Scoping for the Warner Lakes Management Framework Plan amendment for juniper management

14 Pages·1992·2.1 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Lakeview District

BLM LIBRARY
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Lakeview District Office
1000 Ninth Streets
Lakeview, Oregon 97630 December 1992
Scoping for the Warner
Lakes Management
Framework
Plan
Amendment
for
Management
Juniper
HD
243
.07
S367
1992
AstheNation'sprincipalconservationagency,theDepartmentofthe Interiorhasresponsibilityformostofournationallyownedpublic
lands and natural resources. This includesfostering thewisestuseofourlandandwaterresources, protecting ourfishandwildlife,
preservingtheenvironmentalandculturalvaluesofournationalparksandhistoricalplaces,andprovidingfortheenjoymentoflifethrough
outdoorrecreation. TheDepartmentassessesourenergyandmineralresourcesandworkstoassurethattheirdevelopmentisin the
bestinterestofallourpeople. TheDepartmentalsohasamajorresponsibilityforAmericanIndianreservationcommunitiesandforpeople
wholive in IslandTerritories under U.S. administration.
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United States Department of the Interior PRE*IN
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BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
LAKEVIEW DISTRICT OFFICE
P.O. BOX 151 (1000 Ninth Street S.) INREPLYREFERTO
Lakeview, Oregon 97630
1617
December 10, 1992
DearReader:
The Lakeview District is starting work on an amendment to the existing WarnerLakes Management
Framework Plan. This plan amendment will address proposed changes to the existing management
direction forjuniper in portions ofthe Lakeview Resource Area in Lake County, Oregon, Washoe
County, Nevada and Modoc County, California. The plan amendment, which is scheduled for
completion later this summer, will allow us to update previous land use decisions and will allow
for public participation in the environmental analysis.
The purpose ofthe plan amendment is to determine how we will managejuniper in portions ofthe
Lakeview Resource Area in Deep, Camas, Twelvemile and Twentymile Creek Canyons about
fifteen miles east ofLakeview. To accomplish this, it is necessary to identify and resolve multiple
use conflicts (issues) related to the management ofpublic lands in the plan amendment area.
The preliminary issues and proposed alternatives discussed in this mailer were developed from
staffdiscussions, informal public comment and ongoing contacts with local governments, and
known useror interest groups. Your comments on this mailer will be considered in the preparation
ofa more detailed list ofissues, resource objectives and alternatives. Once the issues, alternatives
and objectives are formalized, they will provide the basis ofthe draft plan amendment, scheduled
for completion during the summer of 1993.
Public involvement is an essential step in ensuring that this land use plan includes the many
possible land uses which best serve the public interest. I encourage you to closely review this
mailer and submit your comments to the Lakeview District Office by February 1, 1992 or attend
the public meeting which will be held on Tuesday, January 12 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the
Lakeview District Office conference room at 1000 South Ninth in Lakeview. Ifyou have any
questions about this planning process, or ifyou would like to be on the mailing list please contact
Renee Snyder at the above address or telephone number.
Sincerely,
/)—
°<S^fc
Judy Ellen Nelson
°<^sr. Lakeview District Manager
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
LAKEVIEW DISTRICT
WARNER LAKES MFPA FOR
JUNIPER MANAGEMENT
1992
Project Area Boundary
Fish Creek Rim
WSA Boundary
MODOC
CALIFORNIA
NEVADA

About the Area Older westernjuniper is usually found on low
sage flats and on rocky rims, where they are
The area to be covered by the Warner Lakes protected from fire.
Management Framework Plan Amendment and
Environmental Assessment for Juniper Manage- Although the planning area covers 13,500 acres, it
ment includes about 13,000 acres of land man- is not proposed to removejuniper from the entire
aged by the Lakeview Resource Area in Lake area. Based on a vegetation and condition survey
County, Oregon, 500 acres in Washoe County, conducted between 1986 and 1988, juniper den-
Nevada and 10 acres in Modoc County, Califor- sity is at least 9% greater now on 5,585 acres of
nia. The lands covered by this MFP Amendment the planning area than ifthe sites were in excel-
are those managed by the BLM in view ofOregon lent condition. This includes 220 acres in Parsnip
State Highway 140 from Parsnip Creek to Adel, Creek, 2580 acres in Deep Creek, 1785 acres in
Oregon and in Deep, Camas, Twelvemile and Twelvemile Creek and 1000 acres in Twentymile
Twentymile Creek Canyons (See map). Creek Canyons. These higher density areas will
receive priority for treatment, especially for
When the Warner Lakes Management Framework watershed improvement objectives. Not all the
Plan was approved in 1983,juniper was not acres ofhigh densityjuniper will be treated due to
recognized as a serious watershed concern. It concerns for ancientjuniper, wildlife and visual
wasn't felt that it would affect water yield or objectives. In some cases, areas oflesserjuniper
riparian or watershed condition. Since then, it has density will be treated to alleviate direct impacts
become widely recognized that with an increase in to riparian areas and aspen.
