SEQUOIA SEQUOIA NATIONAL NATIONAL FORESTFOREST

ANDAND

GIANT SEQUUOIA GIANT SEQUUOIA NATIONAL NATIONAL

MONUMENTMONUMENT

GIANT SEQUOIA NATIONAL MONUMENT GIANT SEQUOIA NATIONAL MONUMENT MANAGEMENT PLANMANAGEMENT PLAN

Need to develop a new Need to develop a new plan that incorporates plan that incorporates previous management previous management direction from other direction from other plans, policies, guides, plans, policies, guides, and standardsand standards

Also need to ensure the Also need to ensure the plan abides by the plan abides by the Presidential Presidential ProclamationProclamation

New Plan OutlookNew Plan Outlook

The new management plan will probably take 1-2 years to complete (does not include the year of collaboration and scoping)

The new Monument Plan will provide The new Monument Plan will provide strategic management direction for strategic management direction for the 329,000 acres of public lands the 329,000 acres of public lands within the Monumentwithin the Monument

Partnerships Partnerships linking linking

management management across boundariesacross boundaries

Stewardship Fireshed Stewardship Fireshed Assessment (SFA)Assessment (SFA)

Starting and Starting and continuing the continuing the NEPA processNEPA process

Collaborative ProcessCollaborative Process

Linking in ScienceLinking in Science

Vision of Collaborative ProcessVision of Collaborative Process

What do we have so far?What do we have so far?– Collaborative ProcessCollaborative Process– Linking in ScienceLinking in Science– Stewardship Fireshed Assessment Stewardship Fireshed Assessment

(SFA)(SFA)– Starting and continuing the NEPA Starting and continuing the NEPA

processprocess– Partnerships linking management Partnerships linking management

across boundariesacross boundaries

Linking all five partsLinking all five parts

Partnerships

Stewardship FireshedAssessment

Linking in Science

Starting and continuing

theNEPA

Process

CollaborationMediator/Facilitator

COLLABORATIVE PROCESSCOLLABORATIVE PROCESS

Timeline for Planning and NEPATimeline for Planning and NEPA Collaborative Planning ProcessCollaborative Planning Process

– Broad Notice of Intent (filed in January 2008)Broad Notice of Intent (filed in January 2008)– One year of ScopingOne year of Scoping– During this one year of scoping working with During this one year of scoping working with

the public to identify the desired conditionsthe public to identify the desired conditions– During this one year of scoping identifying During this one year of scoping identifying

what information gaps we need to fillwhat information gaps we need to fill– During this one year of scoping bringing During this one year of scoping bringing

scientists together to identify issues, agents of scientists together to identify issues, agents of change, stressors to the ecosystemchange, stressors to the ecosystem

– During this one year of scoping field trips with During this one year of scoping field trips with all interested in learning more about how all interested in learning more about how complicated the landscape is and what can be complicated the landscape is and what can be done on the grounddone on the ground

Collaborative Planning ProcessCollaborative Planning Process

– Collaborative Process ImplementationCollaborative Process ImplementationScopingScopingCommentsCommentsCommenting in particular on the Presidential Commenting in particular on the Presidential

Proclamation and the current science Proclamation and the current science advisoriesadvisories

Development of visionDevelopment of visionDevelopment of issues and alternativesDevelopment of issues and alternatives ImplementationImplementationMonitoringMonitoring

CollaborativePlanningProcess Begins(Assessment)

June 2007

CollaborativePlanningProcessAccepted byStakeholders

February 2008

A Dialogue with ScientistsTo Review AdvisoriesDeveloped in 2003(Update)

May 2008

Convene 2nd

Stewardship FireshedAssessmentMeeting WithStakeholders(linking fire/fuelstreatments, smokemanagement andunderstanding climatechange)

May 2008

Science SymposiumIn Partnership WithSequoia/Kings CanyonNational Parkand environmental groups

September 2008

COLLABORATION (FROM HERE TO THERE)COLLABORATION (FROM HERE TO THERE)

LINKING IN SCIENCELINKING IN SCIENCE

A Dialogue with Scientists – What did A Dialogue with Scientists – What did we hear in 2003 and how are we we hear in 2003 and how are we addressing the science of todayaddressing the science of today

Science SymposiumScience Symposium Giant Sequoia Cooperative (giant Giant Sequoia Cooperative (giant

sequoia inventory)sequoia inventory) How do we integrate scienceHow do we integrate science

Flow Chart Linking Collaborative Process with Science SymposiumFlow Chart Linking Collaborative Process with Science Symposium

Linking in Science – An Intermediate Linking in Science – An Intermediate Step Toward Science SymposiumStep Toward Science Symposium

