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United States Department of Agriculture

-55

Lincoln

National Forest

Portraying the Power of Partnerships
2015 Stakeholders Report

aSD428.L5

Entering

LINCOLN

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May 2016

Southwestern Region

Lincoln National Forest

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Lincoln
NATIONAL FOREST i

Supervisor's

Welcome

Travis Moseley
Forest Supervisor

Fleather Noel

Smokey Bear District Ranger

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Cover Photo by Becca Wholwinder

Elizabeth Humphrey
Sacramento District Ranger

Brad Bolton

Guadalupe District Ranger

Forest Supervisor,
Travis Moseley

Enjoy your Lincoln National Forest!

A s I contemplate the 20 1 5 theme of this report,
“Portraying the Power of Partnerships” I found
myself philosophically pondering the question,
what is the value of a partnership? It is
often portrayed as the amount of money amassed j
and invested, or the amount of acres restored, or ^
miles of trails built. While these measures are
important outputs of a partnership, I feel they
fall short of a broader and more meaningful
outcome. The outcome I have in mind is richer
than that. The outcome I have in mind has
to do with developing and sharing a deeper
connection with the land and people. It has
to do with citizen stewardship in which the
Forest Service partners with citizens to achieve
their interests. A situation in which through their
participation in achieving an outcome, citizens become
committed to the success of that outcome. That owing
to their investment, often due to sweat equity, they have
become a part of that land’s management, that project,
that wildlife habitat, that trail system. A place in their
mind where they develop ownership and a deep value for
public land and public land management.

In FYI5 the Lincoln National Forest received a little over
$1.9 million value in partnership funds. In-kind services,
equipment, supplies and yolunteer hqurs in .ordpr tq ^
accomplish common interests. Through that process we
developed deeper understanding of each other and better
relationships. We learned how to work together ^
more effectively. We made a difference on the land,

We came up with more ideas to pursue and more
partners to involve. We developed commitment A
to the land and to each other. We became ^

I feel so privileged to work with communities ^|||W
and community members that are so engaged
and involved. They see the National Forests ^

as their back yard, their legacy and their
children’s’ future. They are committed and
invested in making their National Forest, their
community, a better place; more resilient socially, 'W

ecologically and economically. A place they want ^
to share and make memories with their friends and
family. A place where they can make a living and sustain
a lifestyle. This is the true power of partnerships and the
true value of your National Forest! I hope you enjoy the
next few pages that portray that power.

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Website: www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln

Source of historical map image: 1 859 Territory of NM Military Map, Library of Congress

LINCOLN

’7taU«*uU

SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE

3463 Las Palomas Rd.
Alamogordo, NM 88310
575-434-7200

■

Smokey Bear
RANGER DISTRia

901 Mechem Dr.
Ruidoso, NM 88345
575-257-4095

Sacramento
RANGER DISTRICT

4 Lost Lodge Rd (physical)
PO Box 288 (mailing)

Cloudcroft, NM 88317
575-682-2551

Guadalupe
RANGER DISTRICT

5203 Buena Vista Dr.
Carlsbad, NM 88220
575-885-4181

The Christmas Tree

Program

Facts

2,828

Total number of Christmas tree
trees sold in 2015. This includes
regular and large trees, which cost
an addtional $ I per foot.

$ 1 4,243

Total Christmas tree sales.

1,109

Total number of trees sold at the
Supervisor’s Office, including three
large tree sales which cost an
additional $ I per foot.

590

Total number of trees sold at the
Smokey Bear Ranger District.

Figures

I t was another successful year for Christmas tree sales on the Lincoln National
Forest In 2015. Families and friends ventured out in search of the “perfect”
Christmas tree, but first they visited our offices to purchase their Christmas tree
permit, which allowed them to cut one tree per household.

For some families, it is a cherished holiday tradition to Lincoln

bundle up in warm clothes, hike into the forest and cut NATIONAL FORESTj

down a fresh tree. 1

“I’ve been cutting my own Christmas tree since I was a kid,”
stated Stacy Jones of Alamogordo, NM. “It’s a tradition I
look forward to all year.”

