Angeles National Forest Annual Accomplishments Report Fiscal Year 2011
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Angeles National Forest Annual Accomplishments Report Fiscal Year 2011 Angeles National Forest U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region Angeles National Forest February 2012 From the Forest Supervisor The Angeles National Forest was established more than a century ago, changing and developing along with the Southern California culture. During its history, it has attracted countless numbers of outdoor en- thusiasts. The Angeles began as the San Gabriel Timberland Reserve in 1892 and was the first national forest in California and the second in the nation. The reserve was later changed to the Angeles National Forest in 1908. Many changes and challenges have come throughout the decades and we are proud to continue to con- serve and protect 668,727 acres of forest. The Angeles hosts about 4 million visitors each year, making it one of the most visited national forests in the nation. The Angeles’ proximity to the greater Los Angeles area makes it the most urban national forest in the country which leads to increasing demands for multi- ple uses including telecommunications sites, utility corridors, dams, water sources and conveyances and locations for the film industry. Although this means that we are faced with a tremendous challenge, it also presents us with exceptional opportunities. While we remain committed to the original tenets of forest and watershed conservation, we must at the same time provide for the increasing public use needs of millions of forest visitors each year. We are proud to be stewards of the land for all of you, the American public. The employees of the Ange- les and I would like to share with you our accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2011. Please take a moment to look through the highlights of our annual accomplishments report. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts from our volunteers, neighbors, partners and coopera- tors. Thank you for your continued support. Thomas A. Contreras Forest Supervisor Angeles National Forest The Angeles National Forest provides watershed protec- tion and open space for the greater Los Angeles urban ar- ea. Within our capabilities, we strive for excellence in re- source management and customer service. The Angeles promotes a culture of safety in order to provide a diverse, healthy workforce. Page 2 Angeles National Forest Statistics Fiscal Year (FY): 10/01/2010 thru 09/30/2011 General: Acres of land 668,727 Permanent Full time Employees 350 Seasonal Employees (Approx.) 102 Firefighter Apprentices 41 Student Employees 15 Budget: 5 Year Average Angeles Budget $42.5 million FY 2011 (60% is dedicated to Fire/Fuels) $40.5 million Recreation: Annual Number of Visitors 4 million Recreation Residences 463 Picnic Areas 36 Campgrounds 44 Visitor Centers 3 Information Centers 2 Ski Areas 5 Entrance Stations 1 Volunteer Hours Contributed 53,208 *approximate annual benefit $1.1 million Trails: Trailheads 53 Trails (miles) 548 Off highway vehicle areas 2 Off highway vehicle route miles 270 Fire Management: Number of Wildfires 169 Wildfire Acres Burned 3,937 Cost to Suppress Wildfires $3.3 million Number of Engines 28 Crews (Full-Time, On-Call) 10 Acres of Hazardous Terrain Treated 1,500 Natural Features: Wilderness Areas 5 Wilderness Area (acres) 123,000 Wilderness Elevation Ranges (feet) 1,600 to 10,064 Lakes and Reservoirs 10 Rivers and Streams (miles) 240 Sensitive Plant /Wildlife Species 75 Threatened & Endangered Species 14 Infrastructure: Energy Transmission Lines/Pipelines 46 Water Sources and Conveyances 216 Dams and Debris Basins 18 Research 48 Communications Facilities 140 Miles of (Forest Service) Roads 1,032 Page 3 The Angeles is a land of extremes The San Gabriel Mountains rise up quickly from the lowlands of the Los Angeles Basin to 10,064 feet at the top of Mt. San Antonio. The mountains are steep and fractured, shaped by the San Andreas Earthquake Fault run- ning along their northern boundary. As a result of the wide range of elevations, the forest experiences tremen- dous variation in climate. The lower elevations are often hot and dry throughout the summer, while the moun- tains remain cool. The highest peaks are often blanketed by snow in the winter. The Angeles provides not only recreational opportunities but also helps support the infrastructure of the Los Angeles basin. The location of the forest makes it an attractive and economical location for both recreation and non -recreation uses. This land of multiple uses provides 35 percent of the Los Angeles Basin’s water and 72 % of all open space within the County. The forest has five designated wilderness areas that offer quiet refuges within close proximity to urban areas. The Angeles administers over 2,000 special use permits annually including 728 non -recreational special-use permits that have been issued for purposes including telecommunications