Monitoring Program
Streams-Fish Habitat
Forest Plan Objectives and Monitoring Plan Questions
The following objectives, monitoring questions, evaluation criteria, and adaptive feedback mechanisms are identified in Table 6-1 of the 2008 Forest Plan.
ObjectiveThe natural range and frequency of aquatic habitat conditions on the Tongass National Forest should be maintained or restored to sustain the diversity and production of fish and other freshwater organisms. |
Monitoring Plan Question1. Are the trends in abundance of the fish management indicator species (Dolly Varden char, cutthroat trout, coho salmon, and pink salmon) related to changes in habitat associated with forest management, climate change or other factors? 2. Is the natural range and frequency of aquatic habitat conditions maintained? 3. Is riparian vegetation maintained or restored to a condition that supports key riparian functions? |
Sampling/Reporting PeriodAnnual/5 Year |
Evaluation Criteria1. Habitat changes and population trends for fish management indicator species. 2. Compliance with Fish Standards and Guidelines, FISH2 IV.A. and V.A. 3. Effects of management activities on riparian areas. Riparian Standards and Guidelines, RIP1 II.A. |
Data and Inventory SourcesField collected data; Forest-wide databases |
Feed Back MechanismEvaluate site characteristics; stream protection measures and change, if needed; Fish and Riparian Standards and Guidelines. |
Monitoring Activities and Projects
The following activities and projects are being conducted to address the monitoring plan questions identified above:
- Questions 1 and 2: An annual monitoring program for resident Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout and their habitat was established in 1999. The protocol incorporates a design that requires monitoring of streams before and after timber harvest. In addition, control streams are being monitored.
- Question 1: Alaska Depatrtment of Fish and Game commercial harvest and escaptement data for coho and pink salmon from 1997 to the present are reported and evaluated for trends.
- Questions 1 and 2: A project was completed to develop and evaluate a protocol for monitoring juvenile coho.
- Questions 1 and 2: A project was initiated to evaluate the suitability of monitoring pink salmon spawning habitat.
- Question 2: Field check on effects of buffer windthrow.
- Questions 2 and 3: Restoration monitoring (links to forest-level expansion of Prince of Wales watershed scoring with The Nature Conservancy, which addresses forest-wide condition and trend).
- Question 3: Stream buffer stability monitoring.
Inventory and Monitoring Data and Reports
This section is a location where resource-specific inventory and monitoring data and reports can be stored and made available for review by Forest Service and other participating agencies, as well as interested members of the public. Data and reports that are relevant to the Streams-Fish Habitat Monitoring questions are listed below:
Tucker, Emil, and John Caouette. 2008. Updated Statistics for Aquatic Habitat Response Variables: Design, Analysis and Future Work. Unpublished draft white paper. Draft 3.2, June 3, 2008. Tongass National Forest. 14 pages.
Procedures and Tools
The Procedures and Tools subsection of this web site provides information on important procedures and tools used in Forest Plan implementation. These procedures and tools are provided on this web site to help ensure that they are applied in an accurate and consistent manner. Procedures and Tools that are relevant to the Streams-Fish Habitat Monitoring questions are listed below:
USFS Forest Service. 2001. Alaska Region Aquatic Habitat Management Handbook. FSH 2090.21. (Especially see Chapter 20 - Fish and Aquatic Stream Habitat Survey. This is the procedure used during data collection for the fish MIS and stream habitat questions.)