CFLR Monitoring

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Tier 1: Monitoring that will be done regardless of funding received:

Forest Service Preference is to focus on vegetation, e.g. Stand Structure including wildlife habitat components such as snags, dead/down material

Types of Monitoring

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Tier 2: Monitoring and/or research we would like to see completed that could be funded by partners, grants, and so on

Examples include: Aquatic Invertebrates as a measure

of Watershed Restoration Wildlife Indicator Species for each of

the Stand Types Research by SRME

Types of Monitoring

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Two Levels of Monitoring:

Landscape Scale

Treatment Area (Stand) Scale

Types of Monitoring

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Landscape Level – How are defining landscape?

800,000 acre restoration zone Restoration zones around the northern

focus areas and southern focus area HUC 6

Look at Trend towards restoration as identified in Kauffman papers (or future research)

Change in Fire Behavior (an aggregation of Stand Data collected at Stand or Treatment Unit level)

Types of Monitoring

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Landscape Scale Example

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Stand/Treatment Level –Separate ranges for the 2 major cover types in the restoration area:◦ Ponderosa pine◦ Mixed Conifer: Ponderosa Pine/Douglas-fir

Types of Monitoring

Metrics Include:• Trees per acre• Basal Area• Tree species composition• Age Classes• Canopy Cover• Crown Base Height• Canopy Bulk Density• Understory species composition• Presence of noxious weeds/exotics

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Restoration zone is defined in the CFLR Proposal as the Lower Montane (as identified in 2006 Roundtable Report). The definition can be refined as needed.

Current NEPA is based on Kauffman Paper(s). Doesn’t allow diameter limits or age limits in

defining trees to be left after treatment Future NEPA can be based on what we learn

through monitoring and additional research

Forest Service Limitations

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Definition of Old Growth is a Forest Plan level decision, not something that can be decided by this group, independent of other stakeholders.

AR has an old growth definition in their Current Forest Plan

Pike doesn’t have an old growth definition but it will be defined when the forest goes through the forest plan revision process in a year or two

Forest Service Limitations

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Metrics need to be easily measured given yearly funding limitations

Desired conditions need to be displayed in ranges, not absolute amounts

Forest Service Preferences:

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MPB in Ponderosa Pine Situation

What we know –◦ MPB is spreading into Ponderosa Pine Type (PP)

History –◦ MPB has cause extensive mortality before

Research –◦ Increased MPB mortality in higher stocking (BA & #

trees/acre) and larger diameter trees What Could Happen -

◦ Could and currently are experiencing heavy mortality in PP type

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Mountain Pine Beetle on the ARNF