Presenter Information

Jeremy Drew, Resource Concepts Inc.

Location

Logan, UT

Event Website

http://restoringthewest.org/

Streaming Media

Abstract

The purpose of a PJ Demonstration Area was to designate a location where funding, agency operations, professional expertise, and private-public partnerships could focus on restoring ecosystem health and resilience of sagebrush and pinyon-juniper (PJ) woodland ecosystems by actively treating pinyon and juniper. RCI was tasked with identifying at least one landscape-level demonstration area within the State of Nevada for the Nevada Pinyon-Juniper Partnership. That Area was designated in eastern Nevada along the Utah border.

To do so, RCI developed mapping of statewide PJ distributions1 and found that there are approximately 9.16 million acres of PJ dominated vegetation in Nevada. In order to determine which of those areas would be suitable for a demonstration area, RCI developed a set of priorities that included:

1. Identification of areas with an ecological need for treatment of PJ to achieve multiple resource values. 2. Identification of areas that were ready for action from a land-management agency standpoint. 3. Identify areas that maximize the potential for multiple positive resource outcomes as a result of restoration treatment of pinyon and juniper. 4. Identify areas that maximized the potential for partnership between Federal and State agencies as well as non-governmental and private organizations. 5. Identify areas that may present an opportunity for utilization of PJ biomass dictated by and generated from restoration treatments.

RCI solicited input from the two major federal land management agencies within the state: the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). RCI requested each BLM District Office identify PJ restoration areas and identify the restoration objectives for each area. All six Nevada BLM Districts provided input. The Ely District was the only BLM District with significant PJ distributions that had a comprehensive district-wide RMP in place that included the need for restoration of PJ treatment for a variety of resource values. As a result, the Ely District showed the highest potential for planning PJ restoration projects across the largest area.

The State Office of the Forest Service provided a list of potential PJ projects for the entire Humboldt-Toiyabe Forest scheduled for the next five years2. RCI mapped the projects slated for mechanical treatments, as they tend to be the most expensive and offer to greatest opportunity for cost sharing and private-public partnerships. The Ely Ranger District had by far the most PJ projects slated for planning and implementation over the next five years. The Ely Ranger District also indicated that it was already working with the Ely BLM District to implement joint PJ projects in the Ward Mountain Area. This provided a prime opportunity for both major federal land management agencies to implement projects across the same landscape areas.

RCI collected data from the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) and the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF). This included:

• The 2004 Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan for Nevada and Eastern California (Sage-grouse Plan) • The 2006 Nevada Wildlife Action Plan (WAP), and • The 2010 the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF) State Natural Resource Assessment and the State Natural Resource Strategy

Many of the high priority treatment areas identified in these reports, specifically in regards to PJ restoration, fell within the eastern portion of Nevada.

In collecting the available data and inputs from key federal and state agencies, it became clear that there are many areas throughout Nevada in need of restoration treatment of PJ. However, based on the criteria of identifying a large landscape-scale area that is ready for action from an agency-planning standpoint the Ely BLM District and Ely Ranger District proved to be the most advanced opportunity.

1. Data Sources for Mapping included: Southwest Re-GAP Landcover Data, 2004 and California GAP Landcover Data, 1998 2. Humboldt-Toiyabe Forest 5-year Integrated Vegetation Management Plan

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Oct 19th, 12:00 AM

The Need for PJ Restoration in Eastern Nevada

Logan, UT

The purpose of a PJ Demonstration Area was to designate a location where funding, agency operations, professional expertise, and private-public partnerships could focus on restoring ecosystem health and resilience of sagebrush and pinyon-juniper (PJ) woodland ecosystems by actively treating pinyon and juniper. RCI was tasked with identifying at least one landscape-level demonstration area within the State of Nevada for the Nevada Pinyon-Juniper Partnership. That Area was designated in eastern Nevada along the Utah border.

To do so, RCI developed mapping of statewide PJ distributions1 and found that there are approximately 9.16 million acres of PJ dominated vegetation in Nevada. In order to determine which of those areas would be suitable for a demonstration area, RCI developed a set of priorities that included:

1. Identification of areas with an ecological need for treatment of PJ to achieve multiple resource values. 2. Identification of areas that were ready for action from a land-management agency standpoint. 3. Identify areas that maximize the potential for multiple positive resource outcomes as a result of restoration treatment of pinyon and juniper. 4. Identify areas that maximized the potential for partnership between Federal and State agencies as well as non-governmental and private organizations. 5. Identify areas that may present an opportunity for utilization of PJ biomass dictated by and generated from restoration treatments.

RCI solicited input from the two major federal land management agencies within the state: the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). RCI requested each BLM District Office identify PJ restoration areas and identify the restoration objectives for each area. All six Nevada BLM Districts provided input. The Ely District was the only BLM District with significant PJ distributions that had a comprehensive district-wide RMP in place that included the need for restoration of PJ treatment for a variety of resource values. As a result, the Ely District showed the highest potential for planning PJ restoration projects across the largest area.

The State Office of the Forest Service provided a list of potential PJ projects for the entire Humboldt-Toiyabe Forest scheduled for the next five years2. RCI mapped the projects slated for mechanical treatments, as they tend to be the most expensive and offer to greatest opportunity for cost sharing and private-public partnerships. The Ely Ranger District had by far the most PJ projects slated for planning and implementation over the next five years. The Ely Ranger District also indicated that it was already working with the Ely BLM District to implement joint PJ projects in the Ward Mountain Area. This provided a prime opportunity for both major federal land management agencies to implement projects across the same landscape areas.

RCI collected data from the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) and the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF). This included:

• The 2004 Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan for Nevada and Eastern California (Sage-grouse Plan) • The 2006 Nevada Wildlife Action Plan (WAP), and • The 2010 the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF) State Natural Resource Assessment and the State Natural Resource Strategy

Many of the high priority treatment areas identified in these reports, specifically in regards to PJ restoration, fell within the eastern portion of Nevada.

In collecting the available data and inputs from key federal and state agencies, it became clear that there are many areas throughout Nevada in need of restoration treatment of PJ. However, based on the criteria of identifying a large landscape-scale area that is ready for action from an agency-planning standpoint the Ely BLM District and Ely Ranger District proved to be the most advanced opportunity.

1. Data Sources for Mapping included: Southwest Re-GAP Landcover Data, 2004 and California GAP Landcover Data, 1998 2. Humboldt-Toiyabe Forest 5-year Integrated Vegetation Management Plan

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/rtw/2011/Plenary2/3