PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGION ECOLOGY PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT FY 2012 http://fsweb.r5.fs.fed.us/pr ogram/ecology/ 2 CONTENTS Photos: R5 Ecology Program in action ………………….. 3 Program overview …………………………………............ 6 Program staff ………………………………………………. 9 Program publications and reports, fy 2012……………… 12 Program major accomplishments and links to USDA and USFS Strategic Goals, and R5 Strategic Priorities, fy 2012…………………………………………… 15 Current external partners …………………………………. 48 Dedicated to the memory of Howard Kuljian 3 3-yr resample of tree regeneration plots, Fire management field trip, Long Fire, Showers Fire, LTBMU Eldorado NF UC -Davis Ecology Graduate Group field Fen monitoring, Lassen NF course, Inyo NF Postfire tree regeneration inventory, 2012 Ecology Program field crew “boot Zaca Fire, Los Padres NF camp” 4 Postfire vegetation inventory, Rich Fire, Ecology Program statistics training, Davis Plumas NF Forest management field trip to Sagehen Dinkey Project CFLRP field day, Sierra NF Field Station, Tahoe NF Monitoring of fire effects on Shasta Interagency old -growth forest snowwreath, Shasta-Trinity NFs management discussion, Emerald Bay State Park, Lake Tahoe Basin 5 Giant sequoia seedling survi val Fuel treatment effectiveness moni - study, Sequoia NF toring, Cougar Fire, Modoc NF International Work Climate change monitoring, Serra dos Reviewin g fuel treatment network in the Órgãos National Park, Brazil Jerusalem Hills, Israel 3rd International Climate Change and Mediterranean shrubland restoration field Natural Resource Management Seminar, visit, Valencia, Spain participants from 25 countries 6 R-5 Regional Ecology Program Ecology Program Mission Statement assist in development of Regional ecological priorities as they pertain to the “To provide leadership and program direction that USDA and USFS Strategic Plan goals and R5 Strategic Priorities incorporates ecological science in the Agency's act as the principal ecological liaison multiple-scale approach to managing natural between USFS Region 5 and other federal resources for sustainability and diverse human and state agencies, research institutions, needs. NGOs, the public and media provide assistance to the Province To facilitate understanding, development and Ecologists in the form of funding, technical appropriate use of ecological principles for Agency expertise, and logistical support activities such as landscape analysis and provide assistance and ecological input to bioregional and forest assessments for assessment, land management planning, inventory Forest Plan processes and monitoring, and project implementation.” develop and steward applicable Regional and National standards R5 Program Overview review Ecology Program work plans and The Region 5 Ecology Program provides products aid in the recruitment of qualified products and expertise fundamental to candidates for ecology positions sustainable, science-based, multiple-use land Regionwide management in the Pacific Southwest. The represent Region 5 and the Regional Program’s principal purpose is to ensure and Ecology Program at local, Regional, and enable the application of current ecological National functions and events science to land and resource management on support Region 5 Forests in their the National Forests in California. The Regional interpretation and implementation of the Regional Ecological Restoration initiative Program is headed by a GS-13 Ecologist in the support Region 5 efforts to manage for Regional Office, a GS-11/12 Assistant Regional climate change mitigation and adaptation Ecologist is also stationed in the Regional to coordinate Fire Return Interval office, a GS-12 Province Ecologist is stationed Departure mapping in Region 5 on each of five Provinces (zones of three to serve on the executive committee for the four National Forests), and a cost-share California Fire Science Consortium manage the Research Natural Area (RNA) ecological analyst at the Regional level is co- Program managed with the University of California- manage the Regional Aspen Delineation Davis. Project serve as a technical advisor to bodies such Primary functions at the Regional level as the Regional Forest Planning core include: team, Regional Climate Change Integration Team, and the Sierra Nevada provide expert ecological input and advice Forest Carnivore Conservation Assessment to the Regional Forester, Regional Office staff, and Region 5 Forests and Districts 7 Primary functions at the Province-and Program had fallen continuously since the early Forest-level include: 1990’s, when funding reached or exceeded $1,000,000 per year in 2011 dollars (Fig. 1). provision of expert vegetation & fire Staffing has also dropped significantly, from a ecology input to