Note to presenters Delete this slide

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Note to presenters(Delete this slide)

• The information in this presentation is current
  as of 7/08.
• Contact your regional WAG rep. for updates.

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• This document is contained within Wilderness
  Awareness Toolbox on Wilderness.net. Since other
  related resources found in this toolbox may be of
  interest, you can visit this toolbox by visiting
  the following URL http//www.wilderness.net/index
  .cfm?fusetoolboxessecawareness. All toolboxes
  are products of the Arthur Carhart National
  Wilderness Training Center.

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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Spring
Rendezvous June, 2008
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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group
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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group History

• Since 1999
• 5 WAGs, various issues and strategies
• 2000 Thinking Like a Mountain Wilderness Agenda

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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group Origins pf the
10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge

• Questions from Chief Bosworth for 2002-03 WAG
• What elements of wilderness stewardship are and
  are not getting done ?
• Why and why not ?
• How can we do a better job of
  wilderness stewardship ?

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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group Membership

• Forest and Ranger District level wilderness
  managers
• 1 representative from each region
• Selected by the Regional Wilderness Program
  Manager
• 1 Line Officer (can be a regional representative)
• 1 RO Recreation Director
• WO Wilderness Program Manager
• WO Wilderness Information Manager
• Leopold Wilderness Research Institute Rep.
• Carhart Training Center Rep.

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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group 2008 Members

• RO Recreation Directors Representative- Ruth
  Monahan, R10
• WO - Terry Knupp, Wilderness Program Manager
• - Steve Boutcher, Wilderness Information
  Manager
• Region 1 - Deb Gale, West Fork RD, Bitterroot NF
  (Vice-Chair)
• Region 2 - Martha Moran, Aspen-Sopris RD, White
  River NF
• Region 3 - Craig Cowie, Gila National Forest
• Region 4 - David Ashby, Ruby Mtn-Jarbidge RD,
  Humboldt-Toiyabe NF
• Region 5 - Calder Reid, Mt. Whitney RD, Inyo NF
• Region 6 - Ryan Brown, Middle Fork RD, Willamette
  NF
• Region 8 - Terry Hope, Big Piney RD, Ozark-St
  Francis NF
• Region 9 - Harv Skjerven,Eagle River RD,
  Chequamegon-Nicolet NF
• Region 10 - Mary Emerick, Sitka Ranger District,
  Tongass NF (Chair)
• Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute -
  David Cole
• Arthur Carhart National wilderness Training
  Center - Tom Carlson

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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group Work Methods

• Annual Meeting working sessions
• Individual and sub-group work sessions from
  home unit
• Monthly conference calls
• work group progress reports
• input and idea sharing
• regional applicability

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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group Responsibilities

• Advise the Chief and National Leadership Team
• Overall status of the FS Wilderness Stewardship
  Program
• Successes or problems with program implementation
• Strategic or tactical recommendations for program
  enhancement

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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group 2007-2008
Program of Work

• Develop and implement Strategies for the 10YWSC
  with a focus on integration with other program
  areas
• Define and demonstrate the need for an integrated
  wilderness stewardship program
• Provide support and coordinate with other
  wilderness working groups
• Wilderness Information Management Steering Team
• Wilderness Character Monitoring project
• Develop a strategy for enhancing internal
  advocacy for wilderness stewardship
• Develop a strategy for enhancing partnerships

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Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group 2007-2008
Specific Tasks

• Meeting with the Chief, April 2008
• Integration Briefing Paper barriers and
  solutions
• Foundations for Wilderness Stewardship - model
• 10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge
• Guidebook revision
• Success Stories by region
• Cost and Complexity determination for tasks
• Toolbox enhancement (www.wilderness.net)
• Training and Information gaps
• Revision of Elements 5, 8, and 10
• WAG Newsletter
• RLT briefings and coordination
• State of the Wilderness Report - input and review
• Wilderness Character Monitoring
• Implementation Guide review

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10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge
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Accountability Elements for Wilderness
six of ten minimum stewardship level

• Fire Management
• Non-Native, Invasive Plants
• Air Quality Monitoring
• Wilderness Education
• Solitude/Primitive Recreation Standards
• Recreation Site Inventory
• Outfitter Guide Management
• Resource Protection Standards
• Information Management
• Baseline Workforce

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Forest Service Management of Wilderness

• National Wilderness Program Update
• 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge (10YWSC
  )
• 1. 10 Elements representing measurable
  stewardship objectives
• 2. 10 years to achieve goals (2005 2014)
• 3. Score of 60 points for all elements
  represents minimum stewardship level
• 4. Regions have developed strategies
• 5. Forests may select and emphasize elements to
  fit each unique area

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Each of the 10 Elements has
10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge

• Objective
• Definitions
• Incremental scoring (2 10 points)
• Counting Instructions
• Leveling review by units and regions
• Annual reporting through INFRA-Wild

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10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge Goals
2005
2011
2012
2013
2004
2010
2006
2007
2008
2009
Improve at least 10 of wilderness areas each
year in order to achieve 100 to minimum
stewardship level by the 50th Anniversary of the
Wilderness Act in 2014.
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National Scoring 406 Wildernesses Managed to
Minimum Standard
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National Scoring (406 Wildernesses)
16.5 2007
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National Scoring (406 Wildernesses)
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Integrated Approach Needed
Wilderness encompasses a myriad of resources
that are integral to its whole, including
recreation, heritage, air, water, soil, wildlife,
fish, range, and fire. It will be essential
that our employees from these resource staffs
fully engage in the 10YWSC. - Chief Dale
Bosworth
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Integrated Approach Neededto Implement the 10YWSC

• Barriers
• Lack of awareness of wilderness as both a social
  and biophysical resource
• Misconceptions about primary purpose and BLI
  constraints limit integrated wilderness
  stewardship
• Inadequate coordination between resource areas
  for wilderness projects
• Solutions
• Information and training for all resource
  specialists
• Clarify primary purpose definition and budget
  advice
• Improve integration and coordination at all
  levels, especially during project planning phase

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Forest Service Management of Wilderness

• 10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge Update
• Resource integration needs
• NFRW should not fund all stewardship activities
  in wilderness.
• Examples
• Noxious Weed treatments - NFVW
• Wildland Fire Use planning - WFPR or WFHF
• Air Quality monitoring - NFVW or NFIM.

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10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge

• RESOURCES for an Integrated approach
• - Partnerships
• - Information/Examples
• Toolboxes
• http//www.wilderness.net/toolboxes/
• Guidebook
• http//www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuseNWPSsec
  manageFS

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Suggestions for Achieving the Minimum
Stewardship Level for Wilderness

• Recognize that regardless of other priorities
  and constraints
• By law, wilderness stewardship is the
  responsibility of the FS and the 10YWSC is the
  national FS strategy.
• Select items from the 10YWSC that are important
  and achievable for your area
• Keep it simple do what you can do
• Take advantage of other priority work
  projects to integrate wilderness
• Fire, invasive species, air, fish and
• wildlife, etc.

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Forest Service Management of Wilderness
National Wilderness Program Update 10-Year
Wilderness Stewardship Challenge (10YWSC
) Questions ???
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• National Wilderness Program Update
• Partnership Enhancement and Work Accomplishment
• Traditional Skills Development Team
• Recruit, train, and keep skilled workforce and
  volunteers
• Revise FS policy and training procedures
• Working group
• FS field reps., Carhart Center, SCA, Backcountry
  Horsemen, MTDC, other NGOs

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• National Wilderness Program Update
• Society for Professional Wilderness Stewardship
• Group currently gathering ideas and developing
  organization outline for comment
• Open to anyone interested in wilderness
  stewardship
• One goal - enhancement of wilderness stewardship
  profession

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• National Wilderness Program Update
• Carhart Center Wilderness Training FY-08
• Classroom/field
• Interagency National and Regional Wilderness
  Stewardship training courses for line officers
• Interagency Wilderness Fire Resource Advisor
• Forest Workshops
• Awareness sessions for all line and staff
• Focus on 10YWSC elements or other issues
• Scheduled through Regional Program Managers

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National Wilderness Program Update

