United States Department of Agriculture Land and Resource Management Plan for the Prescott National Forest Yavapai and Coconino Counties, Arizona Forest Southwestern MB-R3-09-04 June 2015 Service Region Slightly Revised August 2016 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 part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Printed on recycled paper – June 2015 Land and Resource Management Plan for the Prescott National Forest Coconino and Yavapai Counties, Arizona Contents Commonly Used Acronyms ..................................................................................................... iii Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 Location .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Role and Contributions of the Planning Area ......................................................................................... 1 Prescott National Forest Mission and Vision ......................................................................................... 4 Planning Framework ............................................................................................................................... 4 Needs for Change ................................................................................................................................... 5 1987 Plan Direction Included in the Revised Plan ................................................................................. 7 1987 Plan Direction Not Included in the Revised Plan .......................................................................... 7 Decisions Made in the Plan .................................................................................................................... 7 Plan Organization ................................................................................................................................... 8 Concept Descriptions to Improve Reader Understanding in the Revised Plan ....................................... 9 Chapter 2. Forestwide Desired Conditions ............................................................................ 15 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 15 Physical Resources ............................................................................................................................... 16 Biological Resources ............................................................................................................................ 24 Social and Economic Resources ........................................................................................................... 45 Chapter 3. Objectives ............................................................................................................... 55 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 55 Vegetation............................................................................................................................................. 56 Recreation ............................................................................................................................................. 60 Watersheds ........................................................................................................................................... 64 Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat .............................................................................................. 66 Open Space, Land Adjustment, and Scenic Values .............................................................................. 68 Chapter 4. Standards and Guidelines ..................................................................................... 71 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 71 Physical Resources ............................................................................................................................... 72 Biological Resources ............................................................................................................................ 74 Social and Economic Resources ........................................................................................................... 81 Chapter 5. Management Area Direction ................................................................................ 97 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 97 Agua Fria/Crown King Geographic Area ........................................................................................... 100 Agua Fria Management Area .............................................................................................................. 102 Crown King Management Area .......................................................................................................... 103 Prescott/Chino/Drake Geographic Area ............................................................................................. 105 Upper Verde Management Area ......................................................................................................... 106 Williamson Valley North Management Area ..................................................................................... 108 Williamson Valley South Management Area ..................................................................................... 109 Prescott Basin Management Area ....................................................................................................... 110 Verde Valley Geographic Area .......................................................................................................... 112 Verde Valley Management Area ........................................................................................................ 114 Chapter 6. Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................................ 117 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 117 Monitoring Strategy ............................................................................................................................ 118 Chapter 7. Suitability ............................................................................................................. 127 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 127 Timber Suitability ............................................................................................................................... 128 Range Suitability ................................................................................................................................ 129 Recreation Suitability ......................................................................................................................... 133 Land and Resource Management Plan for the Prescott NF i Chapter 8. Additional Plan Direction ................................................................................... 135 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 135 Project Consistency with the Plan ...................................................................................................... 135 Changes to the Plan ............................................................................................................................ 139 Other Sources of Direction ................................................................................................................. 139 List of Preparers ..................................................................................................................... 142 Glossary ................................................................................................................................... 144 References ............................................................................................................................... 152 Appendix A. Maps .................................................................................................................. 155 Appendix B. Proposed