several mud holes. a couple of ponderosa pines cut. Area looks good for public sale. Dogtown Fuelwood Area, Unit 1 To monitor progress About 98% complete, unit cut to Several pockets need cutting. (two visits) boundary and to prescription. Dogtown Fuelwood Area, Unit 2 To monitor progress About 20% complete and cut to (four visits) prescription. No recent activity. Dogtown Fuelwood Area, Unit 3 To monitor progress About 20% complete and being cut to High stumps, deep slash needs to be (four visits) prescription. No recent activity. cut. Dogtown Fuelwood Area, Unit 4 To monitor progress No cutting activity of any kind. (two visits) East Merchant Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress About 75% complete, being cut to Unit 2 (two visits) prescription, deep slash. Has a new cutter. Stump & slash problems identified in near the boundary.

East Merchant Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress About 10% complete, deep slash, being Unit 3 cut to prescription. Felix Spring Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress Unit 1B about 70% complete and recent Units: 1B and 1C cutting in pockets. Unit 1C is about 60% complete with sign of recent cutting. Gavilan Fuelwood Area, Unit 3 To monitor progress About 90% cut, pocket of five acres not (two visits) cut, some blow down of pinyon Gavilan Fuelwood Area, Unit 4 To monitor progress Unit complete Gavilan Fuelwood Area, Unit 5 To monitor progress Some pinyon “leave” trees in Unit were (two visits) blown over. Someone cutting blown down “leave” trees. Otherwise, Unit being cut to prescription and boundaries being observed. Gavilan Fuelwood Area, Units: 6, 7 To monitor progress No cutting activity observed, Road 120A and 8 (Unit 8 two visits) nearly impassible near south end of Unit 8 due to large rocks, and limbs in the right of way Hale Lake Fuelwood Area, Unit 1 To monitor progress Unit approximately 65% complete and being cut to prescription. Hale Lake Fuelwood Area, Unit 2 To monitor progress About 99% complete. Being cut to One center clump of trees should be prescription. cut. Hale Lake Fuelwood Area, Unit 3 To monitor progress No cutting activity. Unit totally uncut. Lone Pine Fuelwood Area, Unit 1 To monitor progress Unit 95% complete and being cut to (three visits) prescription, low stumps, deep slash. Lone Pine Fuelwood Area, Unit 2 To monitor progress Unit 90% complete. A high-graded unit. (three visits) Poor slash disposal. Lone Pine Fuelwood Area, Unit 3 To monitor progress Unit 5-10% complete. No recent (three visits) cutting. Lone Pine Fuelwood Area, Unit 4 To monitor progress No cutting activity. Lone Pine Fuelwood Area, Unit 5 To monitor progress About 10% complete, no fresh cutting. High stumps and slash need to be cut. (three visits) No recent cutting. Lone Pine Fuelwood Area, Unit 6 To monitor progress Unit 5% complete, no recent cutting. (three visits) Lone Pine Fuelwood Area, Unit 7 To monitor progress Less than 5% complete. No cutting (three visits) activity for past couple months.

Lone Pine Fuelwood Area, Unit 8 To monitor progress No cutting activity. (two visits) Lone Pine Fuelwood Area, Unit 9 To monitor progress No cutting activity. (two visits) North Skinner Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress Less than 10% complete and being cut Unit 3 to prescription North Tucson Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress About 70% complete and being cut to Unit 1 prescription, scattered high stumps, deep slash. North Tucson Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress Forty-five percent complete and being Unit 4 cut to prescription, stumps and slash are low. Cutter utilizing smaller material and slash. Padilla Fuelwood Area, Units: 1, 2 and To monitor progress Units are uncut. 3 Peachtree Fuelwood Area, Unit 8, To monitor progress About 70% complete, new cut looks (two visits) good, low slash and stumps, being cut to prescription. Good cutting techniques. Four cows in unit. Rico Fuelwood Area, Unit 1 To monitor progress About 35% complete, cutter following prescription, stumps and slash low. Rico Fuelwood Area, Units: 1 & 2 To monitor progress No cutting in units. Rico Fuelwood Area, Unit 3 To monitor progress About 60% cut, slash needs additional cutting. Rico Fuelwood Area, Unit 5 To monitor progress About 10% cut, deep slash, recent vehicle tracks in unit, someone picking up wood. Salt Fuelwood Area, Unit 1 To monitor progress About 35% complete. Unit being cut to (fourteen visits) prescription, slash is low. Utilizing good cutting practices.

