Prepared by:

Charles Baun

Conservation Branch Manager

IDARNG Environmental Management Office

Objectives

OCTC Summary - A Very Unique Place

Process, Partners, and Project Summaries

Partnering - Benefits and Constraints

Conclusion

Objectives

OCTC Summary - A Very Unique Place

Project and Partner Summaries

Partnering - Benefits and Constraints

Conclusion

OCTC-

State of Idaho

OCTC

Military Training Since 1953

(Over 70 years)

2nd Largest NG Training Facility

in the US (143,300 ac)

One of the Most Sophisticated

Training Facilities in the World

13 miles south of Boise

(Largest Metropolitan Area in

Idaho)

SBOP-National Conservation

Area 1993 (PL 103-64)

Area Managed Under: PL 103-64

and 111-11; 2010 MOU; 2008 NCA

RMP; and 2013 INRMP/ICRMP

OCTC 143,300 acres (NCA)

BLM- 135,500 acres

State Lands- 7,500 acres

State Lands Outside

OCTC-640 acres (MATES)

Impact Area-53,500 acres

(20 Ranges)

Core Impact Area-3,300

acres

22 Maneuver Areas

(A 1-8, B 1-7, C 1-4, D 1-2,

and E-1)

IDARNG Resource Management

Programs

EMO (Natural/Cultural Resources & NEPA)

ITAM (Integrated Training Area Management)

Wildland Fire Program

Note: IDARNG can not directly manage impacts

associated with public recreation or livestock grazing.

OCTC

Vegetation

Map- 2013*Shrubs:

59,400 (41%)

*Native Grass:

46,460 (32%)

Cheatgrass:

25,850 (18%)

Kochia:

2,980 (2%)

Others:

8,620 (6%)

*73% Native Habitat

Raptors

Habitat

Training

Raptors

Habitat

Training

The Law

Our Mission The Resources

DoD

Spending

Then

DoD

Spending

Now:

72% Reduction in

Conservation Project

Funding Over the Last

5 Years.

At the Same Time:

NEPA

ESA…

NEPA

ESA

PL 111-11

BLM Guidance

MBPA

GBPA

Climate Change…

How Do We Do More With Less?

Partnerships and Cooperative Agreements based on Strategic Wildlife Plan, RMP, and INRMP

Use of Universities and Students/Interns

New Technologies

Interactive Agency/University Geo-Databases

Programmatic and Multi-Agency NEPA

and More…

Objectives

OCTC Summary - A Very Unique Place

Process, Partners, and Project Summaries

Partnering - Benefits and Constraints

Conclusion

Integration of Regional Plans

(RMP and Strategic Plan) into INRMP Annual Sikes Act Meeting: Conducted Every Year Between March-June

BLM (NLCS), FWS, IDFG, IDL, and IDARNG

Review Previous Year (IDARNG Summary Report)

Look at 3-5 year Work Plan (INRMP)

Develop Annual Work Plan

Annual Work Plan Identify Issues/Concerns and New Regulations

Develop Task/Project List for Annual Plan

Make Changes to 3-5 year Plan if Needed, Must be In Accordance with- RMP and State Wildlife Strategy

Other Issues and Projects as Needed (Adaptive Management)

Group Implementation

Project Examples

Cheatgrass Bio-control: ARS and IDL

OCTC Bat Inventory and Proactive WNS Plan:

IDFG, UFWS, BLM, and BSU

NCA Raptor Monitoring Program: BLM,

USFWS, and IDFG

OCTC Vegetation Map: BSU, ISU, BLM, USGS

Cheatgrass Bio-control:

Wash-ARS, IDL/IDFG (FWS)

Use of weed suppressive bacteria (WSB) Pseudomonas fluorescens strain D7(P.f.D7.):

Selectively suppress growth of annual grass species (cheatgrass, medusa-head, and jointed goat grass)

Does not harm native or desirable plant species

Does not become a permanent resident in the soil microbial community

Is cost effective to use (<$10/acre) and effective in both spray and coated seed application methods.

