United States Department of Agriculture Revised Forest Service Forest Plan Intermountain Region Wasatch-Cache Wasatch-Cache National Forest February 2003 National Forest Table of Contents - Revised Forest Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Revised Forest Plan Page CHAPTER 1 Forest Plan Introduction ................................................................................... 1-1 Forest General Description ......................................................................... 1-1 Purpose of the Forest Plan .......................................................................... 1-1 Six Decisions Made in a Forest Plan .......................................................... 1-2 Forest Service 2002 Strategic Plan ............................................................. 1-2 Ecosystem Management Framework and the Forest Plan Model............... 1-3 How Does Ecosystem Management Differ from Management in the Past? ............................................................................................. 1-4 Steps Required to Implement Ecosystem Management..................... 1-4 Why do we need an Ecosystem Management Framework for the Revised Plan?..................................................................................... 1-6 How to Use This Plan ................................................................................. 1-8 CHAPTER 2 Summary of the Analysis of the Management Situation................................... 2-1 Introduction................................................................................................. 2-1 Revision Topics .......................................................................................... 2-2 Topic 1 – Watershed Health .............................................................. 2-2 Topic 2 – Biodiversity and Viability ................................................. 2-5 Topic 3 – Road Management/Trail/Access Management.................. 2-10 Topic 4 – Recreation Niche ............................................................... 2-12 Topic 5 – Special Designations.......................................................... 2-15 Topic 6 – Roadless Areas/Wilderness Recommendations................. 2-17 Topic 7 – Suitable Timberlands......................................................... 2-19 Table of Contents Topic 8 – Rangeland Capability and Suitability................................ 2-21 Topic 9 – Oil and Gas Leasing .......................................................... 2-23 Topic 10 – Fire Management............................................................. 2-24 Strengthening Current Management Direction........................................... 2-26 CHAPTER 3 Response to Issues............................................................................................. 3-1 Issue Identification and Forest Plan Response............................................ 3-1 Significant Issues ........................................................................................ 3-1 Issue 1 – Recreation Use Conflicts/Access Management.................. 3-1 Issue 2 – Roadless Areas Management.............................................. 3-2 Issue 3 – Biodiversity and Species Viability ..................................... 3-3 Issue 4 – Concerns About Continued Economic Contributions and Personal/Social Benefits of the Forest ................................ 3-4 Issue 5 – Environmental, Social, and Economic Impacts of Uses..... 3-5 Issue 6 – Appropriate Types and Amounts of Facility Development for Wildland Settings in the Forest ..................................... 3-6 Wasatch-Cache National Forest 1 Table of Contents - Revised Forest Plan CHAPTER 4 Forest Management Direction ........................................................................... 4-1 Introduction................................................................................................. 4-1 How To Use This Chapter .......................................................................... 4-1 A. Forestwide Management Direction 1. Forestwide Desired Future Conditions ......................................... 4-5 Air Quality and Smoke Management ....................................... 4-5 Soil, Water, Riparian, and Aquatic Resources.......................... 4-5 Wildlife Resources.................................................................... 4-6 Vegetation................................................................................. 4-7 Botanical Resources.................................................................. 4-9 Non-Native Plants..................................................................... 4-10 Fire Management ...................................................................... 4-10 Mineral Resources .................................................................... 4-10 Lands and Special Uses ............................................................ 4-10 Facilities and Roads .................................................................. 4-11 Recreation Resources................................................................ 4-11 Scenic Environment.................................................................. 4-11 Heritage Program...................................................................... 4-12 Tribal Rights and Interests........................................................ 4-12 Designated Wilderness.............................................................. 4-12 Recommended Wilderness........................................................ 4-13 Roadless Area Values ............................................................... 4-14 Eligible Wild and Scenic Rivers............................................... 4-15 Social and Economic................................................................. 4-15 2. Forestwide Goals and Subgoals.................................................... 4-17 Goal 1 – Air Resource............................................................... 4-17 Goal 2 – Watershed Health....................................................... 4-17 Goal 3 – Biodiversity and Viability.......................................... 4-18 Goal 4 – Fire and Fuels Management....................................... 4-21 Goal 5 – Road/Trail and Access Management ......................... 4-21 Goal 6 – Recreation .................................................................. 4-22 Goal 7 – Education.................................................................... 4-23 Goal 8 – Enforcement ............................................................... 4-23 Goal 9 – Heritage Resources..................................................... 4-23 Goal 10 – Social/Economic Contributions ............................... 4-23 Goal 11 – Land Ownership....................................................... 4-24 Goal 12 – Non-Recreation Authorizations (Special Uses) ....... 4-24 Goal 13 – Designated Wilderness............................................. 4-25 3. Forestwide Objectives................................................................... 4-27 Objectives for Education and Enforcement .............................. 4-27 Objectives for OHV and Non-Motorized Travel Management 4-28 Objectives for Vegetation Management ................................... 4-29 Objectives for Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Management .. 4-30 Objectives for Rangeland Management.................................... 4-31 Objectives for Concentrated Use Camping Management......... 4-32 Wasatch-Cache National Forest 2 Table of Contents - Revised Forest Plan Objectives for Bonneville Shoreline, Great Western, and Shoshone Trails................................................................... 4-33 4. Forestwide Standards and Guidelines........................................... 4-36 Air Resources............................................................................ 4-36 Soil and Water Resources ......................................................... 4-36 Biodiversity and Viability/Terrestrial and Aquatic Habitats .... 4-38 Plant Collection (non-tree)........................................................ 4-44 Fire and Fuels Management...................................................... 4-44 Roads, Trails, and Access Management ................................... 4-45 Recreation ................................................................................. 4-47 Scenic Resources ...................................................................... 4-48 Timberland Resources .............................................................. 4-49 Livestock Grazing..................................................................... 4-51 Mineral and Energy Resources ................................................. 4-52 Lands......................................................................................... 4-53 Special Uses: Recreation and Non-Recreation ........................ 4-53 Wilderness................................................................................. 4-55 Caves......................................................................................... 4-56 Heritage..................................................................................... 4-56 5. Management Prescriptions............................................................ 4-58 Relationships Between Map Layers.......................................... 4-58 Management Prescriptions........................................................ 4-58 Consistency of Prescriptions with Multiple-Use and Other Laws.........................................................................................