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H-1740-2, Integrated Vegetation Management Handbook

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1-1714 03/25/2008 BLM Integrated Vegetation Management Handbook (Public) Bureau of Land Management Handbook H-1740-2 Rel. 1-1714 H-1740-2 - INTEGRATED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK -- Public Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction ..................................................................................................................1 I. Defining an Integrated Vegetation Management Strategy ........................................................1 II. The Approach to Vegetation Management Across Renewable Resources Programs ..............2 III. Linkages to Strategic Plans ...................................................................................................2 Chapter 2 - Purpose of this Handbook ...........................................................................................4 I. Summary of Manual 1740 – Renewable Resource Improvements and Treatments Policies and Objectives ................................................................................................................4 II. Handbooks Associated With Manual 1740 ..............................................................................5 III. Handbook H-1740-2 – Integrated Vegetation Management Purpose and Objectives ............5 IV. Relationship to Other Handbooks ...........................................................................................6 Chapter 3 - Common Terminology ..................................................................................................7 I. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................7 II. Terms .......................................................................................................................................7 Chapter 4: Assessing Vegetation Condition ...................................................................................14 I. Introduction—Why Does BLM Assess Vegetation Condition? ................................................14 II. Temporal Issues Associated with the Techniques ....................................................................14 III. Techniques BLM Uses to Assess Vegetation Condition .........................................................15 IV. Designing a Framework for Integrated Vegetation Assessment .............................................40 Chapter 5 – Addressing Vegetation in Planning Documents, Plan Implementation, Monitoring and Adaptive Management ..........................................................................................47 I. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................47 II. Background ..............................................................................................................................47 III. Identifying Vegetation Goals and Objectives .........................................................................48 IV. Identifying and Implementing Actions to Achieve Goals and Objectives ..............................52 V. Monitoring and Evaluation ......................................................................................................55 VI. Adaptive Management ...........................................................................................................59 Chapter 6 - Treatment Selection and Effectiveness Monitoring ...................................................61 I. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................61 II. Integrated Pest Management ....................................................................................................62 III. Treatment Methods .................................................................................................................64 IV. Treatment Effectiveness Monitoring ......................................................................................71 i BLM Manual Rel. 1-1714 03/25/2008 H-1740-2 - INTEGRATED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK -- Public Chapter 7 - Best Management Practices .........................................................................................76 I. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................76 II. Best Management Practices ....................................................................................................76 Chapter 8 - Using Native Plant Materials .......................................................................................82 I. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................82 II. Establishing Priorities for Using Native Plants .......................................................................82 III. Treatment Design Considerations ..........................................................................................83 IV. Plant Material Sources ............................................................................................................85 V. Seed Quality .............................................................................................................................88 VI. Seed Storage ...........................................................................................................................88 VII. Seeding Rates ........................................................................................................................89 VIII. Native Plant Materials Development Program Overview ...................................................89 Chapter 9 - Funding, Budget Development and Accomplishment Reporting .............................91 I. Introduction: ..............................................................................................................................91 II. Developing Integrated Budget Requests .................................................................................91 III. Funding Integrated Programs of Work ...................................................................................93 IV. Reporting Requirements .........................................................................................................95 References Cited ................................................................................................................................98 Appendix 1 - LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model Example Appendix 2 - Assessing and Mapping Achievement Areas and Non-Achievement Areas for Land Health Standards on Allotments in the Burns BLM District: How Does Mapping of Fire Regime Condition Classes Correlate with Mapping Using Ecological Sites and Fine-Scale Data? Appendix 3 - Forest Health Guidance - Reducing the Risks of Insects and Disease Mortality Appendix 4 - Seeds of Success Appendix 5 - Interagency Program to Supply and Manage Native Plant Materials for Restoration and Rehabilitation on Federal Lands ii BLM Manual Rel. 1-1714 03/25/2008 H-1740-2 - INTEGRATED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK -- Public Chapter 1 - Introduction I. Defining an Integrated Vegetation Management Strategy Vegetation is perhaps the one uniting feature of all the 258 million acres cared for by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Yet history shows how quickly this core resource can be changed by invasive weeds, wildfire, drought, grazing, recreational use and other activities. BLM recognizes the importance of vegetation management. That recognition is symbolized in the 150-plus different authorities or guidelines that exist for vegetation management within the agency. But that huge number also illustrates the central problem: A common approach for managing vegetation, one that can be embraced by a variety of disciplines across the agency, has been lacking. This is not new territory for BLM. In the late 1980s, BLM embarked on what was called the “Vegetation Management Initiative, or VMI.” At the core of VMI was establishing clearly stated and ecologically attainable objectives for the vegetation on public land. While VMI began as a grazing management program concept, it quickly became apparent that this concept offered “an improved, more effective way to deal with vegetation management across a wide spectrum of renewable resource programs, facilitating improved objective setting and interdisciplinary coordination.” Many of the ideas developed under the “Vegetation Management Initiative” are still applicable today. At the core of VMI was establishing clearly stated and ecologically attainable objectives for the vegetation on public land. In 1995, BLM implemented regulations (Title 43 CFR 4180) requiring state directors to develop standards and guidelines to improve the health of public rangelands. These revised regulations were the result of an effort called “Rangeland Reform ‘94.” The objective of these regulations was to promote healthy, sustainable rangelands. By 1998, state directors had developed—in consultation with Resource Advisory Councils—state or regional rangeland health standards that applied to most BLM lands. These land-health standards addressed the four fundamentals of rangeland health: (1) watershed function, including upland, riparian-wetland, and aquatic components; (2) ecological processes, including the hydrologic cycle, nutrient cycling, and energy flow; (3) water quality; and (4) habitat quality for threatened and endangered and special status species.
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