APPENDI X E. MONI TORI NG AND EVALUATI ON 

Appendix E. Monitoring and Evaluation 

Introduction 

The goal of travel plan monitoring is to determine how well the travel plan is working and what is not 

working, and to help identify what changes are needed in travel management or monitoring methods. 

Monitoring and evaluation tell how travel management decisions have been implemented (called 

“implementation monitoring”) and how effective the implementation has proven to be in 

accomplishing the desired outcomes (called “effectiveness monitoring.”). 

Not all distinctive variables can be monitored. Monitoring has administrative costs to the agency and is 

contingent on future funding, so a selection of a monitoring item in the Record of Decision for the 

Travel Plan represents a statement of management intent to fund the implementation of that monitoring 

item in the future. 

There are eight monitoring items associated with this Travel Plan: 

Wildlife: 

• Effectiveness of closures at Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel sites 

• Effectiveness of closures in areas where elk habitat security is a concern 

• Verification and protection of potential wolverine denning habitat, lynx habitat, and wildlife 

habitat connectivity 

Recreation: 

• Effectiveness of Over-snow motorized closures 

• Level of use or overuse on motorized trails 

Soil and Water: 

• Project monitoring, recreation management, implementation and effectiveness of travel 

plan ATV Project Design Features (PDFs) 

• Project monitoring, recreation management, effectiveness monitoring of the travel plan’s 

designation of areas open to “limited motorized access” on the protection of the soil, 

water, riparian, and aquatic (SWRA) resources within riparian conservation areas 

(RCAs) 

• Project monitoring, recreation management, implementation and effectiveness of closure 

of unauthorized routes 

Fish: 

• Terms and Conditions from National Marine Fisheries Service 

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Effectiveness of Closures at Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel Sites 

PROGRAM: Wildlife 

MONITORING ITEM: Effectiveness of closures at Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (NIDGS) sites 

PROJECT NAME: PNF Travel Plan 

LOCATION: Occupied NIDGS sites on the PNF. 

PRIORITY: High 

OBJECTIVES: Minimize impacts to NIDGS populations from unauthorized motorized travel. 

PARAMETERS: Evidence (i.e., tire tracks, photo-monitoring) of off-road travel and use of 

unauthorized roads. 

METHODOLOGY: Field evaluation and/or photo-monitoring to determine occurrence of off-road 

travel and use of unauthorized roads and motorized trails in spring and summer in areas occupied by 

NIDGS. 

FREQUENCY/DURATION: Periodically during spring and summer from the time NIDGS emerge 

to when they go below ground in mid-August. 

DATA STORAGE: Project files 

ANALYSIS/REPORT: Written report 

PERSONNEL: District wildlife biologists and/or technicians 

PROJECTED COSTS: $2,200/year includes personnel and vehicle costs 

RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL: District wildlife biologist 

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: District Ranger 

PREPARER: Ana Egnew, Wildlife Biologist 

DATE: 2/2007 

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Effectiveness of Closures in Elk Habitat 

PROGRAM: Wildlife 

MONITORING ITEM: Effectiveness of closures in areas where elk habitat security is a concern 

PROJECT NAME: PNF Travel Plan 

LOCATION: On PNF lands where elk habitat security is a concern (e.g., EAAs with low proportions 

of elk habitat security and/or watersheds where road densities are near to 2 miles per square mile -- to 

be determined in coordination with IDF&G). 

PRIORITY: High 

OBJECTIVES: Minimize impacts to elk habitat security from unauthorized motorized travel. 

PARAMETERS: Evidence (i.e., tire tracks, photo-monitoring) of off-road travel and use of 

unauthorized roads 

METHODOLOGY: Field evaluation and/or photo-monitoring to determine occurrence of off-road 

travel and use of unauthorized roads and motorized trails during hunting season in areas where elk 

habitat security is a concern. 

FREQUENCY/DURATION: Once before the beginning of hunting season and 2-3 times during 

hunting season.. 

DATA STORAGE: Project files 

ANALYSIS/REPORT: Written report 

PERSONNEL: District wildlife biologists and/or wildlife technicians 

PROJECTED COSTS: $3,300/year includes personnel and vehicle costs 

RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL: District wildlife biologist 

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: District Ranger 

PREPARER: Ana Egnew, Wildlife Biologist 

DATE: 2/2007 

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APPENDI X E. MONI TORI NG AND EVALUATI ON 

Verification and Protection of Potential Wolverine Denning Habitat, 

Lynx Habitat, and Wildlife Habitat Connectivity 

PROGRAM: Wildlife 

MONITORING ITEMS: 1) Effectiveness of closures to protect potential wolverine denning habitat 

and wildlife habitat connectivity in winter; 2) location and amount of snow compaction activities in 

lynx habitat ; 3) winter track surveys to determine presence of wolverine, lynx, and other forest 

carnivores; and 4) verification of wolverine denning habitat and lynx habitat on the ground in summer. 

