This Chapter describes how the proposed Plan addresses end responds to major public issues, management concerns, and resource opportunities (ICO's) that have been identified during the planning process.

A discussion of the process used to identify the issues to be resolved in this Plan can be found in Appendix A of the Final Environmental Impact Statemant₁ the companion document to this Plan. The Forest's ability to resolve the issues9 and alternative resolutions to the issues can also be found in Appendix A, as well as Chapter II of the FEIS.

The means of resolving and implementing management actions for resolution of the ICO's addressed can be found in the following Chapter and Appendix 2 of this document. This includes identification of where management emphasis is to occur, standards to which activities should conform, scheduled activities for the next ten years, and budgets.

The Forest is aware that it is proposing a funding increase at a time when Federal spending must be reduced. The basis for Forest plan development, however, is resolution of public issues and management concerns, not the documentation of the effects of failing budgets. The Forest Plan is an attempt to strike a balance. It will be the policy of the Sawtooth National Forest to implement the plan, obviously subject to other National priorities reflected in funding available. Regardless of the funds to implement the proposed direction, the goals will remain the same. Only the rate at which this will be accomplished may change.

1. RECREATION FACILITIES AND CONFLICTS

The Forest Plan emphasizes the recreation and public use opportunities of the National Forest. A greeter emphasis will, therefore, be placed on campground and trail development, end the maintenance of these facilities. A greater emphasis will also be given to recreation use and administration to reduce conflicts between users and prevent resource damage in concentrated use areas. To provide future opportunities for people with different recreational interests, and to avoid conflict between user groups (in the same areas), management prescriptions have been assigned to areas of the Forest assuring continued semi-primitive nonmotorized opportunities, trail bike areas and trails, downhill skiing and special interest areas; e.g., City of Rocks. A large portion of the Forest will be managed to retain its natural appearance although resource management activities will be occurring.

Additional emphasis will also be given to the inventory, protection, and interpretation of the Forest's significant cultural resource values.

In summary the following is proposed:

• Increase Law enforcement funding from $45,000 to $70,000 annually.

• Maintain approximately 822,000 acres in a semi-primitive or wilderness condition.

• Maintain approximately 1,700,000 acres available to ORV use.

• Increase recreation site operation and maintenance from the current $1,100,000 (1986) to $1,715,000 per year.

• Increase wilderness operation and maintenance from $118,000 (1986) to $250,000 annually.

• Increase investments in recreation improvements from $250,000 (1986) to $655,000 per year.

• Improve access to backcountry area by increasing trail construction/reconstruction from one mile/year to 11 miles/year.

• Place more emphasis on special area management outside the SNRA; e.g., City of Rocks, Research Natural Areas, etc.

• Assign visual management prescriptions to the Forest.

• Place more emphasis on powerboat management to include limitations on use.

• Provide for expansion or development of six developed ski areas to meet any needs or increases in demand.

2. TIMBER MANAGEMENT

a. Economics of Timber Harvest and Management of Logging Roads

To address the cost efficiency issue of the timber program, a special planning tool called FORPLAN was used. With this mathematical model, the planning team developed a timber activity schedule that would provide timber at the least cost for the greatest benefits commensurate with good timber management.

There will continue to be timber sales on the Forest where the timber receipts are below the costs of the sale. The Forest is sensitive to this issue, however; the proposed timber program will be maintained at a level tied to identified multiple resource benefits, community needs, and desired future conditions being prescribed by the Forest Plan. Even if timber sale costs exceed their receipts, it is felt that a certain amount of vegetative management activity is beneficial to prevent the entire forested area from moving toward an old-age condition. This condition would be detrimental to long-term watershed, visual, and recreational values, as well as certain wildlife species. A sensitivity analysis on the cost of the timber program indicates that changing a few timber management standards and a small increase in timber prices would result in most of the Forest's small sale program becoming economic (6-7 MMBF per year).

A sensitivity analysis on the cost of the timber program indicates that changing a few timber management standards and a small increase in timber prices would result in most of the Forest's small sale program becoming economic (6-7 MMBF per year).