• Carhart Center Wilderness Training FY-08
• On-line modules available
• The Wilderness Act
• Minimum Requirements Decisions Process
• Wilderness Stewardship Planning Framework
• Modules in development
• Visitor Use Management
• Natural and Cultural Resources
• Border Patrol and Law Enforcement
• Wilderness Character Monitoring
• 4 Cornerstones of Wilderness
• Stewardship

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Carhart Center Information Resources

• Wilderness.net (http//www.wilderness.net)
• Research and Science
• Training and Education
• Forest Service page
• Toolboxes

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Carhart Center Information Resources Forest
Service Desk Guide for Managers
Stewardship of Wilderness in the National
Forests A Forest Service Desk Guide for
Managers Revised - March, 2008
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Forest Service Desk Guide for Managers- Contents
-

• Accessibility
• Commercial Enterprise Cabin Rentals
• Communication Installations and Facilities
• Dogs, Llamas, Pack Goats Fire
• Fish and Wildlife
• Geocaching
• Grazing
• Heritage Resources
• Mineral Resources and Mining
• Motorized equipment, mechanical transport,
  landing of aircraft, installations, structures,
  and temporary roads

• Mountain Biking
• Non-native Invasive Plant Species
• Other Laws and Designations
• Outfitting and Guiding Commercial Services
• Restoration Small Areas
• Search and Rescue and Law Enforcement
• Snow Measurement Sites
• Visitor Use Management
• Water Resources
• Weather Modification

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Forest Service Management of Wilderness

• National Projects and Current Topics
• 1. FSM 2320 Wilderness Management
• Revision project

FOREST SERVICE MANUAL WASHINGTON TITLE 2300 -
RECREATION, WILDERNESS, AND RELATED RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT Amendment No. 2300-90-2 Effective
June 21, 1990 F. DALE ROBERTSON Chief
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2. Current hot topics - Accessibility -
Predator Management - Commercial Filming - Fish
and wildlife management with the state agencies
(AFWA Policies and Guidelines) - Motorized
equipment use and traditional skills development
and retention - Management of proposed
wilderness - Outfitter and guide needs
assessments and determining the extent
necessary - Determining visitor use capacity -
Caches and Geocaches - Fixed climbing anchors -
Ditch and water development maintenance - Cloud
seeding - Bio control for weeds - Non-native
invasive fish and wildlife - Society for
Wilderness Stewardship Questions or comments on
the FS national wilderness program ?
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Wilderness Stewardship
for the permanent good of the whole people, and
for other purposes.
Utah State University Recreation
Shortcourse March 10, 2008
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Whats your view of wilderness ?
Image by Skip Shoutis
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Different views of wilderness
Images by Skip Shoutis
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Different views of wilderness
Images by Skip Shoutis and Josh Whitmore
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Different views of wilderness
Images by Skip Shoutis and Josh Whitmore
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Different views of wilderness
Images by Skip Shoutis and Josh Whitmore
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What is your ideal wilderness ?
Images by Karen Wattenmaker, George Weurthner,
Tom Kaffine
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Public Values of Wilderness

• Recreation 12 million annual visitors
• Ecological air, water, biological
  interrelationships and the natural processes
  (fire, flood, etc.) that effect people outside
  wilderness
• Geological caves, volcanoes, canyons, geysers,
  mountains, fossils, glaciers, beaches, etc.
• Scientific a natural laboratory
• Educational a living classroom
• Scenic in person, through a window, via
  photographs
• Historical/cultural connections with the past

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Wilderness and the Economic Health of Neighboring
Communities

• New economic drivers in the west
• - lifestyle, retirement income, protected public
  lands
• Rural western economies are diversifying
• - less resource based, global economy
• Western counties with wilderness (and other
  attributes) grow economically
• - access to metro areas and education
  opportunities contribute also

The Sonoran Institute, 2004
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Societal Values

• Norms, majorities, averages
• Ethical, political, spiritual
• Economic
• Utilization, preservation, conservation

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Public Views of Wilderness

• Wilderness Opinions
• 71 want at least 10 of all U.S. lands protected
  as wilderness
• currently 4.7 is protected
• 2.7 is in Alaska
• Source The Campaign for Americas Wilderness,
  2003

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What does the general public know about
wilderness?

