Ouachita National Forest Fiscal Year 2009 Monitoring and Evaluation Report for the Land and Resource Management Plan October 1, 2008—September 30, 2009 Fiscal Year 2009 Monitoring and Evaluation Report for the Land and Resource Management Plan Ouachita National Forest Arkansas Counties: Ashley, Garland, Hot Spring, Howard, Logan, Montgomery, Perry, Pike, Polk, Saline, Scott, Sebastian, Yell Oklahoma Counties: Leflore, McCurtain United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service September 2010 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 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TABLE OF CONTENTS MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT SUMMARY ................. 3 PART 1 - TERRESTRIAL, RIPARIAN, AND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS (INCLUDING AIR QUALITY) ............................................................. 13 PART 2 – STRATEGIC DIRECTION ................................................ 88 PART 3 - DESIGN CRITERIA AND IMPLEMENTATION ............... 109 PART 4 - RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................... 111 APPENDIX A – LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS AND PREPARERS.... 115 APPENDIX B – CONSERVATION EDUCATION ACTIVITIESERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. APPENDIX C – APPROVED COMMUNICATION SITES ............... 120 APPENDIX D – PROPOSED AND PROBABLE ACTIVITIES ........ 121 APPENDIX E – WILDERNESS AREA NON-NATIVE INVASIVE SPECIES INVENTORIES……………………………………...……...123 Fiscal Year 2009 Monitoring and Evaluation Report for the Land and Resource Management Plan Ouachita National Forest Introduction The 2005 Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) for the Ouachita National Forest (Ouachita NF) provides broad, strategic direction for managing the land and its resources. The Forest Plan direction provides a framework to guide future management decisions and actions. Over time it is necessary to assess progress toward achieving the desired conditions, meeting the objectives, and adhering to the design criteria in the Forest Plan. A cycle of adaptation is formed when management direction in the Forest Plan is implemented, reviewed, and then adjusted in response to knowledge gained through monitoring and evaluation. Monitoring is conducted by Forest Service resource specialists; Forest Service research scientists; universities; state, federal, and resource agencies; and other cooperators. Persons who contributed data, assisted in compilation of data, or helped to prepare this Monitoring and Evaluation Report (M&E Report) are listed in Appendix A. Purpose of the Monitoring and Evaluation Report The 2005 Forest Plan was completed under the 1982 National Forest Management Act planning regulations (36 CFR 219). These regulations specify that forest plan “implementation shall be evaluated on a sample basis to determine how well objectives have been met and how closely management standards and guidelines have been applied. Based upon this evaluation, the interdisciplinary team shall recommend to the Forest Supervisor such changes in management direction, revisions, or amendments to the forest plan as are deemed necessary.” Thus, the purpose of the M&E Report is to identify needed changes to management on the Ouachita National Forest utilizing the results of monitoring and evaluation. The M&E Report combines the results of the evaluations that occur throughout the year into a summary document. Based on the data gathered during monitoring, trends can be established and management corrections made, as necessary. Monitoring helps to track progress toward achievement of Desired Conditions (Forest Plan, Pages 6 - 43) and Plan Objectives (Forest Plan, Pages 58 - 69); implementation of Design Criteria (Forest Plan, Pages 73 - 122); and occurrence of environmental effects as predicted. Monitoring indicates whether Ouachita NF management is addressing plan priorities. The evaluation of monitoring results allows the Forest Supervisor to initiate actions to improve compliance with management direction where needed, improve cost effectiveness, and determine if any amendments to the Forest Plan are needed to improve resource management on an annual basis or in more comprehensive reviews that result in periodic updates of the Forest Plan. Organization of the Monitoring and Evaluation Report The Monitoring Report is structured similarly to the Forest Plan because the M&E Report evaluates implementation and effectiveness of the Forest Plan. The Monitoring Report is prefaced by a summary of the four main parts to the Report. Monitoring of desired conditions, including actions, outcomes, or resources to be measured and the frequency of measurement and reporting, is included in Part 1 of the Plan and in the M&E Report. Performance indicators to be monitored against Forest Plan objectives, including the frequency of measurement and reporting, are presented in Part 2 of the M&E Report. Project-level adaptation, triggered by reviews of selected projects, is focused on the effectiveness of project design criteria and is presented in Part 3 of the M&E Report. Part 4 of the M&E Report contains specific recommendations for the next fiscal year (FY). 2 Monitoring and Evaluation Report Summary Part I: Desired Conditions Monitoring of desired conditions allows the Ouachita NF to annually accumulate data that are then used to establish trends and assess progress towards achievement of the desired condition statements set out by the Forest Plan. Through repeated measurement, data trend lines may be established and used to determine if programs should be adjusted or if changes in Forest Plan direction are needed. Annual monitoring results are reported each year in the M&E Report. Monitoring of desired conditions for terrestrial ecosystems; riparian and aquatic ecosystems; proposed, threatened, endangered and sensitive species; geologic resources; landownership pattern; heritage resources; public use and enjoyment; facility operation and maintenance; commodity, commercial, and special uses; and fire (community protection and safety) for FY 2009 are summarized below. Desired Conditions for Terrestrial Ecosystems The Ouachita NF continues to transition to new and improve on current vegetation inventory databases and activity tracking systems that will allow more comprehensive monitoring and analysis of the effects of fire and silvicultural treatments to the vegetation communities. Silvicultural treatments were applied to 18,793 acres within the Pine-Oak Forest ecosystem, 2,346 acres within the Shortleaf Pine, Bluestem Grass ecosystem; and 258 acres within the Dry-Mesic Hardwood Forest. Salvage occurred on 1,482 acres within the Pine-Oak Forest ecosystem; 196 acres within the Short-leaf Pine, Blue Stem Grass ecosystem; and 95 acres within the Dry- Mesic Hardwood Forest for a total of 1,773 acres. The prescribed fire program was very productive. A total of 122,372 acres had a fire influence on the Ouachita NF. These fires include prescribed fires as well as wildland fires. Desired Conditions for Riparian and Aquatic Ecosystems A total of 75 acres of soil restoration (50 acres) and soil maintenance (25 acres) was accomplished. Four streams were monitored for the presence of herbicides below treated stands. This is an ongoing monitoring program where ten percent of areas treated with herbicides are monitored for off-site movement. Results are not yet available for the four samples collected, as the samples are in the process of analysis. Desired Conditions for Wildlife and Fish Habitat The following habitat improvements were accomplished: 85 waterholes constructed and 24 waterholes maintained 201 nest boxes installed and 50 nest boxes maintained 5,965 acres of midstory reduction completed 507 acres of overstory mast development for wildlife stand improvement 22,894 acres treated with prescribed fire for wildlife stand improvement (although all 122,372 acres treated with fire are considered beneficial for habitat improvement). 24 acres of seeding/planting 512 acres of habitat restored or enhanced 658 acres of openings rehabilitated and 17 acres of permanent openings created 6 wildlife gates installed and 10 wildlife gates maintained 16 acres fertilized 75 structures installed and 302 structures maintained for endangered species 73 lake fish attractors created 19.5 stream miles of fish passage restored 474 acres of fishing pond/lake enhancements completed 2,995 acres of early successional habitat were created through timber regeneration harvest methods (2,151 acres), uneven-aged management (159 acres), and wildlife habitat improvement (685 acres). This falls short of the 5,500 acres needed to meet the Plan requirements. A total of 6,089 acres were planted or site prepped for natural regeneration and wildlife habitat improvement. This is slightly