Land Management Plan - Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy

Land Management Plan Part 2
Los Padres National Forest Strategy
September 2005
Spotted owls (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) occupy the area and a wild trout fishery on
Lockwood and Piru Creeks provides fly-fishing opportunities. An important wildlife habitat
linkage connects the southern Los Padres ranges to the Castaic ranges to the east.
Native American rock art and campsites,
historic mining districts, and early Forest Service
Administrative sites (including fire lookouts) and town sites
reflect the history of human use in
the area. Human influence today is in the form of developed
and dispersed recreation facilities
and trails.
This Place is a major year-round recreation area for both local residents and regional visitors. It
is a popular destination for OHV and day-use visitors seeking
waterplay. The dramatic contrasts
in scenery and vegetation provide an excellent viewshed for touring. Although the area is readily
accessible from Interstate 5, it still offers visitors opportunities to experience a sense of distance
and isolation. Recreation focuses mainly on remote camping
and day-use facilities although
some developed facilities support OHV activities and camping.
Campground facilities, roads,
and non-motorized trails are in poor condition due
to lack of funding to address deferred facility
maintenance backlog.
Populations are growing along the I-5 corridor and in mountain communities. Development of
private property is adding to an increase in the population
of urban areas near or within the
national forest boundaries.
Access to the national forest is restricted by a lack of easements and
rights-of-way. Illegal activities including littering (including shooting debris), illegal OHV use,
graffiti, firearms violations, unauthorized fires, unauthorized group events, and closure violations
present additional management challenges. Law enforcement coverage is inadequate.
A wide variety of multiple and special-uses take place within the Place ranging from electronic
sites to recreation residence tracts. Recreation uses and authorizations for water extraction
constitute the majority of the special-uses. The national forest also provides a variety of small
forest products that are of interest to the general public, such as pinecones, fuelwood, traditional
plants and Christmas
trees.
Recommended Wild and Scenic Rivers:
• Piru Creek 32.8 miles
Special Interest Area:
• Foster Bear Ponds 197 acres.
Total national forest acres--Hungry Valley/Mutau Place: 77,701
Desired Condition: The Hungry Valley/Mutau Place is maintained as a natural appearing
landscape that functions as an OHV recreation area and a tr anquil Back Country area. The valued
landscape attributes to be preserved over time are the meadows/grasslands
and pine tree over-
story (especially in the Mutau area), and the natural appearance of the backdrop to communities.
Regional habitat linkages are intact and functioning.
Program Emphasis: Management will strive to increase the
recreation opportunities and yet
maintain the primitive feel afforded by this Place, as adjacent areas become more populated.
Increase management presence to curb vandalism and other
inappropriate uses. Treat vegetation
for forest health and to reduce fuel loading. Manage vegetation
to maintain healthy stands of
mature conifers, which may include new road construction. Enhance recreation infrastructure to
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