For others, it was their first experience in Christmas tree “hunting and harvesting”
and they could hardly contain their excitement as they planned their family outing
into the vast and beautiful forest.

The fresh-cut trees stayed green longer, continually filling homes with the unique
scent of Christmas time. All the tree-cutters were grateful the Forest Service
continued the Christmas Tree Program for the public to enjoy.

The $5 tag is still the best deal around for harvesting a live, green tree to decorate
and enjoy for the holidays. The Lincoln sold over 2,800 Christmas tree permit tags
forest-wide during the 2015 season.

The Christmas Tree Program benefits both the harvester and the Forest. While
harvesting that perfect tree, you are helping with the ongoing need for fuel
reduction to prevent catastrophic wildfire.

Christmas Tree
Program

869

260

Total number of trees sold at the
Guadalupe Ranger District.

Total number of trees sold at the
Sacramento Ranger District,
including three large tree sales
which cost an additional $1 per
foot.

The Collaborative Forest

Restoration Program

Photo by Becca Wholwinder

W ith over a century of fire
suppression, logging and
livestock grazing within
many forests of New Mexico, the
ecological structure and function of
these lands have been considerably
altered from a self-sustaining
ecosystem.

In partial response to these
conditions and a desire to create
and maintain healthy, productive
watersheds. Congress passed the
Community Forest Restoration
Act of 2000.

The act authorized the
establishment of the Collaborative
Forest Restoration Program in
New Mexico to provide cost-
share grants for forest restoration
projects on public land designed
through a

collaborative
process.

Lincoln
NATIONAL FOREST

CFRP

Program

At the heart of
this program lies
a robust grants
program that
seeks to encourage and support
critical forest restoration work.

CFRP Projects
Being Implemented

Forest Treatments in Mexican
Spotted Owl Habitat

Project Objective: Minimize risk of high-
intensity wildfire and reduce fuel loading
through mechanical treatments and pre-
scribed fire inside owl habitat on Forest
Service and Mescalero tribal lands.

Ruidoso Wildland Urban Inter-
face Interagency Fuel Reduction
and Prescribed Fire

Project Objective: Treat 1,000 acres in
the Ruidoso Wildland Urban Interface
using mechanical thinning and prescribed
fire in a multijurisdictional landscape res-
toration. The prescribed fire component
also provides excellent opportunities for
critical cross training for local, state and
federal agency firefighters.

Adding Small Diameter
Capability to Ellinger Logging

Project Objective: Fund the purchase of
a scragg mill to greatly increase the
ability to use small diameter wood
products.

White Oaks Forest and
Fuels Reduction

Project Objective: Implement 300 acres
of mechanical and prescribed fire treat-
ments. Federal, volunteer and contract
fire crews will implement the prescribed
fire.

West Side Sacramento Watershed
Restoration and Fuels Reduction

Project Objective: The City of
Alamogordo, in collaboration with
multiple partners, will conduct National
Environmental Planning Act (NEPA)
analysis for 6,696 acres on the west side
of the Sacramento Mountains in order
to initiate a multijurisdictional
implementation effort on critical
watersheds.

Interagency Coordination and
Prescribed Fire Capacity

Project Objective: Engage local partners
to promote the use and acceptance
of prescribed fire in New Mexico and
reintroduce fire to 2,000 acres of fire-
adapted ecosystems across the state.

Lincoln
NATIONAL FOREST

Volunteers

Lincoln
NATIONAL FOREST

Conservation
Education

Thank you volunteers for your
contribution to your forest

Volunteers Make
It Happen

The Forest Service invites and
encourages kids of all ages to get
out to visit the Forest. Why? Well,
fresh air and exercise are good for
one’s health. Many people find a
spiritual connection in nature. A
walk in the woods can relieve the
stress of a hectic life. Students can
learn about vegetation, wildlife,
geography and history of our
area. Scientists believe getting
outdoors improves student focus,
attention and social Interactions,
while reducing behavior problems
and blood pressure. There are
dozens of reasons to get out and
explore the national forest, but
the best reasons of all. ..it’s fun and
feels good! Come on out and join
us in the woods!

