Preface USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Shoshone National Forest Wyoming Shoshone National Forest Analysis of the Management Situation Shoshone National Forest Supervisor’s Office 808 Meadow Lane Avenue February 2012 Cody, WY 82414 Telephone 307.527.6241 www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone/ Forest supervisor Joe Alexander Forest planner Carrie Christman The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 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Table of contents Table of contents .................................................................................................................................. 2 Preface ..............................................................................................................................................6 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Forest plan revision topics .................................................................................................................... 6 Public involvement ................................................................................................................................ 7 Revision topics ...................................................................................................................................7 Recreation uses and opportunities ........................................................................................................... 7 Resource condition and trend .......................................................................................................... 7 Need for change .............................................................................................................................. 15 Implication of continuing 1986 Forest Plan direction ..................................................................... 15 Projection of demand and need ..................................................................................................... 16 Determination of potential to resolve issues and concerns ........................................................... 17 Special areas and designations ............................................................................................................... 17 Special interest areas .......................................................................................................................... 17 Resource condition and trend ........................................................................................................ 17 Need for change .............................................................................................................................. 18 Implications of continuing 1986 Forest Plan direction ................................................................... 18 Projection of demand and need ..................................................................................................... 19 Determination of potential to resolve issues and concerns ........................................................... 19 Research natural areas........................................................................................................................ 19 Resource condition and trend ........................................................................................................ 19 Need for change .............................................................................................................................. 20 Implications of continuing 1986 Forest Plan direction ................................................................... 20 Projection of demand and need ..................................................................................................... 20 Determination of potential to resolve issues and concerns ........................................................... 20 High Lakes Wilderness Study Area and Dunoir Special Management Unit ........................................ 20 Resource condition and trend ........................................................................................................ 20 Need for change .............................................................................................................................. 21 Implications of continuing 1986 Forest Plan direction ................................................................... 21 Projection of demand and need ..................................................................................................... 21 Determination of potential to resolve issues and concerns ........................................................... 21 2 | Page Vegetation management ........................................................................................................................ 22 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................................... 22 Resource condition and trend ........................................................................................................ 22 Need for change .............................................................................................................................. 38 Implications of continuing 1986 Forest Plan direction ................................................................... 38 Projection of demand and need ..................................................................................................... 38 Determination of potential to resolve issues and concerns ........................................................... 39 Fire and fuels management ................................................................................................................ 39 Resource condition and trend ........................................................................................................ 39 Need for change .............................................................................................................................. 45 Implications of continuing 1986 Forest Plan direction ................................................................... 45 Projection of demand and need ..................................................................................................... 47 Determination of potential to resolve issues and concerns ........................................................... 47 Insects and diseases ............................................................................................................................ 47 Resource condition and trend ........................................................................................................ 47 Need for change .............................................................................................................................. 51 Implications of continuing 1986 Forest Plan direction ................................................................... 51 Projection of demand and need ..................................................................................................... 51 Determination of potential to resolve issues and concerns ........................................................... 51 Forest products ................................................................................................................................... 52 Resource condition and trend ........................................................................................................ 52 Need for change .............................................................................................................................. 55 Implications of continuing 1986 Forest Plan direction ................................................................... 55 Projection of demand and need ..................................................................................................... 55 Determination of potential to resolve issues and concerns ........................................................... 55 Wildlife habitat management ................................................................................................................. 56 Threatened, endangered, proposed, and candidate wildlife species ................................................. 56 Resource condition and trend ............................................................................................................ 56 Need for change .............................................................................................................................. 59 Implications of continuing 1986 Forest Plan direction ..................................................................