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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

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LMTerrestrial and Lotic AIM Examples

Using lotic and terrestrial AIM projects from 3 scales, we will discuss the following:

• Monitoring goals/applications• How sites were selected?• What indicators were measured?• Example results

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LM

BLM multi-scale data needs:

• Treatment effectiveness

• Permit renewals

• RMP effectiveness

• State-wide reporting

• Ecoregional assessments

• Bureau-wide

AIM data—the big picture

Sca

le

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMAIM data—the big picture

Watershed function

Ecological processes

Species/habitat

Water quality

Fundamentals of Land Health:Ecosystem Integrity

BLM multi-scale data needs:

• Treatment effectiveness

• Permit renewals

• RMP effectiveness

• State-wide reporting

• Ecoregional assessments

• Bureau-wide

AIM

Sca

le

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LM

Methods: low intensity grid of randomly selected monitoring locations

Use of AIM Lotic core indicators

Example applications:National level reporting

Regional management priorities

National scale example – Western Rivers and Streams Assessment

Objective: report nationally on the condition and trend of chemical, physical, and biological stream attributes

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMInstream biological integrity results

Biological condition significantly differs among

ecoregions

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMPriority stressors by region

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMLandscape Monitoring Framework (LMF)

• Low-intensity terrestrial monitoring network on BLM lands to satisfy national reporting requirements

• AIM Terrestrial Core methods

• Extension of NRI onto BLM lands

• Collected by NRCS crews

• Data available for use by local offices.

• ~9,000 points as of 2017

AIM

–A

ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LM2014BLM Rangeland Resource Assessment

• Percent of BLM Acres with invasive species• LMF analysis• >2,100 sample points in 2014

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMFuture: National Trend Assessments

• Percent of BLM Acres with invasive species present• LMF analysis• 2014-2017• Many ecoregions

increasing, both presence and abundance

Yu et al. In Review

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMBenefits of regional monitoring for field offices

National-level sample points can be used for local applications – free to states, districts, or field offices

• Use of data to supplement local efforts

• Setting benchmarks or potential natural conditons

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LM

• Establish quantitative, baseline conditions

• Assess Land Health Standard attainment

• Identify priority stressors by region

• Inform more intensive, local monitoring and management actions

Statewide scale example: UT

Monitoring goals & applications:A

IM –

Assessm

ent, Inventory, and Monitoring

BLMPriority stressors

Percentage of stream km

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMPriority stressors by district

Salinity is a priority stressor in parts of UT

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMLand uses associated w/ priority stressors

Salinity: 65% of spatial variability explained by % ag, density of oil & gas wells, % hydrologic alteration

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMLand uses associated w/ priority stressors

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMBLMA

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• Maintain sage-grouse habitat"% of seasonal habitat within 4.0 miles of leks meeting a majority of the desired conditions: Arid = 70 (55-85), mesic = 75 (60-90)". (Oregon Greater Sage-Grouse Approved RMP-A)

• Assess sage-grouse habitat suitability at multiple scales– Land Use Plan– Seasonal Habitat– Land Health Evaluations

(allotment)– Cross-scale interactions

Sage-Grouse Habitat AssessmentsMonitoring goals and applications:

Lakeview, OR

3 Sample Designs

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMSeasonal Habitat Assessment BLM

As

se

ss

me

nt, In

ven

tory

, an

d M

on

itorin

g (A

IM) S

trate

gy

Existing Data

Seasonal Habitat

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMLand Health Evaluation

Seasonal Habitat

Allotment

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMUT Aquatic Land Health example

Goals and applications:Conduct grazing use authorizations for Three Creeks Allotment

Use all available data: MIM, AIM, PFC

Assess Rangeland Health Standard for aquatic systems: Riparian and Wetland areas are in proper functioning condition

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMUT Aquatic Land Health example

Example Indicators:• Fine Sediment, Overhead cover, Bank Overhead cover,

Bank Stability, Bank Cover• Other lines of evidence: PFC assessments and site revisits

+ photos comparison

Determining Condition:• ID team approach• Developed benchmarks for AIM & MIM data• Determined which sites appropriate for assessing grazing• Evaluated each Standard as an ID team based on results

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMUT Aquatic Land Health example

Benchmark example• Fine sediment: o BCT Sites: < 23% PFC; 23 – 37 FAR; > 37 NF

o Non-BCT Sites: < 44% PFC; 44 – 73 FAR; > 73 NF

• Bank stability:o BCT Sites: > 80% PFC; 60 – 80 FAR; < 60 NF

o Non-BCT Sites: > 70% PFC; 50 – 70 FAR; < 50 NF

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMUT Aquatic Land Health example

RandolphCreek

Randolph Creek

exclosure

Big Creek Big Creek exclosure

PFC Status Functioning at risk

Properly functioning

Not functioning

Properly functioning

Fine sediment (<2 mm)

53.5 22.2 24.6 17.4

Bank stability 38 81 18 75

Land health assessment

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMUT Aquatic Land Health example

RandolphCreek

Randolph Creek

exclosure

Big Creek Big Creek exclosure

PFC Status Functioning at risk

Properly functioning

Not functioning

Properly functioning

Fine sediment (<2 mm)

53.5 22.2 24.6 17.4

Bank stability 38 81 18 75

Land health evaluation and determination

AIM

–A

ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMTreatment Effectiveness -- ES&R

Monitoring Goals and Applications

● Eagle Lake Field Office● Rush Fire: 315,578 acres

burned in CA and NV in 2012● Treatment Objectives:

establish native plants, establish ecological processes (hold soil), restore sage grouse habitat, prevent invasion

● Treatments: Drill Seeding and Aerial Seeding

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMES&R Treatment Objectives

● Total canopy cover is sufficient to provide for soil stabilization and site functionality. Greater than 70% canopy cover is present for the rangeland ecological site when compared to a control area that is in a similar unburned ecological condition.

● At the end of the second and third growing seasons the measure of success will be the presence of 3 seeded perennial grass plants per M² and 0.5 sagebrush plants per M².

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMES&R Design

In addition to LUP design, two intensifications for ES&R: ● Grazing allotments

impacted by the fire (burned/untreated + unburned)

● Treatment intensification (Drill seeding sites, aerial broadcast seeding sites; min 3 per seed mix)

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMES&R Results

Seeding treatments did not achieve objectives Timing, drought, and seed source likely contributed -- consider whether treatments are worthwhile given constraints

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMBLMA

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• Consistent data collected using consistent methods can be used for many different purposes (as seen in examples)

Conclusion:

• Application of AIM principles is flexible and driven by management and monitoring objectives

○ High flexibility: survey design, supplemental indicators

○ Low flexibility: changing of core methods, electronic data collection and mgmt.

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMBLMA

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(AIM

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Conclusion:> 20,000 terrestrial points> 2,200 aquatic points

AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMBLMA

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Conclusion:> 20,000 terrestrial points> 2,200 aquatic points

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AIM

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ssessment, Inventory, and M

onitoringB

LMQuestions?