Mescalero
Sovereign
Nations Service

More Kids in
the Forest!

Corps

The Mescalero Tribe and the
Lincoln National Forest have been
working together to offer natural
resource management experience
to tribal youth through the
Sovereign Nations Service Corps.
Young people employed by the
Tribe work on natural resource
projects both on the reservation
and on the forest where they
learn how to build and maintain
trails, survey for various plant
and wildlife species, build wildlife
habitat structures, manage public
campgrounds and picnic areas,
survey for archaeological sites
and share their natural resource
knowledge with younger students.

Everyone loves the Lincoln!

Collectively, 250 individuals donated over 5 years of their personal
time to assist the Lincoln National Forest in Fiscal Year 2015. The type
of person that volunteers may be young or old, local or visiting from far
away, a real outdoors-person or a dedicated insider. It doesn’t matter — the
work volunteers contribute varies as much as the people who volunteer.

by checking historic sites
to make sure all was well,
documented old railroad
grades and rebuilt historic
structures.

Bicyclists, high school stu-
dents, National Guard mem-
bers, cheerleaders and indi-
vidual volunteers worked on
the trails they use and love.

Customer service-oriented
volunteers answered ques-
tions and assisted administra-
tive employees at front desks.

Others took care of the na-
tive landscaping at our Cloud-
croft district office.

Wildlife enthusiasts assisted
with plant and animal surveys
and built water catchments
to improve wildlife habitat.

Individuals led interpre-
tive hikes for the public and
watched for wildfires from
fire towers.

Local grottos (a club for cave
enthusiasts) help manage the
many caves and karsts of the
Lincoln National Forest.

Volunteers share their love
of and passion for the Forest
with students by sharing for-
est programs in classrooms

and taking classes out to ex-
perience the forest first hand.

• Those dedicated to the
past assisted archaeologists

New Mexico Rai!s-to-Trails
Association continued to im-
prove the rail -trail system in
the Cloudcroft area.

One dedicated individual
continues to locate and map
trails and share that informa-
tion with the public.

Campground hosts care for
many Forest Service camp-
grounds with daily clean-up,
maintenance, and by offering
visitor information.

Gathering Firewood
Reduces Fire Fuels

Lincoln

NATIONAL FOREST

L Fuelwood
Program

Top: Ihis fuelwood area was part of a previous logging operation. Designating it as a

fuelwood area helps to remove unwanted fallen trees.
Bottom: A fire is lit in an outdoor homo using fuelwood cut from the

Lincoln National Forest.

The Lincoln National Forest has a very active and
long-standing tradition of providing the public
with firewood collection opportunities throughout
the year. Fuelwood permits are one of the most
frequently issued permits on the forest with
approximately 3,800 cords of fuelwood sold in 2015.
This activity not only provides a major source of
fuelwood for private and commercial gatherers but
results in significant fuels reduction to lower the risk
of fire in many areas.

Designated fuelwood areas exist in multiple locations
across the forest and frequently change due to the
availability of wood, weather and road conditions.
These areas are designated within established
guidelines for how and when firewood can be
collected in order to protect sensitive areas and
resources. The most common fuelwood types on the
forest include mixed conifer, pihon-juniper and pine.

Permits and fuelwood area cutting information can
be obtained at any Lincoln National Forest office.

Vegetation treat-
ments are done to
restore the forest to
a healthy and sus-
tainable ecosystem
using a variety of
methods, some of
which are included in
this chart.