Cheatgrass

Medusahead

Cheatgrass/Medusahead Reduction

3 years after WSB application (2009)-Spray

OCTC- New Treatment Design

Historic Treatments OCTC Treatments

Mowed with Inoculated

Seed

Burned without Inoculated

Seed

OCTC Results-2014 (Year 3)

OCTC Results – 2014 (Year 3)

Untreated (Control) Treated (Burned & Inoculated)

Treated

OCTC Bat Inventory and Proactive

WNS Plan: IDFG, UFWS, BLM, DoE,

BSU, Power Engineers

Baseline Inventories: Stationary and mobile acoustic monitoring stations, mist netting, hobo meters, and cave mapping (TLS).

Proactive inventory and monitoring plan to develop a WNS cave risk index for management.

Development of Statewide monitoring protocol and geo-database.

Currently developing a bat species management plan with DoE and FWS to proactively address potential future listings (little brown, western long-ear…)

Agency and Community Education: posters, presentations, and new Video.

TLS Cave Mapping

Golden Eagle and Raptor Monitoring:

BLM, IDFG, FWS, BSU,

To date: 4 Golden Eagles (Satellite Packs) and 3 Northern Harriers Cellular Transmittal Terminals (CTT)

Significant Cost Savings ($35,000-$40,000)

Golden Eagles heading North and Northern Harriers Heading South

Golden Eagles: January to February 2012

Northern Harriers: January to February 2012

Old School vs. New Cool

OCTC Vegetation Mapping

BLM, BSU, USGS, FWS, and ISUDevelopment of a cost-effective, standardized method for creating accurate large-scale vegetation maps

Use of satellite imagery (Rapid Eye) at five separate acquisition times (10 images) over one year (5,200 km²)

RapidEye selected for low cost, high spatial resolution, and available spectral resolution (5 bands, including 2 bands in the near-infrared)

Ground-based data collection compared Daubenmire methods (frame) with photo plot methods (SamplePoint)

Ground-based data was collected within two weeks of each separate acquisition (150 plots/accusation)

Temporal and spatial change comparison of NCA and OCTC 1979, 2000, and 2013

NCA/OCTC

Vegetation

Map-Final

NCA/OCTC

Vegetation

Map-Final

NCA/OCTC

Vegetation

Map-Final

Temporal and Spatial Comparison

1979, 200, and 2013

Temporal and Spatial Comparison

1979, 200, and 2013

The Next Step- Vegetation Mapping and

Beyond: IDFG, FWS, BLM, BSU, and NNU

Use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for a standardized, cost effective data acquisition and long-term monitoring programs.

Currently using Trimble UX5-similar band width as Rapid Eye (4 bands, including 1 band in the near-infrared)

Fuels modeling and post-fire inventory projects (DJI Phantom 2) to standardize data acquisition and NIFC reporting.

Others…

Objectives

OCTC Summary - A Very Unique Place

Process, Partners, and Project Summaries

Partnering - Benefits and Constraints

Conclusion

Benefits of Partnerships

Coordinated Efforts, Communication, and Data Sharing (Stop Reinventing the Wheel)

Increased Publications and Peered Reviewed Literature

New/Shared Technology and Expertise

Different Perspective on Issues and Objectives

Student Experience (Field Work, Technology, and Hands-On Training)

Major Cost Savings ($300,000-$350,000) Over Last 4 Years

Others…

Constraints of Partnerships

Multiple Agencies or Partners Mean Additional Requirements (Administrative Baggage)

Differences in Goals and Objectives (Academic vs. Management)

Personality Conflicts and Control Issues

Timelines and Extensions

Deliverables

Rising Overhead Costs

Competition with Private Sector

Others…

The Results…

Vegetation Monitoring Plots:

25 Years of Change

LCTA Plot Time Series B-6 Plot 074

20011989

2013

LCTA Plot Time Series A-5 Plot 013

20011989

2013

LCTA Plot Time Series B-4 Plot 281

20011989

2013

LCTA Plot Time Series A-3 Plot 008

20011989

2013

LCTA Plot Time Series B-2 Plot 147

20011989

2013

Summary of IDARNG Programs

The OCTC has the largest, best condition stand of sagebrush and native vegetation in the NCA.

The size and condition of the stand equates to more and better habitat for raptors and associated prey, as well as special status species (flora and fauna).

The long-term monitoring programs coupled with inventories, surveys, and research projects initiated and implemented by the IDARNG has resulted in the largest and best data set for natural and cultural resources associated with the NCA.

Cooperative Bat Video

Questions/Comments?