Monitoring and Evaluation Report USDA Forest Service Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee Fiscal Year 2017 Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Monitoring and Evaluation Report Fiscal Year 2017 Mission Statement Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area To protect and manage the resources of the Recreation Area for optimum yield of outdoor recreation and environmental education through multiple use management by the Forest Service; to authorize, research, test, and demonstrate innovative programs and cost-effective management of the Recreation Area; to help stimulate the development of the surrounding region; and extend the beneficial results as widely as practicable. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. Page 2 Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Monitoring and Evaluation Report Fiscal Year 2017 Table of Contents Mission Statement ..................................................................................................................... 2 Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area ................................................................. 2 Key Preparers ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 A. Forest Supervisor’s Certification .......................................................................................... 5 B. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 6 C. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. 7 D. Monitoring Results and Evaluations ................................................................................. 10 Goal 1: Prioritize projects to provide the greatest recreation, Environmental Education, and resource stewardship benefits. ....................................................................................................................... 11 Goal 2: Emphasize partnerships and cooperation with citizen groups, community businesses, private corporations, tourism organizations, and government agencies. .............................................................. 15 Goal 3: Utilize a variety of methods and opportunities to provide an Environmental Education message to every visitor. ................................................................................................................................. 36 Goal 4: Manage natural and physical resources, and authorized Forest Service activities, to reduce erosion or deterioration of riparian areas and watershed conditions. ...................................................... 59 Goal 5: Use a collaborative approach to maintain and restore: 1) A diversity of plant and animal communities that support viability of associated plants, fish, and wildlife; and 2) Sustainable levels of habitat and wildlife populations to support public demand for wildlife-related recreation. ................. 69 Goal 6: Demonstrate and widely export innovative, efficient, and effective management techniques that can benefit others. .................................................................................................................................... 94 Goal 7: Enhance dispersed recreational and environmental Education opportunities throughout Land Between the Lakes. ............................................................................................................................. 100 Goal 8: The Land Between the Lakes Area Plan will remain effective and usable and lead to accomplishments that support National Strategic Goals ........................................................................ 128 E. Action Plan ........................................................................................................................ 136 F. Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 137 Appendix 1: Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................................................... 137 Appendix 2: Friends Group Partners ........................................................................................................ 138 Appendix 3a: Annual Heritage Report ...................................................................................................... 140 Appendix 3b: Current List of Priority Heritage Assets (Updated February 2017) ............................. 141 Appendix 4: Plan Amendment.................................................................................................................... 143 Appendix 4: Monitoring Changes .............................................................................................................. 145 Page 3 Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Monitoring and Evaluation Report Fiscal Year 2017 Key Preparers Steve Bloemer Wildlife Program Manager Elizabeth Raikes Wildlife Biologist Yvonne Helton Silviculturist Todd Lerke Fire Management Officer John Westbrook Environmental Stewardship Department Manager Jared Baker Business Performance Department Manager Greg Barnes Social Scientist Specialist Marcie Jones Budget Officer Vacant Communications Department Manager Jeff Laird Customer Service Department Manager Gary Hawkins Recreation Program Manager Darrin Samborski Acting Environmental Education Program Manager Barbara Wysock Area Planner Kyle Varel Natural Resource Specialist-OHV/Trails Jackie Franklin Soil Scientist/Hydrologist Chris Thornock Heritage Program Manager Curtis Fowler Range Technician All program areas were consulted in the development of this report. Page 4 Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Monitoring and Evaluation Report Fiscal Year 2017 B. Introduction Our biennial Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Report summarizes the last two fiscal years’ efforts of implementing our Land and Resource Management Plan (Area Plan). You can find our Area Plan and other document links under the Stewardship tab on our website at www.landbetweenthelakes.us/stewardship/land-resource-management/planning/. We include the 2016 and 2017 fiscal year’s accomplishments and trends for the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. This report emphasizes the findings and conclusions compiled from various monitoring activities and data sources available on Land Between the Lakes. The monitoring and evaluation program serves as an important link between Area Plan implementation and on-the-ground accomplishments. Evaluations in this report serve as a catalyst for any needed changes within the Area Plan or its implementation. The monitoring and evaluation program determines and informs the Area Supervisor about: · Achievement of Goals and Objectives; · Adherence to Design Criteria; · Occurrence of Predicted implementation effects; and · Discovery of emerging or unanticipated issues. The heart of the report is the narrative in Section D focusing on significant items that have driven the conclusions presented. Section D is broken up into eight pieces, one for each of the Area Plan’s eight goals. Each goal includes a table combining, in one location, the desired condition and trend statements, and relevance discussed in the Area Plan. In an effort to make this a meaningful and usable document while still being a manageable size, we have attempted to summarize only the key conclusions within the body of a “monitoring results and evaluations narrative” following each goal’s table. It is important to us that members