United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Intermountain Region Uinta 2003 Land and Resource National Forest Management Plan May 2003 Uinta National Forest National Forests in Utah Map JPG (103 KB) PDF (181 KB) Uinta National Forest 2003 Land and Resource Management Plan Juab, Sanpete, Tooele, Utah, and Wasatch Counties, Utah Lead Agency: Uinta National Forest USDA Forest Service Supervisor’s Office 88 West 100 North P.O. Box 1428 Provo, Utah 84603-1428 (801) 377-5780 Responsible Official: Jack Troyer, Regional Forester Intermountain Region USDA Forest Service 324 25th Street Ogden, Utah 84401 (801) 625-5605 For More Information Contact: Peter W. Karp, Forest Supervisor Uinta National Forest USDA Forest Service 88 West 100 North P.O. Box 1428 Provo, Utah 84603-1428 (801) 377-5780 May 2003 2003 Forest Plan Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS User’s Guide .................................................................................................................. v CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Forward ............................................................................................................. 1-1 Background ....................................................................................................... 1-1 Purpose of the Forest Plan................................................................................ 1-2 Relationship to Other Documents...................................................................... 1-2 Implementing the Forest Plan............................................................................ 1-3 Project-level Decisions ...................................................................................... 1-3 Valid Outstanding Rights ................................................................................... 1-4 Operational Activities Exempt from NEPA......................................................... 1-5 Exemption for Wheelchairs................................................................................ 1-6 Public Involvement ............................................................................................ 1-6 Budget Formulation ........................................................................................... 1-6 Forest Plan Amendment and Revision .............................................................. 1-7 Integration with the Directives System............................................................... 1-8 Draft Rules and Policies .................................................................................... 1-8 Coordination with Others ................................................................................... 1-8 CHAPTER 2: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Summary of Forest-wide Goals ......................................................................... 2-1 Physical Environment ........................................................................................ 2-2 Biological Environment ...................................................................................... 2-5 Social/Economic Environment......................................................................... 2-16 CHAPTER 3: STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES User’s Guide to the Standards and Guidelines.................................................. 3-1 Physical Environment Aquatic and Riparian Habitat Management ............................................ 3-2 Cave Resource Management ................................................................. 3-3 Mineral and Energy Resource Management........................................... 3-4 Soil and Water Resource Management .................................................. 3-8 Biological Environment Wildlife and Fish Habitat Management ................................................. 3-11 Fire Management.................................................................................. 3-14 Noxious Weeds Management............................................................... 3-15 Vegetation Management....................................................................... 3-17 Timber Management............................................................................. 3-20 Social/Economic Environment i Table of Contents 2003 Forest Plan Energy Transmission, Utility, and Communication Corridors and Sites Management......................................................................................... 3-24 Grazing Management ........................................................................... 3-25 Lands and Property Boundary Management ........................................ 3-28 Recreation Management....................................................................... 3-29 Scenery Management........................................................................... 3-31 Special Uses Management................................................................... 3-31 Transportation Management................................................................. 3-32 Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) ........................................................ 3-35 Management Prescriptions.............................................................................. 3-37 CHAPTER 4: MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS Introduction........................................................................................................ 4-1 Management Prescriptions................................................................................ 4-1 CHAPTER 5: MANAGEMENT AREA DESCRIPTIONS AND DESIRED FUTURE CONDITIONS Desired Future Conditions for All Management Areas....................................... 5-1 Forest-wide Map of All Management Areas....................................................... 5-9 American Fork Management Area................................................................... 5-11 Currant Creek Management Area.................................................................... 5-26 Deer Creek Reservoir Management Area ....................................................... 5-38 Diamond Fork Management Area.................................................................... 5-49 Hobble Creek Management Area .................................................................... 5-63 Lower Provo Management Area...................................................................... 5-75 Mona Management Area ................................................................................. 5-89 Nephi Management Area................................................................................. 5-99 Payson Management Area ............................................................................ 5-110 Strawberry Reservoir Management Area ...................................................... 5-122 Thistle Management Area ............................................................................. 5-136 Upper Provo Management Area.................................................................... 5-146 Upper Spanish Fork Canyon Management Area........................................... 5-157 Vernon Management Area ............................................................................ 5-169 West Fork Duchesne Management Area....................................................... 5-181 West Sheeprock Management Area.............................................................. 5-192 White River Management Area...................................................................... 5-203 Willow Creek Management Area ................................................................... 5-214 CHAPTER 6: MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN Over View.......................................................................................................... 6-1 Evaluation and Monitoring Strategy................................................................... 6-2 Forest Land and Resource Plan Evaluation and Reports.................................. 6-3 Monitoring Element............................................................................................ 6-4 ii 2003 Forest Plan Table of Contents Monitoring Strategy ........................................................................................... 6-5 APPENDIX A: APPLICABLE MANAGEMENT DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE Forest Service Manuals and Handbooks...........................................................A-1 Other Forest Service Direction ..........................................................................A-3 National Direction ..............................................................................................A-3 Statutes .............................................................................................................A-3 Regulations........................................................................................................A-6 Executive Orders...............................................................................................A-7 Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the State of Utah................................A-7 Guidance and Direction Specific to the Uinta National Forest ...........................A-8 APPENDIX B: MANAGEMENT INDICATOR SPECIES (MIS) ...................................B-1 APPENDIX C: RECOMMENDED RAPTOR BUFFERS ............................................ C-1 APPENDIX D: RIPARIAN HABITAT CONSERVATION AREA CRITERIA .............. D-1 APPENDIX E: MAPS Deer Winter Range............................................................................................E-1 Elk Winter Range...............................................................................................E-2