At-Risk Plants

Photographers: Al Schneider (#1-2), & William Gray (#3)

Note: No At-Risk Plants Alternatives to proposed Plan in DEIS

GOALS

Conservation Alternative Goals (FW-RISKPLANT-GL): 01-02

1. Scientists and citizens with expertise in rare plants contribute to MLNF knowledge of locations and threats to at-risk plant species.

   
   

2. The MLNF and researchers contribute to knowledge of the pollinator needs of at-risk plant species.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Goals (FW-RISKPLANT-GL): 01-02

1. Develop partnerships to collect baseline population data for all at-risk plant species.

   
   

2. When available, management of at-risk plant species will follow current conservation strategies and agreements with other agencies and partners.

DESIRED CONDITIONS

Conservation Alternative Desired Conditions (FW-RISKPLANT-DC): 01-05

1. At-risk plants are protected to the degree possible on the Forest as unique contributions to native biodiversity.

   
   

2. At-risk plant populations are, if possible, increased. If increase is not possible, the populations are sustained.

   
   

3. The habitat for each at-risk plant species supports self-sustaining populations within the inherent biotic and abiotic capabilities of the habitat.

   
   

4. Public education materials highlight the characteristics and habitat of at-risk plants and their plant associations, and the importance of their protection.

   
   

5. Numerous reference areas and other protected areas provide potential for insight into the causes of rarity.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Desired Conditions (FW-RISKPLANT DC): 01-04

1. Ecological processes create vegetation conditions and patterns across the forest that are consistent with properly functioning condition.

   
   

2. Areas of exposed bedrock, outcroppings, and rims are available to support and maintain at-risk plant species.

   
   

3. High elevation, at-risk plant species have enough scree, colluvium, and undisturbed alpine turf to provide for their persistence.

   
   

4. Hanging gardens support distinctive plant species and communities that contribute to local and regional biodiversity, including at-risk plant species

OBJECTIVES

Conservation Alternative Objectives (FW-RISKPLANT-OB): 01-06

1. Within two years of plan approval, and every 5 years after, identify gaps in knowledge of each at-risk-species’ location(s) on the MLNF, range, status, pollinators, and threats, partnering with the Utah Native Plant Society.

   
   

2. Within one year of plan approval and every 3 years after, review available information on at-risk plant species for updated information that may change species status or current forest management for the species’ habitat.  

   
   

3. The Forest has a monitoring plan in the file of each identified at-risk species for its locations, population trends, and threats.

   
   

4. Improve protection of one (or more) vulnerable sites of rare and relict vegetation associations each year. 

   
   

5. Initiate projects to remove invasive or noxious weed species from at least one area with rare and relict vegetation associations each year.

   
   

6. Establish at least two new research natural areas (RNAs) with rare and relict vegetation associations within ten years. This could include converting an existing “botanical area” to RNA designation.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Objectives (FW-RISKPLANT-OB): 01-02

1. Establish an inventory and monitoring plan for at-risk plant populations within five years of plan approval. 

   
   

2. Establish a conservation strategy plan for all SCC plants within the life of the plan.

STANDARDS

Conservation Alternative Standards (FW-RISKPLANT-ST): 01-05

1. If an at-risk plant species is accessible to livestock trampling or consumption, livestock grazing does not occur in its occupied habitat, or formerly occupied habitat.

   
   

2. If a permit to place honeybee apiaries has been issued prior to plan implementation, no hives may be placed during the remaining life of the permit within five miles of any rare or at-risk plant species that could be animal-pollinated.

   
   

3. Removal of noxious weed species is the only vegetation treatment allowed in rare and relict vegetation associations.

   
   

4. Ground-disturbing treatments will not occur within 200 feet of occupied habitat for at-risk plant species.

   
   

5. To maintain viable populations of at-risk and rare plant species, ground-disturbing or other activities with negative impacts, including construction of new roads, should not occur within 600 feet of known locations of at-risk plant species populations. For at-risk plant species populations already located within 600 feet of roadsides: map locations to share with road crews prior to maintenance work, use water only for dust abatement; do not seed, spray or mow; avoid covering plants if grading road; and consider plant location during snow and ice control measures.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Standards (FW-RISKPLANT-ST): 01

1. Avoidance, buffers, design features, mitigations, and considerations of project timing shall be incorporated into ground-disturbing projects that may affect occupied habitat for at-risk plant species.No Native Plant Materials Standards are proposed in Plan or DEIS

GUIDELINES

Conservation Alternative Guidelines (FW-RISKPLANT-GD): 01-05

1. Where evidence indicates that current management is contributing to stress on an at-risk plant species, removal of stressors and restoration are undertaken as possible.

   
   

2. To minimize or eliminate the risk of damage to non-target plant populations, personnel involved in invasive plant treatments shall be trained to identify at-risk plant species.

   
   

3. To maintain viable populations of at-risk plant species, particularly in alpine habitats, the Forests will limit use (motorized or nonmotorized, foot or stock traffic) to designated routes (seasonally or in limited areas); implement seasonal closures on recreational use over limited areas; limit activities that require special use permits; and/or implement other such temporary or limited-area measures as needed to reduce impacts of recreation and forest use.

   
   

4. Public education materials highlight the nature of at-risk plants and their plant associations, and the importance of their protection.

   
   

5. Activities or actions will be undertaken consistent with guidance for such activities or actions within signed Conservation Agreement.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Guidelines (FW-RISKPLANT-GD): 01-02

1. Talus, scree, cliffs, seasonally wet areas, and colluvium habitat elements that provide refugia for high-elevation at-risk plant species should be avoided when proposing ground-disturbing activities – including trail construction and maintenance and vegetation restoration and reclamation projects – unless these actions are undertaken to enhance at-risk species’ habitats or populations.

   
   

2. To maintain at-risk plant species populations, disturbance should be minimized in exposed rock outcroppings, bedrock, and rims where at-risk plant species occur.

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ABOUT THIS COMPARISON

All text in this chart is copied and pasted from the Conservation Alternative, the MLNF proposed Management Plan, and the MLNF DEIS except for any text in brackets and in italics font.

YELLOW HIGHLIGHTED TEXT

Provisions for Native Plant Materials and At-Risk Plants that were submitted in the Conservation Alternative. 

Yellow-masked text: Conservation Alternative provisions that are particularly important, but since the Conservation Alternative was not included in the DEIS, they have not been offered to the public as options for their comment. 

BLUE HIGHLIGHTED TEXT

Provisions for Native Plant Materials and At-Risk Plants in the Forest’s proposed Management Plan (which is Alternative B in the DEIS)

Blue-masked text: Forest Plan provisions that differ in important ways with the Conservation Alternative.

 GREEN HIGHLIGHTED TEXT

Alternatives to the Management Plan in the DEIS for Native Plant Materials and At-Risk Plants 

Green-masked font: Anything noteworthy re: “All Alternatives” and/or Alternatives B, C, or D.