%XUQV'LVWULFW2I¿FH BLM Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Burns District Planning Update Fiscal Year 2011-13 As the Nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, SURWHFWLQJRXU¿VKDQGZLOGOLIH preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interest of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in Island Territories under U.S. administration. 2011 - 2013 Planning Update Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................5 What You Can Find In This Document ................................................5 Summary Of Work Accomplishments .................................................7 Table S-1: Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area and Andrews Management Unit Resource Management Plans Planning Areas, Summary of Resource Management Actions, Directions, and Accomplishments ............................ 10 Summary Of Work ............................................................... 16 Terrestrial Habitat And Species Management ........................................ 16 Botanical ....................................................................16 Planned for 2013 ..............................................................17 Planned Work for 2013 .........................................................18 Wildlife And Special Status Species .................................................18 Completed Work for FY11 and FY12...............................................18 Planned Work for FY13 .........................................................20 Riparian, Fish And Water Quality....................................................20 Completed Work for FY11 and FY12...............................................20 Planned Work for FY13 .........................................................22 Noxious Weed Program ......................................................... 23 Completed Work for FY11 .......................................................23 Education/Awareness Events: ..................................................23 Cooperative Projects: ........................................................24 Biocontrol Projects: ..........................................................24 Research Projects: ..........................................................24 Highlights of the Grant County CWMA in FY11 included: .............................25 In addition, the following weed program activities occurred on the Burns District in FY11:....25 Completed Work for FT12 .......................................................26 HC CWMA Projects in FY12 include:.............................................26 Education/Awareness Events: ..................................................26 On-the-Ground Weed Projects .................................................26 Biocontrol Projects: ..........................................................26 Research Projects: ..........................................................26 In addition, the following weed program activities occurred on the Burns District in FY12:.... 26 Planned Work for FY13 .........................................................28 Projected acreages include: ...................................................28 Special Areas ................................................................. 28 Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area.........................28 Completed Trail Maintenance ....................................................30 Completed Fence Removal ......................................................31 Cultural Resources Programs .................................................... 33 National Register Sites Managed .................................................33 Site Restoration, Stabilization, and Protection .......................................35 Archaeological Inventories ......................................................35 Clovis Quest Inventory: ..................................................... 35 Archaeological Site Research ....................................................36 Paleontological Inventories ......................................................36 Interpretation Activities .........................................................36 Recreation ................................................................... 37 Planned Work for FY13 ....................................................... 42 Woodland And Forest Management ................................................ 42 Planned Work for FY13 ....................................................... 43 3 %XUQV'LVWULFW2I¿FH Minerals ..................................................................... 43 Planned Work for FY13 ....................................................... 45 Lands Tenure Adjustments, Access, And Rights-Of-Way ................................ 46 Completed Work for FY11 ..................................................... 47 Completed Work for FY12 ..................................................... 47 Planned Work for FY13 ....................................................... 48 Hazardous Materials .............................................................48 Completed Work for FY11 .......................................................48 Completed Work for FY12 .......................................................49 Planned Work for FY13 .........................................................49 :LOG¿UH$QG)XHOV.............................................................. 49 Preparedness Program .........................................................49 Prevention Program............................................................49 Fire Planning Program..........................................................50 Stabilization and Rehabilitation Planning ...........................................50 Agreements..................................................................50 Fire Suppression ............................................................ 51 Fuels Management Program .....................................................51 Burns District Hazardous Fuels Program Summary .................................. 52 Planned Work for FY13 ....................................................... 56 Law Enforcement .............................................................. 57 Planned Work for FY13 ....................................................... 58 Wild Horse And Burro Program ................................................... 58 Volunteers And Outreach..........................................................60 NEPA Register..................................................................63 Litigation ....................................................................80 Burns District Rangeland Program Summary ............................................81 Three Rivers Resource Area – Completed Work for FY11 ................................81 Three Rivers Resource Area – Completed Work for FY12 ............................... 87 Three Rivers Resource Area - Planned Work for FY13 ................................. 93 Andrews/Steens Resource Area - Completed Work for FY11 .............................100 Andrews/Steens Resource Area - Completed Work for FY12 ........................... 102 Appenedices Acronym/Abbreviation Guide .................................................... 109 Plan Maintenance:.............................................................. 111 Appendix CX ..................................................................175 4 2011 - 2013 Planning Update Introduction This Planning Update is part of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s commitment to keep you in­ formed of the management of public lands in southeastern Oregon. Planning Updates, like this one, are published periodically, usually on an annual basis for all BLM Districts in Oregon and Washington. It is our hope this update will help you understand land management decisions and current proposals occurring within the BLM’s Burns District; including Three Rivers and Andrews/Steens Resource Areas (RA). This document is not intended to be a comprehensive description of all activities, but rather a summary of land use plan implementation activities completed in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, FY12, and activities planned for FY13. Burns District manages over three million acres of public lands located primarily in Harney County (south­ eastern Oregon) and is divided into two RAs: Andrews/Steens RA and Three Rivers RA. The two RAs are further divided into lands contained within the boundary of Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area (CMPA) and those outside the boundary; in Andrews/Steens RA, the latter is referred to as Andrews Management Unit (AMU). The two RAs differ in the major types of management activities that occur due to differences in types of natural resource values present. Previous Planning Update documents are available in hardcopy or electronically on the Burns District’s Plans and Projects Web page at http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns/plans/index.php What You Can Find In This Document