San Bernardino National Forest Land Management Plan - Part 2

September 2005 Land Management Plan Part 2
San Bernardino National Forest Strategy
landscape of steep mountains and narrow canyons, at times causing flooding at the mouths of
canyons like Mill Creek. Jenks Lake, a small man-made lake, natural Dollar Lake and Tosh's
Tarn, and Dry Lake (a dammed marsh) are the only bodies of water in this area. Streams are
prevalent. There are surface and groundwater extractions in the Place, as well as unauthorized
extractions.
Vegetation communities are diverse due to the range of altitude. The lower elevations on the
south side are covered by chaparral communities and live oak stands, yielding to bigcone
Douglas-fir, and a mixed conifer series at the higher elevations. The upper reaches of the San
Gorgonio Mountains are covered with ponderosa pine, sugar pine, incense cedar, Coulter pine,
Jeffrey pine, lodgepole pine and limber pine leading to tree line and then up into a world of
alpine plants. Some of the largest wet montane meadows on the national forest also occur at this
elevation. Poor air quality during much of the year affects vegetation health and vigor. Noxious
weeds are present.
There is a possibility of catastrophic wildland fire, because of drought related mortality, the
presence of old age chaparral and forest densification. Mortality of big berry manzanita, Coulter
pine, bigcone Douglas-fir and Jeffrey pine has been high within this Place; canyon oak and
interior live oak species have also been affected. This presents a risk to national forest facilities,
including recreation residences and organization camps, as well as to private infrastructures.
One of the two quaking aspen groves on the national forest occurs in Fish Creek. Several
habitats support a number of federally listed and Region 5 sensitive plant species. The only
known occurrences of Barton Flats horkelia are present here. The Santa Ana River and its’
tributaries provide habitat for deer, bear, rainbow and brown trout and are important water
sources for wildlife. The large expanse of montane conifer forest and riparian communities
support a dense population of California spotted owl (especially on the north-facing slopes of the
Santa Ana River watershed), nesting pairs of southwestern willow flycatcher along the Santa Ana
River and tributaries, San Bernardino flying squirrel, and southern rubber boa. One of four
populations of the Nelson's bighorn sheep is found here. The wildlife corridor connecting
Sugarlump Mountain to the Big Bear Place is important for conifer dependent species, as is the
corridor connecting the habitat between the San Gorgonio and the Cushenbury bighorn sheep
herds. The regional wildlife linkage connecting the San Bernardino Mountains to the San Jacinto
Mountains is present here. The south-facing slopes of the Santa Ana River watershed are an
important deer winter range for a local migratory herd. A dense black bear population occurs
within this Place.
The Place provides opportunities for a mixture of motorized and non-motorized recreation, as
well as more primitive opportunities in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. California State Highway
38 (the Rim of the World Scenic Byway) is the primary gateway to the San Gorgonio Place,
leading from Mentone to the Onyx Summit and beyond to Big Bear. Developed recreation is
very popular at the Barton Flats and Heart Bar complexes. The most popular types of dispersed
recreation include camping, picnicking, swimming, fishing, day hiking, mountain biking,
horseback riding and backpacking; while winter brings nordic skiing and snowplay activities.
Snowmobile opportunities are available in the Coon Creek area on National Forest System roads
1N02 and 1N95. Wheelchair accessible sites for fishing are located on the Santa Ana River. This
Place has some of the most popular equestrian trails in southern California. Hunting of both bear
and deer is popular. The Santa Ana River is the largest and most heavily visited fishing stream on
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