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Planning for National

Scenic & Historic

Trails

10/18/2017

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Overview

WHAT are NSHTs?

WHY are they important?

WHERE are they?

WHO is responsible?

HOW do we plan for them?

Key Concepts
Connecting Direction and Resulting “Plans”
Types of Plans

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WHAT are �National Scenic & Historic Trails?

National Scenic Trails (NSTs) : long-distance trails that provide unique opportunities to hike or ride through areas of outstanding scenic beauty.

National Historic Trails: long-distance trails that follow original trails or routes of travel of national historical significance."

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Congressionally-designated

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WHY are NSHTs important?

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Showcase America’s rich natural and cultural heritage

Connect people to their public lands

Inspire citizen stewardship

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WHERE…

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Some Stats…

30 NSHTs
Totaling 55,000 miles,
Crossing all 9 FS regions, and
90 Forests & Grasslands

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6 NSHTs administered by the FS…�

NSHT	Lead	Regions
Arizona National Scenic Trail	R3	R3
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail	R2	R1, R3, R4
Florida National Scenic Trail	R8	R8
Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail	R5	R4, R6
Pacific Northwest National Scenic	R6	R1
Nez Perce National Historic Trail	R1	R2, R4, R6

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WHO’s responsible…

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16 Additional NSHTs managed by the FS

NSHT	Lead	FS Regions
California National Historic Trail	NPS	R4, R5, R6
El Camino Real de los Tejas NHT	NPS	R8
Juan Bautista de Anza NHT	NPS	R5
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail	NPS	R1, R6, R9
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail	NPS	R4
Oregon National Historic Trail	NPS	R4, R6
Pony Express National Historic Trail	NPS	R4, R5
Appalachian National Scenic Trail	NPS	R8, R9
North Country National Scenic Trail	NPS	R1, R9
Santa Fe National Historic Trail	NPS	R2, R3
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail	NPS	R8, R9
Overmountain Victory NHT	NPS	R8
Ice Age National Scenic Trail	NPS	R9
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro NHT	BLM & NPS	R3
Old Spanish National Historic Trail	BLM & NPS	R2, R3, R4, R5
Iditarod National Historic Trail	BLM & NPS	R10

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WHO’s responsible…

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Key Concepts To Keep in Mind�(regardless of the planning level)

Seamless management
Collaboration
Trail experience

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Photo: Florida National Scenic Trail- volunteers building a bridge.

HOW do we Plan for them?�

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We’re not just managing this…

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We’re managing for this

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NSHT are NOT defacto Wilderness

Key concepts - continued

and traverse many settings

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Unlike Wilderness…

Other multiple uses are not automatically prohibited or restricted along the trail.

Management activities are designed to harmonize with the resource values and purposes for which the trails were established.

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National Forest Management Act

Project Plans

National Trails System Act

Planning Rule

Land Management Plans

Designated Areas

Connecting Direction and Plans

FSM1920 FSH1909.12

Executive Order 13195

FSM 2350

Compatibility

Comprehensive Trail Plans

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Land Management Plans (LMP) address management of the land (including land around the trail) within the FS unit.

Comprehensive Trail Plans (CTP) address management of the entire trail (across jurisdictions).

Project Plans address specific projects or activities that support/implement the direction contained in the both the LMP and CTP.

Differences among the 3 Plans

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National Forest Management Act

2012 Planning Rule

Land Management Plans

Direction and Guidance on LMP side

FSM1920 FSH1909.12

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2012 Planning Rule �Designated Areas

Assessments are required to identify and evaluate existing information about existing designated areas

36 CFR 219.6(b)(15).

Plans must identify existing designated areas

36 CFR 219.7(c)(2)(vii)

Plans must have plan components including standards and guidelines to provide for appropriate management of other designated areas in the plan area.

36 CFR 219.10(b)(vi)).

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Expectations in the Planning Directives

Identify and map NSHT corridors in the plan 24.1, 2 and 24.43 1(c) and 2(e);

Develop plan components that provide for the nature and purposes of the trail 24.43, 1(f); and

Coordinate planning efforts and management direction across neighboring jurisdictions to facilitate compatible management approaches for NSHTs 24.23, 1(d).

FSH 1909.12, Sec. 24.1 & 24.43

THESE represent CONSENSUS between EMC and RHVR DIRECTORS in interpreting direction and guidance contained in the implementing directives:

FSH 1909.12 Chapter 20 (Land Management Plan ):

Sec. 24.1, 2. All designated areas that have been statutorily designated or recommended to be statutorily designated must be shown on a map in the plan, unless it is necessary not to do so, to protect resources in the designated area.

Sec. 24.43(1)(c). The Interdisciplinary Team shall use the national scenic and historic trails rights-of-way maps required by 16 U.S.C. 1246(a)(2) to map the location of the trails. Where national trail rights-of-way have not yet been selected, the Interdisciplinary Team shall reference the establishing legislation (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)) as the primary source for identifying and mapping the national scenic and historic trails right-of-way. If the right-of-way has not been selected, either through legislation or publication in the Federal Register, the Interdisciplinary Team should use other information to delineate a national scenic and historic trails corridor that protects the resource values for which the trail was designated or is being proposed for designation (16 U.S.C 1244(b)).