20 1 5 VEGETATION ACTIVITY TREATMENTS

Smokey Bear
Acres Percent

Sacramento

Guadalupe
Acres Percent

Forest

Acres

Percent

Acres

Percent

Prescribed Fire

992

2,895

3,887

Thinnings

1,306

5,710

1,583

8,599

Commercial Fuelwood

Wildlife Habitat

Commercial Timber

2,617

8,988

1,583

1 13,188

■ ■■

The Two Goats Watershed
Protection Project

Lincoln
NATIONAL FOREST

Watershed

Management

T he Two Goats Watershed Innprovennent
Project was designed to improve and
protect municipal watersheds along
the western escarpment of the Sacramento
Mountains. The project is a collaborative effort
between the Lincoln National Forest, New
Mexico Department of Energy, Minerals, &
Natural Resources, the City of Alamogordo,
and Otero County Working Group and has
integrated objectives with fuels reduction,
landscape restoration and watershed health.

The Two Goats Project is implementing
vegetative treatments on approximately 1,500
acres of national forest land at a total cost of
$1,236,950. The funding to implement this
project was provided through a partnership
with the State of New Mexico through the
New Mexico Department of Energy, Minerals
& Natural Resources and through New Mexico
State procurement processes.

The watershed improvement project area was
selected by the State of New Mexico because it
is one of the primary water supplies for the City
of Alamogordo and its residents.

The Two Goats Watershed Project has been
the basis for establishing a strong collaborative
group called the Otero Working Group, which
continues to meet to coordinate plans for
future landscape projects in Otero County and
the southern Sacramento Mountains.

Top: The view overlooking the Two Goats Watershed Restoration Project area.

Below: Members of the Otero Working Group reviewing progress at the Two Goats site.
Right: Vegetation, like this cactus, slowly regrow in the treated watershed area.

Collaborative
Efforts
of the Otero
Working
Group

Lincoln

NATIONAL FOREST

Otero Working
Group

Every other month a group of people interested in
watershed improvement in Otero County meet. The
Otero Working Group is comprised of representatives
from New Mexico State Forestry, South Central
Mountain Research Conservation & Development, US
Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Mescalero
ApacheTribe, City of Alamogordo, Otero County, private
business owners and any interested publics.

A large portion of the Lincoln National Forest sits within
Otero County. This group works to collaborate with
communities, partners and stakeholders to strategically
plan, develop and leverage resources in order to
enhance the resiliency and restoration of Otero County
Watersheds through:

I. Shared Responsibilities

2. Forest Health and Sustainability Improvement

3. Economic Development Opportunities

The Otero Working Group continually seeks to find a
common understanding amongst the group members
of the locations where previous restoration work had
been completed, where current work is ongoing and
where future work is planned.

The Otero Working Group strives to address the
challenges and needs of the local forest and wood-
products industries. The group is partnering with the
Greater Ruidoso Group in Lincoln County, which has
common goals and objectives, to host a forest and wood
products workshop in Ruidoso. The objective of the
workshop is to provide opportunities for augmenting
the capacity of the local forest and wood products
businesses in the Sacramento Mountain area.

The Otero Working Group recognizes the importance
of informing and engaging communities, partners and
stakeholders by coordinating opportunities to leverage
all of our available resources in order to improve the
watershed conditions in Otero County.

The Lincoln National Forest helps
provide water to the residents of
Alamogordo, New Mexico,
who live at the base of the
Sacramento Mountains.

Partnering

with

New Mexico
Department
Game&

Fish

T he Lincoln National Forest has an extensive
partnership with New Mexico Department of
Game & Fish (NMDG&F) to jointly work to-
wards land management objectives.The projects our
departments collaborate on involve vegetative thin-
ning, prescribed fire, wildlife water developments,
herbicide treatment of juniper sprouts, mechanical
mastication in woodlands and other environmental
planning and restoration.

Highlight Project:

The Blue Lake Wetland Restoration

The Blue Lake Wetland Restoration Project in Game
Management Unit 36 Is a historic wet meadow
located 7,200 feet above sea level. The project area
provides browse and travel corridors for elk and
deer populations in a ponderosa pine habitat type.

