Special Areas

Objectives

Retain existing research natural areas and existing areas of critical environmental concern that continue to meet the criteria for designation. Retain other special areas. Provide new special areas where needed to maintain or protect important values.

Maintain, protect, or restore relevant and important value(s) of areas of critical environmental concern.

Preserve, protect, or restore native species composition and ecological processes of biological communities (including Oregon Natural Heritage Plan terrestrial and aquatic cells) in research natural areas. These areas will be available for short- or long-term scientific study, research, and education and will serve as a baseline against which human impacts on natural systems can be measured.

Provide for recreation uses and environmental education in outstanding natural areas. Manage uses to prevent loss of outstanding values.

Provide and maintain environmental education opportunities in environmental education areas. Control uses to minimize disturbance of educational values.

Land Use Allocations

Special Area Category	Number	Acres
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern¹	16	7,236
Areas of Critical Env. Concern/ Research Natural Areas	13	10,274
Areas of Crit. Env. Concern/ Outstanding Natural Areas	1	1,002
Environmental Education Areas	4	550
Illinois Valley Botanical Area	1	10,613
Cascade/Siskiyou Ecological Emphasis Area	1	16,340
¹This category includes only areas with an area of critical environmental concern designation. Double designated areas such as areas of critical environmental concern/research natural areas, are not included.

See Map 8 for locations and Table 6 for site-specific acres.

Management Actions/Direction

Manage previously designated special areas in accordance with approved management plans. If management plans have not been prepared for previously designated areas, manage in accordance with the guidelines in Table 6.

Develop site-specific management plans for special areas as needed. Protect resource values in new areas pending completion of management plans. Management plans will address such actions as land acquisition, use of prescribed fire, interpretation, introduced species, fire suppression, domestic grazing, insects and disease, public use, minerals, and hydrology.

Manage 10,613 acres in the Illinois Valley as a botanical emphasis area (BEA) due to the preponderance of special status plants. Actions including timber harvest will be allowed if they do not conflict with the habitat needs of these plants (see Map 8).

Manage 16,340 acres near Soda Mountain and Agate Flat areas as the Cascade/Siskiyou ecological emphasis area (see Map 8). Management will consider the four varied plant communities, two RNAs, two ACECs, special status plant and animal populations, crucial deer range for an interstate herd, and the outstanding recreation and scenic values. Off-highway vehicle use in the Soda Mountain WSA will be managed according to the Interim Management Policy. Off-highway vehicle use in the remainder of the Cascade Siskiyou Ecological Emphasis Area will be limited to designated roads. Timber harvest will be deferred for ten years pending completion of a management plan. Research and monitoring will be initiated to help develop management options to maintain the ecosystems of the area. Coordination will occur with the Redding Resource Area in California, on the Jenny Creek ACEC and the Horseshoe Range Wildlife area that are contiguous with this emphasis area. This area will be part of a quality management area (QMA) that includes the majority of the Dead Indian Plateau that is under BLM-administration. This is an area where greater emphasis will be placed on innovative social processes as a tool for achieving resource objectives through applied stewardship.

Designate 1,702 acres of the proposed Bobby Creek ACEC as Bobby Creek RNA to fill two high priority cells in the Oregon Natural Heritage Plan for the Klamath Mountains Province. These two cells are Douglas-fir-western hemlock/rhododendron-salal forest and Douglas-fir/rhododendron-salal forest.

Designate 495 acres of the proposed Flounce Rock ACEC as Flounce Rock Environmental Education area. Designate 10 acres of the proposed Flounce Rock ACEC as Baker Cypress ACEC.

Pursue mineral withdrawal in all RNAs.

Integrate special areas into landscape analysis.

Develop monitoring plans that address ecological status, defensibility and compliance monitoring issues.

Inventory and designate new RNAs as appropriate "cells" are identified.

Limit off-highway vehicle use in all special areas to existing roads (unless closed).