sites, utility corridors, dams and wa- ter sources. The Angeles National Forest is spread out over 1,000 square miles and is divided into three districts. Page 4 The Los Angeles River Ranger District The Los Angeles River Ranger District is in the central section of the forest. Comprising about 200,000 acres, it offers a host of recreation opportunities including hiking, camping, water play in the creeks, picnicking and mountain biking. The District is bounded by the San Fernando Valley on the west, the San- ta Clara Divide on the north, the Angeles Crest Highway on the east, and the Cities of Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre on the south. Elevations in the district range from 1,200 to 8,700 feet. The higher area includes the upper reaches of the San Clara Divide canyons and the 5,700-foot Mount Wilson. The lower elevations are covered with chapar- ral, oak, sycamore and alders, while elevations above 5,000 feet feature Chilao Trees pine, cedar and fir. Top recreational areas include Chantry Flat Picnic Area and Trailhead, Charlton-Chilao Recreation Area, Switzer Picnic Area and Trailhead, Buckhorn Campground and Lower Big Tujunga Canyon. The district has more than 150 miles of trails including sections of the Pacific Crest, Gabrielino, Silver Moccasin and High Desert trails. The focus of the District in 2011 was to evaluate and identify areas within the Station Fire Closure which could be reo- pened for safe public access after adequate natural recovery had occurred. Over half (approx. 101,000 acres) of the re- maining area within the Station Fire Closure was reopened. This resulted in the reopening of three picnic areas, six day use areas, and ten campgrounds as well as 110 miles of trail. As a result of the exceptional strategic efforts that were un- dertaken by the employees to reopen the closed areas of the forest to the public, the Los Angeles River Ranger District was named 2011 District of the Year by the Regional Forester. The District took the lead in 2011 to prepare and plant over 4300 acres within the Station Fire in areas where the effects of the Fire jeopardized the ability of the natural regeneration of the native trees. Over 900,000 trees were planted. Through a partnership with the TreePeople, volunteers were utilized to help plant over 80 acres with tree seedlings to replace trees destroyed by the Station Fire. Several popular campgrounds and picnic areas (Buckhorn Campground, Switzer’s Day Use area, Charlton Day Use area), through Capital Improvement (CIP) and American Recovery and Recovery Act (ARRA) Funds were modernized to en- hance public enjoyment and use. With additional portions of the District reopened, the District saw an increase of recreation use as well as more specialized uses such as filming, recreation events, apiary sites, etc. It is anticipated that additional acreage within the Station Fire Closure will be reopened in 2012. Page 5 The San Gabriel River Ranger District The San Gabriel River Ranger District is one of the most heavily visited areas in the National Forest system with more than 1.4 million visitors per year. This District is spread out over 182,511 acres. Its elevation ranges from 840 feet at the San Gabriel Canyon mouth, to 10,064 feet at Mt. Baldy. The District is located along the southeast boundary of the Angeles National Forest. It is bound on the east by San Bernardino forest, on the west by the Los Angeles River Ranger district, and on the north by the Santa Clara Mojave Rivers Ranger District. During the summer thousands of people visit the San Gabriel Canyon to escape the heat and enjoy it’s cool waters. This canyon’s irrespir- able appeal and close proximity to large populations lends itself to highly concentrat- ed use. This highly concentrated recreational use compels the use of innovative ways to ac- complishing mission goals by using various partners and dedicated employees. For the past five years the Southern California Consortium has worked with the San Ga- Mt. Baldy briel River Ranger District (SGRRD) by providing them with diverse youth groups to help meet district goals, objectives, and other stewardship projects. Some of the pro- jects that they have worked on include tree planting, river cleanup, and the removal of invasive species such as forbs and shrubs. Pre-commercial thinning and hazardous fuel reduction activities by the SGRRD fire crews were utilized to protect and enhance future forest and administrative site conditions. Over 1,000 acres of district targets were accomplished in 2011. Target accomplishments for the district were met including a number of different types of projects such as wildland urban interface and timber stand improve- ments. The SGRRD Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) program continues to provide opportunities for the public from the greater Los Angeles ba- sin. The San Gabriel Canyon OHV area offers the public a unique off road experience which includes river crossings and a challeng- ing terrain.