Land Management Plan - Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy

September 2005 Land Management Plan Part 2
Los Padres National Forest Strategy
Wilderness is managed to maintain and improve the wilderness resource and its open space
value; and monitoring wilderness conditions such as visitor use, campsite and trail conditions.
Attention focuses on the social, ecological and managerial conditions of the wilderness. To
address social conditions, attention focuses on party size, stay limits, campsite carrying capacity,
and encounter levels. To address ecological conditions, attention focuses on wildland fire, air
quality, and invasive species. To address managerial conditions, attention focuses on structures,
and outfitters and guides.
Many types of recreation special-use authorizations, such as recreation residences, organization
camps, outfitters and guides, recreation events, motorcycle enduros, and other activities provide
a varied recreation opportunity to the public.
The national forest provides balanced, environmentally sustainable recreation opportunities to
meet the needs of a growing, urban, culturally diverse population. Community outreach efforts
lead to an involved citizen population that is representative of the communities the Forest
Service serves. Adaptive management measures are applied to all high-use recreation areas and
developed sites that have conflicts among users and/or with sensitive resources. Dispersed
camping will continue outside of restricted use areas; keeping vehicles within fifty feet of
classified roads (as identified on the forest map) (see also: REC 1 - Recreation Opportunity; REC
2 - Sustainable Use and Environmental Design; and REC 3 - Recreation Participation).
Recreation special-uses (e.g., concession campgrounds, organization camps, recreation events,
and outfitter-guides) are part of an important program that will be emphasized to address
growing demand. Complete recreation residence permits consistency review and continuation
determination process by 2008.
Investment emphasis focuses on Forest Service recreation facilities and related infrastructure.
Opportunities are developed through partnerships and special funding to reduce the backlog of
facility maintenance and to expand capacity. Develop recreation infrastructure to guide use away
from resource and social conflict. This is accomplished through creation of new sites and the
decommissioning of existing sites. Reduce the facilities maintenance backlog by two sites per
year (see also: Fac 1 - Facilities Maintenance Backlog).
Recreational target shooting is restricted to designated areas with an emphasis on ranges under
special-use authorizations. Hunting will continue as regulated by state law.
Scenic resources emphasize conserving or restoring aesthetic, recreation, and open space values,
especially those of high-valued scenery, such as scenic byways and backdrops for local
communities (see also: REC 1 - Recreation Opportunity; LM 1 - Landscape Aesthetics; LM 2 -
Landscape Restoration; and LM 3 - Landscape Character).
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