Management Unit / Wilderness Name(S)

Management Unit / Wilderness Name(s) Wilderness: Cloud Peak Wilderness

Management Unit: Powder River Ranger District, Big Horn National Forest.

Matrix Problem Categories:

 Campsite Management

Matrix Strategy Categories:

 Modify Type of Use and Behavior

Recreation Impact Type: Campsites and campfires; depletion of woody debris and de-vegetation of campsite core areas.

Management Objectives:

 Address critical issues to meet Forest Plan standards to protect the resource for future generations.

 Assess and mitigate the impacts of woody debris depletion.

 Obtain baseline data for use and site impacts.

 Reduce user impacts.

Actions Taken:

 Action 1: Establishing baseline inventory and monitoring.

Rationale: Need to have good science behind the decision making process.

 Survey of dead and down woody debris using transects methods; utilized procedures in Brown, J.K. 1974. Handbook for inventorying downed woody material, (GTR-INT-16. USDA Forest Service, Ogden, UT.) as best existing science.

 Likewise did campsite inventory using standard techniques such as measurement of barren core area and other factors described in various publications including Cole, David N. 1983. Monitoring the condition of wilderness campsites. (Research Paper INT-304. Ogden, UT.)

 Action 2: Adjusted regulations.

Rationale: Focus regulations on the critical issues needed to meet standards and guidelines and those which can be backed-up by hard data and research. Eliminate unnecessary regulations which alienate the public without benefiting the resource.

 Used a study group to lower group size limit from 25 “heartbeats” to maximum 10 people and maximum 15 head of stock.

1  Implemented an elevation-based campfire closure, based on consultation with local silviculturalists to protect areas where regeneration is marginal.

 Also dropped mandatory leash rule for dogs.

 Action 3: Increased education efforts for Leave No Trace.

Rationale: Education as the minimum tool to achieve changes in visitor behavior. Reward visitors who are willing to make an extra effort to use best practices. Putting regulations on registration forms means everyone sees them and has a way of being informed; also makes enforcement actions easier, as you can simply show them what they should have read.

 Used a self-study LNT tool box, video, and exam as part of the group size waiver process, linking waivers to completion of LNT training.

 Mandatory registration forms have all pertinent regulations and LNT messages on the back.

Implementation Details:

How well did the actions work?

 Overall, pretty happy with current process. Subsequent monitoring after obtaining baseline data shows site conditions are mostly stable or improving in terms of barren core area of sites.

How is the success of these actions monitored?

 Most sites are on a third cycle of campsite impact monitoring.

 Decrease in non-compliance as indicated by number of education and law enforcement contacts and as otherwise noted in wilderness ranger reports.

 Mandatory registration now has a compliance rate of about 96%.

What aspects of implementation worked to help attain desired conditions?

 Making the effort to obtain data has paid off both internally and externally in making management actions seem necessary and appropriate.

What aspects did not work?

 Still haven’t addressed the large issue of access management, since the mandatory registration in is non-limiting.

Public Acceptance:

 Initially some resistance from within the USFS, but public acceptance has been very good and internal support has built up over time.

Unexpected results:

 N/A.

2 Lessons Learned and Tips for Others:

 Don’t be afraid to implement actions that are needed. The public will accept them if you have facts and science to back it up. Getting upper management on board may be the biggest issue.

 Do your inventory first—use data, and existing research methods, not just gut- feelings.

 Don’t tiptoe around the problems, but don’t implement unnecessary rules either.

 Use research by others (e.g., NOLS study on group size) as well as your own data/studies.

Estimated Costs to Implement:

 In recent years the District has 3-4seasonal rangers per 190,000 acres of wilderness.  Volunteer individuals and work groups have also been important, especially user groups such as the Backcountry Horseman Association and advocacy groups such as Wilderness Watch; make them part of management, not just the subject of it.

Contact for more information: name: Craig Cope position: District Wilderness, Recreation, Special Uses staff. email: [email protected] phone: 307-684-7806 (front desk)