Salt Fuelwood Area, Unit 2 To monitor progress Unit 50% complete, being cut to (fourteen visits) prescription. Salt Fuelwood Area, Unit 4 To monitor progress Unit 50% complete, being cut to (fourteen visits) prescription. About 14 cows in unit. Salt Fuelwood Area, Unit 5 To monitor progress Final visit determined unit cutting (eleven visits) complete and cut to prescription. Salt Fuelwood Area, Unit 6 To monitor progress About 99% of volume has been (seven visits) removed. Unit cut to prescription. Some smaller trees need to be cut (especially under large ponderosa pines). No wind damage. Shoemaker Fuelwood Area, Unit 3 To monitor progress About 80% complete and cut to prescription, low stumps, deep slash. Shoemaker Fuelwood Area, Unit 4 To monitor progress and do sale Unit about 50% complete and being cut Spoke with purchaser on 1/11/99 to (two visits) administration to prescription. Some slash stacked discuss needed changes. adjacent to “leave” trees, empty oil containers scattered throughout the Unit. Fifteen cows in unit. Shoemaker Fuelwood Area, Unit 5 To monitor progress No cutting in Unit. South Welch Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress About 60% complete. Unit cut in Unit 5 (two visits) clumps. Most large volume has been removed. Cutting remains to be done for watershed benefit. South Welch Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress About 25% complete and cut to Unit 6 (two visits) prescription. Tucson Fuelwood Area, Units: 1, 2 and To monitor progress Unit 1 about 15% complete and cut to 3 prescription. Units 2 and 3 are not cut. Turkey Tank Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress Almost 100% of volume has been Unit 1 (three visits) removed. Completely cut to prescription, deep slash, high stumps, and “leave” trees and boundary observed. Turkey Tank Fuelwood Area, To monitor progress Unit completely cut to prescription, Unit 3 slash deep and not piled away from “leave” trees. Six cows in the unit.

Trail Fuelwood Area, Unit 1 To monitor progress About 50% complete and cut to prescription. Smaller materials being utilized so slash is low. Vera Cruz Fuelwood Area, Unit 3 To monitor progress About 90% complete. Vera Cruz Fuelwood Area, Unit 4 To monitor progress About 90% complete and cut to prescription. Waterhole Fuelwood Area, Unit 1 To monitor progress West half of bottom unit cut to prescription. High-graded area about 95% complete. Waterhole Fuelwood Area, Unit 2 To monitor progress High-graded unit with no recent cutting activity. Waterhole Fuelwood Area, Unit 3 To monitor progress About 60% of merchantable larger volume has been removed. High- graded unit. Waterhole Fuelwood Area, Unit 4 To monitor progress Unit is cut to prescription. Small pockets need work. Waterhole Fuelwood Area, Units: To monitor progress Unit 5 is high-graded, no cutting in 5 and 6 years. Unit 6 is uncut.

AREA MONITORED MONITORING OBJECTIVE OBSERVATIONS RECOMMENDED ACTION and/or ACTION TAKEN SACRAMENTO RD Sunspot Observatory To observe implementation of the Implemented as planned, except in Fuelwood contractor to go through Sunspot Fuels Reduction Project housing area project area to pick up scattered fuelwood. Start to monitor conditions to burn piles. Hand pile some areas. Schedule meeting with Sunspot and Apache to coordinate burning Sleepy Grass Canyon, MA 2G To determine state of the area TBTC installing telephone cable within Discussed placing gravel under the requirements of their permit. All trash tables with Brad Orr. picked up from AMTGARD recreation event, table areas were muddy. Progress on NM 130 in compliance with FS direction. Southeast Area of the District To tour area with new District Recreation Herbert Essek roadwork cattle guards Relocated two FR 245 signs to the Staff and closure gates are completed. new alignment. Henderson/Coffman road is roughed in. Work completed on FR 245. Logan Canyon, FR 539, MA 4J To determine state of the area Seed-cut regeneration fence down. Discussed fence and log situation Logs along FR 539 need to be cleaned with FMO and will program fire up. FR 96310 is open but not shown on crews to help resolve. Will travel map. schedule to meet with Danny Waldon to discuss road missing on travel map. Private Property, High Rolls To meet with private land owner FS property line marked with signs. Provided contacts and phone Discussed erosion control, juniper numbers of State Forestry. Sawed crowding out grasses, fire prevention. up three trees on FR 63 and removed debris. Water Canyon, Penasco To locate test plots to demonstrate teasel Inspected civi in lower end of the Recommend Forest Range Staff control in Civi populations Canyon. and Botanist look at the Canyon site treatment.

Penasco Urban Interface Urban To update information on the federally Project has not changed. New Interface Fuel Reduction project endangered & threatened species along vegetative information was gathered with FS Region 3 sensitive species. To where detailed information was lacking. determine is re-consultation is required Neither changed any finding from the and if findings on sensitive species has original BA&E singed 3/4/99. changed. Water Canyon, Penasco Locate test plot for teasel control in civi Beginning to show rosettes. Teasel on Recommended Range Staff and populations edges of civi populations. Botanist look at area. Need concurrence for treatment.

