United States Department of Agriculture Proposed Action–Revised Forest Plan, Custer Gallatin National Forest Forest Service January 2018 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (for example, Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected] . USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. Cover Photo: Shots across the Custer Gallatin National Forest top left to right–T. Jones, Absaroka- Beartooth Wilderness; M. Leuschen-Lonergan, wildflowers on Chestnut Ridge, Bozeman Ranger District; eagle, T. Jones, view atop Lionhead, T. Orr, Hebgen Lake Ranger District; Bridger Mountains, T. Orr, Bozeman Ranger District; Stillwater Mine, T. Jones Yellowstone and Beartooth Ranger Districts; cattle graze, Long Pines, Sioux Ranger District; whitebark pine seedling, Little Bear Seed Orchard, Bozeman Ranger District; view atop Slim Buttes, Sioux Ranger District. Note: We make every effort to create documents that are accessible to individuals of all abilities; however, limitations with our word processing programs may prevent some parts of this document from being readable by computer-assisted reading devices. If you need assistance with this document, please contact the Custer Gallatin National Forest at (406) 587-6735. Custer Gallatin National Forest Proposed Action—Revised Forest Plan Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 Custer Gallatin National Forest ................................................................................................................. 1 Need for Change ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................................................ 3 Public and Tribal Involvement .................................................................................................................. 3 Purpose of this Land Management Plan ................................................................................................... 4 Plan Structure ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Plan Content ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Distinctive Roles and Contributions within the Broader Landscape ..................................................... 5 Plan Components .................................................................................................................................. 8 Plan Monitoring Program .................................................................................................................... 11 Priority Watersheds ............................................................................................................................ 11 Proposed and Possible Actions ........................................................................................................... 11 Project and Activity Consistency with the Plan ...................................................................................... 11 Determining Consistency .................................................................................................................... 12 Relationship to Other Strategic Guidance .............................................................................................. 12 Rights and Interests ............................................................................................................................ 12 Best Available Science and the Proposed Action ................................................................................ 13 Maintaining the Forest Plan and Adapting to New Information ............................................................ 13 Chapter 2. Proposed Forestwide Direction ................................................................................................. 14 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Vision for the Custer Gallatin National Forest ........................................................................................ 14 Ecosystems .............................................................................................................................................. 15 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Air Quality (AQ) ................................................................................................................................... 15 Soils (SOIL) ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Watershed, Aquatic, and Riparian Ecosystems .................................................................................. 19 Watershed and Aquatics (WTR) ...................................................................................................... 20 Riparian Management Zones (RMZ) ............................................................................................... 23 Conservation Watershed Network (CWN) ...................................................................................... 26 Terrestrial Vegetation (VEGT) ............................................................................................................. 26 At-Risk Plant Species (PRISK) ........................................................................................................... 27 Forested Vegetation (VEGF) ............................................................................................................ 29 Other Vegetation (VEGNF) .............................................................................................................. 37 i Custer Gallatin National Forest Proposed Action—Revised Forest Plan Forest Products and Plant Materials (FP) ....................................................................................... 41 Fire and Fuels (FIRE) ........................................................................................................................ 42 Carbon Storage and Sequestration (CARB) ..................................................................................... 43 Invasive Species (INV) ......................................................................................................................... 43 Wildlife (WL) ....................................................................................................................................... 46 Wildlife Species at Risk.................................................................................................................... 47 Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, Candidate Wildlife Species (WLTEPC) .................................. 47 Canada Lynx (WLLX) .................................................................................................................... 48 Wolverine (WLWV) ..................................................................................................................... 48 Northern Long-eared Bat (WLNLB) ............................................................................................. 49 Species of Conservation Concern.................................................................................................... 49 Prairie Dogs (WLPD) ...................................................................................................................