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On – Site Training Overview LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION March 11, 2010
On – Site Training Overview
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
March 11, 2010
Course Objective
To assist BLM planning teams in incorporating biological information for vegetation, special status, and other priority species and vegetation into updated Resource Management Plans
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Need
To improve BLM’s capability to analyze and clarify biological information about key species and vegetation during RMP planning.
A tool and methodology to organize biological data and analyses and inform decision making during RMP planning. Accompanied by an interactive workbook that clearly displays analyses of the alternatives and houses key information to support RMP documentation.
What is PPSV
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
PPSV Benefits• Supports and substantiates science based planning decisions
in systematic, logical, stepwise manner
• Enhances interdisciplinary team collaboration
• Design and adjust alternatives and cumulative effect analysis
• Framework for monitoring plans and tracking implementation actions
• Supports compliance with BLM Planning Handbook H-1610-1 and Appendix C
• Provides greater clarity and rigor for public, legal, other reviews
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
5. Formulate monitoring plan to evaluate effectiveness of management strategies and future priority species / vegetation health
1. Identify priority species & vegetation
2. Describe their health
3. Identify factors affecting health for each RMP alternative
4. Develop strategies to maintain or improve health for each RMP alternative
Planning Steps
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
1. Course Overview
Distance Learning
2. Gathering key guidance, direction and resources
3. Planning area overview
4. Selecting priority species and vegetation
• homework
• homework
• homework
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
On – Site Training
• Introduce monitoring framework methodology
Tool Training
• Identify priority species and vegetation
• Describe current and desired condition
• Identify management strategies
• Assess effects to priority species and
vegetation
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
On – Site Training: Day 1• Identify priority species and
vegetation
• Describe current and desired
condition
- Group Exercise (homework)
- Quick Review
- Key Ecological Attributes and Indicators
- Group Exercise
- Examples
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
On – Site Training: Day 2
-Analysis of Management Situation and Trends-Examples-Group Exercise
• Conduct Effect Analyses
• Identify Management Strategies
• Introduce Monitoring Framework methodology
• Planning tool training
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
-Actions-Restrictions
• Alternatives – Analyzing the effects
On – Site Training
CORE CONCEPTS
• Develop monitoring framework
• Identify priority species and vegetation
• Assess health
• Identify management strategies
• Assess effects
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
• BLM required species
• Coarse scale priority vegetation
• Fine scale priority species
To select priority species & vegetation
Core Concepts – Priority Species & Vegetation
- Accounts for all BLM required species & vegetation
- Captures major vegetation types of planning area
- Accounts for other species that require special attention
- Is not a comprehensive list, but is representative of planning area
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
On – Site Training
CORE CONCEPTS
• Develop monitoring framework
• Identify priority species and vegetation
• Assess health
• Identify management strategies
• Assess effects
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Core Concepts – Health Assessment
Habitat Quality
Population Size
Connectivity of populations
Cover near leks
# displaying
males
Distribution of leks
Indicator
Linkage Between Key Ecological Attributes & Indicators
Key Ecological Attribute
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Identify Measurable Indicator
Select Key Attribute
Assess Current Condition
Desired Condition
Core Concepts- Current and Desired Condition
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Priority Species/VegetationLandscape Context Condition Size Health
RankGrade Grade Grade
Greater Sage-Grouse Fair Fair Fair Fair
Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands Good Fair Good Good
Sagebrush Shrublands Fair Poor Good Fair
Ponderosa/ Warm Dry Mixed Conifer Fair Fair Good Fair
Riparian/Aquatic Poor Fair Fair Fair
Semi-desert Shrublands Fair Poor Good Fair
Semi-desert grassland Good Fair Good Good
Mixed Grass Prairie Fair Good Good Good
Project Area Health Rank Fair
Health Summary
On – Site Training
CORE CONCEPTS
• Develop monitoring framework
• Identify priority species and vegetation
• Assess health
• Identify management strategies
• Assess effects
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Effects AnalysisIDENTIFY ALTERED KEY ECOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES:
IDENTIFY SOURCES OF ALTERED ATTRIBUTES:
Core Concepts – Assess Effects to Priority Species and Vegetation
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Altered key ecological attributes describe the ways that priority species or vegetation may be destroyed, degraded or impaired
Sources are the proximate cause of the altered key ecological attributes
- allowable uses and potential restrictions- management actions needed for protection/restoration
IDENTIFY ALTERED ATTRIBUTES:
- need for change; management opportunities- restoration needs to meet land health standards
IDENTIFY SOURCES OF ALTERED ATTRIBUTES:
Effects Analysis
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Core Concepts – Assess Effects to Priority Species and Vegetation
Effects Across Priority Spp/Veg
Greater Sage-Grouse
Pinyon-Juniper
Woodlands
Sagebrush Shrublands
Ponderosa/ Warm Dry
Mixed Conifer
Riparian/Aquatic
Semi-desert Shrublands
Semi-desert grassland Overall Effect
Rank
Project-specific Effects 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Livestock use High Very High High Medium High High Very High
Invasive species (plants) High Very High Medium High Medium High Very High
Road construction, pipelines, other infrastructure development
Medium Very High Medium High High High
Energy and mineral exploration
Low High Medium Medium High High
Fishing practices High Medium
Home development High Medium
Invasive species (animals) High Medium
Small population size (Gunnison sage grouse)
High Medium
Trans-basin diversions High Medium
West Nile Virus High Medium
elk and deer impacts Medium Medium Low Medium Medium
OHV and other recreation Low Low Medium Medium Medium
Fire suppression - Low Medium Medium Medium
Residential development Medium Medium Medium
Inadequate Fuels treatments Medium Low Low
Use of existing roads Low Medium Low
Effect Status for Species or Communities and Project
High High Very High Medium High High High Very High
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
On – Site Training
CORE CONCEPTS
• Develop monitoring framework
• Identify priority species and vegetation
• Assess health
• Identify management strategies
• Assess effects
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
BLM Planning Guidance
Allowable Uses & Mgmt Actions BLM H-1601-1 Appendix C
Vegetation
Fish & Wildlife
Special Status Species
Desired Condition - BLM H-1601-1
Core Concepts – Management Strategies
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Core Concepts – Management Strategies
After identifying priority species and habitats, describing their health, and identifying factors affecting their health, opportunities to improve management begin emerge.