Karr Timber Sale - Harvested Circa Examine visual quality of past timber Seven video plots established in 1977; Road #634 & #634A sales and determine if mitigation 10/30/92 revisited, mapped, and measures for visuals were effective. documented in GIS. Pumphouse/Eight Mile Timber Sale - Examine visual quality of past timber Ten video plots established on Harvested Circa 1985 sales and determine if mitigation 10/30/92 were revisited, mapped, measures for visuals were effective. and documented in GIS. Sunspot Highway To determine state of the area Proposed fire station area had six trees Informed appropriate staff member needing removal. Slash removal was of status. "looking good". Snags left for wildlife. Mud removed from paved road. Upper Karr pole fence maintenance was excellent. Pothole patching on access road was holding. Cable corridors have "disappeared" to casual observer. FR 9622A, Section 34, T17S, R13E To observe progress of road obliteration Ripping at beginning of FR 9622A appears to be very effective (is impassible) Aqua Chiquita River Area To check effectiveness of fish structures Structures providing varying quality of intended to provide pool habitat. pool habitat. Older structures are Document extent of water flow. providing smaller pools and helping to raise the stream and narrow the channels. Willows are increasing in most areas.

Management Areas 2D and 4J To determine overall state of the areas Cable yarder in route to Hay timber sale. Shared findings with Range, Removed X-mas tree and fuelwood Recreation, and Wildlife staff. signs, trash, and protruding limbs. ROW Recommend first quarter mile of cleaning looks good. Observed two road be closed. cows in Sacramento Lake exclosure.

AREA MONITORED MONITORING OBJECTIVE OBSERVATIONS RECOMMENDED ACTION and/or ACTION TAKEN GUADALUPE RD Sitting Bull Falls, Picnic Site 3M To evaluate flood damage to toilet Two consecutive rainstorms caused mud Used demo fee dollars to clean up building, pavilions, and trail to the falls. to be deposited in the storeroom and site and fix trail. Constructed women's toilet facility. The gabion drainage ditches to direct water retaining wall from the trail to the falls away from the toilet building and was starting to wash out, and another pavilions. A contract was let to areas of trail were being undercut. The repair the trail gabion damage, public could not use the facilities. install two gabions at the trail washout, and construct two drainage ditches to disperse water away from the facilities. District personnel cleaned out the toilet building. Last Chance Canyon, Last Chance Trail To evaluate flood damage in the area. Sections of the trail had been washed out District needs to re-establish the and tree limbs were broken and blocking washed out sections of the trail and the trail. remove the limbs. Guadalupe Mountains To do prescribed fire monitoring Since 1998, over 35,000 acres of Monitoring results led to significant prescribed fire has been accomplished refinements in how burns are on the District. conducted and what conditions are most likely to produce optimal results. Guadalupe Ridge, Trick Tank, MA 3A To determine state of tank Wind damaged wings, repairs holding Discussed state with Danny Waldon well, tank full of water. Use almost absence due to plentiful water in canyon rock bottoms. Dark Canyon, Thinning Project, MA 3C To monitor implementation and Actions underway and meeting Continue thinning as needed. effectiveness of thinning project prescription. Thinning action and slash Retain slash until several seed cover are providing mulch for crops have been successful. development of seed crop. Seed heads Shared progress with District Staff were observed. and explained the need to retain the slash.

Robinson Draw, Turkey Canyon To monitor effectiveness of project. Some slash burned and some didn't. Retain slash piles longer for Thinning/Prescription Burn Project Observed evidence of excessive heat maximum establishment of grass and soil impact, and absence of plants in seed crops. Reported finding to burned areas. Increased soil moisture District Range and Fire staffs. and grass under surviving slash piles. Requested field review of site. Robinson Draw, Turkey Trick Tank To monitor effectiveness of tank. Strong use continues. Water level has Monitor more frequently. Discussed been restored after vandals removed status with Danny Waldon. float and drained water. Turkey, deer, and birds tracks present. Blair Ridge, Goat Prescription Burn To monitor implementation and Reviewed upper area where hotter burn Continue to emphasize long-range effectiveness of burn project. occurred. Burn prescription was effective grazing planning in conjunction with on south aspect of the allotment, less prescription burn planning. Design effective on north side. Pleased with prescriptions with north aspect overall result of the area. results in mind. Discussed status with District Range and Fire staffs. South Guadalupe, Hidden Cave To monitor entire cave and do restoration Muddy boot prints in at least six locations Areas were restored. Contacted work in south end of cave. around lily pad pool area. Recent visitor recreational groups that had been in had walked outside the flagged trail. the area recently to discuss Flagging at one climb and disturbed in disregard to flagged trails. Took two other locations. photos of disturbance before restored. South Guadalupe, Black Cave To do impact mapping of the cave and Five locations had broken trail-flagging Repaired the tape and moved it monitor cave resources. Replace trail- tape. No other apparent problems. slightly to prevent people from flagging tape. Observed albino cave crickets and one walking and tearing it. albino spider. Observed about 10 white insects in cave that were similar to silver fish. South Guadalupe, Cottonwood Cave Cave tour. Cave conservation and Cottonwood cave is an exceptional ecology discussion with 1999 Outside example to show cave management, Adventure Grant group. restoration, and human impacts.

