Front Range Roundtable
Lower Montane Ecological
Restoration Metrics Team
March, 2011
Facilitated by:
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
Lower Montane Ecological
Restoration Metrics Team Members
Last Name
Aplet
Babler
First Name
Greg
Mike
Beh
Briggs
Gali
Jenny
Organization
The Wilderness Society
The Nature Conservancy
Feinstein
Fornwalt
Beh Management Consulting, Inc.
US Geological Survey
Rocky Mountain Tree-Ring
Peter
Research
Colorado Forest Restoration
Jessica
Institute
Rich M.
Colorado State Forest Service
Richard (Dick) US Forest Service
Natural Resources Conservation
Jonas
Service
Paula
US Forest Service
Gibbs
Hansen
Jones
Kennedy
Len
Lewis
Limerick
Hal
Craig
Jeff
Don
Dan
Paige
Patricia
Brown
Clement
Edwards
Edwards
US Forest Service, ARP
US Fish and Wildlife Service
The Conservation Cooperative
Denver Water
US Forest Service, ARP
The Nature Conservancy
Center of the American West
Mayben
McHugh
Sara
Mike
US Forest Service, PSICC
City of Aurora
Morgan
Ken
Colorado Division of Wildlife
Ortega
Smith
Stremel
Aaron
Rocky
Nick
US Forest Service, PSICC
Colorado Wild
Boulder County
Underhill
Woods
Jeff
Scott
US Forest Service, PSICC
Colorado State Forest Service
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
Department
Colorado Fire Initiative
Rocky Mountain Geographical Science Center
Title
Senior Forest Scientist
Program Manager
Front Range Roundtable
Facilitator
Research Ecologist
Director
Forest Management Division
Canyon Lakes RD
Rocky Mountain Research Station
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and
Pawnee National Grassland
Planning Department
Forest Management
Governmental Affairs
Pike & San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron &
Comanche National Grasslands
Aurora Water
Colorado Division of Wildlife
Assistant Staff Forester
Fire, Fuels, Timber Staff
State Forester
Research Ecologist
Eco Group Leader
Wildlife Biologist
Executive Director
Environmental Scientist
Vegation Program Manager
Chair, Board of Directors
Renewable Resources Staff
Officer
Environmental Permit Coordinator
Private Lands Coordinator
Pike & San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron &
Comanche National Grasslands
Parks and Open Space
Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Cimarron & Comanche National Grasslands
Fuels Specialist
Resource Technician
Timber Program Manager
Assistant Project Forester -FRFTP
1
Lower Montane Ecological Restoration Metrics
Team Outline
Team
Lower Montane Ecological Restoration “Metrics” Team
Goal
As much as possible given the tight timeframe (to begin monitoring CFLRP by summer), agree on metrics for a common definition of ecological restoration
of the Lower Montane ecosystem. This means documenting the metrics that define desirable conditions (i.e. objectives) in relation to stand conditions
(including old growth), fire behavior and any other conditions the group wishes to define for the first iteration of the CFLRP monitoring plan (the first
Roundtable plan that will use these metrics). Also document differences of opinion to try to resolve later on (post-summer) during the adaptive learning
cycle. Other monitoring programs in addition to CFLRP would use these metrics in the future as desired.
Background
In 2006, the Front Range Roundtable agreed that approximately 700,000 acres of the Lower Montane ecosystem are in need of ecological restoration. While the
Roundtable agreed on where ecological restoration was needed, the Roundtable did not define what ecological restoration should look like on the ground. Based on
the Roundtable’s findings, in May 2010, the Arapaho-Roosevelt and Pike-San Isabel National Forests, with the help of the Nature Conservancy, submitted a proposal
under the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program for additional funding of one million dollars for FY10 and $4 million for each of the next 9 years to
implement ecological restoration on 34,000 acres of Lower Montane forests. In August 2010, the Arapaho-Roosevelt and Pike-San Isabel National Forests were
awarded the first year of funding and are still under consideration for continued funding. In October, 2010, the Front Range Roundtable launched the CFLRP
Monitoring Group to draft a monitoring plan for the use of the funds, as required by the Forest Landscape Restoration Act (FLRA). Monitoring is to include ecological1,
social, and economic monitoring. The CFLRP Monitoring Group was formed on October 15, 2010 to collaboratively develop a monitoring plan for the CFLRP projects.