In recent years, elk and deer populations were less
visible on the landscape. The project goal was to
restore a wetland meadow to maximize snow and
rainfall events within an area that provides adequate
cover and forage for elk and other wildlife species.

The Blue Lake Wetland Restoration Project modi-
fied and deepened two existing ponds by creating
compacted clay basins with gradual slopes. Struc-
tural area enhancements included partial split rail
cross-lay fencing and interpretive signage provided
by the Habitat Stamp Program were put in place to
educate the public about the importance of wet-
lands and the partners who helped with this project.

Funding Sources

The Habitat Stamp Program generated about
$90,000 in 20 1 5. Those funds are derived from
the $5 habitat stamp fee all hunters and fishermen
utilizing public lands purchase on an annual basis.

The money goes towards vegetative management
projects and maintenance of existing Habitat Stamp
Program projects and infrastructure like signage and
trick tanks.

Wildlife Enhancement Funds are a NMDG&F fund-
ing source derived from the auction or raffle of big
game hunting licenses.The Lincoln National Forest
was a recipient of $50,000 in 20 1 4-20 1 5. This fund-
ing source is being used to accomplish vegetative
thinning and prescribed fire projects.

The Lincoln National Forest and NMDG&F recently
entered into a three-year agreement to do mechani-
cal mastication, prescribed fire and reconstruct
existing water developments, like the Blue Lake
Wetland Project mentioned above, using $625,000
of state funds.

Discussions are ongoing regarding funding for addi-
tional thinning projects and environmental planning
for a large landscape-scale analysis, which will lay the
ground for future vegetation management projects.

Lincoln
NATIONAL FOREST

NMDG&F

Veteran Crew and a Lincoln National Forest wildlife
technician build fence at Lake Mountain.

Trick tanks provides water for wildlife and are
funded in cooperation with
New Mexico Department of Game & Fish.

Lincoln
NATIONAL FOREST

Plant

Management

TRACKING
the GREEN

MEDUSA ORCHID

(Microthelys rubrocallosa )

I n August 2004, a new orchid was discovered on the
Lincoln National Forest. This new orchid, commonly
known as Green Medusa Orchid (Microthelys
rubrocallosa), had never been seen in the United States.
Previously, it was only known from a few collections in
the Sierra Madre of Chihuahua, Mexico, some 270 miles
to the south. At the time, only general information was
known about the habitat requirements for this species,
which included light-to-moderately wooded south facing
pine forest.

The site where the orchid was first discovered
supported about 20 individual plants. This species is
difficult to monitor because individuals are very small
and typically appear above ground as leaves only, or as
a non-showy, short-lived green flower stalk. However,
subsequent surveys in 2015 revealed the presence of
over 700 additional Individuals on the Lincoln National
Forest.

These surveys seem to suggest this orchid occupies
a fairly specific habitat consisting of 70-85 percent
overstory canopy cover dominated by Douglas fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii) and some Pine component
(Pin us strobiformis or P. ponderosa). The understory
typically consists of a sparse herbaceous layer, often
including additional orchid species (i.e. Platanthera
brevifolia, Malaxis porphyria, Malaxis soulei and Schiedeella
arizonica) and a rather dense layer of needle duff, which
may indicate the Green Medusa Orchid (Microthelys
rubrocallosa) does not compete well against other plants.

More information is needed regarding the ecology and
management needs of this species and its potential
threats.The Lincoln National Forest continues to
monitor these interesting little plants and search for
others at similar sites on the forest.

References

Coleman, R.A. and M. Baker. 2006. Microthelys
rubrocallosa, a new addition to the orchid flora of the
United States. Orchids:The Magazine of the American
Orchid Society 75(1 ):56-57.

Surveys in 2015
revealed the
presence of over
700 additional
individual orchids.

Lincoln

NATIONAL FOREST

Heritage &
Cultural
Resources

Sunspot National
Solar Observatory
Visitors Center
& Museum
Exhibit Updated

A backlit panoramic photo of the actual view from Monjeau Lookout
simulates what the lookout sees when standing behind the alidade fire finder
pictured in the forefront.

