Working Version 1.0 Protocol for Developing Terrestrial Ecosystem Current Landscape Condition Assessments for the Rocky Mountain Region of the USDA Forest Service Technical Coordinator: Claudia Regan Regional Landscape Ecologist Terrestrial Ecosystem Assessment Team: Dean Erhard, Dan Kashian, Sigrid Resh, and Jennifer Ross Contributors: Bernie Bornong, Dean Erhard, Julie Grode, Mark Hatcher, Greg Hayward, Kent Houston, Nancy McDonald, David Shadis, and Jim Thinnes Editors: Bob Hamre and Molly Welker 3/21/2005 1 Working Version 1.0 Team Members Bernie Bornong Dr. Greg Hayward Dr. Sigrid Resh Forest Silviculturist Regional Wildlife Ecologist Forest Ecologist Bighorn National Forest Rocky Mountain Region Affiliate Faculty 2013 Eastside 2nd Street USDA Forest Service Dept. of Forest, Rangeland, Sheridan, WY 82801 740 Simms Street and Watershed Stewardship Golden, CO 80401 Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523 Dean Erhard Kent Houston Jennifer Ross Ecologist Soils Scientist/Ecologist GIS Analyst Rio Grande National Forest Shoshone National Forest Rocky Mountain Region 1803 West Highway 160 808 Meadow Lane USDA Forest Service Monte Vista, CO 81144 Cody, WY 82414-4516 740 Simms Street Golden, CO 80401 Julie Grode Dr. Dan Kashian David Shadis Wildlife Biologist Post-doctoral Fellow National Fire Plan Ecologist White River National Forest Dept. of Forest, Rangeland, Rocky Mountain Region P.O. Box 948 and Watershed Stewardship USDA Forest Service Glenwood Springs, CO 81602 Colorado State University 740 Simms Street Fort Collins, CO 80523 Golden, CO 80401 Bob Hamre Nancy McDonald Jim Thinnes Technical editor (retired) Writer/Editor Timber Program Manager and Rocky Mountain Research Rocky Mountain Region Forest Silviculturist Station USDA Forest Service White River National Forest 240 W. Prospect Road 740 Simms Street P.O. Box 948 Fort Collins, CO 80525 Golden, CO 80401 Glenwood Springs, CO 81602 Mark Hatcher Dr. Claudia Regan Molly Welker Range Conservationist Regional Landscape Ecologist Technical Writer/Editor Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Rocky Mountain Region 2150B Centre Ave. Gunnison National Forests USDA Forest Service Stop 2E6 2250 Highway 50 740 Simms Street Fort Collins, CO 80526 Delta, CO 81416-8723 Golden, CO 80401 3/21/2005 2 Working Version 1.0 Preface The Species Conservation Project is a strategic effort by the Rocky Mountain Region of the USDA Forest Service to provide rigorous scientific tools that support ecological conservation on the National Forests and Grasslands. Such tools will allow us to create management programs that are explicitly designed to enhance the viability of at-risk plant and animal species and the integrity of ecosystems. The Species Conservation Project is conducting species assessments of about 300 at-risk plants and animals and ecosystem assessments of multi-scaled ecological units. Ecosystem assessments are being done for both terrestrial and aquatic-riparian-wetland systems. Synthesis models will blend the results of both types of assessments to support the analysis of ecological tradeoffs and the development of conservation options. Terrestrial ecosystem assessments define historic and current patterns of vegetation communities and landscapes, effects of natural and human disturbances, and ecological risks and restoration options. Terrestrial ecosystem assessments have two parts: historic range of variation assessments and current landscape condition assessments. Leading ecologists are writing Historic Range of Variation Assessments for 10 large ecological subregions and 4 key ecosystem types in the Region. Forest Service specialists are conducting the Current Landscape Condition Assessments on a few large ecological subregions per year. This protocol describes how to conduct a Current Landscape Condition Assessment. It comprises four principal parts (in addition to several appendices): • Chapter 1 is the introduction, which covers concepts, the regional approach, components, and goals. • Chapter 2 describes the general information on the assessment approach including the conceptual background for the ecological drivers, the importance of landscape ecology, and the scale terminology and concepts. • Chapter 3 explains the content of the assessment through seven modules, and describes how to assess specific ecological factors, define the data sources and analytical methods, the relevance to management applications, and a synthesis. • Chapter 4 defines the implementing criteria to address cooperator selection, interagency involvement, data management, publication, and timelines. This protocol and the assessments are intended to be living documents. They will be updated as additional experience is gained and as new knowledge arises. Eventually, the protocol will be peer reviewed and published. However, this current version is a working draft that will be updated and improved through the SCP Change Management Process. 3/21/2005 3 Working Version 1.0 Table of Contents TEAM MEMBERS....................................................................................................................... 2 PREFACE...................................................................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................ 9 TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS ............................................................ 12 HISTORIC RANGE OF VARIATION ASSESSMENTS........................................................................ 12 CURRENT LANDSCAPE CONDITION ............................................................................................ 16 ASSESSMENTS............................................................................................................................ 16 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROTOCOL.................................................................................................. 18 CHAPTER 2 GENERAL INFORMATION ON ASSESSMENT APPROACH 19 CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................... 19 Ecological Drivers................................................................................................................ 19 LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY ............................................................................................................... 20 SCALE TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTS ...................................................................................... 20 HIERARCHY OF ECOLOGICAL UNITS .......................................................................................... 26 SCOPE OF THE ASSESSMENT....................................................................................................... 34 Rationale for Assessment Organization................................................................................ 39 Data Sources and Analytical Considerations....................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 3 ASSESSMENT CONTENT........................................................................ 42 ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT OF THE ASSESSMENT AREA.............................. 42 EXISTING VEGETATION CONDITION........................................................................................... 49 Module 3A: Forests and Woodlands..................................................................................... 49 Module 3B: Grasslands and Shrublands .............................................................................. 49 INFLUENCES ON LANDSCAPE CONDITION................................................................................... 54 Module 4A: Wildfire, Insects, and Disease.......................................................................... 54 Module 4B: Management of Forest and Woodland Ecosystems ......................................... 60 Module 4C: Management of Grassland and Shrubland Ecosystems................................... 63 Module 4D: Invasive Plant Species ..................................................................................... 66 Module 4E: Roads and Trails.............................................................................................. 73 Module 4F: Recreation and Exurban Development Patterns.............................................. 76 Module 4G: Minerals, Oil, and Gas Exploration and Extraction ....................................... 79 LANDSCAPE PATTERNS .............................................................................................................. 79 Module 5A: Forest and Woodland....................................................................................... 79 Module 5B: Grassland and Shrubland ................................................................................ 85 AREAS OF SPECIAL BIODIVERSITY SIGNIFICANCE...................................................................... 90 SYNTHESIS ................................................................................................................................. 93 Defining Ecological Integrity (file to be inserted) ..................................................................... 93 Mapping Ecological Integrity............................................................................................... 93 Mapping Reference Landscapes ........................................................................................... 98 Identifying Information Needs ...........................................................................................