The Roundtable Metrics Sub-Team was formed on January 24, 2011 to try to find target metrics for ecological restoration of Lower Montane forests to incorporate
into the monitoring plan.
Work streams
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Deliverables
Agree on Lower Montane science experts to interview and science publications to review.
1.
Schedule interviews
Collect / post / distribute research publications on ecological restoration in the Lower Montane to team;.
Outline categories of metrics based on CFLRP objectives, agree on objectives to operationalize with quantitative
metrics; research options for definitions for some terms (e.g., old growth, landscape)
Review literature
2.
At a team meeting, synthesize literature (pulling out any target metrics into a strawman outline) and write interview
guides for phone interviews with experts
Conduct interviews, using strawman outline of metrics and interview guide developed by team (record calls)
3.
Transcribe interviews
Read transcriptions and synthesize results of interviews into target metrics (ranges) to incorporate into monitoring plan
Documented quantitative metrics
(ranges) for ecological restoration of the
Lower Montane, based on literature,
expert, and team consensus
Documented areas of disagreement
where further research, interviews, and
discussions are warranted
If possible, agreed upon definitions for
some terms: e.g., old growth, landscape
1. Ecological monitoring is to include (a) implementation monitoring [Field-checking and/or collection of data to assess whether a planned management action such as mechanical thinning
was done when, where, and how the plan/contract specified], (b) effectiveness monitoring [Field-checking and/or collection of data to assess whether the effects of a planned and
implemented management action such as mechanical thinning actually met the stated objectives of the action (e.g. "to reduce fire hazard by increasing spacing between tree crowns")], and
(c ) response monitoring [Collection of data over a period of time to evaluate a broad suite of direct and indirect effects, intended or unintended, of a management action on an ecosystem
(e.g impacts of thinning on wildlife use of habitat or rate of soil erosion into riparian zone)].
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
2
At meetings
Between meetings
Metrics Team
meeting: Mon
2/28, 12-2,
conference
call1
Lower Montane Ecological
Restoration Metrics Team Timeline
Metrics Team
meeting: Fri.
3/11, 10-2,
Boulder TNC,
Room
305A&B
Roundtable
meeting: Fri.
3/4
CMC, 9:30 –
3:30
Feb
Agree on
experts to
interview
and
published
research
to review
Metrics Team
meeting:
Thurs. 3/31
(10 – 2),
Denver, TBD
CFLRP full
team
meeting:
Tues. 4/5,
(9am-4pm)
Exec Team
meeting:
4/8/11
Mar
Schedule interviews (send
goals and categories)
Collect / post / distribute
research publications on
ecological restoration in
the Lower Montane to
team
Outline categories of
metrics based on CFLRP
objectives, agree on
objectives to
operationalize with
quantitative metrics
Write draft interview
guide
Review literature
(each team
member
responsible for
select publications)
Research options for definitions for
some terms (e.g., old growth,
landscape)
1. Call 866-852-1588, participant passcode: 516343
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
Send
interview
pre-read
Synthesize
literature
(pulling out
any target
metrics into a
strawman
outline) and
write interview
guides for
phone
interviews
with experts;
agree on
weightings for
sources of
data
Apr
Conduct interviews
Write interview notes
Review interview
notes and synthesize
results of interviews
into target metrics
(ranges) to
incorporate into
monitoring plan
CFLRP full
team meeting:
Tues May 17
(9am-4pm)
Roundtable
meeting: Fri.
5/27 (9:30 –
3:30)
May
Deliverables
1.
Documented
quantitative metrics
(ranges) for
ecological restoration
of the Lower
Montane, based on
literature, expert,
and team consensus
2.