L ocated in Sunspot, N.M., the National
Solar Observatory sits on public lands
managed by the Sacramento Ranger
District of the Lincoln National Forest.
The Sunspot Visitor Center & Museum
first opened its doors in July 1997 as the
result of a collaboration between National
Solar Observatory Sacramento Peak (the
day observatory), Apache Point Observa-
tory (the night observatory located next
door) and the US Forest Service.

Along with various displays about the sun,
and the history of the site itself, the Lin-
coln National Forest has maintained an ex-
hibit area within the Sunspot Astronomy &
Visitors Center. This exhibit area had not
been updated since it was first installed
in 1997, and became woefully out of date.
This year after a considerable amount of
planning, the new exhibit area has finally

been completed. The exhibit area boasts
a snapshot of the various areas of man-
agement by the Forest Service, including
fire, wildlife, botany, timber (dendrology),
archaeology and the railroad logging his-
tory of the Sacramento Mountains.

Visitors to the National Solar Observa-
tory can take a tour around the facility and
visit the various telescopes and historic
structures, including the Grain Bin Dome.
The Grain Bin Dome was the first tele-
scope dome built at Sunspot. The dome
was constructed in 1 950 from a grain silo
ordered from the Sears & Roebuck cata-
log.

The starting point for this tour is the Sun-
spot Astronomy & Visitors Center, where
visitors receive information regarding the
study of the sun that began there in 1 947.

Guadalupe
Escarpment
Trail (GET)

71.6 miles of trail
and no new trail
construction
needed

T he Lincoln National Forest’s
Guadalupe Ranger District is
working together with Carlsbad
Caverns National Park, Guadalupe
Mountains National Park and the Bureau
of Land Management Carlsbad Field Office
to identify a long trail through the unique
geology near the community of Carlsbad,
New Mexico.

In 2015, the Carlsbad Chamber of
Commerce CEO requested a meeting with
all of the local federal land management
agencies to discuss the potential of creating
new recreational opportunities in the area
that would attract attention and ultimately
bring more tourists into southeastern
New Mexico. The Chamber suggested a
long, multi-day hiking trail that would run
through and connect the various areas
that each agency managed.

The group liked and supported the idea
and immediately pulled maps together
and began looking for routes that would
highlight and showcase the unique desert
features in the area, while keeping new
construction to a minimum. The group
was able to identify a route that would
showcase the highest point in Texas on
Guadalupe National Park to the scenic
and beautiful vistas along the Guadalupe
escarpment, through Carlsbad Caverns
National Park and the Lincoln National
Forest. A 71.76 mile route was identified
that would meet all of the stated objectives
and utilize only existing trails or roads. No
new construction would be needed and no
changes or modifications to existing use
types would be necessary.

The route is already completed. The trail,
as currently designed, connects existing
trails and roads. No new construction
or modifications are needed and
environmental analysis for the proposed
uses has already been addressed.

Several things will be done to help users >
more easily plan, prepare for and complete
the entire hike. The group will create a
special map that better identifies the route
and landmarks along the way. The group will
work on signage and have one consistent
sign posted along the entire route to
help users stay on the right trail. Lack of
water will be an issue for those attempting
to hike the entire route so the group
will create opportunities for temporary
water storage allowing users to stash
water ahead of time. Both National Parks
require permits for backcountry overnight
use. The parks will work together to come
up with a system that will require just one
pass for both parks. Current policy would
require a permit from each park.

The group is meeting monthly and working
to finalizing the route and a design that can
be used on the signage to mark the GET.
Those tasks should be completed in a few
months and by summer crews can start
installing the signs and temporary water
storage boxes.

While activity was minimal on the
Lincoln National Forest, it was an
incredibly busy 2015 fire season
nationally. Over 1 0 million acres burned
from both human and naturally-caused
ignitions across the country. Alaska,
California and the northwest quadrant
of the United States were particularly
hard hit due to the effects of long-term
drought. Tragically, seven firefighters
lost their lives during the 2015 fire
season. Approximately 1.7 billion
dollars were spent in suppression of
wildfires.

