Complete a comprehensive plant species list for the Planning Area, including a compilation of species lists developed by Boulder County, the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and Denver Water. Field work should include private parcels (with landowner permission) and emphasize special habitats, including wetlands and riparian habitats.
Search for and document rare plant species that may potentially occur in the Planning Area.
Monitor known rare plant populations every three to five years.
Monitor the Colorado Natural Heritage Program's lists of rare plant species and communities to keep up-to-date on the changing status of elements of biodiversity.
In cooperation with Boulder County, the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and other agencies, develop and implement a weed control plan for the Planning Area. PUMA's short term efforts should concentrate on education, mapping and funding. Long term efforts should focus on support of agency control programs.
Protect riparian communities from activities such as road maintenance, trail construction, or home-building that could destroy vegetation in the area or cause soil compaction, erosion, or other adverse impacts.
PUMA should consult with the County and field check wetlands in the Planning Area in order to determine if significant wetlands were not documented by the Wright Water Engineers study.
Protect old-growth and potential (within 100 years) old-growth forest stands. These stands should be subject only to appropriate and beneficial management.
Monitor implementation of fire mitigation/prevention regulations and educate landowners about the importance of slash removal and participation in the WHIMS program offered by the High Country Fire Department.
PUMA is in provisional agreement with many of the goals and working methods (e. g. controlled burns) of the project, subject to the following points:
PUMA prefers that the project is managed in stages, with certain management actions completed in one area before actions in another area can be initiated. Specific management actions should be identified and prioritized so that the project's most important goals and objectives can be met.
No commercial or other public logging sales that are financially dependent upon the cutting of trees larger than 10 inches in diameter should be permitted. This 10 inch DBH designation is based on a number of variables including aesthetic considerations, species of tree and variability of growth rates (e.g. aspen versus ponderosa pine), the needs of cavity nesting birds, the scarcity of larger diameter trees in the region, and insect infestation of trees 8 inches and larger. Removal of trees larger than 10 inches in diameter shall be for ecological criteria only (e.g. forest health and the range of natural values).
Funding must be assured for:
All project stakeholders have the right to review management prescriptions of individual projects, and the right to review individual project contracts that implement the management prescriptions. The intent of this right to review is to assure that the prescriptions and contracts are consistent with the agreements made during the planning period by project stakeholders.
Primitive roads, which already existed in the project area before project implementation, must be reduced to a level consistent with wildlife habitat preservation and long-term recreation management goals. Roads to be removed after completion of individual projects should be included in the individual management area prescriptions.
Noise and disturbance to people and wildlife must be minimized.
Ongoing monitoring and periodic reviews of each project must be conducted.
A "circuit breaker" must be established to halt the project if it strays, at any stage, significantly from the original mission and goals. Regular meetings with PUMA representatives and BCEC with should be scheduled to assess project implementation.
National Environmental Protection Act approvals should include ongoing monitoring, periodic reviews, neighborhood involvement, and pilot projects.
Alternative logging methods such as horse drawn logging, firewood sales, "Adopt an Acre", and thinning in winter should be considered.
For more specifics regarding PUMA’s official response to the Forest Service’s Winiger Ridge Pilot Vegetation Management Project (presented to the public in summer of 1999), see Appendix 4.7.
The County should allocate money for weed eradication on County Open Space lands.
The County should continue to work cooperatively with other land use agencies in our area to implement management plans using an ecosystem, landscape-based approach.
 |
 |
 |
 |