Forest Plan Monitoring and Evaluation

The Coconino National Forest began implementing its newly revised Forest Plan on June 26, 2018. Monitoring and evaluation are required by National Forest Management Act regulations to determine how the Forest Plan is being applied, how well the plan is working to maintain or make progress toward desired conditions, and if its management direction remains appropriate. Based upon this evaluation, recommendations may be made to change management direction, or revise or amend the Forest Plan. This is intended to inform adaptive management of the Coconino National Forest.

2021 Fossil Creek Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP) Monitoring Report

In the Fossil Creek CRMP, monitoring and adaptive management is related to multiple river values (water, biological, geology, recreation, and cultural values). Monitoring is intended to protect river values, inform CRMP implementation, and highlight the need for adaptive management actions. If assessment of monitoring data indicates adverse impacts attributable to management actions or visitor use may be occurring, adaptive management actions that are anticipated to lessen these impacts will be implemented. Reaching a soft threshold indicates adverse impacts may be occurring.

The Coconino and Tonto National Forests, Red Rock and Payson Ranger Districts, have completed the Fossil Creek CRMP Monitoring Report for 2021, and it is available here. This report helps the district rangers and forest supervisors assess annual monitoring results, and recommend and implement adaptive management actions where needed.

2021 Biennial Monitoring Evaluation Report for FYs 2018-2020

The first Biennial Monitoring Evaluation Report for the Revised Coconino Forest Plan is now complete and available for review. This report covers the first three years of plan implementation, fiscal years 2018 through 2020, and presents the results of the monitoring required by the forest plan monitoring strategy during this period. Required by the 2012 Planning Rule (36 C.F.R. §219.12), biennial monitoring evaluation reports document whether a change to the plan or change to the monitoring program is warranted based on new information, whether a new assessment may be needed, or whether there is no need for change at that time. This first monitoring report is being published two years after the Forest Plan's monitoring strategy was transitioned to focal species, an administrative change made in 2019. The report and its cover letter are available for review:

Monitoring Transition to Focal Species

In order to comply with the requirements of the 2012 Planning Rule, the Coconino National Forest must make an administrative change to the Monitoring Strategy. The Coconino NF prepared proposed changes to the monitoring strategy, specifically the transition from management indicator species (MIS) to focal species, identifying and monitoring for these focal species, and published these changes for public review and comment in December and January 2019. Due to the partial government shutdown, review and comment was extended through February 2019.

Comments were received from four reviewers, groups, and agencies. The Coconino NF considered the comments, discussed them further with commenters, and made some important changes to our proposal as a result of the insights provided. This administrative change has been approved (approval letter) and the resultant changes to the Coconino Forest Plan Monitoring Strategy (Chapter 5 of the Forest Plan) are described and listed in the document "Coconino Administrative Change per Monitoring Transition to Focal Species." An updated version of the Forest Plan is now posted to the Forest Plan and Final EIS webpage, along with replacement pages for this administrative change.