Multiple Lincoln National Forest fire
resources mobilized to support fire
efforts in other regions of the United
States. By July of 20 1 5 nearly all wildland
fire resources were committed to fire
support out of our local region. Fire
resources often worked rotations and
returned for multiple assignments,
particularly in the Northwest. Multiple
fire and non-fire personnel provided
support in overhead assignments
through late September of 20 1 5.

With continually shifting climate and
vegetation conditions, the Lincoln
National Forest continues to evolve
in its use of technology, leadership
development and overall understanding
of approach to managing wildfires.

Top Photo: Prescribed fire activity.
Bottom Photo: The Smokey Bear Hotshots on a California
wildfire preforming fire suppression activities.

Off

■Forest Fire Assignments

Overhead

Crew

Equipment

Alaska

Eastern Area

Great Basin

Northern

California

Southern

California

Northwest

103

Northern

Rockies

Rocky

Mountain

Southern

Area

Southwest

Totals

321

146

1 0,948 acres treated to
reduce hazardous fuels,
improve forest health
and support restoration
of mixed conifer,
ponderosa pine, and
grassland ecosystems

6,299 acres mechanically treated.
Mechanized treatment includes using
hand thinning and heavy equipment to
reduce tree density, primarily in
pihon-juniper woodlands. 5,597 acres of
mastication, dozer push, and lop and
scatter treatments were used to restore
and increase native grassland
ecosystems.

4,649 acres of
prescribed pile and
braodcast burns. The
majority of burns
occured in pihon-
juniper landscapes
which were historically
grasslands.

T he Southwest had a quiet
wildfire season in 2015. The
Lincoln National Forest was no
exception. There were 24 wildlfires
on the forest, for a total of 1 2 1 acres
burned. Lightning caused nine fires, but
only burned a total of one acre. Fifteen
of the fires were human-caused and
burned the remaining 1 20 acres.

Responding to Fires Across the Country

Lincoln

NATIONAL FOREST

Season

Lincoln

NATIONAL FOREST

Wildlife

Canis Latrans, more commonly known as a coyote, hops over a log in the Grindstone Mesa area on the Smokey Bear Ranger District.

t 9^

The Sacramento Salamander is a sensitive
species indigenous to the
Sacramento Mountains.

Grindstone Mesa on the Smokey Bear Ranger
District is a natural water supply for all types
of wildlife, including waterfowl.

The Wildlife
Program

T he Wildlife Program manages habitat for a diversity of species across
the landscape. The program has strong roots in partnerships and
incorporating volunteers into work on the ground. In 2015 volunteers
graciously donated more than 1,800 hours of their time working to install
trick tanks and monitor federally-listed species.The program is one of the
most proactive staff areas in seeking partnerships and funding supplementation
for forest restoration projects.

Forest biologists continue to work with over 30 major partners, including
close coordination with the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish.

The Wildlife Program on the Lincoln National Forest goes beyond the normal
wildlife roles. Wildlife habitat enhancement projects for deer and elk were
expanded to include migratory birds, bat species, small mammals, invertebrates
and fisheries.This year biologists continued to focus on the restoration of
high-elevation wetlands, like those on Grindstone Mesa on the Smokey Bear
Ranger District. The Grindstone Mesa Wetland Restoration Project is a
natural high elevation depression that is seasonally wet and holds water for
most of the year. It harbors several species of amphibians and invertebrates
such as fairy shrimp and tadpole shrimp. It also is a natural water supply for
migratory birds, small mammals and larger animals such as elk and deer.

federally-listed
threatened or
endangered species

ON THE LINCOLN

4 57

federal candidate species, regional forester sensitive species,

meaning these species are meaning species that may be trend-
proposed for federal listing ing towards federal listing without

active conservation measures.

2015 Budget

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