the density ofjuniper stands, aspen stands will
decline, spring flow amounts and duration will The purpose ofthis amendment is to guide man-
decrease and watershed erosion can increase. agement action and set goals forjuniper manage-
These effects result from thejuniper out-compet- ment in the planning area. Exact treatment plans
ing soil-protecting perennial grasses and herba- will be determined following public input and
ceous vegetation for moisture and nutrients. As a careful analysis through the planning process.
result, the MFP, as currently approved, does not
accommodate significant program changes for
management ofjuniper. In addition, it does not The Planning Process and Criteria
allow management ofjuniper within view of State
Highway 140, or in Deep, Camas or Twentymile Planning criteria are prepared to guide the devel-
Creek Canyons. opment ofthe MFP amendment/environmental
assessment and ensure that it is tailored to the
Westernjuniper is a tree or semi-shrub which identified issues. The three basic purposes ofthe
grows on drier sites in the Pacific Northwest, planning criteria are: (1) to guide the overall
northern California and along the upper slopes of process by focusing on the real issues and con-
the Sierra Nevada. Young actively growing cerns, (2) to guide the development ofmeaningful
juniper forms a main trunk with many lateral alternatives which address the issues and provide
branches. Older trees on poorer sites have several a basis for the amendment and, (3) to provide a
main branches growing from a central base. basis for the District and Area Manager to select a
Juniper leaves are scale like bracts overlapping preferred alternative and make decisions follow-
along the twigs. Cones are small blue berries, ing the completion of the amendment.
often with a covering ofwhite powdery dust. The
bark is thick, shaggy and grey in color when
weathered, but when freshly cut is reddish-brown.
We
suggest the following planning criteria: junipers before they could compete with ground
cover such as grasses, forbs and shrubs which are
1. Focus the amendment on the planning area (see more effective at minimizing surface runoffand
map). erosion. By removing those fine fuels that carry
fire, grazing also served to decrease the fire
2. Focus on those issues which directly affect interval. Control ofwildfire by settlers and later
proposedjuniper management. by government agencies has allowedjuniper to
expand its range and density further.
3. Adhere to all provisions ofexisting public laws,
Department and Bureau policy, and currently Whenjuniper first becomes established on a site
applicable land use decisions. as seedlings, it has little effect. Once the saplings
overtop the surrounding vegetation they begin to
The amendment would be tiered to recreation and effectively compete with other vegetation. As
visual resource management prescriptions in ground cover from other vegetation decreases,
existing documents such as the Wilderness Study surface runoff and erosion increases. Asjuniper
Report and Allotment Management Plans. canopy cover increases, it intercepts much ofthe
precipitation before it can reach the ground. In
4. Manage to protect scientific, scenic, historic, some densities,juniper can use soil moisture
archaeological, ecological, environmental, atmo- amounts equal to nearly nine inches ofrainfall in
spheric and hydrologic values. a growth year. Around springs, aspen areas and
riparian zonesjuniper can use enough ofthe
An interdisciplinary team ofresource specialists available water to restrict or eliminate riparian
from the Lakeview District will be used to prepare vegetation on the site, or deplete spring flows.
the plan and the environmental assessment.
Disciplines to be represented are wildlife, for- Due to increasingjuniper density, many of the
estry, fisheries, sensitive plants, recreation, visual aspen stands in the plan amendment area are
resources, watershed, range management, fuels becoming decadent, spring flows are decreasing
management, wilderness and land use planning. and watershed erosion is increasing. It has be-
come apparent that control ofjuniper in the plan
area is needed torestore functional watershed
Background for the Issues conditions and maximize response to ongoing
management on the critical riparian zones.
Westernjuniper has been a part ofthe Warner
The 1983 Warner Lakes Management Framework
Valley ecosystem for at least the last 5000 years.
Plan allowed for limitedjuniper management. The
It's range and density have fluctuated through the
total number ofacres ofjuniper which can be
years based on climatic changes. Since the early
removed are constrained, cleared areas can be no
1900's, juniper has expanded dramatically both in
more than ten acres, and major vegetative alter-
range and in density of stands.
ation is prohibited within one mile ofDeep Creek,
Camas Creek and Twentymile Creek Canyons for
Recentjuniper invasion has been caused by a
recreation and visual reasons. Vegetative alter-
combination of factors including improper live-
ation within Deep Creek Canyon and within view
stock grazing and fire suppression. Poorly man-
ofOregon State Highway 140 is prohibited and is
aged livestock grazing reduces grass cover,
allowing thejuniper to compete with other vegeta- restricted within five miles ofall major travel
tion more effectively. In the past, fires occurred routes and recreation sites to minimize visual
impacts.
about every 25-50 years. This tended to kill
Proposed Issues resources or land values, the alternatives for the
document will be constrained compared to a plan
The Lakeview District would like the public to amendment that addresses all land types and all
consider the following proposed issues to be resources.
addressed in an amendment to the Warner Lakes
A
Management Framework Plan. Lakeview Resource Area-wide plan revision or
Resource Management Plan, which would be
1. What constitutes ancientjuniper, what sites do analyzed through an environmental impact state-
they occupy and what level ofprotection will be ment, is not firmly scheduled at this time. Deci-
afforded to them? sions made through this plan amendment for
juniper management could be incorporated into a
2. What actions will be taken to protect visual resource management plan and might also serve
resources both in the short term and in the long as a demonstration area for future site-specific
term? proposals.
