Management Plan and Time Frame - A comprehensive management plan will be initiated by January 1, 2001, and completed through a final Record of Decision by December 2003. A pre-plan will be completed and approved by the State Director (SD) by December 1, 2000, to identify existing data and data needed to complete the Monument Management Plan. Arrange with National Training Center for a survey to determine readiness for community partnership training.

Partnerships - The area will be managed in concert with local citizens and volunteers, building on the tradition of local stewardship of the area.

Coordination with Tribal Interests - Consult and coordinate closely with affected tribes in developing the comprehensive Management Plan and management plans for the cultural and natural resources of the area. Assure that activities do not negatively impact tribal uses and access to places of traditional cultural or religious importance. Monument staff will conduct face-to-face meetings, including all interested tribes in a group setting in Montezuma County, as well as meeting one-on-one with tribal representatives in tribal offices.

Anasazi Heritage Center (AHC) Role - Serves as the repository for all collections and records generated from scientific, paleontological, archeological, and historical investigations in the Monument. Serves as a museum/visitor center providing informational, educational and interpretive products for visitors to the Monument. Provides technical guidance to the monument manager on research, interpretation and educational needs. The AHC will continue to provide services to all of southwest Colorado, as well as the United States Forest Service and Bureau of Reclamation.

Resource Management:

Scientific, Archeological and Historical Investigations -These investigations are important to increase our understanding of the Monument’s resources. They may proceed consistent with current policies and practices, except that surface disturbance must be minimal with an emphasis on the use of existing archaeological collections and records. Consultation with Native American representatives will be an integral part of the permit review and authorization process.

Cultural Resource Baseline Data and At Risk Areas - A compilation and analysis of all available cultural resource data and literature will be completed by December 15, 2000 to provide an informed basis for understanding cultural resources within the Monument and to provide immediate protection for cultural resources at risk. Current policies and procedures will be used to collect, document and maintain data, records and maps and to issue appropriate inventory and excavation permits.

An ethnographic study for the Monument will be completed by December 1, 2001, to establish cultural affiliation between contemporary Native Americans and the Monument landscape, and to identify tribal concerns and interests inside the Monument.

Land Health Assessments - will be completed by December 15, 2001.

Paleontological Resources - The collection of any paleontological resources, including common invertebrates and fossil wood, will not be permitted, except where intended for legitimate scientific uses for which documentation is provided to the satisfaction of the responsible management official. Scientific use will allow for survey/reconnaissance or limited excavation work with a minimum amount of surface disturbance and will be conducted under a paleontological permit.

Vehicular Travel - The area will be closed to cross-country, off-road travel by motorized vehicles and mechanized vehicles, including mountain bikes, to reduce inadvertent damage to cultural resources. Established roads and trails will remain open to use as presently authorized. A complete inventory of roads and trails will be completed by December 15, 2000. Monitoring of natural and cultural resources will be initiated in critical locations to determine if resources are being damaged by vehicle use. Emergency closures will be initiated prior to completion of the management plan only if significant resource damage is documented. Final decisions on designated routes for vehicular travel, including mountain bikes, will be established through the Management Plan. No new roads or trails will be developed pending completion of the Management Plan.

Right-Of-Way Grants - No new rights-of-way or ancillary facilities will be processed, except for rights-of-way pursuant to existing policies and practices and necessary for access to private or state inholdings.

Special Recreation Permits - No new commercial permits will be issued, nor will any expansions of existing permits be granted. Permits may be adjusted during the interim period if unacceptable resource impacts are occurring.

Livestock Grazing - is permitted, pursuant to the terms and conditions of existing permits and leases. Appropriate, best management practices will be followed to protect rangeland resources, and where necessary, to mitigate any conflicts with other Monument uses and values. Administrative actions will be implemented under existing regulations to assure compliance with existing permit/lease requirements, monitoring and supervision of grazing use, and enforcement of unauthorized use.

Livestock, Watershed and Wildlife Developments - Maintenance of existing projects can occur in the same general manner and degree as they have been in the past. New projects will only be constructed where detailed National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 assessment demonstrates that they would not have an adverse impact on monument resources protected by the proclamation. Nonstructural alternatives will be implemented whenever possible in lieu of structural projects.

Animal Damage Control - will only be conducted with SD approval when: (1) the animal control measure targets the specific offending animal(s) and (2) the National Monument manager determines health and safety is not an issue.

Wilderness Study Areas - will continue to be managed under the Interim Management Policy. Monitoring of these Wilderness Study Areas will be a priority and if done on less than a monthly basis when the areas are accessible, an alternative monitoring plan will be approved by the SD.

Water Rights - Bureau of Land Management will begin collecting baseline hydrologic, biologic, and water use information that will be required to make instream flow recommendations to the State of Colorado on streams that flow through the Monument. The same types of information will also be collected to support applications for water rights to support Monument water uses and management purposes, and to manage existing water sources and developments.

Fuelwood and Vegetative Use Permits - Commercial forest products sales will not be permitted. Vegetative use areas for private fuelwood and vegetative use permits will be identified by December 1, 2000. These areas will be limited to previously chained areas to remove dead and down wood and to reduce fuel load and fire hazards. Vegetative uses are an integral part of traditional tribal subsistence activities.

Fire - The goal of fire management will be to manage fuels so as to minimize risk to cultural resources. Resource benefit fires will be allowed only where risk to cultural resources is minimal.

With firefighter safety as the primary concern, suppression activities will be conducted to protect and generally avoid cultural sites. Mechanized equipment may be used on the ground. However, an archaeologist must be present to ensure that impacts are minimized and cultural sites are avoided whenever possible.

Oil and Gas - Detailed guidance for oil and gas activities is provided separately.