Documented areas of
disagreement where
further research,
interviews, and
discussions are
warranted
3.
If possible, agreed
upon definitions for
some terms: e.g., old
growth, landscape
Gali’s vacation:
3/21-29
3
Lower Montane Ecological Restoration Metrics
DRAFT
Team—Proposed Metrics (p. 1 of 2)
Strategy
Measure (before, after treatment
+ target)
Metrics Needed for Desired Conditions (need to define target ranges for each
metric)
1. Establish a complex
mosaic of forest density,
size, and age
Measure forest density, tree sizes
and ages across a range of scales
a. Tree Density (basal area – sq ft/ac or sq m/hectare, stems per acre - )
b. Tree sizes (% in each class): Include seedlings (< 1 inches dbh), saplings (< 1 5 inches dbh), poles (5 – 10 inches dbh), saw timber trees (>10 inch dbh)?
c. Age classes (% in each class) – stand-scale measure: even aged or not?
Presence of “old” trees based on characteristics; core only a sample of trees,
get sizes of all trees
2. Substantially decrease the
density of ponderosa pine
and Douglas-fir, favoring
ponderosa pine
Measure forest composition and
density
a. Douglas-fir – trees per acre (differ by aspect)
b. Ponderosa pine– trees per acre (differ by aspect)
3. Remove ladder fuels and
reduce continuous tree
canopy
Measure crown base height,
measure reduction in number of
seedlings per acre; / model
canopy cover (area of crowns
that block light exposure) / model
canopy density (volume of
crowns)
a.
b.
c.
d.
4. Increase use of prescribed
fire, where landscape is in
the condition where fire can
be restored
Measure whether and what kind
of fire used, and whether land
was in the condition where fire
could be used
a. “Use”: implementation monitoring (a) broadcast burning (b) pile burning, (c)
no burning (and whether fire was used as primary or follow up treatment)
5. Reduce surface fuels
Measure surface/woody fuels
a. Tons per acre in different size classes (1 hour < ¼ inch; .. Use Browns
Transects)
6. Increase presence of grass
meadows and shrublands
(non-forested areas)
Measure landscape structure with
remote sensing)
a. Minimum size of a meadow or shrubland (acres)
b. Number of meadows within a landscape of X acres
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
Crown base height – measure per tree and then average over unit
Count of understory trees per acre (measured by trees < 4.5 feet tall)
Canopy cover (aerial) – modeled using stand exam data in forest simulator
Canopy bulk density (modeled)
4
Lower Montane Ecological Restoration Metrics
DRAFT
Team—Proposed Metrics (p. 2 of 2)
Strategy
Measure (before, after treatment
+ target)
Metrics Needed for Desired Conditions (need to define
target ranges for each metric)
7. Increase patchiness / clumpiness of
forest stands
Measure landscape structure with
stem map (on the ground) – map
all trees in an area (stem map)
a. Spatial statistics (R, Ripley’s K) based on stem map
(distance between stems); use stem map need to
support Abert’s squirrel?
8. Increase herbaceous understories
Measure understory composition
a. Total native richness and cover
b. Cover of indicator species (restoration is successful if
values increase within 5 years)
9. Reduce opportunity for establishment
and spread of invasive plants
Measure invasive species
presence and abundance; track
locations (of each grass species or
not? “Noxioius weeds” only?)
a. Total exotic richness and cover
b. Presence and/or cover of noxious species
(restoration is successful if values decrease within 5
years)
10. Decommission, realign, and/or
restore roads and trails as appropriate
GIS analyses of road densities
before/after treatments
a. Road densities reduced (no targets)
b. At least some roads decommissioned
c. Temporary roads used for treatments restored
11. Strategically place treatments to
maximize effectiveness on the
landscape
Measure wildlife
a. Populations – species presence
b. Habitat – population viability
c. Nests?
12. Improved hydrologic cycle
Measure water quality with PET
gauge; sediment / silt in streams?
a. Use sample sites of other groups already monitoring
streams?
