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o Sayre: Spanish broom, tamarisk, Russian thistle, castor bean
 Fuel Break Evaluation – Inventory of plant communities within Copper Fire fuel break network.
 Illegal Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Use Management – Using completed OHV trail inventory and
condition survey, develop strategies for protecting and maintaining both recreation and
ecosystem values.

While the identified priorities above highlight some of the most pressing recovery needs from these fires
on the forest, the following section describes a full range of strategies that may be employed through
this program, with specific examples relevant to the fire scars of interest as appropriate. As more
information is gathered over time, these strategies may be refined to increase success and effectiveness
of the program. Strategies and highlighted recommendations are provided below:

Strategy 1. Assessment, Prioritization, and Planning
Information regarding pre- and post-fire forest conditions is incomplete or outdated across many areas
of the fire scars. In order to develop strategic and effective restoration and conservation projects,
relevant information must be gathered to focus opportunities to areas of greatest need, determine the
best techniques to employ given site conditions and restoration goals, comply with regulatory
requirements, and evaluate project effectiveness over time. Therefore, in many cases, assessment,
prioritization, and planning will be a critical first step in addressing this program’s goals.

The types of assessment, prioritization, and planning activities that may be conducted to address
watershed needs are broadly identified in the following strategies (adapted from Roni and Beechie,
2013):

Watershed-scale Process Assessment – Assess effects of changing land cover and vegetation types on
runoff and stream flows, erosion processes, nutrient supply to streams, and the implications on
ecosystems and natural communities.

Reach-scale Process Assessment – Assess riparian conditions, alterations of stream flow by dams or
diversions, sediment transport and storage, and floodplain habitats.

Habitat Alterations Assessment – Evaluate condition of habitat features relative to expected natural
conditions or reference conditions, identify fish passage barriers, and assess water quality.

Changes to Biota – Evaluate status of priority populations or species, ecosystem assemblages, and
presence, abundances, and impacts of non-native species.

Regulatory Compliance and Approval – Develop analysis and reports for compliance with regulatory
policies such as the Endangered Species Act, Wilderness Act, and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

The Watershed Condition Classification (WCC) is a standardized method used by the US Forest Service to
evaluate and rate the health and function of watersheds on a number of different attributes. Initial
prioritization of watersheds and their related needs may be guided by the available WCC information for
the ANF. The watersheds directly impacted by the fires addressed through this program are shown in
the figure below. Watershed Condition Classification information is summarized in Appendix B.

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