Land Management Plan - Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy

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Land Management Plan Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy Sespe River, a Congressionally designated Wild and Scenic River September 2005 Desired Condition: The Sespe Place continues to provide primitive recreation opportunities and is maintained as a naturally evolving landscape that functions as one of the most rugged areas of wilderness in southern California. The valued landscape attributes to be preserved over time are the area's rugged recreation opportunities, untamed character and the mix of conifer and chaparral. Program Emphasis: The Sespe Back Country will continue to serve as a high quality primitive recreation area and wildlife refuge for varied species, including the California condor. A focus will be on reducing risks from wildland fire to maintain ecosystem stability, and promote a natural fire regime. The focus will also be to maintain water and scenic quality and improve habitat for steelhead trout, California condors, bighorn sheep and other focal species. The Sespe Wild and Scenic River Plan will add clarification for the river corridor. Additionally, emphasis will be placed on maintaining access to national forest lands, improving recreation opportunities and facilities and improving public education about the forest ecosystem. Efforts will continue to reduce conflicts between recreationists, private landowners, and sensitive species. Emphasize the acquisition of lands to improve public access and to promote ecological stability and to reduce or eliminate use conflicts. Continue to eradicate or limit further spread of invasive nonnative species. Manage for and assist in the recovery of arroyo toads and steelhead trout in the Upper Sespe River Critical Biological Land Use Zone. Page 82
September 2005 Land Management Plan Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy Ventana Theme: A spectacular wilderness that offers a wide range of habitats from cool, damp coast redwood groves to hot, dry mountain peaks, and opportunities for solitude. Setting: The majority of the Ventana Place is designated wilderness. The Place consists of remote, undeveloped wild land with deep canyons and mountain peaks approaching 5,000 feet in elevation, all within a few miles of the ocean. It has as its backbone the geologically complex, structurally faulted and folded, and locally unstable northern Santa Lucia Mountains. It is bordered on the southwest by the Big Sur coast, on the north by private land, on the east by the Arroyo Seco drainage, and on the south by Fort Hunter Liggett Military Reservation. It is well known for its remote recreation and solitude. The Big Sur and Carmel Rivers are the main watercourses that drain to the Pacific Ocean. Waterfalls, deep pools and hot springs are found along m ajor streams. Average annual rainfall ranges from over 100 inches near the mountain crest to less than 30 inches a few miles inland. The surprising abundance of water emanating from the national forest serves many downstream domestic and agricultural needs, especially in the Salinas Valley. Most areas east of the crest are hot and dry during the summer. Very little development has occurred within this Place; less than 5 percent of the area is private land. The mostly metamorphic, highly faulted terrain has thin outcrops of marble, and traces of other valuable minerals that have not been developed. Marked vegetation changes partition the Place into well-defined ecosystems. These changes are attributed to dramatic climatic, topographic and geologic variations, coupled with an extensive history of fires. Much of the Ventana Place is covered by chaparral. Grass meadows, oak woodlands, open pine forest, deep canyons, coast redwood, and the Santa Lucia fir create a mosaic of vegetation across the rugged landscape. Ecosystems have recently been impacted by Sudden Oak Death, invasion of non-native species, and visitor use exceeding ecological capacity in some sites along the Big Sur River. Wildlife is abundant, including mountain lions, wild pigs and turkeys, trout, falcons and eagles. Mountain streams support healthy fisheries, and steelhead trout inhabit some of the coastal streams. Ventana Place. Photo by Kari Brown The Ventana Place has a history of very large fires that affect dams, roads and human infrastructure outside the national forest and air quality. Fuel treatments have been limited by restrictions and difficult access. Management has focused on preserving wilderness character and resources while providing opportunities for primitive recreation experiences. People are drawn here because of the big trees, its proximity to Big Sur, opportunities to hike into rugged, beautiful wild areas, and deer hunting. Scenic vistas and Page 83
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United States Department of Agricul
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Land Management Plan Part 2 Los Pad
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APPENDIX A - SPECIAL DESIGNATION OV
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LM 1 - Landscape Aesthetics........
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Land Management Plan - Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy

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