3. Where and how much juniper should be left to Alternative 1: Maintain Present Situation (No
provide thermal and hiding cover for deer and Action)
habitat for other species?
The areas proposed forjuniper management
4. Shouldjuniper management be allowed within would be managed under current MFP direction
the boundary ofthe Fish Creek Rim Wilderness with a continuation ofthe restrictions on vegeta-
Study Area? tion manipulation. Wildlife habitat for thermal
and hiding cover and visual resources would be
5. What will be done to increase stream and protected. Wildfires would be aggressively sup-
ground cover, and reduce stream sedimentation pressed and no use ofprescribed fire would be
and erosion in order to improve watershed and anticipated in the subject area.
fish habitat condition?
Alternative 2: Juniper management to meet
6. What methods will be allowed forjuniper watershed, wildlife and riparian objectives,
removal and disposal? excluding the Fish Creek Rim Wilderness
Study Area.
In those areas outside the Fish Creek Rim Wilder-
Preliminary Alternatives
ness Study Area,juniper would be managed to
provide benefits for improved watershed and
Land use plan alternatives are a means of arraying
stream condition. Restrictions on vegetative
and analyzing the potential ways the Bureau could
manipulation would be modified to allow for
manage the land and associated resource values.
removal ofjuniper in most areas while still pro-
The following alternatives are suggested solely to
viding for protection ofwildlife hiding cover and
provide a general format and scope of potential
visual resources.
alternatives to be addressed in the MFP amend-
ment. These do not represent fixed alternatives the
BLM Within the Fish Creek Rim Wilderness Study
has decided upon for the planning analysis.
Area, areas proposed forjuniper management
As the amendment will deal only withjuniper would be managed under the current MFP direc-
management in those areas along Oregon State
tion.
Highway 140 and in Deep, Camas, Twelvemile
and Twentymile Creek Canyons, and not all
Written interpretive material and an interpretive Comments can be written and mailed to us at the
site along Oregon Highway 140 in the project area address shown below, and we also encourage you
will be developed to explain to travellers and to attend the public meeting which has been
We
interested parties the purpose forjuniper manage- scheduled. are interested in meeting with any
ment projects. who wish to discuss this plan amendment. If you
or your group is interested, please contact us to
Alternative 3: Juniper management to meet schedule an appropriate time.
watershed, wildlife and riparian objectives,
including the Fish Creek Rim Wilderness Renee Snyder
Study Area. P.O. Box 151, 1000 South Ninth
Lakeview, Oregon 97630
Juniper would be managed to provide benefits for [phone]
improved watershed and stream condition. Re-
strictions on vegetative manipulation would be
modified to allow for removal ofjuniper in most Public Meetings
areas while still providing for protection ofwild-
life hiding cover and visual resources. We have scheduled a public meeting to give the
public an opportunity to discuss the proposed
Written interpretive material and an interpretive issues and alternatives suggested by BLM re-
site along Oregon Highway 140 in the project area source specialists and managers. The meeting will
will be developed to explain to travellers and be held from 7:00-9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January
interested parties the purpose forjuniper manage- 12 in the BLM's Lakeview District Office at 1000
ment projects. South Ninth St. in Lakeview. Anyone interested in
participating in planning forjuniper management
on public lands in the Warner Basin tributaries is
What Can You Do to Help? invited to attend.
We
ask that you consider each ofthe proposed
issues, along with the preliminary alternatives. Do Planning Schedule
you agree the important resource issues have been
identified? Do you feel the alternatives present a Publish Notice of Intent to prepare amendment in
reasonable range ofactions forjuniper manage- the Federal Register - December 18, 1992
ment in the plan amendment area? If after looking
over the information presented you feel we have Send out scoping letter to the public - December
overlooked an important issue related tojuniper 18, 1992
management, we would appreciate your help in
identifying it. Public meeting January 12, 1993
For a comment to be helpful to us, it should relate BLM would meet with groups who make the
to a specific concern or conflict that is within the request during the 45-day scoping period
legal responsibility of the Bureau ofLand Man-
BLM
agement and it must be a concern or conflict Forty-five day public scoping period ending
can effectively resolve in the planning process. February 1, 1993.