Northwest Forest Plan
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Standards and Guidelines for Management of Habitat for Late-Successional and Old-Growth Forest Related Species Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl Attachment A to the Record of Decision for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl Standards and Guidelines for Management of Habitat for Late-Successional and Old-Growth Forest Related Species Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl Attachment A to the Record of Decision for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl Outline All sections of this document, considered together, are the complete compilation of standards and guidelines. However, these standards and guidelines are broken down into the following sections for clarity and ease of reference. A. Introduction - This section includes introduction, purpose, definition of the planning area, relationship to existing agency plans, introduction to the various land allocation categories used elsewhere in these standards and guidelines, identification of appurtenant maps, and transition standards and guidelines. B. Basis for Standards and Guidelines - This section includes a background discussion of the objectives and considerations for managing for a network of terrestrial reserves. This section also contains the Aquatic Conservation Strategy, which includes discussions of the objectives and management emphases for Riparian Reserves, Key Watersheds, watershed analysis, and watershed restoration. C. Standards and Guidelines - This section includes specific standards and guidelines applicable to all land allocation categories. It also contains descriptions of, and standards and guidelines applicable to, all designated areas, matrix, and Key Watersheds. D. Adaptive Management Areas - This section contains a description of the Adaptive Management Area concept, overall objectives, and information for organizing to accomplish those objectives. A description of each Adaptive Management Area and its particular emphasis is included. E. Implementation - This section includes the monitoring plan, a description of the adaptive management process, and a description of the interagency structure to ensure consistent and timely implementation of these standards and guidelines. The Regional Ecosystem Office and Regional Interagency Executive Committee, referenced elsewhere in these standards and guidelines, is described here. F. Index - This section includes a word/topic index designed for readers who are interested in a particular activity. i Table of Contents Standards and Guidelines A. Introduction .................................................................. A-1 Purpose and Need for these Standards and Guidelines .................................... A-1 The Planning Area ................................................................ A-1 Relationship to Existing FS and BLM Management Plans ................................ A-2 Forest Service ............................................................. A-2 BLM ................................................................. A-2 Current Plans and Draft Plan Preferred Alternatives .............................. A-2 Consultation - Endangered Species Act ......................................... A-2 Critical Habitat for Northern Spotted Owl ...................................... A-3 Physiographic Provinces .................................................... A-3 Land Allocations ................................................................. A-4 Designated Areas and Matrix .................................................... A-4 Congressionally Reserved Areas ....................................... A-4 Late-Successional Reserves ........................................... A-4 Adaptive Management Areas .......................................... A-4 Managed Late-Successional Areas ...................................... A-4 Administratively Withdrawn Areas ..................................... A-4 Riparian Reserves ................................................... A-5 Matrix ............................................................ A-5 Key and Non-Key Watersheds ................................................... A-5 Land Allocation Hierarchy ...................................................... A-5 Standards and Guidelines ....................................................... A-6 Maps ................................................................. A-6 Transition Standards and Guidelines .............................................. A-7 B. Basis for Standards and Guidelines Introduction .............................................................. B-1 Ecological Principles for Management of Late-Successional Forests ........................ B-1 General Ecological Basis for Forest Management ................................ B-1 Structure and Composition ............................................... B-2 Ecological Processes .................................................... B-2 Ecosystem Function .................................................... B-4 Late-Successional Reserves .................................................. B-4 ii Role of Silviculture ........................................................ B-5 Stand Management ......................................................... B-6 Management of Disturbance Risks ............................................ B-7 Management After Natural Disturbance ........................................ B-8 Aquatic Conservation Strategy ...................................................... B-9 Aquatic Conservation Strategy Objectives ............................................ B-11 Components of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy ..................................... B-12 1) Riparian Reserves .......................................................... B-12 Riparian Reserve Widths ................................................... B-14 Intermittent Streams ....................................................... B-14 Wetlands ................................................................ B-16 Summary of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy for Riparian Reserves ............... B-17 2) Key Watersheds ........................................................... B-18 Roadless Areas and Key Watersheds .......................................... B-19 Summary of Aquatic Conservation Strategy for Key Watersheds ................... B-19 3) Watershed Analysis ........................................................ B-20 Summary of Aquatic Conservation Strategy for Watershed Analysis ................ B-30 4) Watershed Restoration ...................................................... B-30 Roads ................................................................ B-31 Riparian Vegetation ....................................................... B-31 In-stream Habitat Structures ................................................ B-31 Summary of Aquatic Conservation Strategy for Watershed Restoration .............. B-32 Monitoring ................................................................ B-32 C. Standards and Guidelines Existing Laws and Regulations ............................................... C-1 Hierarchy of Standards and Guidelines ......................................... C-1 Standards and Guidelines Common to all Land Allocations ............................... C-2 Current Plans and Draft Plan Preferred Alternatives .............................. C-2 Exceptions ............................................................ C-3 Unmapped Late-Successional Reserves ........................................ C-3 Watershed Analysis ........................................................ C-3 Research ................................................................. C-4 Oregon-California Border ................................................... C-4 Survey and Manage ........................................................ C-4 Manage Recreation Areas to Minimize Disturbance to Species ...................... C-6 Protect Sites From Grazing .................................................. C-6 Standards and Guidelines for Key Watersheds .......................................... C-7 Description ............................................................... C-7 Standards and Guidelines .................................................... C-7 Standards and Guidelines for Designated Areas and Matrix ............................... C-8 Congressionally Reserved Areas ................................................. C-8 Acres ................................................................. C-8 iii Description ............................................................... C-8 Standards and Guidelines .................................................... C-8 Late-Successional Reserves ..................................................... C-9 Acres ................................................................. C-9 Description ............................................................... C-9 1. Mapped Late-Successional Reserves ..................................... C-9 2. LS/OG 1s and 2s .................................................... C-10 3. Occupied Marbled Murrelet Sites ....................................... C-10 4. Spotted Owl Activity Centers .......................................... C-10 5. Protection Buffers ................................................... C-11 Standards and Guidelines ................................................... C-11 Objectives .......................................................