Mountainaire Project

We are initiating the NFMA analysis (left-hand side) for the Mountainaire project in association with the Greater Flagstaff Forest Partnership. Our goal is to complete the NFMA analysis by October 2004 and complete the NEPA analysis in FY 2005. This PIL lays out expectations and responsibilities associated with the NFMA analysis including incorporating strategies and lessons learned from past GFFP project analyses. This PIL represents commitment from FS and GFFP project team members to agree to work together and ensure that the tasks are completed as a team to the extent possible (i.e. recognizing scheduling, timeframes). An attachment to the PIL will contain tentative timeframes and tasks with possible meeting and field dates set over the next 6 months.

Overall Guidance including Roles and Responsibilities:

• September 2003 MOU between the GFFP and the Coconino National Forest
• April 2004 Guide for Standardized Restoration Project Planning & Implementation
• Coconino Land & Resource Management Plan, as amended
• GFFP policy papers (to be identified)

Documents:

• Mountainaire Need for Change Report
• Mountainaire Purpose and Need
• Project Initiation Letter
• June 7th Draft- Existing Conditions Map

Lessons to integrate into Mountainaire:

1. Follow updated process in Guide for Standardized Restoration Project Planning and Implementation.
2. Consider past and known treatments (previous decisions & implementation)
3. Recognize and consider in DFC the “range” of mgmt strategies over time; recognizing you could have multiple entries in specific areas for different resource and restoration reasons; i.e. “community protective areas” linked to and with private land for intensive treatment implemented over a short period of time
4. Develop a communication strategy sharing past treatments, updates and to bring people along
5. Develop a schedule for meetings and field trips and disseminate meeting information ahead of time; identify resource areas of concern and focus field time to resolving issues and/or identifying possible mgmt practices
6. Provide GFFP access into the GIS layers (for review; not edit w/out coordination)

NFMA Analysis Product: Desired Future Condition Report (not a decision document)

Contents include:

• Project area boundary
• Existing Condition description
• Desired Future Condition description
• Management Opportunities
• Possible Management Practices (as applicable, identifying a range for timing (how fast are we trying to achieve the DFC) &/or intensity of treatments (what are we trying to achieve & may include specific references)
• As part of possible mgmt practices – discuss and identify possible new techniques
• Consistency with the Forest Plan (including corrections and/or identify project site-specific exceptions that would trigger a Forest Plan amendment if carried forward into a PA or Alt)
• Identify and detail questions associated with possible monitoring & research
• Project area specific resource issues (agree to disagree) including options & applicable references (including GFFP position papers)
• Possible applications of new authorities (HFRA, HFI, Community Wildfire Protection Plan)
• Possible adaptive mgmt strategies
• Identify opportunities/possible mgmt strategies and monitoring/research questions that would be sought and funded by the GFFP

The NFMA Core Team is responsible for managing and completing the NFMA analysis with the GFFP project team. Consulting members will spend the necessary time in support of the analysis. The need for other expertise will be coordinated through the team leader and District Ranger. I am appointing the following core members for this project:

Team Principles

We work together efficiently and professionally. We are creative, innovative, hard working and flexible as we adapt to changing conditions. We recognize, embrace and work through conflict associated with the complexity of managing diverse natural resources. We participate and accept responsibility to provide timely and meaningful discussion with the group. Through discussion and documentation in the NFMA analysis, there should be no surprises in the NEPA analysis. Trust, openness, and good communication among the group is key to collaboration and success during this phase of the project.

