Assessment Report Revised Land Management Plan for the Manti-La Sal National Forest
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United States Department of Agriculture Assessment Report Revised Land Management Plan for the Manti-La Sal National Forest Forest Service Intermountain Region October 2018 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. i Assessment Report Manti-La Sal National Forest Lead Agency: United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Responsible Official: Ryan Nehl, Forest Supervisor 599 West Price River Drive Price, Utah 84501 For Information Contact: Forest Plan Revision Team Leader 599 West Price River Drive Price, Utah 84501 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Forest Plan Revision Framework ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Assessment Report Objectives ........................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Manti-La Sal National Forest .............................................................................................................................. 4 1.4 Best Available Scientific Information .................................................................................................................. 8 1.5 Spatial Scales ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 2. STRESSORS AND DRIVERS ......................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Climate.............................................................................................................................................................. 12 2.3 Wildfire ............................................................................................................................................................. 19 2.4 Vegetation Succession ...................................................................................................................................... 24 2.5 Landslides and Geologic Hazards ..................................................................................................................... 24 2.6 Insects and Diseases ......................................................................................................................................... 26 2.7 Invasive Species ................................................................................................................................................ 33 2.8 Recreation ........................................................................................................................................................ 35 2.9 Access ............................................................................................................................................................... 39 2.10 Cultural and Historic Resources and Uses ........................................................................................................ 41 2.11 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................................................. 43 2.12 Groundwater Withdrawals ............................................................................................................................... 45 2.13 Mineral Exploration and Development ............................................................................................................ 48 3. ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................................................... 49 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 49 3.2 Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems.................................................................................................................. 50 3.3 Carbon Stocks ................................................................................................................................................. 106 3.4 At-risk Species ................................................................................................................................................ 109 4. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................... 125 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 125 4.2 Cultural, Social, and Economic Conditions, Benefits People Obtain from the Forest, and Contributions of Multiple Uses ............................................................................................................................................................... 125 4.3 Recreation Settings, Opportunities, Access, and Scenic Character ................................................................ 152 4.4 Mineral Resources and Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy..................................................................... 162 4.5 Infrastructure - Transportation, Utility Corridors, Facilities ........................................................................... 168 4.6 Areas of Tribal Importance ............................................................................................................................. 171 4.7 Cultural and Historical Resources and Uses ................................................................................................... 176 4.8 Land Ownership, Status, and Use Patterns .................................................................................................... 184 4.9 Wilderness and Other Designated Areas ........................................................................................................ 187 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................. 193 GLOSSARY ...................................................................................................................................................... 215 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Planning rule topics and the chapters and subchapters where they are discussed in this assessment report. ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Table 2. Resources impacted by climate change on national forests in the Intermountain Adaptation Plateaus Subregion (USDA 2016, Reeves and Bagne 2016, Vose et al. 2016). .................................................................... 17 Table 3. Manti-La Sal National Forest wildfire related stressors and associated indicators. ............................... 20 Table 4. Summary of existing fire regimes and acres within each vegetation condition class. ............................ 20 Table 5. Summary of existing fuel models. ........................................................................................................... 21 Table 6. All ignitions and acres burned within the wildland urban interface and non-wildland urban interface between 1970 and 2015. .....................................................................................................................................