ecosystem management high of 16 in the mid 1990’s, to six in late and planning (e.g. pre-NEPA consultation, monitoring, ID-Teams) 2011, and 7½ (due to partial funding of Forest training and technology transfer employees) in late 2012. By contrast, the ecological support to restoration planning National Park Service in California increased and implementation the size of its ecology workforce from six in climate change interpretation 1994 to over 35 in 2009 (Fig. 1). The Regional support to fuels treatment planning Ecology Program is a national leader in monitoring design, implementation and analysis attracting funding from external sources (Fig. fire and fire regime modeling and mapping 2). Between 2006 and 2012, the REP more determination of site potentials and than doubled its effective budget by way of ecosystem suitability partner funding, project funding, and grants. development of desired future conditions vegetation classification and mapping The Regional Ecology Program staff (and development of management affiliated Forest and District staff) meet at least interpretations once annually to discuss programs of work, development of state & transition and funding, standards and guidelines, future other stand-dynamics models planning, and topics of current interest. habitat modeling, mapping, and prediction involvement with the California Fire Trainings are held periodically. Annual program Science Consortium at the subregional reviews and annual program of work meetings scale are also held on each Province. Province interaction and collaboration with Forest Ecologists operate under a shared services and District resource staff agreement between the Region and the RNA program coordination for the host Province Forests. Province Ecologists prepare, Forest with assistance of the Regional Ecologist and The Regional Ecology Program (REP) is forest Resource staff, an annual Program of partially supported by a Regional earmark. In Work describing objectives, activities, and fy 2012 total earmark funding came to assistance needed to complete the planned $700,000. Regional funds came from the work; the annual POW is tied to National, following sources: NFIM (33%), WFHF (30%), Regional, and Forest goals and priorities. An NFVW (26%), and NFWF (11%). Province annual meeting (1) to review the previous Ecologists supplement their Regional allocation fiscal year’s accomplishments, and (2) to with Forest-level funding and funding derived negotiate the upcoming fiscal year’s POW, is elsewhere (examples include the California held with the attendance of the Province Energy Commission, USFS State and Private Ecologist, the Regional Ecologist, Resource Forestry, the Tahoe Science Program, Staff officers, and any other interested parties. California Dept. of Fish and Game, the National The final program of work is agreed to by the Fire Plan, and the Joint Fire Sciences Program). Forest Supervisors and RO Director of Until 2010, Regional funding for the Ecology Ecosystem Management. 8 Region 5 Ecology Program Budget and Staffing, 1984-2012 1200 40 35 1000 30 800 25 Budget (2011 $s) 600 20 Ecol Prog Staff Staff NPS ecol staff 15 400 10 200 Thousands of $ (2011 dollars) $ (2011 of Thousands 5 0 0 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 Fiscal year Figure 1. Ecology Program (REP) earmark funding, and number of REP staff, 1984-2012. Number of National Park Service ecologists in California provided for comparison. Ecology Program budget and funding support from external sources, 2006-2012 $4,500,000 Ecol. Prog. earmark $4,000,000 External funds $3,500,000 $3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 $0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total Figure 2. REP earmark funding and funding secured from external sources by the REP, 2006-2012. The REP has more than doubled its effective budget over the last 7 fiscal years through external funding. 9 R5 Regional Ecology Program Staff REGIONAL OFFICE Hugh Safford, Ph.D. Regional Ecologist Pacific Southwest Region 1323 Club Drive Vallejo, CA 94592 Phone: 707-562-8934 Fax: 707-562-9050 Email: [email protected] Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California Davis, CA 95616 Phone: 530-219-0898 Fax: 530-752-3350 Email: [email protected] Sarah Sawyer, Ph.D. Assistant Regional Ecologist Pacific Southwest Region 1323 Club Drive Vallejo, CA 94592 Phone: 707-562-8924 Fax: 707-562-9050 Email: [email protected] NORTHERN PROVINCE Serving Klamath, Shasta-Trinity, Mendocino and Six Rivers National Forests Ramona Butz, Ph.D. Province Ecologist Six Rivers National Forest 1330 Bayshore Avenue Eureka, CA 95501 Phone: 707-441-3584 Email: [email protected] 10 SIERRA-CASCADE PROVINCE Serving Lassen, Modoc and Plumas National Forests Kyle Merriam Province Ecologist Plumas National Forest P.O.