13. Utilize adaptive management
practices that drive and enhance
restoration of the ecological structures
and processes of lower montane
ponderosa pine forests.
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
a. X years of monitoring before agreeing on needed
change (e.g., 5)
b. X years to implement adaptive management (e.g, 2)
5
Lower Montane Ecological Restoration Metrics
Team—Experts to Interview
Name
Role
Organization
Tom Veblen
Professor
Colorado University - Boulder
Monique
Rocca
Professor,
Colorado State University
Merrill
Kaufmann
Research Scientist
Emeritus
USFS Rocky Mountain Research
Station
Tania
Schoennagel
Phone
Email
Status
Resp
Thomas.Veblen@Colorado.EDU
Scheduled
tentatively
1st = Jessica
2nd = Jenny
970-491-2112
rocca@cnr.colostate.edu
Scheduled
Jeff J
970-227-7832
mkauf@lamar.colostate.edu
Scheduled
1st = Peter,
2nd Hal
Tania.Schoennagel@colorado.edu
Scheduled
Paula
Colorado University – Boulder
Greg Aplet
Senior Forest Scientist
The Wilderness Society
(303) 6505818 x104
greg_aplet@tws.org
Will write
response
Craig
Peter Brown
Director
Rocky Mountain Tree-Ring Research
970-229-9557
pmb@rmtrr.org
Scheduled
Jeff
Paula
Fornwalt
Research Ecologist
USFS Rocky Mountain Research
Station
970.498.2581
pfornwalt@fs.fed.us
Provided
data, no
need to
interview
n/a
USFS Rocky Mountain Research
Station
970-295-5972
rreynolds@fs.fed.us
Scheduled
Peter; 2nd =
Craig
wshep@lamar.colostate.edu
Declined
(travel)
n/a
Richard
Reynolds
Wayne
Shepherd
Research Scientist
Emeritus
USFS Rocky Mountain Research
Station
Laurie
Huckaby
Ecologist
USFS Rocky Mountain Research
Station
970-498-1298
lhuckaby@fs.fed.us
Scheduled
Dan
Rosemary
Sherriff
Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky
(859) 2576057
Rosemary.Sherriff@humboldt.edu
Invited
TBD
Jose Negron
Research Entomologist,
USFS Rocky Mountain Research
Station,
970-4981252,
jnegron@fs.fed.us
Willing,
need to
schedule
TBD
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
6
Lower Montane Ecological Restoration Metrics
Team—Experts to Interview
Name
Role
Organization
Phone
Email
Status
Resp
Dennis Knight
Professor
University of Wyoming
307-7420078
dhknight@uwyo.edu (referred Bill
Romme, Peter Brown, Tom Veblen,
and Tania Schoennagel)
Declined
(referred
another)
n/a
Dan Binkley
Professor
Colorado State University, Warner
College of Natural Resources
Binkley@warnercnr.colostate.edu
Sent email
response
n/a
Bill Romme
Professor
Colorado State University, Warner
College of Natural Resources
romme@cnr.colostate.edu
(referred Dan Binkley)
Declined
(referred
another)
n/a
Ken Morgan
Private Lands
Coordinator
Colorado Division of Wildlife
Craig
requesting
Craig
Bill Baker
Professor
University of Wyoming
; bakerwl@uwyo.edu
Sent email
Jenny
Skip Smith
Professor
Colorado State University, Warner
College of Natural Resources
Skip@cnr.colostate.edu
Willing,
need to
schedule
Greg
Chad Julian
Lead Forester
Boulder County Parks and Open
Space
cjulian@bouldercounty.org
Sent email
TBD
Jim Thinnes
Regional Silviculturist
USFS Region 2
303-2755016
jthinnes@fs.fed.us
Invited
1st = Jeff U
2nd = Rich
M.
Edwards
3rd = Dan L
Claudia
Regan
Regional Vegetation
Ecologist
USFS Region 2
303-2755004
cregan@fs.fed.us
Scheduled
Dan
Meridith
Gartner
PHD candidate with Tom
Veblen
University of Colorado
Meredith.Gartner@colorado.edu
Invited
Paula
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
7
Lower Montane Ecological Restoration Metrics Team—
Publications to Review (p. 1 of 2)
Short hand
Reference
Team status
Team Resp.