Sec. 24.43(2)(e) MUST identify and map National Scenic and Historic trails per #1c above.

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NSHT Corridors �should be wide enough to encompass �the resource values for which the trail was designated

Key features and destinations (scenic vistas, water features, campsites, cultural sites, etc.) along the trail.

Desired Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) settings.

Scenery Integrity Objectives (SIOs) – especially for National Scenic Trails

Historic sites and cultural landscapes – especially for National Historic Trails

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Additional FSH 1909.12 Guidance �for Plan Components

Plan should include desired conditions that describe the NSHTs and the recreational, scenic, historic and other resource values for which the trail was designated.
May include objectives related to NSHTs
May include standards or guidelines to place limits or conditions on projects to protect trails and associated resource values.
May include suitable uses to identify uses that are to be allowed or prohibited along the trail.

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Consider other resource values and multiple uses when developing plan components for trails:

Scenery (using SMS)
Recreation settings, activities, and experiences (using ROS)
Vegetation treatments and timber production
Grazing activity
Road construction, maintenance, relocation or decommissioning
Special Uses (communication sites and utility corridors)
Recreation Special Uses, services, and events
Mineral Uses within agency authorities

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Useful starting point for IDT discussions and public engagement

A Menu of Plan Components for NSHTs

Available tools and references…

Based on coordinated CDT effort and several LMP examples

Summary of relevant Laws and Direction

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Note - LMPs under the 1982 Planning Rule….

Although 1982 Rule direction for designated areas is limited to Wilderness,

the National Historic and Trails Act does note that agencies must identify NSHTs in their respective general management plans.

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National Trails System Act

Direction and Guidance on the CP side

Executive Order 13195

FSM 2350

Comprehensive Trail Plans

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National Trails System Act �P.L. 90-543, Oct. 2, 1968

Requires:

Establishment of trail right-of-ways
Non-motorized (with a few exceptions)
Comprehensive Plan requirement
Coordination across jurisdictions
Engagement of partners and volunteers

Law…

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Executive Order 13195

Trails for America in the 21st Century, 2001:

“Federal agencies will… protect, connect, promote, and assist trails of all types…

This will be accomplished by… protecting the trail corridors associated with National Scenic Trails… to the degrees necessary to ensure that the values for which each trail was established remain intact.”

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FSM 2350�(November 2009)

Needs to be updated to better align with:

The Planning Rule and implementing directives
The Trail Stewardship Act
The National Strategy for a Sustainable Trail

System

The National Trails System Interagency MOU

Planning and management of NSHTs should align with the Agency’s leadership intent of strengthening and deepening connections with the public through outdoor recreation experiences. These expectations are further underscored by the National Trails System Interagency MOU, signed by the Chief of the Forest Service in January of 2017. Central to the MOU, and recently emphasized by partners to the Chief, is the objective to promote and facilitate consistent and seamless planning, development, administration, maintenance, and operation of NSHTs across jurisdictional boundaries. In addition, the Forest Service recently completed its National Strategy for a Sustainable Trail System, which also emphasizes the need for shared leader intent and cross-program integration to meet trail management, restoration, and stewardship objectives.

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Comprehensive Trail Plans

Are for the acquisition, management, development and use of the trail including:

Objectives and practices to be observed in the management of the trail, including the identification of all significant natural, historical and cultural resources to be preserved.

Agreements to be consummated with other entities, and

An identified carrying capacity of the trail and plan for its implementation.

Acquisition/protection plan for lands to be acquired

General and site specific development plans (including costs).

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Project Plans

Land Management Plans

Compatibility

Comprehensive Trail Plans

Project Plans�Support and implement LMP and CP direction

Example Project Plans:

Realign a section of trail to reduce resource impacts
Construction of a new parking area to improve access
Treat vegetation to enhance views

The last type of plan…

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National Recreation Trails

Secretary of Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture may designate

NRTs provide for numerous outdoor recreation activities in a variety of urban, rural, and remote areas.

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Administratively-designated

Over 1,000 trails in all 50 states.

Ranging from < 1 mile to 485 miles in length.

Designated on federal, state, municipal, and privately owned lands.

Red Canyon NRT, Dixie NF, Utah

One last thing….

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To Recap:

NSHTs are congressionally designated areas but are not managed as defacto Wilderness;

LMPs must Identify and map NSHT corridors in the plan;

LMPs Must have plan components for NSHTs;

Planning efforts and management direction must be coordinated across neighboring jurisdictions ;

LMPs and Comprehensive Plans must be compatible

LMPs address management of the land (including land around the trail) within the FS unit.

Comprehensive Trail Plans address management of the entire trail (across jurisdictions).

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Contacts:

National Trails Program Manager: Jaime Schmidt, (208)665-0138

National Recreation Planner: Lis Novak, (406)493-8819

WO Planning Specialist: Bill Connelly, (202)205-0962.

NSHT Administrators:
Arizona National Scenic Trail: Laura White (R3), 520-388-832
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail: Brenda Yankoviak (R2),
303-275-5322
Florida National Scenic Trail: Shawn Thomas (R8), 850-523-8586
Nez Perce National Historic Trail: Sandra Bronchaeu-Mcfarland
(R1), 208-476-8334
Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail: Beth Boyst (R5), 707-562-8881
Pacific Northwest Trail: Matt McGrath (R6), 928-348-1974