National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Capitol Reef National Park July 2018 Capitol Reef National Park Livestock Grazing and Trailing Management Plan and Environmental Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page CHAPTER 1: PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION .............................................................. 1-1 Purpose and Need ...................................................................................................................... 1-1 Livestock Grazing and Trailing in Capitol Reef ....................................................................... 1-1 Planning Area ............................................................................................................................ 1-5 Rangeland Condition Assessments ........................................................................................... 1-5 Desired Conditions .................................................................................................................... 1-5 Impact Topics Identified Through Scoping ............................................................................... 1-6 CHAPTER 2: ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................................ 2-1 Alternative 1 (No Action) ......................................................................................................... 2-1 Sandy 3 Allotment Grazing .......................................................................................... 2-1 Livestock Trailing ........................................................................................................ 2-3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ....................................................................... 2-5 General Administration of Livestock Grazing and Trailing......................................... 2-5 Alternative 2 (NPS Preferred Alternative) ................................................................................ 2-5 Sandy 3 Allotment Grazing .......................................................................................... 2-5 Livestock Trailing ........................................................................................................ 2-8 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ....................................................................... 2-9 General Administration of Livestock Grazing and Trailing....................................... 2-13 Invasive Vegetation Management .............................................................................. 2-13 Alternatives Eliminated from Detailed Analysis ..................................................................... 2-14 Discontinue Grazing or Trailing ................................................................................ 2-14 Alternative Grazing Locations ................................................................................... 2-14 Grand Canyon Trust and Great Old Broads for Wilderness Alternative .................... 2-14 CHAPTER 3: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................. 3-1 Soils ........................................................................................................................................... 3-1 Upland and Riparian Vegetation Communities ......................................................................... 3-4 Riparian and Wetland Vegetation ................................................................................ 3-8 Invasive Plant Species ................................................................................................ 3-11 Vegetation Communities and Climate Change Predictions ....................................... 3-12 Water Resources ...................................................................................................................... 3-13 Special Status Species ............................................................................................................. 3-18 Wright Fishhook Cactus ............................................................................................. 3-19 Winkler Cactus ........................................................................................................... 3-21 Last Chance Townsendia ........................................................................................... 3-23 Mexican Spotted Owls and Designated Critical Habitat ............................................ 3-25 Migratory and Resident Birds ................................................................................................. 3-29 Migratory Bird Species of Concern ........................................................................... 3-32 Birds in Capitol Reef National Park and Climate Change ......................................... 3-33 Wilderness ............................................................................................................................... 3-33 Permittee Traditional Uses and Socioeconomics .................................................................... 3-36 Sandy 3 Allotment ...................................................................................................... 3-38 Trailing Permit Holders .............................................................................................. 3-38 Capitol Reef National Park Livestock Grazing and Trailing Management Plan i Environmental Assessment July 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 4: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ................................................................. 4-1 Cumulative Impacts ...................................................................................................... 4-1 Soils ........................................................................................................................................... 4-3 Impacts under Alternative 1 .......................................................................................... 4-3 Impacts under Alternative 2 .......................................................................................... 4-7 Upland and Riparian Vegetation Associations ........................................................................ 4-12 Impacts under Alternative 1 ........................................................................................ 4-12 Impacts under Alternative 2 ........................................................................................ 4-20 Water Resources ...................................................................................................................... 4-25 Impacts under Alternative 1 ........................................................................................ 4-25 Impacts under Alternative 2 ........................................................................................ 4-29 Special Status Species .............................................................................................................. 4-32 Special Status Plants ................................................................................................... 4-32 Mexican Spotted Owls ................................................................................................ 4-42 Migratory and Resident Birds .................................................................................................. 4-49 Impacts under Alternative 1 ........................................................................................ 4-49 Impacts under Alternative 2 ........................................................................................ 4-58 Wilderness ............................................................................................................................... 4-64 Impacts under Alternative 1 ........................................................................................ 4-64 Impacts under Alternative 2 ........................................................................................ 4-66 Permittee Traditional Uses and Socioeconomics ..................................................................... 4-69 Impacts under Alternative 1 ........................................................................................ 4-69 Impacts under Alternative 2 ........................................................................................ 4-70 CHAPTER 5: LIST OF AGENCIES AND PERSONS CONSULTED ........................................... 5-1 Cooperating Agency Involvement ............................................................................................. 5-1 Agency Consultation .................................................................................................................. 5-1 Endangered Species Act ............................................................................................... 5-1 National Historic Preservation Act ............................................................................... 5-1 Tribal Consultation .................................................................................................................... 5-2 Distribution List ......................................................................................................................... 5-3 Federal Departments and Agencies .............................................................................. 5-3 State Government ......................................................................................................... 5-4 County and Local Agencies 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