U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Arizona State Office Tucson Field Office July 2003 Approved Las Cienegas Resource Management Plan and Record of Decision The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the balanced management of the public lands and resources and their various values so that they are considered in a combination that will best serve the needs of the American people. Management is based upon the principles of multiple use and sustained yield; a combination of uses that take into account the long term needs of future generations for renewable and nonrenewable resources. These resources include recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, fish and wildlife, wilderness and natural, scenic, scientific, and cultural values. BLM/AZ/PL-03/010 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................1 Las Cienegas National Conservation Area Act .......................................................................... 1 The Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership................................................................................... 3 Changes to the Proposed Las Cienegas RMP/Final EIS............................................................. 5 Protest Resolution.................................................................................................................... 5 Governor Consistency Review ................................................................................................ 5 Section 7 Consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)............................ 5 APPROVED RMP LEVEL DECISIONS .....................................................................................................6 Desired Future Conditions .......................................................................................................... 6 Land Use Allocations................................................................................................................ 12 Special Designations................................................................................................................. 21 Land Tenure Adjustments......................................................................................................... 25 Management Actions ................................................................................................................ 26 DECISION RATIONALE...........................................................................................................................70 Desired Future Condition Objectives........................................................................................ 71 Alternatives Considered............................................................................................................ 74 Environmentally Preferred Alternative..................................................................................... 76 IMPLEMENTATION..................................................................................................................................76 Adaptive Management.............................................................................................................. 77 Administrative Actions ............................................................................................................. 77 Requirements for Further Environmental Analysis .................................................................. 77 Monitoring & Evaluation.......................................................................................................... 78 PLAN MODIFICATION.............................................................................................................................82 Plan Maintenance...................................................................................................................... 82 Plan Amendments ..................................................................................................................... 83 Plan Revision ............................................................................................................................ 83 ABBREVIATIONS.......................................................................................... Inside Back Cover APPENDICES Appendix 1: The Las Cienegas NCA Act ............................................................................A1 - 1 Appendix 2: The Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership Case Study.................................... A2 – 1 Appendix 3: Errata Sheet for the Proposed RMP/EIS........................................................ A3 – 1 Appendix 4: Standard Land Use Plan Decision Numbering Convention........................... A4 – 1 Appendix 5: Biological Opinion Summary ........................................................................ A5 – 1 Appendix 6: ACEC Management Prescriptions ................................................................. A6 – 1 Appendix 7: Las Cienegas Acquisition Strategy ................................................................ A7 – 1 Appendix 8: Integrated Vegetation Treatment Program ..................................................... A8 – 1 Appendix 9: Monitoring Protocols ..................................................................................... A9 – 1 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... R - 1 i. MAPS Map 1: Las Cienegas NCA and Sonoita Valley Acquisition Planning District..................... 2 Map 2: Minerals Management ............................................................................................ 14 Map 3: Utility Corridors...................................................................................................... 15 Map 4: North Half – Route Designations ............................................................................ 17 Map 4 South Half – Route Designations ............................................................................ 18 Map 5: Recreation Management Zones .............................................................................. 19 Map 6: Arizona Trail Route ................................................................................................ 22 Map 7 Grazing Management.............................................................................................. 23 Map 8 Special Designation Areas ...................................................................................... 24 Map 9 Administrative Sites................................................................................................ 27 Map 10 Vegetation Treatments............................................................................................. 29 Map 11 Fence Modifications ............................................................................................... 37 Map 12 Pronghorn Habitat and Fawning Area .................................................................... 39 Map 13 Road Right-of-Way Acquisitions............................................................................ 42 Map 14 North Canyon Motorized Trail Route..................................................................... 48 Map 15 Designated Recreation Sites ................................................................................... 49 Map 16 Existing and Planned Range Improvements ........................................................... 60 Map 17 Livestock Crossing Lanes and Watering Areas ...................................................... 61 TABLES Table 1: Land Ownership: Las Cienegas NCA and Sonoita Valley Acquisition Planning District ...................................................................................................................... 3 Table 2: Pool Habitat and Cover Requirements for Selected Segments in Cienega Creek.. 10 Table 3: Desired Recreation Opportunity Settings ............................................................... 20 Table 4: Livestock Grazing Allocations ............................................................................... 25 Table 5: Designated Road Crossings on Cienega Creekand Empire Gulch ......................... 32 Table 6: Special Recreation Permit Guidance by Recreation Zone...................................... 45 Table 7: Primary Recreation Activities by Zone................................................................... 46 Table 8: Route Maintenance Guidance by Zone................................................................... 50 Table 9: Summary of Anticipated Fencing, Empire-Cienega Allotment.............................. 57 Table 10: Summary of Anticipated Empire-Cienega Allotment Water Developments .......... 58 Table 11: Livestock Crossing Lanes and Watering Areas, Empire-Cienega Allotment ......... 59 Table 12: Vegetation Communities and Associated Wildlife Species .................................... 73 Table 13: Comparison of Vegetation Production under Three Rainfall Regimes and Forage Consumption by Livestock..................................................................................... 75 - ii - INTRODUCTION Las Cienegas National Conservation Area Act The approved Las Cienegas Resource Management Plan (RMP) is a plan for managing The Las Cienegas NCA and SVAPD were 49,000 acres of public land, resources and uses designated by Congress and signed into law by within Las Cienegas National Conservation Area the President on December