Identifying Policy-relevant Indicators for Assessing Landscape Vegetation Patterns to Inform Planning and Management on Multiple-use Public Lands

Sarah K Carter,Christopher T Domschke,Benjamin R Harms,E Kachergis,Travis Haby,L E Burris,Steven L Garman,S E Litschert,Kevin H Miller

doi:10.1007/s00267-021-01493-8

Abstract

Understanding the structure and composition of landscapes can empower agencies to effectively manage public lands for multiple uses while sustaining land health. Many landscape metrics exist, but they are not often used in public land decision-making. Our objectives were to (1) develop and (2) apply a process for identifying a core set of indicators that public land managers can use to understand landscape-level resource patterns on and around public lands. We first developed a process for identifying indicators that are grounded in policy, feasible to quantify using existing data and resources, and useful for managers. We surveyed landscape monitoring efforts by other agencies, gathered science and agency input on monitoring goals, and quantified the prevalence of potential indicators in agency land health standards to identify five landscape indicators: amount, distribution, patch size, structural connectivity, and diversity of vegetation types. We then conducted pilot applications in four bureau of land management (BLM) field offices in Arizona, California, and Colorado to refine procedures for quantifying the indicators and assess the utility of the indicators for managers. Results highlighted the dominance of upland and the limited extent of riparian/wetland vegetation communities, moderate connectivity of priority vegetation patches, and lower diversity of native vegetation types on BLM compared to non-BLM lands. Agency staff can use the indicators to inform the development of quantitative resource management objectives in land use plans, evaluate progress in meeting those objectives, quantify potential impacts of proposed actions, and as a foundation for an all-lands approach to landscape-level management across public lands.

Highlights

There is a growing understanding that successful, long-term resource management and conservation often require prioritizing, coordinating, and implementing actions at landscape scales (e.g., Margules and Sarkar 2007; Lindenmayer et al 2008; Sayer 2009; Clement et al 2014; Carter et al 2020)
We identified between six and 12 priority vegetation communities based on the most recent resource management plans and amendments and contemporary issues noted by field staff
We developed a process for identifying such indicators and recommend that the amount, distribution, patch size, structural connectivity, and diversity of natural vegetation types be an initial set of landscape indicators for assessing vegetation patterns to inform bureau of land management (BLM) management of public lands

Summary

Introduction

There is a growing understanding that successful, long-term resource management and conservation often require prioritizing, coordinating, and implementing actions at landscape scales (e.g., Margules and Sarkar 2007; Lindenmayer et al 2008; Sayer 2009; Clement et al 2014; Carter et al 2020). Many public lands are managed for multiple uses (e.g., Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 [43 USC §1701]) and are under pressure to provide diverse products and values to society, including oil and natural gas and diverse recreational opportunities (US Department of the Interior 2017a, 2018a). Goals to accommodate activities such as energy development, grazing, and recreation can conflict with goals to conserve species and maintain land health. It is critical for public land managers to understand the potential effects of different planning and management decisions on resource conditions within and across landscapes

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion