United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests DRAFT Forest Assessments: Terrestrial Ecosystems: Integrity and System Drivers and Stressors November 2017 Aspens starting to turn below Dunn Peak, Uncompahgre 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). 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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] (link sends e-mail). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests DRAFT Forest Plan Assessments: Terrestrial Ecosystems Contents Contents ................................................................................................................................................. i Chapter 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 Key Issues for Terrestrial Ecosystems on the GMUG ........................................................................ 1 Summary Public Input ......................................................................................................................... 2 Use of Best Available Science and Information Gaps ........................................................................ 3 Chapter 2. Condition and Trends ........................................................................................................ 3 Terrestrial Ecosystem Identification .................................................................................................... 3 Scale of Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 4 Spatial Niche and Opportunity for Influence ....................................................................................... 7 Key Ecosystem Characteristics .......................................................................................................... 8 Ecosystem Drivers, Stressors, and Management Influences ............................................................. 8 Drivers and Stressors ...................................................................................................................... 9 Management Influences ................................................................................................................ 12 Terrestrial Ecosystems – Assessment of Ecosystem Integrity ......................................................... 18 Reference Conditions, Departure, and Trend ............................................................................... 18 Ecosystem Descriptions ................................................................................................................ 19 Key Characteristic: Diversity of Cover Types ................................................................................ 28 Key Characteristic: Distribution of Structural Stages .................................................................... 30 Key Characteristic: Regeneration and Recruitment ...................................................................... 34 Key Characteristic: Landscape Disturbances ............................................................................... 37 Key Characteristic: Patch Size and Habitat Connectivity .............................................................. 51 Key Characteristic: Snags and Down Woody Material ................................................................. 53 Summary of Assessment of Ecosystem Integrity of Terrestrial Ecosystems ................................... 57 Chapter 3. Current Forest Plan and its Context within the Broader Landscape ......................... 57 Existing Forest Plan Management Direction for Terrestrial Ecosystems ......................................... 57 Forest Plan Consistency with External Plans for Terrestrial Ecosystems ........................................ 58 Vegetation Desired Conditions ...................................................................................................... 58 Old Forest ...................................................................................................................................... 58 Snags and Downed Wood............................................................................................................. 59 Minimum Stocking Standards ....................................................................................................... 60 Other .............................................................................................................................................. 60 Chapter 4. Potential Need for Plan Changes to Respond to Terrestrial Ecosystem Integrity Issues ................................................................................................................................................... 60 General Needs .................................................................................................................................. 60 Ecosystem-Specific Needs ............................................................................................................... 62 Spruce-Fir and Spruce-Fir-Aspen ................................................................................................. 62 Aspen ............................................................................................................................................ 62 Lodgepole Pine (Predominantly on the Gunnison Basin GA) ....................................................... 62 Ponderosa Pine and Warm-Dry Mixed Conifer (Predominantly Found on the Uncompahgre Plateau GA) ................................................................................................................................... 62 Cool-Moist Mixed Conifer .............................................................................................................. 63 Pinyon-Juniper .............................................................................................................................. 63 Montane Shrubland, Oak-Serviceberry-Mountain Mahogany ....................................................... 63 i USDA Forest Service Sagebrush ..................................................................................................................................... 63 Montane-Subalpine Grasslands .................................................................................................... 63 Alpine Uplands – Grasslands and Forblands ................................................................................ 63 Rare Ecosystems .......................................................................................................................... 64 References Cited ................................................................................................................................ 64 Appendix A. Maps............................................................................................................................... 78 Appendix B. Methods in Spatial Delineation of Terrestrial Ecosystems ...................................... 78 Appendix C. VDDT Model Parameterization .................................................................................... 81 Spruce-Fir (Based on Gunnison Basin Parameters) ........................................................................ 81 Aspen (Based on Grand Mesa and Uncompahgre Plateau Parameters) ........................................ 81 Spruce-Fir-Aspen (Based on Gunnison Basin Parameters) ............................................................. 82 Lodgepole Pine (Based on Gunnison Basin Parameters) ................................................................ 83 Pinyon-Juniper (Based on Uncompahgre Plateau Parameters) ......................................................