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<br />Management Situation by Revision Topic <br /> <br />Hi6torical Summary <br /> <br />The preceding photos illustrate a change in the composition and/or structure of the vegetation on <br />different sites. For the most part, the changes are the result of natural succession of vegetation <br />over time. The time frames of the photos are relatively short in ecological terms (81 to 87 years). <br />Some Rocky Mountain ecosystems take 200 to 300 years to reach the climax stage. The fact that <br />these environments are continually changing in a multitude of ways is important when a decision <br />is made that may have a long-term result. <br /> <br />Additional old records were searched to identify significant events that may have influenced the <br />RGNF's ecosystems. Fire history records suggest that because the RGNF was high and moist, it <br />was not regarded as a Forest that frequently had large and intense fires. See Appendix C for a <br />fire history of the RGNF. <br /> <br />A biological diversity assessment will be conducted for the RGNF. Included in the assessment will <br />be fine-filter, coarse.filter, and range of natural variability evaluations. <br /> <br />The fine-filter assessment will be done in cooperation with the Colorado Natural Heritage <br />Program. This portion of the assessment will concentrate on known or suspected occurrences .of <br />rare elements in the landscape (rare birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, plants, <br />and plant communities). <br /> <br />The coarse.filter assessment will be done in partnership with the Colorado GAP' effort (Colorado <br />Division of Wildlife and US Fish and Wildlife Service) and Colorado State University. The coarse- <br />filter will evaluate conditions at the section or subsection level from the National Hierarchy of <br />Ecological Units (discussed previously). It will attempt to describe GAP polygons to cover type and <br />three successional stages (young, mid-age, and old). This coarse scale of analysis will look at <br />cover-type composition, patch size, connectivity, and successional stage configuration across the <br />entire section or subsection. This should provide a landscape viewpoint or . big picture. of where <br />the RGNF resides in relation to the rest of the section. <br /> <br />The range of natural variability assessment will be assembled primarily from a literature review of <br />historic conditions and other data sources. This will include a description extending several <br />centuries before settlement. Included in the range of natural variability assessment will be <br />aquatic, forested, and nonforested terrestrial environments. Models may be used to simulate <br />vegetation conditions, fire regimes and impacts, and insect and disease influence as part of the <br />analysis. An expert panel will be assembled to help interpret and validate conclusions made in <br />the range of natural variability assessment. <br /> <br />\ <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />t~ <br /> <br />\,' <br /> <br />, <br />'." " <br /> <br />:., <br /> <br />'GAP Analysis is used to establish short-term and long-term conservation priorities in the <br />study of biological diversity, GAP uses identification and classification of the various elements of <br />biodiversity, then an examination of the existing and proposed systems of protected areas, <br /> <br />(, <br /> <br />111-14 <br /> <br />~ <br />