Ottawa National Forest United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Eastern Region Fiscal Year 2008 Monitoring and June 2009 Evaluation Report Caring for the Land and Serving People Citation: USDA Forest Service. 2009. Ottawa National Forest Fiscal Year 2008 Monitoring & Evaluation Report. Ironwood, MI. Short name for citations in documents produced on the Forest – FY 08 M&E Report Responsible Official: Kent Connaughton, Regional Forester USDA Forest Service Eastern Region 626 E. Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53202 For further information contact: Ottawa National Forest E6248 US Highway 2 Ironwood, MI 49938 Phone: 906-932-1330 Fax: 906-932-0122 TTY: 906-932-0301 FY 2008 MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction and Forest Plan Overview ......................................................................................1 Purpose and Scope of the Report .................................................................................................2 Previous Monitoring ......................................................................................................................2 Monitoring Program......................................................................................................................2 Monitoring Activities for FY 2008................................................................................................3 Comparison of Projected and Actual Outputs and Services ....................................................... 5 Insect and Disease Population Levels......................................................................................... 7 Current Infestations........................................................................................................... 7 Potential Threats ............................................................................................................... 9 Effects of Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)................................................................................... 10 Effectiveness of Managing Off-Highway Vehicle Use ............................................................ 11 Effectiveness of Road and Trail Closures................................................................................. 11 Harvested Lands Adequately Restocked .................................................................................. 11 Land Management Effects on Land Productivity..................................................................... 12 Management Indicator Species (MIS) ...................................................................................... 13 Mayfly, Stonefly, Caddisfly............................................................................................ 13 Ruffed Grouse................................................................................................................. 15 American Marten ............................................................................................................ 17 Cutleaf Toothwort........................................................................................................... 19 Non-Native Invasive Species.................................................................................................... 20 Plants............................................................................................................................... 20 Animals........................................................................................................................... 22 Tribal Rights and Interests........................................................................................................ 23 Species of Viability Concern .................................................................................................... 23 Plants............................................................................................................................... 23 Trumpeter Swan.............................................................................................................. 24 Conservation of Threatened and Endangered Species (TES)................................................... 27 Canada Lynx ................................................................................................................... 27 Gray Wolf ....................................................................................................................... 28 Kirtland’s Warbler.......................................................................................................... 30 Remote Habitat Area (RHA) Road Density.............................................................................. 34 Off-Highway Vehicle Impacts to Wildlife ............................................................................... 35 Minerals and Mineral Materials................................................................................................ 36 Land Adjustment....................................................................................................................... 39 Fire Suppression........................................................................................................................ 39 Effectiveness of Road Closure Devices.................................................................................... 40 Findings.........................................................................................................................................40 Future Monitoring Needs............................................................................................................41 Literature Cited ...........................................................................................................................42 Appendix 1 – Schedule for Forest Plan Monitoring and Evaluation........................................ 43 i TABLES Table 1. Monitoring activities for FY 2008. ........................................................................... 3 Table 2. FY 2008 actual volume sold by product type. .......................................................... 6 Table 3. FY 2008 actual volume harvested by product type................................................... 6 Table 4. FY 2008 and first decade actual harvest acres compared to the Forest Plan’s estimated average annual timber harvest practices........................................................... 6 Table 5. Acres of insect and disease agents on the Ottawa National Forest, FY 2008........... 7 Table 6. Summary table of results from EPT surveys, by 300’ stream reach....................... 14 Table 7. Number of Marten Registered in the Western U.P. 2000-2007.............................. 18 Table 8. Efforts to eradicate non-native invasive plants across the Ottawa, 2008................ 21 Table 9. Trumpeter swans found on the Ottawa National Forest, 2003-2008. ..................... 26 Table 10. Gray wolf population estimates and number of wolf packs occurring on or near the Ottawa National Forest in 2008, by county1............................................................. 30 Table 11. Acres of suitable and unsuitable (based on current stand ages) Kirtland’s warbler habitat on the Ottawa, 2008. ........................................................................................... 31 Table 12. Singing male Kirtland’s warblers detected in Michigan, 1993-2008. .................. 34 Table 13. Road Density (open to passenger vehicles) in Remote Habitat Area. .................. 35 Table 14. OHV trail and road mileages, Ottawa National Forest, 2006-2008...................... 36 Table 15. Summary of FY 2008 Wildland Fires Reported by the Ottawa............................ 39 FIGURES Figure 1 Vicinity Map.....................................................................................................................1 Figure 2 Map of 2008 aerial pest detection flight...........................................................................8 Figure 3 Acres of aspen forest types by 10-year age classes, Ottawa, 2008 ................................16 Figure 4 Location of Ruffed Grouse Monitoring Routes, Ottawa, 2008 ......................................17 Figure 5 Locations of marten on or within one mile of the Ottawa National Forest Proclamation Boundary ........................................................................................................19 Figure 6 Gray wolf population and number of packs in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, 2000- 2008 (data from MDNR) ......................................................................................................29 Figure 7 Map of northeast corner of Ottawa showing areas of jack pine concentration and potential Kirtland's warbler habitat areas..............................................................................33 Figure 8 Locations of requests for federal and private mineral exploration permits....................38 ii Introduction and Forest Plan Overview The Ottawa National Forest (Ottawa) encompasses about one million acres within the western end of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula within six counties: Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Marquette and Ontonagon. The Ottawa land base lies in the transition between the northern boreal forests and eastern deciduous forests. The Ottawa provides a great diversity of species, both flora and fauna, and a wide variety of recreation opportunities. In March 2006, the Ottawa 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) was approved, replacing the 1986 Forest Plan. The Forest Plan provides guidance