PROJECT NAME: PNF Travel Plan 

LOCATION: Areas closed and open to over-snow motor vehicle use in modeled potential wolverine 

denning habitat, lynx habitat, and wildlife habitat/travel corridors 

PRIORITY: High 

OBJECTIVES: Provide adequate protection of wolverine denning habitat, lynx habitat, and wildlife 

habitat connectivity. 

PARAMETERS: Evidence of over-snow motorized vehicle use and evidence of wolverine, lynx, and 

other forest carnivores based on winter track surveys, and ground verification of wolverine denning 

habitat and lynx habitat. 

METHODOLOGY: Two to three aerial flights each winter to look for unauthorized use (as 

evidenced by snowmobile tracks) in areas closed to protect potential wolverine denning habitat and to 

investigate extent of snow compaction activities in lynx habitat. Fifteen days of winter track surveys to 

determine presence of wolverine, lynx, and other forest carnivores in or adjacent to these areas (note: 

track surveys must be conducted on foot in closure areas). Ten to fifteen days of surveys in summer to 

ground verify potential wolverine denning habitat and lynx habitat 

FREQUENCY/DURATION: Winter surveys will occur annually. Summer surveys will be 

conducted until all potential habitat has been ground checked and verified or modified. 

DATA STORAGE: Project files 

ANALYSIS/REPORT: Written report 

PERSONNEL: Forest and district wildlife biologists and/or technicians 

PROJECTED COSTS: $2,000/year for flights, $3,500/year for winter track surveys, and $2,500/year 

for summer habitat verification surveys (includes vehicle costs) 

RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL: Forest wildlife biologist 

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: Forest Supervisor 

PREPARER: Ana Egnew, Wildlife Biologist 

DATE: 2/2007 

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Recreation Monitoring 

PROGRAM: Recreation 

MONITORING ITEM: Effectiveness of over-snow closures to motorized use along distinguishable 

boundaries 

PROJECT NAME: Payette National Forest Travel Management Plan 

LOCATION: Entire Payette National Forest excluding the Frank Church and Hells Canyon 

Wilderness areas 

PRIORITY: High 

OBJECTIVES: Determine if the winter over-snow closures to motorized use are located along 

distinguishable boundaries by monitoring the effectiveness of the closures and how well motorized use 

has been excluded from the new closure areas, primarily those in the Granite Basin area. 

PARAMETERS: Observed snowmobile tracks entering closure areas. 

METHODOLOGY: Via snowmobiles, conduct field evaluations to document motorized intrusions 

into the winter closure areas. Are they repeatedly along certain boundaries, or in certain areas? Use a 

form/map similar to the one that would be handed out to Brundage Snow-cats. Concentrate primarily 

on “76” and “Granite” closures. Check other closure areas across the Forest as feasible on routine 

winter patrols. If over a two year period, reports come in from the public that report other problem 

areas, redirect field evaluations to those areas. Also, use Brundage Mountain Snow-cats to report 

violations of the closures as they conduct tours in the closure areas. Brundage Snow-cat permittee 

would be given a form/map to fill out that would track where the snowmobile tracks are located 

entering into closure areas. 

FREQUENCY/DURATION: Motorized closures will be checked throughout the winter months, at 

least monthly, and by Brundage Snow-cats when in operation. 

DATA STORAGE: Project files 

ANALYSIS/REPORT: Written report 

PERSONNEL: District recreation specialists and seasonal workforce 

PROJECTED COSTS: $5,000./year plus $2000. snowmobile costs over a five year monitoring cycle 

= $35,000. total 

RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL: Forest Recreation Program Manager 

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: Forest Supervisor 

PREPARER: Jane Cropp, Forest Recreation Program Manager 

DATE: 2007 

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APPENDI X E. MONI TORI NG AND EVALUATI ON 

Recreation Monitoring 

PROGRAM: Recreation 

MONITORING ITEM: Crowding on two-wheel motorized trails as a result of closing Forest to 

motorized cross-country travel. 

