Wilderness management plan and enviro[n]mental assessment for the Cottonwood Point Wilderness, Arizona : draft

76 Pages·1991·13.3 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Vermillion Resource Area

BLM LIBRARY
88045753
Draft
Wilderness Management Plan
for the
Cottonwood Point Wilderness
ARIZONA
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Arizona Strip District - Arizona
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Draft
Wilderness Management Plan
And
Enviromental Assessment
For The
Cottonwood Point Wilderness
ARIZONA
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Arizona Strip District - Arizona
Vermillion Resource Area
Mohave County, Arizona
EA #AZ-010-90-029

United States Department ofthe Interior PMKM,
AMERICA
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
ARIZONA STRIP DISTRICT OFFICE
390 NORTH 3050 EAST
ST. GEORGE. UTAH 84770 IN REPLY REFER TO:
Date Feb. 1991
Enclosed for your review and comment is the Draft Cottonwood Point Wilderness Management
Plan. Bureau policy requires that a plan be prepared for all designated wilderness areas on public
lands. This plan will establish the management direction and objectives, as well as management
actions for this Wilderness.
Parts I-IV provide information on the proposed wilderness management for the Cottonwood
Point Wilderness. Part V provides cost estimates for implementing this plan; part VI the
Environmental Assessment, analyzes the proposed management action emd selected alternatives.
Part VII is a collection of Appendices, one of which is a draft Fire Management Plan for the area.
The Pubhc will have a 45 day public comment period to comment on this plan, begining with a
publication announcement in the Federal Register. We will welcome your written comments for
inclusion in the management plan. Copies of the fmal Cottonwood Point Wilderness Management
Plan will be provided to those who submit comments and to others upon request.
Thank you for your interest in the Cottonwood Point Wilderness.
Sincerely yoiu^s,
2^m
Area Manager, Vermillion Resource Area
District Manager, /tfizona Strip District
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I INTRODUCTION 2
PURPOSE OF MANAGEMENT PLAN 2
ORGANIZATION OF PLAN 2
WILDERNESS AREA OVERVIEW 2
II WILDERNESS GOALS 5
III MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 6
IV OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS FOR WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT 7
ADMINISTRATION 7
RECREATION 9
SEARCH & RESCUE
11
COMMERCLAI. USE 12
WATER
13
WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT 14
CULTURAL RESOURCES
17
GRAZING MANAGEMENT
18
LANDS MANAGEMENT
19
MINERALS MANAGEMENT 20
HRE MANAGEMENT
20
INSECTS, DISEASE, AND NOXIOUS PLANTS 21
V ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 28
INTRODUCTION 28
PURPOSE AND NEED
28
PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES 28
AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
39
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
39
PROPOSED ACTION
39
ALTERNATIVE A
41
NO ACTION 42
CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION
43
VI COST ESTIMATES 44
VII APPENDICES 45
APPENDIX A: WILDLIFE AND VEGETATION 45
APPENDIX B: LIVESTOCK AND RANGE DATA 47
APPENDIX C: RANGE MECHANIZED EQUIPMENT USE & IMPROVEMENTS 48
APPENDIX D: HRE MANAGEMENT PLAN 52
APPENDIX E: PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS 56
APPENDIX F: PLAN PARTICIPANTS 57
APPENDIX G: GLOSSARY 58
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Figure 1: Perspective View of Cottonwood Point Wilderness
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