Development, implementation and lessons learned from the Northwest Forest Plan

Development, implementation and lessons learned from the Northwest Forest Plan Michael W. Collopy Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science University of Nevada, Reno

History • 1980’s - Timber Harvests • Early 1990’s - Court Injunctions on Federal Timber Sales • April 1993 - President Clinton’s Forest Conference

Development of the Northwest Forest Plan

Components of the Forest Plan • Guiding Principles • Planning Area • Land Allocations • Standards and Guidelines

Principles • Human & Economic Dimensions • Long-term Forest Health • Scientifically Sound & Consistent with all Laws • Predictable & Sustainable • Coordinated Ecosystem Approach

Planning Area

Land Allocations (24 Million Federal Acres) • Reserves …………….78% • Congressional (30%) • Late-Successional (31%) • Administrative ( 6%) • Riparian (11%) • Adaptive Management Areas………………… 6% • Matrix…………………16%

Aquatic Conservation Strategy • Riparian Reserves • Key Watersheds • Watershed Analysis • Watershed Restoration

Standards & Guidelines • Management Direction for Different Land Allocations • Watershed Analysis • Survey & Manage

Implementation • Monitoring • Adaptive Management • Interagency Coordination

Monitoring • Implementation • Effectiveness • Validation

Implementation Monitoring To what extent have monitored activities complied with the Northwest Forest Plan standards and guidelines?

Effectiveness Monitoring Old Growth Northern Spotted Owl Marbled Murrelet Watershed Health Social and Economic Change Tribal Relations

Old Growth • Key Questions: • How much old growth forest remains in the PNW? • What is its pattern across the landscape? Across the network of Reserves? • Is the amount of old growth changing? How fast? Why? • Is the NFP providing for conservation and management of old growth forests?

Old Growth • Approach: • Map current vegetation with satellite imagery (Landsat Thematic Mapper) • Measure structural attributes and composition using permanent grid plot inventory programs (FIA, CVS) • Track changes at 5-yr intervals using paired satellite images and remeasured plots

Northern Spotted Owl • Key Questions: • Trend in amount of NSO habitat in LSRs? • Trend in adult survival and reproduction? • Can we predict spotted owl occurrence and demographic performance from landscape scale habitat characteristics?

Northern Spotted Owl • Approach: • Monitoring occupancy, survival and reproduction in 8 demographic study areas • Habitat mapping using satellite imagery • Development of models to predict owl occupancy and, perhaps, demographic performance based on habitat condition.

Marbled Murrelet • Key Questions: • Status and trend of the marbled murrelet population throughout the range of the NFP? • Trend in the amount and distribution of the marbled murrelet nesting habitat throughout the range of the NFP?

Marbled Murrelet • Approach • At-sea surveys to develop population and density estimates in 5 zones along coastal areas of NFP • Satellite imagery used to delineate current nesting habitat • Data collected at known nest sites used to define nesting habitat and availability

Watershed Health • Key Question: • Are federal plans and projects improving the health of watersheds in the PNW?

Watershed Health • Approach: • A variety of physical, chemical and biological characteristics are examined from randomly selected watersheds, using a combination of field measurements and GIS tools.

Adaptive Management Areas • Adaptive management • Partnerships and collaboration • Ecosystem approach • Sustainable development

Applegate Adaptive Management Area

Interagency Accomplishments Survey & Manage • Created in SEIS/ROD • Over 400 at-risk species not adequately covered by S&Gs • Survey Protocols & Management Recommendations • Annual Species Assessment Process

ISC Washington DC RIEC IAC Region REO Field PIEC PAC Northwest Forest Plan Fundamental change in relationships -Better communication & information sharing Management Structure ISC: Interagency Steering Committee RIEC: Regional Interagency Executive Committee IAC: Intergovernmental Advisory Committee REO: Regional Ecosystem Office PIEC: Provincial Interagency Executive Committee PAC: Provincial Advisory Committee

NORTHWEST FOREST PLAN Accomplishments

Interagency Accomplishments Multi-Agency Planning Activities • Land Management Planning • Individual Forest Plans • Resource Management Plans • AMA Plans • Monitoring • Ecosystem Assessments • Watershed Analysis • LSR Assessments • Regulatory Activities • NEPA • Streamlining Consultation • Information Management • GIS • Remote Sensing • Species Databases

Development, implementation and lessons learned from the Northwest Forest Plan