State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation Department of Fish and Wildlife Coolidge West Management Unit Long Range Management Plan Including lands of: Coolidge State Forest (west of Route 100) Plymsbury Wildlife Management Area Tiny Pond Wildlife Management Area Prepared by: Rutland North Stewardship Team July 2008 Approved: _______________________________________________ ________________ Jonathan Wood, Commissioner, FPR Date Approved: _______________________________________________ _________________ Wayne Laroche, Commissioner, F&W Date Approved: _______________________________________________ _________________ George Crombie, ANR Secretary Date July 2008 Dear Friends of Coolidge West Management Unit, Periodically Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) staff members, interested stakeholders, and the public review changes in ownership size, ownership goals and objectives, resource base, public sentiment, and greater scientific understanding relative to ANR holdings. This process is referred to as long-range management planning (LRMP) and results in the update of management practices for these public lands. The process of updating management of Coolidge State Forest, Plymsbury Wildlife Management Area and Tiny Pond Wildlife Management Area – collectively known as the Coolidge West Management Unit (CWMU) – began in 2000. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who came to public meetings, offered opinions, and made comments during this period. The plan is better as a result of your input. In addition, through this letter, we hope to provide an overview of how the plan was developed. It was a complex and lengthy process, and this letter will give you some insight regarding all the steps and activities involved. It is the result of a thoughtful, deliberate process that involved the blending of resource data, legal considerations, department and agency missions, ownership objectives, and input and participation from the public and friends of CWMU. This update of management for the CWMU lands was prompted by many factors, including the following: • Acquisition of nearly 6500 acres to Coolidge State Forest and 739 acres to Tiny Pond WMA with complicated easements. • Adoption of a broader, landscape context review of ANR lands to ensure that a variety of uses are made available on a regional basis. • Increased ability to provide significant wildlife corridors in this area of the state. • Increased desire for use of these lands for activities such as cross-country skiing. • Increasing conflicts between users and/or uses such as a) between motorized and non-motorized users in winter; and b) timber harvest truck traffic impacts on neighbors. • Improvements in scientific understanding of natural resources and impacts on them by various uses. The planning process began with data collection. A number of resource inventories and assessments were conducted including analysis of natural communities, wildlife and wildlife habitat, legal constraints and easement considerations, and road infrastructure as well as historic, recreation, and timber resources. Next the district stewardship team gathered initial public involvement and synthesized this information resulting in the formulation of management strategies and actions for CWMU. Layout of the plan belies that process and begins with an overview of the resource followed by the Land Classification and outline of management strategies and actions. The detailed resource analysis can be found in the appendix. Elements of the plan discussed below include inventories, assessments, assignment of categories (classification), and management strategies. We have chosen certain resources as the focus of this letter, as they were the source of most of the concern throughout the planning process. Plan Highlights Public Involvement A number of public meetings were held by the Rutland Stewardship Team during the course of the planning effort. Every effort was made to incorporate suggestions and comments into the plan to resolve user conflicts and create opportunities that were compatible with ANR and Department missions, ANR management principles and stewardship goals for the property. Inventories and Assessments The inventory and assessment phase is a critical first step in long-range management plan development. Several inventory and assessment techniques were used during this planning effort with highlights of new assessment tools listed below. Concepts used in this planning effort are in line with protocols approved by the ANR. These concepts are described in greater detail within the plan. Natural Communities Natural communities are widely recognized as an effective tool for inventorying and mapping biological resources as an aid to land managers seeking to understand and conserve most or all of the species that naturally occur on a given parcel of land. Conducting inventories of natural communities is, therefore, an important tool for use by agencies that manage public resources. Recreational Opportunity Spectrum The Recreational Opportunity Spectrum (ROS), developed by the US Forest Service and modified for use on eastern forest lands, was used to better understand the range and quality of recreational experiences available on CWMU lands and elsewhere in the region. It helped to outline areas of different recreational experience expectations based in part on terrain, existing uses, current infrastructure, and relation to public roads and developed areas. Use of the system will result in better informed management decisions. Other resource assessments conducted for this planning effort included: • Historic Resources – detailed analysis of historic resources on CWMU. • Legal Constraints – review of deeds, funding conditions, long-term leases and licenses, and conservation easements that affect the management of these lands. • Timber – a detailed forest inventory conducted between 1999 and 2003 serves as the basis for this assessment. Provides detailed information on the timber resource in preparation for development of timber sale prescriptions. • Forest Roads – roads were inventoried and mapped using GIS/GPS technology. • Natural Area – a brief assessment of the three legally designated Natural Areas on Coolidge State Forest. • Water Resources – a brief analysis of the water resources on these parcels. • Wildlife –detailed review of wildlife and wildlife habitats found on these lands. • Trails – inventoried and marked as a part of the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum Analysis. Land Management Classification and Management Strategies After inventories and assessments are completed, the lands, resources, and facilities held by the Agency of Natural Resources are evaluated and assigned to appropriate Agency Land Management Classification categories based upon knowledge and understanding of resources and appropriate levels of management. The four categories are Highly Sensitive Management (23% of CWMU lands); Special Management (31%); General Management (37%); and Intensive Management (9%). This serves as a zoning of land with activities ranging from passive and non-motorized in the Highly Sensitive to intensive, developed recreation in the Intensive Management Area. Management strategies are included for all the resources found in each of the management categories. In addition, management strategies for each resource category are presented. The following sections of this letter present highlights of management for the CWMU. Recreation Management Strategies Opportunities for a variety of recreational experiences will continue to be provided on these lands including many miles of hiking, snowmobile, and cross-country ski trails. In addition, mountain biking and downhill skiing activities will continue within the Killington Ski Resort leasehold area. Hunting, fishing, primitive camping and snowshoeing opportunities are also available on this large block of public land. However, despite its nearly 20,000 acres, CWMU is not able to provide for the diversity, quality and character of recreational opportunities requested of it. The use of the Recreational Opportunity Spectrum helped to outline areas of different recreational experience expectations based in part on terrain, existing uses, current infrastructure, and relation to public roads and developed areas. Opportunities were also limited by legal restrictions and conservation easements on a number of parcels. Motorized and non-motorized recreational uses have not always been compatible on CWMU. That situation, with respect to winter uses, came to light during the public input process. The noise of snowmobiles makes their impact more widespread than can otherwise be addressed by merely separating trails. However, a combination of resource inventory and public consensus offer a possible solution and compromise. Careful consideration of this conflict in the context of the Land Management Classification resulted in the designation of the former Bessenyey lands as a non-motorized recreation area. While all visitors will share a parking area and initial trail access, this designation, will permit cross-country skiers and snowshoers an experience that is “quieter” and without shared motorized use. Parking availability was another concern discussed during the planning process. After hosting a public meeting and receiving input on the topic it was determined that although filled to capacity at times during busy winter weekends, parking opportunities are currently adequate to meet needs and expansion