Roles and Responsibilities

District Ranger – Terri Marceron

• Clarifies the relationship of the team to the larger organization
• Translates vision and strategy to team leader
• Champions the team by providing necessary resources
• Ensure issues are identified and discussed
• Ensures the group works through conflicts
• Assess team performance and recognizes achievements
• Participates in meetings and field trips
• Provides timely checkpoints and decisions to settle internal issues

Team Leader – Alvin Brown

• Prepares schedules, and leads the meetings
• Ensures responsibilities/activities are assumed by team members
• Keeps team focused and on track
• Monitors team processes and assess team progress
• Represents the team to District Ranger
• Ensures references and associated literature is provided in the file, DFC report, and to members
• Facilitator of discussing and documenting issues and possible options for resolving them

Team Members

• Attend all team meetings and develop reports, data as needed for meetings
• Use unique abilities, technical skills to help team achieve goals
• Critiques and improves team process and leadership
• Prepares specialist reports, maps and assist in preparation of DFC report
• Active listener and participant in meetings and field trips

Consulting Members

• Attend team meetings as requested, team leader will make notification.
• Uses unique abilities, technical skills to help team achieve goals
• Prepares specialist reports, maps and assist in preparation of DFC report

Timeline  

There will be a very ambitious schedule and will require the team to schedule meeting dates far in advance to meet our timeframes. Alvin will be working w/ you and the GFFP Project Team to identify a schedule along with tasks consistent with the Guide for Standardized Restoration Project Planning and Implementation. All Core Team members will be asked to hold space in their calendars for meetings, writing, and field assignments. Team member commitment to this project reflects the priority – it should be a very high priority when scheduling your time. (See attached tentative time schedule).

Project Background and Focus:

The focus of the analysis will be on forest restoration of fire adapted ecosystems, in addition to Urban-Wildland Fire Protection. We will tackle issues related to vegetation, fuels, wildlife, recreation and road management. We are still learning about the new laws and direction, such as Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) and Healthy Forest Initiative. Social values, recreation and visual management will be integrated into the DFC report. The Flagstaff Lake Mary Ecosystem Assessment accomplished a great deal of scoping for this area and resulted in a decision which will part of our forest plan consistency check.

The proposal will focus on improving forest resiliency. The project will include the following:

1. Reducing hazardous fuel loads in the Flagstaff Urban Interface.
2. Restoring natural fire regime back into the ecosystem.
3. Reviewing our transportation system of roads and identifying a road management system which will best manage for wildfire access, recreation access, water quality improvement, and wildlife habitat protection.
4. Reducing fire risk (human-caused) by analyzing and designating visitor and social activities such as dispersed camping, trails, recreational opportunities and developments.
5. Provide an overall resource review of the area and identify/capture future opportunities and potential projects that can be considered and carried forward into NEPA.

Checkpoints

The team leader will check with the District Ranger regularly. The creation of a tentative schedule will be a useful guide to identifying tasks and timeframes. The team will be notified as unforeseen checkpoints develop during the analysis process when it becomes necessary to inform the Ranger of key points or items and or scheduling needs.

FS-related Budget and Project Management

We have carefully worked out a budget and lined out days for team members and consultants to work on these projects. The Project Work Plan lists days individuals are planned to work on these projects in FY 2004. Note there are days allocated for additional staff and district employees to assist us. We need to utilize all of these folks to assist us with our project planning.

Communications

Implementation efforts on Kachina and Fort Valley are underway and preparation has begun on Woody Ridge, which will increase our workload as we plan for Mountainaire. The complexity of GFFP projects is growing and will necessitate continual and constant communications on the part of all of us. To ensure that we actively engage affected and interested residents Heather Green and Ken Frederick will take the lead in developing a Mountainaire communication plan for external and internal communications. The plan will be reviewed and updated, as needed, during the NFMA analysis.

We have improved our communication, coordination, and technical skills on GFFP projects. This is an excellent opportunity to work with many diverse interests, including many government, university, and public sector personnel. We expect continued attention, both nationally and state-wide, to demonstrate a strong and successful collaborative effort that considers and addresses both the resource and social challenges that result in decisions that can be implemented on-the-ground.

Lastly, a new PIL will be developed when we initiate the NEPA analysis. I expect that there will be some changes to FS team membership and the IDT leader (once we fill the District Partnership Coordinator position) as well as determining the applicable analysis tools (HFRA; HFI etc.).

Thank you for all your efforts and attention to the GFFP projects and let’s continue to learn and adapt as we work together on the Mountainaire project.

Looking forward to working with you all on this project,

/s/Terri Marceron

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TERRI MARCERON