United States Coconino National Department of Agriculture Forest Forest Draft Land Service Southwestern Region Management Plan February 2011 Notes for reviewers: • This document is an initial draft of the Coconino National Forest’s revised land management plan. It was made available for public review in February 2011. • Language highlighted in gray is incomplete or needs further attention. Draft Revised Land Management Plan Prepared for: The Coconino National Forest 1824 S. Thompson St. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 and USDA Forest Service Southwestern Region 333 Broadway SE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102 Submitted by: Plan Revision Team Coconino National Forest Contents Draft Revised Land Management Plan ........... i Chapter 1. Background ................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Land Management Plan .................................................................................... 1 Summary of the Analysis of the Management Situation ........................................................... 1 Plan Content .............................................................................................................................. 2 Plan Decisions ..................................................................................................................... 2 Other Content ...................................................................................................................... 4 Guiding Future Projects, Program Plans, and Assessments ...................................................... 4 Transition in the Implementation of the Plan ............................................................................ 5 Changes to the Plan ................................................................................................................... 5 Plan Organization ...................................................................................................................... 6 Roles and Contributions of the Coconino NF ........................................................................... 6 The Coconino National Forest’s Mission ............................................................................ 9 The Coconino National Forest’s Vision ............................................................................ 10 Chapter 2. Forestwide Management ........................................................................................... 11 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 11 Landscape Character Zones ..................................................................................................... 11 Ponderosa Pine Landscape Character Zone....................................................................... 11 San Francisco Peaks Landscape Character Zone .............................................................. 12 Volcanic Woodlands Landscape Character Zone .............................................................. 13 Anderson Mesa Landscape Character Zone ...................................................................... 14 East Clear Creek Landscape Character Zone .................................................................... 15 Red Rock Landscape Character Zone ............................................................................... 16 Verde Valley Landscape Character Zone .......................................................................... 17 Painted Desert Landscape Character Zone ........................................................................ 18 Air Resources .......................................................................................................................... 18 Air Quality ......................................................................................................................... 18 Aquatic Resources .................................................................................................................. 19 Introduction to Aquatic Resources .................................................................................... 19 Watershed Management, Water Quality and Quantity ...................................................... 20 Water Quantity and Quality ............................................................................................... 20 Constructed Waters ........................................................................................................... 23 Stream Ecosystems ............................................................................................................ 23 Wetlands and Reservoir/Lake ............................................................................................ 25 Springs ............................................................................................................................... 28 Biophysical Features ............................................................................................................... 30 Caves, Cliffs, Sinkholes, Lave Tubes, Fissures, and Talus Slopes ................................... 30 Paleontological Resources ................................................................................................. 32 Soils ........................................................................................................................................ 33 Wildlife, Fish, and Botanical Resources ................................................................................. 35 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................... 38 All Vegetation Types ......................................................................................................... 38 Riparian Types .................................................................................................................. 40 Cottonwood Willow Riparian Forest ................................................................................. 43 Desert Communities .......................................................................................................... 44 Coconino National Forest Draft Land Management Plan – February 2011 iii Semi-Desert Grasslands ..................................................................................................... 46 Interior Chaparral .............................................................................................................. 47 Piñon and Juniper .............................................................................................................. 48 Ponderosa Pine .................................................................................................................. 51 Dry Mixed Conifer ............................................................................................................ 54 Wet Mixed Conifer ............................................................................................................ 57 Montane/Subalpine and Great Basin Grasslands ............................................................... 60 Spruce Fir Forest ............................................................................................................... 63 Alpine Tundra .................................................................................................................... 65 Invasive Exotic Species Management..................................................................................... 66 Community Forest Interface ................................................................................................... 66 Fire Management .................................................................................................................... 66 Heritage Resources ................................................................................................................. 68 General Description for Heritage Resources ..................................................................... 68 Heritage Site Conservation and Evaluation ....................................................................... 68 Heritage Collections .......................................................................................................... 70 Heritage Enhancement and Interpretation ......................................................................... 70 Tribal Relations and Uses ....................................................................................................... 71 Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................... 72 Facilities ............................................................................................................................ 72 Roads ................................................................................................................................. 73 Lands ....................................................................................................................................... 74 Land Adjustments .............................................................................................................. 74 Range and Livestock Grazing ................................................................................................