South Guadalupe, Hidden Cave To do restoration work in South end of Cave in good shape, flagging in excellent More restoration is needed. Moved Restoration cave and monitor entire cave. condition, no footprints off trail. Flagged soda straw to side of the trail in hopes areas are keeping restored areas in good it can be located and restored. shape. Found a 2" soda straw in the north (Appeared somebody's hip or caving end of the cave. Didn't appear to be pack apparently brushed against the accidental. right wall.) South Guadalupe, Sitting Bull Falls Cave To monitor and restore cave Overall, cave in good shape. Found one Clean the deep pool more thoroughly instance of graffiti. There was little trash. using wet suits. Volunteers agreed to return. Cleaned trash in and around pool. Removed cigarette butts, glass, and pieces of plastic. Using a snorkel, trash was removed from the pool. Attempts to retrieve trash in the deeper parts of the pool were unsuccessful-- water too cold and deep. South Guadalupe, Upper Cottonwood To change the lock on the “D” survey gate The stainless steel permanent survey Lock was changed. Cave and inspect the permanent survey stations stations appear to have been set that have been set as part of the Challengeappropriately and in accordance with Cost Share Agreement with John Lyles. prescriptions set in the CCS agreement. Took two FS fire fighters along to assist. South Guadalupe, Spanish Moss Cave To monitor condition of the cave and show Cave in a reasonably pristine condition John indicated the Southwest Region potential survey project to John Lyles, mainly due to its remote location. No new of the NSS would be interested in Chairperson for the Southwest Region damage observed. Most of cave is totally conducting surveys and inventories of NSS. dry. Birds, crickets, and spiders observed. this cave. Recommend survey and inventory initiated and effective monitoring strategies set up. South Guadalupe, HGRP-Hidden Cave To monitor cave during restoration work. Recent recreational trips left cave in good Recommend either distribute or hide order. All flagging in place and restored small pile of broken stalactites at areas were untouched. entrance. Broken (burst) cube was removed from north side of cave entrance. South Guadalupe, Ain't Dean's Cave To change gate lock and monitor condition.No new damage was observed. One bat, Recommend visitation continue to be several crickets, and spider were seen in allowed only under the guidance of a the cave. trip leader certified for this cave. The lock was changed.

South Guadalupe, Neud-Nick Cave To change gate lock and monitor condition.No new damage. One bat observed. Recommend visitation continue to be allowed only under the guidance of a trip leader certified for this cave. The lock was changed.

South Guadalupe, Hell Below Cave To monitor cave, replace flagging tape, Most restoration done. Four areas still in Restoration projects identified on the and plan restoration projects. need of cleaning. trip should be taken care of before cave is opened for recreation use. Tasks were given to volunteers from the Northeast Section of the NSS. Flagging was replaced and lock on gate was changed. MA 3C, Pink Dragon Cave Impact Map To inspect cave for notable impacts to Appear to be in the same condition as Cave should be monitored more Monitoring cave resource that have occurred since when the original baseline impact map was frequently. The cave is not gated nor 12/6/97 created in 1997. After considerable suited for gate installation. Permanent discussion, we changed six of the 42 areas photo monitoring points have been set. from high impact to medium, one from low Restoration and trail delineation impact to pristine, and another area was projects are planned before the cave is subdivided into two parts. Cave is reopened to recreational use. currently closed to recreation visitations. South Guadalupe, Hidden Cave To establish recoverable photo monitoring Cave has received a lot of traffic. Recent Continue restoration and monitor more stations. restoration has helped to make the cave frequently. Cavers have reported more esthetically pleasing (closer to its evidence of illegal entries into this original character). Four volunteers from ungated cave. Two recoverable photo- NOLS appreciated the opportunity to help monitoring stations were established in he management of this fabulous and baseline slides were taken. resource. Guadalupe Mountains, Freeze-out CanyonSurvey and inventory work by the South Provided observations in a comprehensive See Report Caves and four other caves Western Region of the NSS report. South Guadalupe: Cottonwood, Hell High Guads Restoration Project (HGRP) The group helped with restoration, trail See Report Below, Hidden, and Black Caves delineation, monitoring, and bat counts. Twenty to thirty cavers worked in four caves the last weekend of each month.