Healing the Wounds: An Example from the Sky Islands - Design with the Desert: Conservation and Sustainable Development - page 205

10.3.2 Objectives for Goal 2: Protect and Restore Riparian Areas
4. Identify and protect all riparian forest patches, no matter how small. 54
5. Restore watersheds and watercourses so they can support focal species and
maintain regional ecosystem integrity. This restoration program should include
removal (or much better management) of exotic species, including cattle, from
riparian areas, planting of riparian trees and shrubs, restoration of natural
populations of beavers, 11 erosion control structures, and so on. 55
6. Purchase private lands and bid on federal and state grazing allotments in riparian
areas.
10.3.3 Objectives for Goal 3: Restore Natural Fire
7. Implement a comprehensive program to restore natural fire to the landscape,
while respecting the special requirements of management in wilderness areas
(see Chapters 11 and 12).
8. Modify or end domestic livestock grazing so that its role in disrupting natural fire
cycles is eliminated or greatly reduced. 51
10.3.4 Objectives for Goal 4: Restore and Protect Connectivity
9. Identify riparian linkages and areas important for wildlife movement.
10. Develop management standards and legal protection for such “corridor” areas.
10.3.5 Objectives for Goal 5: Control Exotic Species
11. Implement a comprehensive program to control and mitigate exotic species,
including plants and animals such as tamarisk, bullfrogs, rainbow trout, and bass.
10.3.6 Objectives for Goal 6: Restore and Protect Native Forests
12. Protect all native forests (old-growth and other generally intact forests) and restore
large areas of previously logged or degraded forests so that they recover old-
growth characteristics. 24,55 Wilderness and wilderness recovery area designation
should be proposed for most of these areas (see Chapter 12).
13. Implement ecological grazing management that allows for restoration of natural
forest conditions and processes. 33,55
These goals and objectives are “clearly defined and scientifically justified” and are based
on “a vision toward which to strive over the decades.”* However, while the goals and
objectives of a conservation plan should be bold, even audacious, they should also be
achievable. Ideally, objectives should “specify results to be achieved, specific criteria to
measure degree to which results are achieved, time frame for achieving results, [and]
t a rget g roup.” 56 For the SIWN Conservation Plan, specific implementation steps address
these points. Action plans will be developed for each implementation step.
* Noss, “The Wildlands Project.”