LANDFIRE
LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model; Biophysical Setting: 2810540; Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa
Pine, Woodland. Based on the Rapid Assessment model R3PPDF, by Merrill Kaufmann
(mkaufmann@fs.fed.us), Rosemary Sherriff (sherriff@colorado.edu), Bill Baker (bakerwl@wyo.edu), Jose
Negron and Brian Kent. Was also reviewed in workshop by Vic Ecklund (vecklund@csu.org) 7/25/2005.
Gali needs to put
on web
Mike B
USFS AR Forest
Plan 1997
http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDD
w9_AI8zPwhQoY6IeDdGCqCPOBqwDLGAAjgb6fh75uan6BdnZaY6OiooA1tkqlQ!!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMjAwMDAwMDBBODBPSEh
WTjJNMDAwMDAwMDA!/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=fsm91_058277&navid=130100000000000&
pnavid=130000000000000&ss=110210&position=Not Yet
Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Arapaho
Gali needs to put
on web
Hal
PSI Directions
plan
Pike and San Isabel NF Forest Plan Direction (unpublished, synthesized from PSI 1984 Plan by Sara Mayben).
Gali needs to put
on web
Jessica C
Send to Gali to
put on web
Sara
USFS PSI Forest
Plan (1984)
http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDD
w9_AI8zPwhQoY6BdkOyoCAPkATlA!/?ss=110212&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=FSE_003756&navid=
130100000000000&pnavid=130000000000000&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&ttype=main&pname=Pike
and San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands- Planning
Kaufmann,
Romme, Veblen
2006
Kaufmann, Merrill R., Thomas T. Veblen, and William H. Romme. 2006. Historical fire regimes in ponderosa
pine forests of the Colorado Front Range, and recommendations for ecological restoration and fuels
management. Front Range Fuels Treatment Partnership Roundtable, findings of the Ecology Workgroup.
www.frftp.org/roundtable/pipo.pdf.
On website,
need to review
Paula
Kaufmann 2000
Kaufmann, M. R.; Huckaby, L. S.; Gleason, P. 2000. Ponderosa pine in the Colorado Front Range: long
historical fire and tree recruitment intervals and a case for landscape heterogeneity. In: Neuenschwander,
Leon F.; Ryan, Kevin C., tech. eds. Proceedings from the Joint Fire Science Conference and Workshop:
crossing the millennium: integrating spatial technologies and ecological principles for a new age in fire
management; the Grove Hotel, Boise, Idaho, June 15-17, 1999. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho, 2000:
153-160.
On website,
need to review
Paula
On website,
need to review
Paula
Kaufmann 2001
Merrill R. Kaufmann, Paula J. Fornwalt, Laurie S. Huckaby, Jason M. Stoker. 2001. Cheesman Lake—A
Historical Ponderosa Pine Landscape Guiding Restoration in the South Platte Watershed of the Colorado
Front Range. USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-22
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
8
Lower Montane Ecological Restoration Metrics Team—
Publications to Review (p. 2 of 2)
Short hand
Reference
Team status
Team Resp.
Huckaby 2001
Laurie S. Huckaby, Merrill R. Kaufmann, Jason M. Stoker, Paula J. Fornwalt. 2001. Landscape Patterns of
Montane Forest Age Structure Relative to Fire History at Cheesman Lake in the Colorado Front Range. USDA
Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-22
On website,
need to
review
Paula
Huckaby 2003
Laurie Stroh Huckaby, Merrill R. Kaufmann, Paula J. Fornwalt, Jason M. Stoker, and Chuck Dennis.
Identification and Ecology of Old Ponderosa Pine Trees in the Colorado Front Range. Department of
Agriculture Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-110
September 2003.