The Forest Plan will require additional roads over time. Road closures, however, would be continued as wildlife needs warrant. Many of the roads will remain open to provide public access to the Forest for such activities as fuelwood gathering. Some sensitive areas in the Forest, such as Cache Peak, the Smoky Mountains, Lime, Cottonwood, Fifth Fork, and Third Fork Creaks would remain unroaded unless oil, gas, or hardrock minerals are found in quantities warranting development. This is in addition to those areas recommended for wilderness.

b. The Amount, Size, Location, and Practices of Timber Harvest

The level of timber harvest (ASQ) identified in the Plan is tied primarily to the economics of timber harvesting. An effort has been made to provide 10-11 MMBF per year at the least cost possible. This is substantially below the RPA assigned target level, but allows the Forest to use the timber program to achieve other resource and social needs. Sawtooth Lumber in Mountain Home relies upon timber sales from the Forest, although it might continue operating if the Forest did not offer any sales. They also rely upon sales from the Boise National Forest. It is recognized, however, that mill capacity Located in the Zone of Influence is significantly higher than the proposed harvest level. The Plan, therefore, identifies a harvest opportunity higher than the Preferred Alternative's ASQ that may be compatible with the other multiple use goals selected for the alternative. A change in timber market conditions that creates a demand for more timber and the profitability of the program can lead, therefore, to an amendment of the Plan that will provide a higher allowable sale quantity.

The visual management and wildlife programs can be directly tied to approximately 4.5 MMBF per year of commercial sales in the SNBA and Cassia Division. This is also true of most of the fuelwood program.

Timber sales will be located over the entire Forest, subject to other resource needs, and the suitability of the area for timber management. How forest vegetation will be treated will be defined by silvicultural and resource needs, and regional standards. The specifics on vegetation management can be found in detail in the following chapter, Appendix 2 of this document, and in Appendix G of the FEIS.

3. RANGE-DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK GRAZING

a. Level of Grazing, Management Practices, Improvements

Approximately 198,000 AUMs will be permitted on the Forest. Publics who are concerned about the level of grazing feel that current numbers are at the expense of other resource values. Since this Forest Plan will seek to maximize public use of the Forest and capture recreation opportunities, the following will be done or continued:

• Riparian areas will be more intensively managed improving all riparian values.

• No grazing will occur on lands not capable of sustaining such use (these lands have been or are being inventoried).

• Increase range operations and maintenance funding to $560,000/year from $433,000 (1988) to enable better management of the program, thereby reducing other resource conflicts, etc.

• Increase investment in range improvements from $186,000 (1986) to $240,000 to batter utilize the range resource, reduce conflicts with other resources, and maintain Livestock numbers.

• Maintain the treatment of approximately 1,000 acres of noxious weeds.

• Cattle will be excluded or more closely managed in concentrated recreation areas.

• Utilization standards will be developed by an interdisciplinary team for riparian areas and incorporated into the allotment management plans.

b. Wildlife Conflicts

This issue revolves around big game. The following will be done or continued:

• Little deer and elk winter range occurs on the Forest. Where such key areas occur, big game will take priority over livestock.

• Grazing will be restricted or eliminated from important mountain goat/bighorn sheep areas.

• Allotment plans will be designed to reduce or eliminate conflicts with fish and wildlife in key habitats such as riparian areas big game winter range etc.

• Flange improvements will include needs for wildlife.

• Forage utilization will be lower in key riparian areas or sensitive recreation areas, such as parts of the SNRA end other important streams.

4. OFF ROAD VEHICLES

The operation of off-road vehicles on the Forest is a legitimate use of National Forest land and will continue. There are areas of the Forest however where indiscriminate use is inappropriate. The accompanying map shows where use can occur. The areas open to use arc similar to that currently available. Standards for ORV management are included in the following chapter end speak to resource protection and the goals of the particular management area. Education of users and enforcement of use regulations will provide satisfactory results for a majority of those concerned.

5. FACILITIES

a. Road Development and Management

The Forest will continue to develop roads as needed to achieve the resource goals identified for this Plan. Roads will remain open if public use warrants₁ and costs are not prohibitive. Closures will be used to achieve specific resource objectives, such as protection of wildlife from harassment. The total number of roads constructed or reconstructed per year will be approximately 27 miles, more than half of which are timber purchaser constructed and closed within a few years after the sale is complete.

b. Road Maintenance

A greater emphasis will be given to the maintenance of roads on the Forest. This will include reconstruction of substandard roads needed for general Forest use. An increase in road maintenance (from $118,900 [1986] to $167,000/year) is requested to bring roads up to standards suitable for the level of public use on the Forest. An increase from $80,000 to $175,000 will be requested to construct and reconstruct roads. Guidelines for establishing road maintenance priorities are shown in Chapter IV. This will result in improved safety, lower costs to users and operators, and long-term savings in capital improvements.

8. FIREWOOD

a. Firewood Availability and Management

It will be a Forest priority to ensure that adequate supplies of fuelwood are available. This includes the availability of 500 acres per year for the exclusive use of fuelwood users. This program will be self-supporting after the first few years with monies collected from fuelwood permits. Natural regeneration will be used for the sites.

