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Introduction tJ newspaper article soliciting Hispanic involvement, two meetings were held with Hispanic groups in Monte Vista and Center, Colorado. Another special effort has been made to establish a mutual and beneficial partnership with American Indians. The purpose of this effort was to: gain understanding of each other, honor American Indian Treaty Rights, be sensitive to traditional religious beliefs and customs, and provide research, technology, and other technical assistance to American Indian governments. To carry out these partnerships, four councils were established in the Rocky Mountain Region. The Southwest Council group consists of representatives of the Hopi, the Jicarilla Apache, the All-Indian Pueblo Council, the Navajo, the Southern Ute, the Uinta and Ouray Ute, and the Ute Mountain Ute worl:.ing with the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests. Although other regions and agencies are not official members of the group, representatives of Regions 3 and 4 of the Forest Service and other federal agencies attend meetings regularly. Distribution of this AMS and an amended Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS will provide another opportunity to exchange information with the public. PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SETTING The RGNF, consisting of approximately 1,852,000 acres, is located in south-central Colorado. The Forest surrounds and forms the backdrop for the San Luis Valley, one of the largest mountain basins in the world. Water for municipal. industrial. and agricultural purposes is provided by the Sangre de Cristo range to the east and the San Juan range to the west. The headwaters of the Rio Grande River originate in the RGNF and all watersheds on the Forest drain into the Rio Grande system. Elevations range from about 7,800 feet in the foothills to above 13,000 feet in the San Juans along the Continental Divide. The Sangre de Cristo elevations are sometimes more than 14,000 feet. , The San Luis Valley is composed of unconsolidated sediments laid down in the late Tertiary period. The two mountain ranges on either side of the San Luis Valley are very different in origin and geology. Volcanic rocks and shallow-intrusive rocks of the mid-to-Iate Tertiary period mak,e up the San Juan mountains. The Sangre de Cristo mountains are of more recent origin than the San Juans, although the rocks are 'older. Faulting and upthrusting along the Rio Grande rift formed the Sangre de Cristo mountains into a steep, narrow range. Common vegetation types on the RGNF, generally from lowest to highest elevations, includes sagebrush- grass, oakbrush, pinyon-juniper, aspen, lodgepole pine, sprucelfir, and alpine tundra. The RGNF provides habitat for almost 300 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Threatened or endangered animal species on the RGNF are the Mexican spotted owl, peregrine falcon, bald eagle, and possibly the grizzly bear. More detailed information about the physical and biological setting is found in Chapter III, under Forest Plan revision topics. 1-5 l" .'1 r L': :~ -' - .' '- ~ ~ .