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Core Concepts – Management Strategies
Use planning tool to compare Alternatives
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Overall Health Summary
Colorado Plateau RMP
Priority Species/Vegetation
Landscape Context Condition SizeHealth RankGrade Grade Grade
Greater Sage-Grouse Fair Fair Fair Fair
Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands Good Fair Good Good
Project Area Health Rank Good
No Action
Overall Health Summary
Colorado Plateau RMP
Priority Species/Vegetation
Landscape Context Condition SizeHealth RankGrade Grade Grade
Greater Sage-Grouse Fair Good Good Good
Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands Good Fair Good Good
Project Area Health Rank Good
Alternative A
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Summary of EffectsClick the page-down icon ▼to the right to view more summary tables.
Colorado Plateau RMP
Effects Across Priority Spp/Veg Greater Sage-Grouse
Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands Overall Effect
Rank
Project-specific Effects 1 2
1 Grazing practices High High High
2 Home development adjacent to public lands High Medium Medium
3 Invasive species (plants) High Medium
4 West Nile Virus High Medium
5 Oil and gas exploration and drilling Medium Low Low
6 Development of roads and utilities Medium Medium Low
7 Inadequate Fuels treatments Medium Low
8 Incompatible vegetation treatments Medium Low
9 Management of/for certain species Medium Low
10 Pinyon disease (ips, black fungus) Medium Low
Effects Status for Species or Communities and Project High High Medium
No Action
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Summary of EffectsClick the page-down icon ▼to the right to view more summary tables.
Colorado Plateau RMP
Effects Across Priority Spp/Veg Greater Sage-Grouse
Pinyon-Juniper
WoodlandsOverall Effect
Rank
Project-specific Effects 1 2
1 Home development adjacent to public lands High Medium Medium
2 Grazing practices Medium Medium Medium
3 Oil and gas exploration and drilling Medium Low Low
4 Development of roads and utilities Medium Medium Low
5 Inadequate Fuels treatments Medium Low
6 Incompatible vegetation treatments Medium Low
7 Invasive species (plants) Medium Low
8 Management of/for certain species Medium Low
9 Pinyon disease (ips, black fungus) Medium Low
10 West Nile Virus Medium Low
Effects Status for Species or Communities and Project High Medium Medium
Alternative A
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
On – Site Training
CORE CONCEPTS
• Develop monitoring framework
• Identify priority species and vegetation
• Assess health
• Identify management strategies
• Assess effects
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Core Concepts – Monitoring
PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
KEY ECOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES
MONITORING PLAN
INDICATORS
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
Monitoring
Colorado Plateau RMP
#Priority Species/
VegetationKey Ecological
Attribute Indicators Priority Status
Who monitors
Annual Cost to
BLM
Funding Source
1
Greater Sage-Grouse
Population size Number of displaying males on leks
Very High
Ongoing
State Wildlife Agency
$0 State Wildlife Agency
2
Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands
Species composition / dominance
Diversity of understory species in PJ woodlands
Medium Ongoing
BLM $0 Part of Land Health Assessment
2
Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands
Invasive species (plants)
Diversity of understory species in PJ woodlands
Medium Ongoing
BLM $0
2
Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands
Fire regime - (timing, frequency, intensity, extent)
FRCC in PJ woodlands High Ongoing
LANDFIRE partnership
$0
Priority Species/Vegetation KEAs Indicators Monitoring Framework
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
On – Site Training: Day 2 & 3
Planning Tool Training
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION
