Design of a Workshop Process to Support Consideration of Natural Range of Variation and Climate Change for Land Management Planning Under the 2012 Planning Rule

Résumé du livre

The planning units of the National Forest System are beginning to revise their existing land management plans using the 2012 Forest Service regulations. Ecological integrity is a central concept to the regulations. However, implementing the concept is challenging in light of climate change. Historical ecology, particularly the concept of natural range of variation, informs planning for ecological integrity and climate change. This report discusses a March 2016 workshop held for the Intermountain Region to address ecological integrity, NRV, and climate change, all high priority topics for land management planning. It describes presentations included in the workshop on the evolution of the concept of natural range of variation, the 2012 planning rule, and data considerations. As part of the workshop, we developed a worksheet that managers and planners may use to consider ecological integrity, climate change, and natural range of variation. This report summarizes the use of this worksheet for two ecosystems of interest to the region: spruce-fir and alpine vegetation. We also provide recommendations, including to consider natural range of variation as a tool for planning for ecological integrity.