• Attitude
• more public land should be set aside as
  wilderness 69 agree
• Knowledge
• timber harvest is permitted in federally
  designated wilderness 18 correct
• motor vehicles are permitted in federally
  designated wilderness 17 correct
• both questions 7 correct

Source Fly et al. 2000
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Wilderness Opinions

• The National Survey on Recreation and the
  Environment (NSRE) 2002
• Queries about lands managed by all four federal
  wilderness management agencies
• Random survey of the general public
• Defined what wilderness is and what uses are
  allowed

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Should we designate more Wilderness within
existing Federal lands?
Important/ Very Important North 66 Sou
th 55 Great Plains 50 Rockies 59 Pacific
Coast 59
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What are the Top Five Values of Wilderness ?
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What are the Top Five Values of Wilderness ?

• Protecting air quality
• Protecting water quality
• Protecting wildlife habitat
• Protecting TE species
• Legacy for future generations

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What are the Lowest 4 Values of Wilderness ?
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What are the Lowest 4 Values of Wilderness ?

• Providing recreation opportunities
• Providing spiritual inspiration
• Using areas for scientific study
• Stimulate income for the tourism industry

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How do you value wilderness?
What are the major benefits that the wilderness
resource provides for you and the nation ?
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What would you say are the major challenges
facing wilderness managers today?

• Social
• Visitor access trail maintenance
• Crowding in some areas
• Biophysical
• Ecological integrity
• Weeds
• Non-native species

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Element 2 - Invasive Species

• Key Definitions
• non-native, invasive plants
• A plant, including its seeds, spores or other
  biological material that is non-native to the
  ecosystem under consideration and whose
  introduction causes or is likely to cause
  economic or environmental harm.
• non-native, invasive species management plan
• An integrated plan developed to address the
  control or eradication of non-native, invasive
  plants and/or animals on a national forest or
  other land unit.

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Element 2 - Invasive Species

• Key Definitions
• successfully treated
• The treatment was part of an Non-Native,
  Invasive Species (NNIS) Management Plan and the
  treatment met the objectives in the plan, whether
  it be eradication or control.
• This includes direct management actions in the
  field.

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Element 2 - Invasive Species

• Incremental Counting Instructions

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Element 2 - Invasive Species

• Incremental Counting Instructions

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Element 2 - Invasive Species

• Incremental Counting Instructions

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Element 2 - Invasive Species

• Incremental Counting Instructions

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Forest Service Management of Wilderness

• 3. Other management topics
• Wilderness Character Monitoring - project update
• Implementation of monitoring program on hold
• Technical Guide to be published September 2007
• FS implementation guidance to Forests due by
  September 2007
• Interagency strategy development due by January
  2008
• Team Leaders
• - Steve Boutcher, WWSR Information Manager, WO
• - Peter Landres, FS Wilderness Ecologist,
• Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research
  Institute

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Forest Service Management of Wilderness
4. New or Revised Management Guides
Coming Natural vs. Untrammelled Decision
Tool - When is action to maintain natural
conditions justified over meeting the intent of
wilderness being untrammeled by man?
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Forest Service Management of Wilderness
4. New or Revised Management Guides
Coming Wilderness Access Decision Tool - How
to make appropriate, objective and consistent
decisions regarding use of wilderness by people
with disabilities. - New types of mobility
devices being marketed
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Forest Service Management of Wilderness
Wilderness Management Information Resources FS
WWSR Intranet http//fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/rhw
r/wilderness/ - WAG - Wilderness Info.
Management Steering Team - Wilderness Character
Monitoring project - Regional Wilderness Program
Managers - INFRA-Wild information - Links to FS
resource programs
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Forest Service Management of Wilderness
Wilderness Management Information
Resources Wilderness Task Force
http//www.wildernesstaskforce.org -
International wilderness topics
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Forest Service National Wilderness Program

• National Wilderness Program Update
• New Wilderness Directorate
• 10 Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge
• Trends and integration
• Chiefs Wilderness Advisory Group
• Partnerships
• 2. Wilderness Stewardship Resources
• 3. Policy and Guidance
• Policy revision
• Current topics

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