information needs national forest system update
DESCRIPTION
Information Needs National Forest System Update. 2011 FIA User Group Meeting – Sacramento, CA March 9, 2011. Greg Kujawa NFS, Washington Office. Objective. High-Mid Altitude overview Key current and emerging business requirements. FS National Priorities. USDA Strategic Plan Goal 2: - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Information Needs National Forest System Update
2011 FIA User Group Meeting – Sacramento, CAMarch 9, 2011
Greg Kujawa NFS, Washington
Office
Objective
High-Mid Altitude overview Key current and emerging business
requirements
FS National Priorities
USDA Strategic Plan Goal 2: “Ensure Our National Forests and Private Working
Lands Are Conserved, Restored, and Made More Resilient to Climate Change, While Enhancing Our Water Resources.”
NFS Focus Areas (Elements of Landscape-scale Conservation)– Enhancing Water Resources – Responding to Climate Change – Community-based Stewardship – Jobs to Assist Rural Communities
Integration/Alignment Through
Policies Budget Business Requirements, Processes, and
Tools
…in Collaboration with
States– State-wide Forest Resource Assessments and
Strategies Other Federal Agencies
– Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) (DOI-USWFW)
– Rapid Ecosystem Assessments (BLM) Tribes, NGOs, Industry
Emphasis/Strategic Priorities Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR) Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation New Planning Rule National Cohesive Wildland Fire
Management Strategy “Action Plan for the Nation’s Forests and
Grasslands” (implements the “all-lands vision”)
America’s Great Outdoors (AGO)
Budget Line Item (BLI) Consolidation
Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR) BLI – 2012 budget would include:
Forest Products, Vegetation and Watershed Mgt, Wildlife/Fisheries Habitat Mgt, Non-WUI Hazardous Fuels, Legacy Roads/Trails, Road Decommissioning, and CFLRP funds.
Land Management Planning, Assessment, and Monitoring BLI– Combines Land Management Planning with
Inventory and Monitoring programs.
New and Emerging Business Processes and Tools
Climate Change Roadmap and Scorecard Planning Rule direction on assessments
and monitoring Landscape Conservation Frameworks
– Five Region/Station/Area Partnerships Watershed Condition Framework Terrestrial Ecological Integrity Index
Climate Change Scorecard
Will help implement the Roadmap and respond to USDA Strategic Plan Goal 2.
10 Yes/No questions. 7 “yes” answers needed by 2015. Four scorecard elements relevant to FIA.
Element 6
Vulnerability Assessment– Has information relevant to management actions
at the Unit level been developed and synthesized to assess the vulnerability of key resources to the impacts of climate change and other stressors?
Element 7
Adaptation Activities– Is an adaptation strategy in place that helps
incorporate the vulnerability of resources and places into priority setting and management actions?
Element 8
Monitoring– Is monitoring being conducted to track climate-
related changes in conditions of species, watershed condition, forest and grassland health, and other measures, and the effectiveness of adaptation activities?
Element 9
Carbon Assessment– Has information relevant to the Unit level been
developed and synthesized to assess carbon stocks and the influence of land management activities and disturbances on potential changes in carbon stocks?
Planning Rule (proposed)
Establishes a 2-tier framework for assessments and monitoring:– Broad scale– Local unit scale
REVISE (or Amend)
ASSESS
MONITOR
Develop 2-tier Approach
Develop Proposed
Plan
DECISION
ROLES Need for change Engage Partners
Potential Need
NEPA Revision
Amendment
REPORT (Evaluate)
Engage Partners
Engage Partners
Action Plan
REPORT (Roles)
(Need for Change)
Planning Rule (proposed)
Regional Offices will have a major role to play.– Assessments
Identify and evaluate information needed to understand existing conditions, trends, and stressors.
– Monitoring The status of select watershed conditions, select
ecological conditions, focal species, etc. Measurable changes on the unit related to climate
change and other stressors. The carbon stored in above-ground vegetation. RFs shall develop broader-scale monitoring strategies.
Watershed Condition Framework
Assessments conducted at 6th HUC scale Apply 12 core national indicators
WATERSHED CONDITION INDICATORS(12 Indicator Model)
5. RIPARIAN/WETLANDVEGETATION
1. Vegetation Condition
AQUATICPHYSICAL
(Weight = 30%)
12. FOREST HEALTH
1. Insects and Disease 2. Ozone
11. TERRESTRIALINVASIVE SPECIES
1. Extent & Rate of Spread
AQUATICBIOLOGICAL(Weight = 30%)
TERRESTRIALPHYSICAL
(Weight = 30%)
TERRESTRIALBIOLOGICAL(Weight = 10%)
4. AQUATIC BIOTA
1. Life Form Presence 2. Native Species 3. Exotic and/or Invasive Species
6. ROADS & TRAILS
1. Open Road Density 2. Road Maintenance 3. Proximity to Water 4. Mass Wasting
9. FOREST COVER
1. Loss of Forest Cover
7. SOILS
1. Soil Productivity 2. Soil Erosion 3. Soil Contamination
1. WATER QUALITY
1. Impaired Waters (303d Listed) 2. Water Quality Problems (Not Listed)
2. WATER QUANTITY
1. Flow Characteristics
10. RANGELANDVEGETATION
1. Vegetation Condition
8. FIRE REGIME orWILDFIRE
1. Fire Condition Class OR 2. Wildfire Effects
3. AQUATIC HABITAT
1. Habitat Fragmentation 2. Large Woody Debris 3. Channel Shape and Function
Watershed Condition Framework
Note: 6th HUC watersheds are generally too fine to use FIA data, but…
Two indicators use FIA data: – Forest Health : FHP I& D Risk Map– Fire Regime Condition (FRCC): LANDFIRE
National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy
Fire-adapted communities Response to wildfire Restore and maintain resilient landscapes
– Interagency effort (WFLC)– Phase II - Regional Strategies and Assessments
(NE, SE, West)
Common Elements
Assessments Monitoring
Geographic Scale– Broad scale (regional) or higher
Next Steps
Development continuing on guidance for:– Scorecard elements– Planning Rule assessments and monitoring– Terrestrial Ecological Integrity Index.
Principles: – Identify specific info needs (INA).
What are the management or policy questions?– Use existing data systems.– Align/integrate among national efforts.
Next Steps
Agency-wide vegetation information management strategy needs to be developed.– To increase efficiency, data scalability, supports
public collaboration, and transparency.– SLMBOD is directing this effort. – Process proposed to be piloted with invasive
plants.
Issues and Challenges
Future budgets Data gaps
– Veg data across all lands. Interagency collaboration
Questions?