This document is part of the Planning (Wilderness) Toolbox at: http://www.wilderness.net/toolboxes/
TASK DIRECTIVE
FOR
WILDERNESS AND BACKCOUNTRY MANAGEMENT
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
April 1996
Prepared by:
/s/
Timothy L. Devine
Wilderness Interdisciplinary
Team Leader
4/3/96
Date
Recommended by:
/s/
Joseph R. Evans
Chief Park Ranger
4/3/96
Date
Recommended by:
/s/
Craig C. Axtell
Chief Resource Management
and Research
4/3/96
Date
Approved by:
/s/
4/3/96
A. Durand Jones
Superintendent
Date
Task
Develop a Wilderness and Backcountry Management Plan to guide the
park in managing the wilderness resource in Rocky Mountain
National Park to preserve the natural conditions and scenic
beauties while allowing for the enjoyment of the wilderness by the
public.
Authorities and Mandates
General - Federal Government:
The Wilderness Act 1964
The National Environmental Policy Act 1969
Clean Air Act 1977
Clean Water Act 1972, 1977, 1987
The Endangered Species Act 1973
The Americans with Disabilities Act 1990
The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 1968
The National Sites Act 1935
The National Trust Act 1949
The National Historic Preservation Act 1966, 1976, 1980
The Archaeological and Historical Preservation Act 1974
The Archaeological Resources Protection Act 1979
National Park Service:
The National Park Service Organic Act 1916
Redwoods Act 1978
NPS Management Policies 1988
NPS-77 Natural Resources Management Guidelines
Aircraft Overflights Act 1987
Wilderness Task Force recommendations 1994
Memorandum for Director 1994 (ensure parks have wilderness/
backcountry plans completed by the year 2000)
Rocky Mountain National Park:
Rocky Mountain National Park Act, enabling legislation 1915
Wilderness Recommendation, ROMO 1974
Master Plan 1976
International Biosphere Reserve 1976
Statement for Management 1992
Backcountry Management Plan 1984
Resources Management Plan 1992
Purpose and Need for a Plan(s)
The purpose of the plan will be to serve as 1) a public document
that explains wilderness management policies and actions used at
Rocky Mountain National
Wilderness vision, long
objectives, and actions
working guide for staff
Park; 2) a means to identify the parks
range management goals, intermediate
and options to meet those objectives; 3) a
who manage the wilderness resource.
The need for the plan is well documented, but not limited to the
following:
- Visitor use is negatively impacting natural and cultural
resources.
- Visitor use has been steadily increasing, exceeding three
million visitors in 1994 and 1995.
- The Backcountry Management Plan is outdated (1984) and mainly
addresses overnight use.
- Day use in backcountry areas is not adequately managed in any
plan.
- Statistics on visitor use in backcountry areas is not
accurately known.
- Problems related to feeding wildlife, fishing, stock use,
winter sports, rock climbing, search and rescue have increased.
- National Park Service employees, involved with wilderness and
backcountry responsibilities, have decreased while visitation
has increased. This has caused some trails to deteriorate,
social trails increasing, loss of wildlife habitat, soil
erosion, water quality degradation, problem wildlife, increase
in exotic plants, loss of native plants and decrease in total
resource protection.
- Some backcountry campsites have no place to dig a new privy
with existing privies reaching capacity.
- Trails continue to deteriorate with the increasing use and
decreasing staff to maintain them. Previous crosscountry
routes are turning into unofficial trails due to increased use.
- Increased requests to operate commercial use tours in the
backcountry.
- Increased requests and needs for research.
Plan Design and Issues
Design or
framework
goals and
should be
-
use an existing planning process to serve as the
of the plan. Develop a Wilderness vision, management
objectives for the park. Identify the issues that
considered in the plan such as the following:
Manage day use in backcountry areas to the freest use possible
while preserving natural and cultural resources.
Manage overnight use in backcountry areas to the freest use
possible while preserving natural and cultural resources.
Manage rock climbing in all areas of the park to the freest use
possible while preserving natural and cultural resources.
Develop Limits of Acceptable Change or VERP guidelines to
monitor conditions and develop thresholds where visitor use and
preservation are in conflict. Consider the following
-
resources:
soils
vegetation
water resources
wildlife
rock (topography)
cultural resources (prehistoric & historic)
Manage commercial use.
Manage research and monitoring needs and actions.
Manage stock use in backcountry areas under guidelines in the
Commercial Horse Use Management Plan and develop guidelines
for private use.
Outline interpretation and education actions.
Park boundary management
Technology and wilderness i.e. cell phones, GPS...
Proposed Plan(s)
Should one or more plans be developed? The following are possible
separate plans or subsections of a larger plan.
-
Wilderness and Backcountry Plan
Day Use Management Plan
Overnight Use Management Plan
Climbing Management Plan
Private Horse Use Management Plan
Winter Recreation Plan
Wilderness Interdisciplinary Team (WIT):
-
-
8 members
Team Leader/Wilderness Specialist
Facilitator
Line Officer
Specialists
Trails/Sanitation
Resources/NEPA
Interpretation
Wilderness Rangers
East District
West District
Assistance as needed:
Superintendent
Division Chiefs
Field Rangers
Seasonals
PIO
GIS
Concessions/Management Assistant
Interagency Representatives - USFS Wilderness Managers
The Public
Time commitment:
WIT Leader
WIT Team Members
Administrative support
Specialist support
Inventory/Monitoring staff
Schedule
75%
10% - 30%
3+ PP
As needed
???
Spring 1996:
- Identify the Wilderness Interdisciplinary Team (WIT) members.
- Identify "side boards" to be followed by the WIT.
- Identify related issues and determine if one plan or more than
one plan should be developed.
- Determine the planning process to be followed.
- Establish timetable for completing the plan.
- Begin planning process.
Compliance
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) - an Environmental
Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement is needed to develop
a Wilderness and Backcountry Management Plan. Any proposed
management actions has to be within the standards addressed in the
park's Master Plan, Enabling Legislation, and National Park
Service policies and guidelines.
Public Involvement and Others to Consult With
Public involvement will include scoping meetings, and public
review through the NEPA process.
USFS; Boulder, Grand, and Larimer County; Estes Park, Allenspark,
Glenhaven, and Grand Lake City Governments; special user groups
i.e. rock climbing, hiking and horse clubs; environmental
organizations; NPCA; other organizations pertinent to the planning
process.