PROJECT NAME: Payette National Forest Travel Management Plan 

LOCATION: Two-wheel motorized trails across the Forest 

PRIORITY: Moderate 

OBJECTIVES: Determine if closing the Forest to motorized cross-country travel has resulted in 

overcrowding on two-wheel motorized trails. 

PARAMETERS: Reported safety incidents and trail counter tallies 

METHODOLOGY: Install trail counters on three two-wheel motorized trails that had previous use 

figures collected. Install counters for the summer, fall season to measure trail use levels. Pick one trail 

with low use, one with moderate use, one with high use. Compare use figures to 2007 use figures when 

cross-country motorized travel was still allowed. Measure change in use. 

FREQUENCY/DURATION: Set up trail counters on three trails when trails open in the spring, and 

keep them up until trails close in the fall. Review trail data over a five year period to track incidents 

reported and trail use numbers. 

DATA STORAGE: trail counters and project files 

ANALYSIS/REPORT: Annual report, track over a six year period, one year prior to closing to 

motorized cross-country travel, 5 years after closing Forest to motorized cross-country travel. 

PERSONNEL: District recreation specialists and seasonal workforce 

PROJECTED COSTS: $1,000./year plus $1000. vehicle/motorcycle costs. Purchase 3 trail counters 

= $1200.; total cost = $2,000./year for six years = $13,200. 

RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL: Forest Recreation Program Manager 

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: Forest Supervisor 

PREPARER: Jane Cropp, Forest Recreation Program Manager 

DATE: 2007 

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ATV Project Design Features 

PROGRAM: Travel Access Management 

MONITORING ITEM: Project monitoring, recreation management, implementation and 

effectiveness of travel plan ATV Project Design Features (PDFs). 

PROJECT NAME: Payette National Forest Travel Management Plan 

LOCATION: Payette National Forest lands 

PRIORITY: High 

OBJECTIVES: Determine the implementation and effectiveness of the new designated ATV PDFs. 

PARAMETERS: Specific PDFs, visual evidence of surface erosion, digital photographs. 

METHODOLOGY: Implementation monitoring will be accomplished through field verification of 

the PDFs on all new ATV trails prior to designating new ATV trails on the MVUM. 

Effectiveness monitoring will be accomplished through field verification of the planned treatments 

including: 

• Repeat photography at photo points. 

• Visual inspection of erosion/sedimentation 

• Visual inspection of stream crossings and wetlands. 

FREQUENCY/DURATION: Implementation monitoring will occur prior to designating new ATV 

trails as open. 

Effectiveness monitoring will occur once following the first open season. After the first year, 

monitoring will be based on the normal trail maintenance program.

Duration is ongoing. 

DATA STORAGE: District files. 

ANALYSIS/REPORT: Field documentation and on-site photographs before and after project 

implementation. The written report will follow the format of the monitoring results data form 

developed on the Payette National Forest. 

PERSONNEL: One GS-7 Hydro-Technician, one GS-11 Hydrologist 

PROJECTED COSTS: NFRW $xxx 

RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL: District Hydrologist and Hydrologic Technicians 

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: District Rangers 

PREPARER: David Kennell, ID Team Soils/Hydrologist. 

DATE: December 2006 

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APPENDI X E. MONI TORI NG AND EVALUATI ON 

Effectiveness of managing dispersed recreation by designating areas 

open to “limited motorized access” in the protection of the SWRA 

resources 

PROGRAM: Travel Access Management 

MONITORING ITEM: Project monitoring, recreation management, effectiveness monitoring of the 

travel plan’s designation of areas open to “limited motorized access” on the protection of the soil, 

water, riparian, and aquatic (SWRA) resources within riparian conservation areas (RCAs). 

PROJECT NAME: Payette National Forest Travel Plan. 

LOCATION: Priority recreation areas and RCAs listed by specific Management Area objectives in 

the Forest Plan. 

• Reduce soil compaction and restore vegetation by restricting dispersed camping to specific 

sites around Goose Lake Reservoir and Brundage Reservoir (Objective 0629). 

• Identify recreational campsites or parking areas that are contributing unacceptable levels of 

accelerated sediment or compaction to the Payette Lakes and Lake Fork Creek riparian areas. 

Relocate or harden sites where needed to reduce compaction and erosion to riparian areas by 

end of planning period (Objective 0726). 

• Reduce impacts to Kennally Creek, Powelson Creek, and Rapid Creek riparian areas from 

recreation sites or uses. Identify campsites or parking areas that are contributing unacceptable 

levels of accelerated sediment, compaction, or vegetation loss to the creek riparian areas. 

