United States Department of Agriculture Revised Draft Land Management Plan for the Sequoia National Forest Fresno, Kern, and Tulare Counties, California Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region R5-MB-320 2019 Cover: Image of Lower Kern River Canyon on the Sequoia National Forest. 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 (such as 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. We make every effort to create documents that are accessible to individuals of all abilities; however, limitations with our word processing programs may prevent some parts of this document from being readable by computer- assisted reading devices. If you need assistance with any part of this document, please contact the Sequoia National Forest at (559) 784-1500. 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. El USDA es un proveedor, empleador y prestamista que ofrece igualdad de oportunidad. Revised Draft Land Management Plan for the Sequoia National Forest Fresno, Kern, and Tulare Counties, California Responsible Official: Teresa Benson Forest Supervisor Sequoia National Forest 1839 South Newcomb Street Porterville, CA 93257 (559) 784-1500 For more information contact: Nina Hemphill Acting Forest Planner (559) 784-1500 Contents Chapter 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Location ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Distinctive Roles and Contributions of the Plan Area ................................................................. 1 Purpose of the Forest Plan ........................................................................................................... 5 Adaptive Planning ....................................................................................................................... 6 Plan Structure .............................................................................................................................. 6 Plan Components ......................................................................................................................... 7 Other Plan Content ...................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2. Forestwide Desired Conditions and Management Direction ........................................ 11 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 11 Ecological Sustainability and Diversity of Plant and Animal Communities ............................. 11 Air .......................................................................................................................................... 11 Watershed Conditions ............................................................................................................ 13 Desired Conditions ................................................................................................................. 14 Terrestrial Ecosystems ........................................................................................................... 23 Animal and Plant Species ....................................................................................................... 47 Invasive Species ..................................................................................................................... 63 Fire ......................................................................................................................................... 65 Social and Economic Sustainability and Multiple Uses ............................................................ 72 Sustainable Recreation ........................................................................................................... 72 Scenery ................................................................................................................................... 75 Timber .................................................................................................................................... 77 Range ..................................................................................................................................... 79 Tribal Relations and Uses ...................................................................................................... 82 Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................. 83 Local Communities ................................................................................................................ 85 Volunteers, Interpretation, Partnerships, and Stewardship .................................................... 85 Geology and Minerals ............................................................................................................ 87 Energy .................................................................................................................................... 88 Infrastructure .......................................................................................................................... 88 Lands ...................................................................................................................................... 89 Chapter 3. Area-specific Desired Conditions and Management Direction .................................... 91 Management Areas .................................................................................................................... 91 Wildlife Habitat ...................................................................................................................... 91 South Fork Wildlife Area ....................................................................................................... 93 Conservation Watersheds ....................................................................................................... 93 Sustainable Recreation ........................................................................................................... 95 Recommended Wilderness ..................................................................................................... 98 Eligible or Recommended Wild and Scenic Rivers ............................................................... 99 Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail ...................................................................................... 100 Designated Areas ..................................................................................................................... 102 Wilderness ............................................................................................................................ 102 Wild and Scenic Rivers ........................................................................................................ 105 Giant Sequoia National Monument ...................................................................................... 106 Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail ...................................................................................... 107 Inventoried Roadless Areas .................................................................................................. 107 National Recreation Trails ................................................................................................... 108 Research Natural Areas ........................................................................................................ 109 Revised Draft Land Management Plan for the Sequoia National Forest i Contents Special Interest Areas .......................................................................................................... 109 Walker Pass National Historic Landmark...........................................................................