On website,
need to
review
Rocky
Reynolds et al
2006
Richard T. Reynolds, Russell T. Graham, and Douglas A. Boyce, Jr. 2006. An Ecosystem-Based Conservation
Strategy for the Northern Goshawk. Studies in Avian Biology No. 31:299–311.
On website,
need to
review
Mike M
Kaufmann 2003
Kaufmann, M. R., L. S. Huckaby, P. J. Fornwalt, J. M. Stoker and W. H. Romme. 2003. Using tree recruitment
patterns and fire history to guide restoration of an unlogged ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir landscape in the
southern Rocky Mountains after a century of fire suppression. Forestry (UK) 76: 231-241.
On website,
need to
review
Paula
Veblen,
Donnegan, 2005
Thomas T. Veblen, Joseph A. Donnegan. 2005. Historical Range of Variability for Forest Vegetation of the
National Forests of the Colorado Front Range. USDA Forest Service Agreement No. 1102-0001-99-033 with
The University of Colorado, Boulder.
On website,
need to
review
Jenny
Platte.,
Schoennagel
Aerial study
Platt, R.V., T. Schoennagel. 2009. An object-oriented approach to assessing changes in tree cover in the
Colorado Front Range 1938-1999. Forest Ecology and Management. 258: 1342–1349.
On website,
need to
review
Peter
Send to Gali
to put on
web
Peter
Manitou
Experimental
Forest
Fornwalt et al,
2008
Paula J. Fornwalt, Merrill R. Kaufmann, Laurie S. Huckaby, Thomas J. Stohlgren. Effects of past logging and
grazing on understory plant communities in a montane Colorado forest. Published online: 4 October 2008,
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008. Plant Ecol (2009) 203:99–109. DOI 10.1007/s11258-008-9513-z
On website,
need to
review
Paula
Hunter et al, 2007
M.E. Hunter, W.D. Shepperd, L.B. Lentile, J.E. Lundquist, M.G. Andreu, J.L. Butler, and F.W. Smith. 2007. A
Comprehensive Guide to Fuels Treatment Practices for Ponderosa Pine in the Black Hills, Colorado Front
Range, and Southwest. USDA Forest Service RMRS-GTR-198. 2007
On website,
need to
review
Peter
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
9
Lower Montane Ecological Restoration Metrics Team—
Publications to Review (p. 2 of 2)
Short hand
Reference
Team status
Team Resp.
Huckaby 2001
Laurie S. Huckaby, Merrill R. Kaufmann, Jason M. Stoker, Paula J. Fornwalt. 2001. Landscape Patterns of
Montane Forest Age Structure Relative to Fire History at Cheesman Lake in the Colorado Front Range. USDA
Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-22
On website,
need to
review
Paula
Brown et al, 1999
Peter M. Brown, Merrill R. Kaufmann and Wayne D. Shepperd. Long-term, landscape patterns of past fire
events in a montane ponderosa pine forest of central Colorado. Landscape Ecology 14: 513–532, 1999.
Kluwer Academic Publishers.
On website,
need to
review
Peter
Roundtable 2006
2006. Living with Fire: Protecting Communities and Restoring Forest Health; Findings and Recommendations
of the Front Range Fuels Treatment Partnership Roundtable. http://www.frftp.org/roundtable.htm
On website,
already
reviewed
Hal
Wildlife metrics
TBD
Handbook for
measuring surface
fuels
Joe H. Scott, Robert E. Burgan. Standard Fire Behavior Fuel Models: A Comprehensive Set for Use with
Rothermel’s Surface Fire Spread Model. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Rocky
Mountain Research Station General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-153. June 2005
On website,
needs a
reviewer
Referred by
Dick Edwards
Brown’s Transects
James K. Brown. Handbook for inventorying downed woody material. USDA Forest Service General Technical
Report INT-016m 1974. Intermountain Forest & Range Experiment Station. Ogden, Utah 84401
On website,
needs a
reviewer
Referred by
Dick Edwards
Chad Julian
unpublished
(date?)
Contact: gali@behconsulting.com
Craig
Need info &
file
10