Guidance for monitoring within 4FRI comes from the 1st 4FRI EIS Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan as well as the Rim Country Monitoring Management Plan. Monitoring helps inform 4FRI's implementation strategies.

Background: In 2010, the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) was selected for funding under the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP). The purpose of the CFLRP has been to encourage collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes. 4FRI is no longer considered a CFLRP landscape and has met its commitment for CFLRP Annual Reports.

Today: A multi-party monitoring is used to determine the ecological, social, and economic effects of management actions within the project landscape. A Multiparty Monitoring Board within the 4FRI Stakeholder Group was established to monitor and evaluate effects.The members provide support and expertise in the development and implementation of ecological and socioeconomic monitoring. This group also helps evaluate and communicate the results of monitoring activities to stakeholders and to the public.

The Multiparty Monitoring Board strives to represent a variety of interests and partners. Members currently include: Arizona Game and Fish Department; Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management; Campbell Global; Center for Biological Diversity; Ecological Restoration Institute; Grand Canyon Trust; Greater Flagstaff Forests Partnership; Mottek Consulting; Salt River Project; The Nature Conservancy; The U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station; and Trout Unlimited.

Adaptive Management

The intent of monitoring is to link land management actions and outcomes with learning. Monitoring is a valuable tool that can help the 4FRI adapt its management practices based on the effects of previous activities. The Forest Service and the stakeholder group collaboratively developed two monitoring and adaptive management plans, for the 1st 4FRI Environmental Impact Statement and the Rim Country Project, to describe how the Forest Service and its partners will monitor effects of 4FRI restoration treatments and, based on changing conditions and new information, how future actions will be adapted to achieve desired results. 

Current Activities

In partnerships with organizations like the Landscape Conservation Initiative at Northern Arizona University, the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, and The Nature Conservancy, ecological monitoring is already underway covering issues ranging from changes in forest vegetation to changes in songbird communities. The health and condition of springs across the 4FRI are being monitored by the Spring Stewardship Institute of the Museum of Northern Arizona.

Through the efforts of other partner organizations such as the Grand Canyon Trust and Trout Unlimited, volunteer citizen scientists are being brought together to help the Forest Service assess the condition of various streams and springs throughout the 4FRI landscape. These assessments will help the Forest Service develop and implement restoration plans that will improve the quality and resilience of these valuable wildlife habitats.

Since many biophysical monitoring efforts include gathering data on both pre-treatment conditions and post-treatment activities, results can take some time to finalize. As monitoring reports are completed, they will be posted below.  

Monitoring Reports

Wildlife

Water

Vegetation

Socioeconomic

CFLRP Ecological Indicator Reports