Lincoln National Forest Land Management Plan Revision and Environmental Impact Statement

 

Management Areas

What we heard from the public

  • Concerned about management and access to karst (caves) features. There should be more public access to caves. The plan is missing management personnel to facilitate public trips.

  • Concern for the protection of the Snowy River Cave and the water quality and quantity that flows into and through it.

Draft EIS Alternatives

  • Alternative A - 3 Proposed Research Natural Areas, 55 eligible wild and scenic rivers about 140 miles.

  • Alternatives B, C, and D - 1 Proposed Research Natural Areas, 54 eligible wild and scenic rivers about 139 miles, 2 cave management areas.

  • Alternative E - 1 Proposed Research Natural Area, 54 eligible wild and scenic rivers.

Fresnal Canyon in the fall

Fresnal Canyon in the fall

Draft Land Management Components

Cave Management Area Desired Conditions

Spelunkers are required to get a permit before entering any caves on the Lincoln National Forest

Spelunkers are required to get a permit before entering any caves on the Lincoln National Forest

  1. The unique and nationally important historic, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and educational subterranean cave resources found in the Guadalupe Cave Management Area are conserved and enhanced.

  2. The Snowy River Cave’s unique and nationally important historic, cultural, scientific, archaeological, natural, and educational subterranean cave resources are conserved and enhanced.

Cave Management Area Standards

  1. The Cave Resource Protection Areas will be recommended for withdrawal from minerals, geothermal, or oil and gas development.

  2. In the Cave Resource Protection Areas, special use authorizations for recreation events that involve motorized use will not be permitted.

  3. In the Cave Resource Protection Areas, new rights-of-way for major infrastructure will not be issued (including commercial use communication or energy sites, pipelines 10 inches in diameter or larger, and transmission lines).

  4. In the Cave Resource Protection Area, new construction of facilities (structures) or roads must not introduce pollution (such as chemicals or sewage) to protect cave biotic values.

Cave Management Area Guidelines

  1. The portion of the Guadalupe Cave Management Area located in the Guadalupe Escarpment Wilderness Study Area should be managed to preserve a very high scenic integrity objective as defined in the Scenery Management System.

  2. The portion of the Guadalupe Cave Management area located outside the Guadalupe Escarpment Wilderness Study Area should be managed for high scenic integrity objective as defined in the Scenery Management System.

  3. In the Snowy River Cave Management Area, changes to hydrologic function from Lincoln National Forest activities (such as vegetation thinning) should be mitigated if uncharacteristic flooding or changes in groundwater recharge and flow may result.

  4. The Snowy River Cave Management Area should be managed for at least the moderate scenic integrity objective as defined in the Scenery Management System.

  5. In the Snowy River Cave Management Area, entrances and features should be located (using surface inspection pedestrian survey) and avoided prior to mechanical vegetation treatment that cause ground disturbance (for example, bulldozer pushes).

 

Next Station: Vegetation and Habitat

For more information on the project or to be added to the mailing list, please contact Diane Prather at (575-649-9405) or diane.prather@usda.gov.