Southern California Forest Plan Revision and Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

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Southern California Forest Plan Revisionand
Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
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The Forest Plans are Done!

• The revision of the Land Management Plans (Forest
  Plans) for the four southern California national
  forests is now finished.
• Together the new Forest Plans provide strategic
  management direction for 3.5 million acres of
  public lands.

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Strategic Plans with no site specific decisions
Part 1 Vision, Niche, Desired Conditions
Part 2 Strategy to achieve Desired Condition
Part 3 Design Criteria, Standards, Rules
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EMS is part of plan implementation

• EMS is a feature of planning and is the
  management framework that shows we intend to
  achieve the environmental objectives described in
  the Forest Plan. Fred Norbury

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EMS is an Implementation Process
EMS is a process that provides Forest employees
and the public with the information needed to
ensure that the adaptive approach to management
envisioned in the plans is a reality on the
ground.
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Cleveland is the pilot Forest in R5 for EMS

• Forest Plan Revision in new format is in place
• CNF Staff Review Starts Next Week (Feb. 21-23)
• EMS Ready for Document Review (April 10-14)
• Forest Starts to Implement (May August)
• EMS Audit - August 2006

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Process

• Built a how to guidebook that shows how Forest
  Plan direction, FSM and FSH direction, annual
  program of work, and monitoring meet the
  requirements for the EMS standard (ISO 14001)

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EMS Elements to LMP Crosswalk

• Environmental Policy Vision
• Significant Aspects Developed from a list of
  activities needed to meet the LMP Goals and
  screened for significance.
• Objectives and Targets Derived from Forest Plan
  Goals and Emphasis Programs
• Operational Controls Design Criteria
• Monitoring LMP Implementation and Effectiveness
  Monitoring Questions

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Policy Key Elements

• Management commitment is essential.
• Commit to adaptive management.
• Commit to continuous improvement of environmental
  performance.
• Be open to change.

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Potentially Significant Aspects
Example Aspects Identified in Forest Plans as potentially affecting the environment and was a public issue.
Campgrounds and Developed Sites Yes
Concentrated Use Areas Yes
Public use of Roads and Trails Yes
Data Management No
Minerals Management No
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Objectives and Targets

• EMS Objective 2 Motorized Route Designation
  Initiate the motorized route designation process
  using LMP direction as a guide. This objective
  helps implement Forest Goal 3.1.
• Targets
• Complete inventory through a public involvement
  process.
• Initiate NEPA process to designate motorized
  routes.
• Identify routes for decommissioning or conversion
  to other road or trail use.
• Update RMOs through ATM module and produce
  Motorized Vehicle Use Map.

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EMS Also Relates to Regulatory Compliance

• EMS Objective 1 TEPC - Update priority ongoing
  activities biological assessments to reflect new
  LMP Biological Opinion and adjust the adaptive
  management program (ongoing activities
  monitoring) to be more responsive to information
  learned. This objective helps implement Forest
  Goals 6.2 and 3.1.

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Example Operational Control Worksheet
Motorized Use of Roads and Trails
Type of Operational Control Operational references Operational documents Current Monitoring
Access Travel Management (Designate Roads, trails and areas per and prepare motor vehicle use maps) E.O. 11644, CFR 212 Subpart B, LMP S35, LMP Part 2 Page 3 Suitable Uses Table 2.2.2 and Land use Zone Maps 1 and 2 Motor Vehicle Use Maps, ATM Module, Route Designation Guide, dispersed camping limits (36 CFR 212.51(b) Ongoing Activity Monitoring
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Example Operational Control Worksheet
Motorized Use of Roads and Trails
Type of Operational Control Operational references Operational documents Current Monitoring
Implement Adaptive Mitigation for Recreation Uses LMP S34, S50, (LMP Part 3 Appendix D) Sighting records, BO-FWS, Species Accounts w/Management Recommendations Ongoing Activity Monitoring
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Compliance Monitoring

• Operational controls for each significant aspect
  are monitored as part of the LMP implementation
  monitoring requirement.
• Performance monitoring and measurement of annual
  indicators are documented in the WORKPLAN, FACTS
  and other accomplishment reporting systems.
• Annual reporting (Part of Annual Monitoring and
  Evaluation Report)

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Feedback Loop Corrective Action Request

• Document non-conformities.
• Request corrective actions.
• During the EMS audit, well documented corrective
  actions are a sign of an effective adaptive
  management system.

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Document Corrective Actions to Close the Adaptive
Management Feedback Loop