BLM • Taos Field Office New Mexico New Mexico • Taos Field Office New Mexico • Taos Field Office May 23, 2014 23, May Taos Field Office TaosField 226 Cruz Road Alta 226 Scoping Report Taos, New Mexico 87571 Mexico Taos,New Resource Management Plan Río Grande del Norte National Monument National Norte del Río Grande New Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Purpose and Need for the Plan ................................................................................................................. 4 Description of the Monument Objects ..................................................................................................... 4 Description of the Planning Area .............................................................................................................. 8 Types of Planning Decisions ...................................................................................................................... 9 Collaborative Planning Process ................................................................................................................... 10 Scoping Process ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Public Scoping Meetings ......................................................................................................................... 11 Written Scoping Comments .................................................................................................................... 11 Cooperating Agencies ............................................................................................................................. 12 Tribal Consultation .................................................................................................................................. 13 Public Comments and Planning Issues ........................................................................................................ 14 Aviation ................................................................................................................................................... 14 Climate Change ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Consultation and Coordination ............................................................................................................... 17 Cultural and Historical Resources ........................................................................................................... 19 Ecological Diversity ................................................................................................................................. 22 Fire Management .................................................................................................................................... 23 Forestry and Woodland Products ........................................................................................................... 24 Hunting and Trapping ............................................................................................................................. 25 Non-native Species ................................................................................................................................. 26 Inventory and Monitoring ....................................................................................................................... 28 Law Enforcement .................................................................................................................................... 30 Land Tenure ............................................................................................................................................ 32 Mineral Resources .................................................................................................................................. 33 Public Health and Safety ......................................................................................................................... 34 Public Participation ................................................................................................................................. 35 Rangeland Management and Grazing ..................................................................................................... 36 Recreation and Visitor Services .............................................................................................................. 38 Visitor Centers ..................................................................................................................................... 38 Signage and Interpretation ................................................................................................................. 39 Youth and Schoolchildren ................................................................................................................... 41 Hiking Trails ......................................................................................................................................... 41 Trailhead Access .................................................................................................................................. 43 Repairs or general improvements ...................................................................................................... 43 Minimize Development ....................................................................................................................... 43 Hot-Air Balloons .................................................................................................................................. 44 Fly-fishing ............................................................................................................................................ 45 Mountain-biking or cycling ................................................................................................................. 45 Motorized Recreation ......................................................................................................................... 45 Equestrian Use .................................................................................................................................... 46 Birding ................................................................................................................................................. 46 Boating ................................................................................................................................................ 46 Rock-Climbing ..................................................................................................................................... 47 Recreation Management Areas .......................................................................................................... 48 Special Recreation Permits and Events ............................................................................................... 48 Orilla Verde ......................................................................................................................................... 48 New Opportunities .............................................................................................................................. 49 Recreational Shooting ......................................................................................................................... 49 Visitor Use ........................................................................................................................................... 49 Night skies ........................................................................................................................................... 50 Other Recreation Comments .............................................................................................................. 50 Restoration .............................................................................................................................................. 53 Rights-of-way (ROW)............................................................................................................................... 54 Rio Grande Corridor Plan ....................................................................................................................... 57 Riparian Resources .................................................................................................................................. 58 Socioeconomics ...................................................................................................................................... 59 Soils and Water ....................................................................................................................................... 59 Special Status Species ............................................................................................................................. 63 Southwestern willow flycatcher (SWFL) ............................................................................................. 63 Sage-Grouse ........................................................................................................................................ 63 Prairie Dog and Black-footed Ferret ................................................................................................... 64 Bats.....................................................................................................................................................