Project Timeline:
April 19, 2022
CMER Scientist:
Jenelle Black
Principal Investigator:
Jeff Robins
Project Manager:
Alexander Prescott
Rule Group:
Type-N, Type-F, Wetlands
SAG:
RSAG (Riparian Scientific Advisory Group)
The Forests and Fish Agreement (further adopted within the Forest Practices Habitat Conservation Plan (FPHCP) is intended to restore and maintain riparian and aquatic resources for the protection of fish and other riparian-dependent species on over nine million acres of state and private forest lands in the state of Washington. However, uncertainty exists as to whether resource objectives of the FPHCP are met across the full extent of forestlands subject to the Forest Practices Rules. Previous Cooperative Monitoring Evaluation and Research Committee (CMER) studies addressed various aspects of extensive monitoring, but none had the spatial and temporal scope components needed to address the identified uncertainty. Designing and implementing an extensive monitoring program will reduce uncertainties surrounding the status and trends of aquatic conditions, riparian forest structure and functions that support desired habitat conditions on lands managed under the current forest practices rules.
Therefore, the purpose of the Extensive Riparian Status and Trends Monitoring Program is to provide data needed to evaluate landscape-scale effects and changes over time of implementing forest practices riparian prescriptions, with specific regard to stream temperature and riparian vegetation for this project. This information will inform State and Federal regulatory agencies if the Forest Practices Rules meet resource objectives for key aquatic conditions and processes affected by forest practices and Clean Water Act requirements. This project will also help CMER prioritize, plan, conduct, interpret, and assess scope of inference of other CMER studies and monitoring work.
Project Manger
CMER Scientist
Interim Principal Investigator, Washington State Department of Ecology (ECY)
Project Team Member, Cramer Fish Sciences
Project Team Member, Martin Environmental
Project Team Member, Washington State Association of Counties
Project Team Member, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)
Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
No documents associated with this phase.