Many areas are now covered with old and decadent stands of lodgepole pine. Since there is only a limited market for this material converting these old stands to young trees through total utilization for firewood will both meet the demand for firewood and achieve other resource objectives, especially wildlife habitat requirements.

b. Road Access for Firewood

Roads on the Forest will be maintained to a higher standard providing better access to most of the Forest. Roads developed for timber harvest will be designed with firewood access in mind. Local roads to be closed after timber activities era completed will remain open long enough to provide the opportunity for wood residues to be gathered. It will be policy to provide reasonable access and availability of firewood for commercial and personal use.

7. FISH AND WILDLIFE

a. Maintenance or Enhancement of Habitat

Timber harvest, prescribed burning, and other methods are used to manipulate vegetation for wildlife needs. There will be an increased effort in key wildlife areas to reduce the predominance of old growth timber and provide a better balance of age classes. For example, in the Cassia Division, cutting priorities will be based primarily on wildlife needs. In addition, the wildlife program will spend monies on aspen regeneration, making water available for wildlife, and closing roads. Range vegetation treatments will provide for leaving an appropriate percentage of native plant species and increasing wildlife forage with suitable seed mixtures.

Fish habitat needs will be met by resolving cattle/riparian conflicts obtaining minimum stream flow needs for anadromous and resident fish, and the elimination of fish migration barriers. Management standards have been developed to assure that timber management practices leave snags, proper forest edge, wildlife cover, and debris recruitment for streams.

6. WILDERNESS AND RESEARCH NATURAL AREAS

The Forest has eight areas suitable for inclusion to the Research Natural Area (RNA) System. All are recommended for RNA status in this Plan. Of the 22 roadless areas inventoried on the Forest, portions of three would be recommended for wilderness. These include:

• Hanson Lakes - 18,445 acres

• Boulder/White Clouds - 190,350 acres

• Pioneer Mountains - 61,911 acres

It is felt that this proposal approaches a middle ground between publics who want more wilderness, and those who want none. The assignment of semi-primitive prescriptions should also be considered a contribution to the resolution of this issue. Proposed increases in wilderness management addresses overuse problems.

9. MINERALS

Except for the SNRA and the Pioneer Mountains proposed wilderness, the Forest will, for the most part, remain open for mineral exploration and development. With respect to the impacts of mining on the Forest, Standards and Guidelines have bean developed to help protect surface resources. Past undesirable practices will not be permitted if there are better ways of accomplishing the work at reasonable cost. The rights of the Forest Service to manage surface resources are tempered by the rights of legitimate claimants to prospect and develop locatable minerals.

10. ACCESS TO NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS

There will be an increase in acquisition of right-of-way for public access. The activity list in Appendix 2 describes the level of acquisition to take place. The Plan also has a list of lands available for exchange and funds needed for acquisitions and boundary surveys.

11. WATER

The Plan does not propose any activity or amount of activity that will reduce water quality below State Standards. Direction has bean included in the Plan to achieve this by following the State of Idaho Forest Practices Water Quality Management Plan that will define best management practices (BMP's) for activities conducted on the Forest. A monitoring program designed to assure accomplishment is also a part of the Forest Plan. The Plan does not propose anything that would significantly increase water flow from the Forest.

12. FIRE PROTECTIONAND PRESCRIBED FIRE

The fire suppression program on the Forest will remain at current levels. Analysis has shown that the current organization with respect to economic efficiency is at an optimum level. Standards have been included in the Plan to allow more use of fire as a management tool when fire management plans are developed.

13. SPECIAL USES

Summer home use will continue on the Forest, as long as there is not a greater public need identified for the areas. Proposed winter sports sites have been identified and are available for development when the need is demonstrated. Proposed electronic sites have been identified, and all of them are available for development. Special use administration will be emphasized to batter serve the public.

14. RESPONSIVENESS

Concerns were expressed about adequate public contact, Plan responsiveness to public needs, cost efficiencies, etc. Current Forest Service policy and the planning process is designed to make the Forest Service address these responsibilities. We hope the Plan reflects this. No alternatives were developed for this issue.

15. MULTIPLE USE MANAGEMENT

Multiple use management is current Forest Service policy. The Plan did not specifically address this issue although it clearly reflects it.

16. SNRA PRIVATE LAND REGULATIONS AND SCENIC EASEMENTS

The Private Land Regulations were developed in direct response to PL 92-400 that established the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. A formal process for establishing and/or changing regulations exists and will be the process used. Proposed changes are not addressed in this Plan.

17. LAW ENFORCEMENT

The Plan programs more funding for Law enforcement.