NEPA--Environmental Assessment

Specific Management Emphasis Areas (Figure 1-3) also have Direction, Standards, and Guidelines
associated with them.
• 1B: Emphasis is on winter sports areas (III-93)
o Manage livestock grazing to enhance recreation opportunities in existing and proposed recreation sites.
(III-94)
o Utilize low investment management systems such as season-long or deferred grazing, unless improved
management systems are warranted in conjunction with management of adjacent areas. (III-95)
• 2A: Emphasis is on semi-primitive motorized recreation opportunities (III-105)
o Manage livestock distribution and stocking rates to be compatible with recreation use. Locate
structural improvements to meet visual quality objectives. (III_109)
o Utilize extensive management systems such as season-long or deferred grazing. (III-109)
o Protect regeneration from livestock damage in areas managed for timber production. (III-110)
o Construct and maintain [structural improvements] necessary to implement management systems. Use
on-site or rustic materials and mechanical methods compatible with prescription objectives. (III-110)
• 2B: Emphasis is on rural and roaded-natural recreation opportunities (III-118)
o Manage livestock distribution and stocking rates to be compatible with recreation use. Locate
structural improvements to meet visual quality objectives. (III-122)
o Utilize extensive management systems such as season-long or deferred grazing. (III-122)
o Protect regeneration from livestock damage. (III-122)
o Construct and maintain [structural improvements] necessary to implement management systems. Use
on-site or rustic materials and mechanical methods compatible with prescription objectives. (III-123)
• 3A: Emphasis is on semi-primitive non-motorized recreation in roaded or non-roaded areas (III-130)
o Manage livestock distribution and stocking rates to be compatible with recreation use. Locate
structural improvements to meet visual quality objectives. (III-133)
o Utilize extensive management systems such as season-long or deferred grazing. (III-133)
o Construct and maintain allotment boundary fences, short drift fences and water developments
necessary to implement management systems. Use on-site or rustic materials and mechanical methods
compatible with prescription objectives. (III-134)
• 6B: Emphasis is on livestock grazing (III-179)
o Use only intensive grazing systems or remove livestock when recovery of range condition cannot be
accomplished by an intensive grazing system. (III-187)
o Improve range condition to fair or better or forage value rating to moderately high or better. (III-187)
• 7E: Emphasis is on wood-fiber production and utilization (III-209)
o Utilize improved management systems such as rest-rotation, deferred rotation, rotation, or alternate
years. (III-216)
o Utilize transitory forage that is available where demand exists and where investments in regeneration
can be protected. (III-216)
o Protect regeneration from livestock damage. (III-216)
• 1.11-1.13: Emphasis is on wilderness values. (FP Amendment #20)
o Livestock grazing activities shall be permitted in accordance with congressional guidelines.
FSM2320.5 (II-26 in Amendment 20)
This Plan guidance is used as the foundation to compare the current conditions of allotments to the
desired conditions for the allotments. The desired condition is then further defined at the project
level (p.19). An examination of whether each applicable Forest Plan direction item is being met can
be found in the project record. A brief summary of that examination reveals that Forest Plan
direction, standards and guidelines for grazing are generally being met, with the exception of
reducing the total acreage of noxious weeds, and the reasons for not meeting this direction are not
attributed to grazing.
Resource Management Plan
Livestock grazing has been determined by the San Juan/San Miguel Resource Management Plan
(1985), hereafter referred to as the RMP, to be an appropriate use of the project area based in part on
the RMP’s suitability determinations. RMP-level analysis for grazing has determined that
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