A Dialogue with ScientistsScience Advisoriesdeveloped in 2003

how are we implementing

Convene A Dialogue with Scientists in May 2008after 3 years

thank scientists involvement in 2003 as a member

showcase how we are implementing advisories

tie scientists with collaborative process

Convene Science Symposiumto be held September/October

includes review of science advisoriesnew science

include scientists from academia

Information from science advisories

and Science Symposium

used for environmental document

science advisoriesreviewed after

SFA meeting in May with stakeholdersSmoke management

modeling linkage to SFA and then toclimate change

Climate change modelinglinkage to partnership withThe Nature Conservancy

Stewardship Fireshed Assessment Stewardship Fireshed Assessment (SFA)(SFA)

Identified in three science advisories Identified in three science advisories produced in 2003produced in 2003

Links fire planning, fuels treatment, smoke Links fire planning, fuels treatment, smoke managementmanagement

Identifies landscape treatmentsIdentifies landscape treatments Links to climate change analysisLinks to climate change analysis Initial SFA meeting with stakeholders in Initial SFA meeting with stakeholders in

February 2007February 2007 Second meeting in May 2008Second meeting in May 2008 Information from SFA included in Information from SFA included in

environmental documentenvironmental document

WHAT CAN SCIENCE TELL US?WHAT CAN SCIENCE TELL US?

How do we How do we treat the land treat the land when there when there are more are more trees of trees of concernconcern

What Should We Do Here?What Should We Do Here?

This is Black This is Black Mountain Grove Mountain Grove – an area we – an area we managed in the managed in the 1980’s1980’s

Now the area Now the area has more small has more small trees then trees then needed on the needed on the landscape landscape

The Monument Plan NEPA Process

Published Notice of Intent

Fall 2008 or Winter 2009

Developed AlternativesSpring 2009

Publish Draft Monument Plan & Draft

EISSummer/Fall 2009

Reviewed comments, & identify any new issues, concerns, alternativesFall/Winter 2009/2010

Published FEIS, ROD, & Monument Plan

2010

Identify values, visions, & issues

(collaborative planning effort)

NEPA Process - continuedNEPA Process - continued

Notice of Intent submitted to the Federal Notice of Intent submitted to the Federal Register in January 2008 Register in January 2008

Plan developed under the 1982 planning Plan developed under the 1982 planning rulesrules

Interdisciplinary Team composed of a Interdisciplinary Team composed of a diverse group of professionals (Forest diverse group of professionals (Forest Service, National Park Service, EPA, USGS)Service, National Park Service, EPA, USGS)

Science information (from science Science information (from science advisories, science symposium, Forest advisories, science symposium, Forest Service researchers, university Service researchers, university researchers, National Park Service researchers, National Park Service researchers)researchers)

NEPA Process - continuedNEPA Process - continued

Information gaps deal more than just Information gaps deal more than just fire, fuels, vegetation treatmentsfire, fuels, vegetation treatments

Need information dealing with:Need information dealing with:– Giant sequoias (inventory not Giant sequoias (inventory not

completed)completed)– Recreation research (visitor use data)Recreation research (visitor use data)– Socio-economicsSocio-economics– Cumulative Watershed Analysis (CWE)Cumulative Watershed Analysis (CWE)– Fisher analysisFisher analysis

Adaptive Management PartnershipsAdaptive Management Partnerships Partnerships linking management across Partnerships linking management across

boundaries (adaptive management boundaries (adaptive management projects between Park Service and Forest projects between Park Service and Forest Service)Service)

Re-initiating the Giant Sequoia Re-initiating the Giant Sequoia Cooperative (education and giant sequoia Cooperative (education and giant sequoia understanding through external understanding through external partnerships in particular a new partnerships in particular a new partnership with Save-the-Redwoods partnership with Save-the-Redwoods League)League)

New partnership with The Nature New partnership with The Nature Conservancy as it pertains to smoke Conservancy as it pertains to smoke managementmanagement

WHAT’S NEXT?WHAT’S NEXT? Finalizing Finalizing

Interdisciplinary TeamInterdisciplinary Team Finalizing cooperating Finalizing cooperating

agenciesagencies Need to initiate new Need to initiate new

research projects research projects (recreation research, (recreation research, giant sequoia inventory, giant sequoia inventory, cumulative watershed cumulative watershed analysis, fisher analysis)analysis, fisher analysis)

Need to publish updated Need to publish updated Notice of Intent with a Notice of Intent with a more defined proposed more defined proposed action and purpose and action and purpose and needneed

What’s Next for the Public?What’s Next for the Public?

Involvement in Headwaters Project Involvement in Headwaters Project (socio-economic information that can (socio-economic information that can be used for the environmental be used for the environmental document)document)

Meeting on October 15 with Meeting on October 15 with community leaderscommunity leaders

What Will be Analyzed in the What Will be Analyzed in the Environmental DocumentEnvironmental Document

Vegetation LandscapesVegetation Landscapes Riparian AreasRiparian Areas Giant SequoiasGiant Sequoias Open SpaceOpen Space Scenic IntegrityScenic Integrity Plant and Animal HabitatsPlant and Animal Habitats Watershed Protection and UseWatershed Protection and Use Historical and Cultural Historical and Cultural Recreation and Public UseRecreation and Public Use