Rehabilitate, relocate, or harden sites where needed to reduce impacts (III-202: Objective 

0823). 

• Reduce impacts to Warren Creek and tributary riparian areas from recreation sites or uses. 

Identify recreational camping sites or parking areas that are contributing unacceptable levels 

of accelerated sediment, compaction, or vegetation loss. Rehabilitate, relocate, or harden sites 

where needed to reduce impacts (: Objective 1023). 

• Reduce impacts to riparian areas from recreation sites or uses[ in the SFSR]. Identify 

recreational campsites or parking areas that are contributing unacceptable levels of accelerated 

sediment, compaction, or vegetation loss. Rehabilitate, relocate, or harden sites where needed 

to reduce impacts (Objective 1238). 

• Reduce impacts to riparian areas from recreation sites or uses [in Big Creek]. Identify recreational 

campsites, parking areas, or trails that are contributing unacceptable levels of accelerated sediment, 

compaction, or vegetation loss. Rehabilitate, relocate, or harden sites where needed to reduce 

impacts (Objective 1317). 

PRIORITY: High 

OBJECTIVES: Determine the implementation and effectiveness of designating area of “limited 

motorized access” in protection the SWRA resources. 

PARAMETERS: Visual evidence of surface erosion, damage to riparian vegetation, and stream 

banks. Digital photographs. 

METHODOLOGY: Effectiveness monitoring will be accomplished through field verification of the 

planned treatments including: 

• Repeat photography at photo points 

• Visual inspection of erosion/sedimentation 

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APPENDI X E. MONI TORI NG AND EVALUATI ON 

• Visual inspection of damage to riparian vegetation 

• Visual inspection of damage to stream banks. 

FREQUENCY/DURATION: Effectiveness monitoring will occur on a rotating schedule every third 

year. 

Duration is ongoing. 

DATA STORAGE: District files. 

ANALYSIS/REPORT: Field documentation and on-site photographs before and after project 

implementation. 

PERSONNEL: One GS-7 Hydro-Technician, one GS-11 Hydrologist 

PROJECTED COSTS: On an annual basis once project activity begins: approximately $1,500. 

RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL: District Hydrologist and Hydrologic Technicians 

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: District Rangers 

PREPARER: David Kennell, ID Team Soils/Hydrologist 

DATE: December 2006 

Payette National Forest Travel Plan FEIS E - 9 
APPENDI X E. MONI TORI NG AND EVALUATI ON 

Closure of Unauthorized Roads and Trails 

PROGRAM: Travel Access Management 

MONITORING ITEM: Project monitoring, recreation management, implementation and 

effectiveness of closure of unauthorized routes. 

PROJECT NAME: Closure of Unauthorized Roads and Trails 

LOCATION: Programmatically on all ASC and High Priority Active WARS subwatersheds on each 

Ranger District. On all low and moderate WARS subwatersheds during project inventory on major 

EAs and EISs. 

PRIORITY: High 

OBJECTIVES: Determine the implementation and effectiveness of the closure of unauthorized roads 

and trails. 

PARAMETERS: Forest GIS database; Visual evidence of motorized vehicle use; Visual evidence of 

surface erosion and sediment delivery; Digital photographs. 

METHODOLOGY: Implementation monitoring will be accomplished through field verification of 

known unauthorized travel routes. Effectiveness monitoring will be accomplished through field 

verification of unauthorized routes including: 

• Repeat photography 

• Visual inspection of erosion/sedimentation 

• Documentation in GIS database. 

FREQUENCY/DURATION: A programmatic schedule will be developed in FY 2007 by each 

District to inventory and assess implementation and effectiveness monitoring of closed roads on ASC 

and Active High Priority WARS subwatersheds. It is expected that each of these subwatersheds will be 

evaluated once over the next 5 years. Approximately 20 percent of the ASC and High Priority

subwatersheds will be done each year. 

Low and moderate priority WARS subwatersheds will be inventoried and assessed during preparation 

of major project EAs or EISs as appropriate. 

Duration: up to ten years. 

DATA STORAGE: District files. 

ANALYSIS/REPORT: Field documentation and on-site photographs before and after project 

implementation. The written report will follow the format of the monitoring results data form 

developed on the Payette National Forest. 

PERSONNEL: One GS-7 Hydro-Technician, one GS-11 Hydrologist 

PROJECTED COSTS: NFRW 

RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL: District Hydrologist and Hydrologic Technicians 

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: District Rangers 

PREPARER: David Kennell, ID Team Soils/Hydrologist 

DATE: December 2006 

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