Land Management Plan - Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy

Land Management Plan Part 2
Los Padres National Forest Strategy
September 2005
spectacular topography offer opportunities for solitude and renewal of the human spirit. This
Place provides opportunities for year-round wildland recreation. Visitor use exceeds capacity in
some areas, causing overuse of trail camps. A vast trail system enables users to cross the
wilderness; however, motorized and mechanized recreation is encroaching into the
wilderness.
Undeveloped campgrounds are scattered across
the entire Place. The area has a rich cultural
history, and some heritage resources are being affected by high public use.
Surrounding areas have had extensive mining development, but within the
Ventana Place no
mineral deposits for which extraction is economically feasible
have been located, and the areas
of wilderness are off-limits to new exploration. Most of
this Place is withdrawn from mineral
entry, and very little historic mining has occurred.
Some landowners have restricted access across their land,
resulting in a reduction of traditional
routes into the wilderness. Illegal cultivation of marijuana
is occurring in remote areas of the
Ventana Place.
Designated Wild and Scenic Rivers:
• Big Sur River 20.6 miles
Recommended Wild and Scenic Rivers:
• Arroyo Seco River 2.9 miles
Existing Wilderness:
• Ventana Wilderness 151,305 acres
Special Interest Areas:
• Milpitas 953 acres
Recommended Research Natural Area:
• Ventana Cones 2,220 acres
Total national forest acres--Ventana Place: 161,214
Desired Condition: The valued landscape attributes to be preserved over time are the mosaic of
vegetation including the redwoods, oak woodlands, open pine forests, grasslands and chaparral
mix that draw people for the big trees, and water environment with scenic vistas. Visitor use is
accommodated without compromising resource values.
Program Emphasis: Maintain the wild, scenic, and rugged backcountry. Protect areas of
cultural and biological significance, improve trail maintenance, increase environmental
education, and resolve conflicts between users and resources.
Increase Forest Service presence in
the Place through increased
wilderness and volunteer patrols. Emphasize vegetation treatments
(such as fuels reduction,
including within adjoining wilderness areas) and fire prevention to
reduce the occurrence of large wildland fires. Continue emphasis on partnerships to promote
resource protection efforts
especially for threatened or endangered species. Maintain existing
lookouts through partnerships.
Address forest health issues, including the spread of Sudden Oak
Death, which holds
the potential to cause devastation of coastal-forested habitats.
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