Wild Connections Conservation Plan for the Pike & San Isabel National Forests WILD CONNECTIONS CONSERVATION PLAN For Protecting Biological Diversity and Ecosystem Health in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests Submitted as an option for the Pike and San Isabel National Forests Plan Revision June 2006 Authored by: The Upper Arkansas and South Platte Project June, 2006 Wild Connections Conservation Plan for the Pike & San Isabel National Forests All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher. © Upper Arkansas and South Platte Project, 2006 The following people have generously provided photographs: Cover: Hiking in Browns Canyon Wilderness Study Area, Kurt Kunkle (Colorado Environmental Coalition); elk calf and mountain lion, Dave Jones. Executive summary: Dave Jones, Jean C. Smith, John Stansfield and Darel Hess ( © Hess – www.2bnTheWild.com). Complex title pages: Badger Creek roadless area, Deb Callahan; Salt Creek and Pikes Peak West roadless areas, Jean C. Smith; Square Top roadless area, Mike Foster; Limbaugh Canyon, Blanca Peak and Thirtynine Mile roadless areas, Michael Dwyer; Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, Michael Rogers; Sheeprock and Northrup Gulch roadless areas, Mike Kienast; Purgatoire roadless area, Trey Beck; Highline roadless area, Stephanie Hitzthaler. Southern Rockies Wildlands Network Vision map courtesy of the Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project; Southern Rocky Mountain Ecoregional Assessment map courtesy of The Nature Conservancy. 35% post consumer waste June, 2006 Wild Connections Conservation Plan for the Pike & San Isabel National Forests i. Table of Contents i. Table of Contents................................................................................................................ 3 ii. List of Tables and Figures .................................................................................................. 6 iii. List of Maps........................................................................................................................ 7 iv. Executive Summary............................................................................................................ 9 v. Political Map of the Pike-San Isabel Region .................................................................... 13 vi. Wild Connections Proposed Management Map ............................................................... 15 vii. About the Upper Arkansas and South Platte Project........................................................ 17 viii. Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... 18 Chapter 1 – Introduction ......................................................................................................... 19 Purpose and Scope .............................................................................................. 19 Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................... 19 Layout and Design .............................................................................................. 20 The National Forests ........................................................................................... 21 Pike National Forest................................................................................... 21 San Isabel National Forest ......................................................................... 21 Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands .......................................... 21 Critical Threats to Public Lands ......................................................................... 22 Chapter 2 – The Wild Connections Methodology .................................................................. 25 Components of the Core Reserve System........................................................... 25 The Three-Track Approach to Network Design ................................................. 25 1) Ecosystem Representation ..................................................................... 26 2) Special Elements.................................................................................... 27 a) Species and Natural Communities ............................................. 27 b) Roadless Areas........................................................................... 28 c) Connectivity and Special Wildlife Areas................................... 29 3) Focal Species ......................................................................................... 29 WCCP Focal Species Selection and Analysis................................ 30 Rewilding, A Complementary Approach ........................................................... 33 Data Sources Used in Designing the Wild Connections Conservation Plan ...... 33 Chapter 3 – Forest-Wide Management Recommendations .................................................... 37 General Forest Management Recommendations ................................................ 37 Roadless Areas Inventory and Protection .................................................. 37 Significant Routes ...................................................................................... 38 Ecosystem Management Recommendations....................................................... 38 Restoring Natural Disturbance Regimes, Fire Management...................... 38 Invasive Plant Species Management.......................................................... 41 Management Criteria for Riparian, Wetland & Aquatic Ecosystems........ 42 Biological Sustainability Management ............................................................... 43 Species of Concern, Species of Interest ..................................................... 44 Recovery and Reintroduction of Extirpated, Endangered and Sensitive Species ....................................................................................................... 47 June, 2006 i. Table of Contents Page 3 of 332 Wild Connections Conservation Plan for the Pike & San Isabel National Forests Activities Management Recommendations ........................................................ 47 Land Ownership Adjustment ..................................................................... 48 Grazing....................................................................................................... 48 Extractive Industry..................................................................................... 50 Recreation and Travel Management .......................................................... 51 Chapter 4 – Thematic Approach to Land Management.......................................................... 57 Introduction......................................................................................................... 57 Definitions, Terminology and Our Interpretation............................................... 57 Themes – Summary List ..................................................................................... 59 Allowable Uses in Each Theme.......................................................................... 60 Themes Defined.................................................................................................. 61 Theme 1 – Natural Processes Dominate .................................................... 61 Theme 1.1 – Existing Wilderness .................................................. 61 Theme 1.2 – Recommended Wilderness........................................ 62 Theme 1.3 – Core Reserve............................................................. 64 Theme 2 – Special Areas............................................................................ 65 Theme 2.1 – Research Natural Areas: Existing and Proposed....... 65 Theme 2.2 – Experimental Forests................................................. 67 Theme 2.3 – Eligible Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers......... 67 Theme 2.4 – Special Areas: Minimal or Interpretive Use ............. 67 Theme 3 – Natural Landscapes with Limited Management ...................... 69 Theme 3.1 – Quiet Use Areas ........................................................ 69 Theme 3.2 – Connectivity Areas.................................................... 70 Theme 4 – Recreation Emphasis Areas ..................................................... 71 Theme 4.1 – Motorized Recreation Areas ..................................... 71 Theme 4.2 – Scenic Byways .......................................................... 73 Theme 5 – Active Management ................................................................. 74 Theme 5.1 – Active Management for Wildlife Habitat ................. 74 Theme 5.2 – Active Management for Human Needs..................... 75 Theme 7 – Residential Forest Interface ..................................................... 76 Theme 8 – Permanently Developed Areas................................................. 77 Theme 8.1 – Ski Based Resorts ..................................................... 77 Theme 8.2 – Permanently Developed Recreation Areas ............... 79 Theme 9 – Significant Lands (Non-USFS)................................................ 80 Theme 9.1 – Non-Forest Service Recommended Wilderness ....... 80 Theme 9.2 – Significant Non-Forest Service Biological Areas..... 80 Theme 9.3 – Non-Forest Service Connectivity Areas ................... 80 Chapter 5 – Complexes: Area-Specific