The document summarizes a project to identify and protect high quality wetlands in the Rio Grande National Forest in Colorado. Researchers used GIS modeling, expert input, and site visits to analyze wetland areas based on abiotic and biotic variables. They scored wetlands within 12-digit hydrologic units to identify the most important ones for conservation. The goal is to establish an approach that can be used to assess wetlands in other areas as well.

1. Identifying Key Wetlands Areas in
the Rio Grande National Forest
Alison Gallensky
GIS and IT Director
Aaron Hall, PhD
Representative, Rockies and Plains
@aarohall

2. The Project
 What: Identify high quality wetlands and
wetlands complexes
 Where: Rio Grande National Forest,
Colorado
 Why: so they can be protected
 When: As part of the current Forest Plan
revision process
 How: use a combination of Geographic
Information System modeling and analysis,
expert input, and site visits
 And: come up with an approach that can
be used in other areas.
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3. Outline
 Wetlands – Aaron
 Forest Planning – Alison
 Wetlands Analysis – Aaron and Alison
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4. Wetland building blocks
?
?
abiotic
biotic
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5. Wetlands, why do we care?
 Wetlands are important?
 Ecosystem services (quality and quantity)
 Water storage
 Carbon sequestration
 Water filtration
 Plant and animal habitat
 90% of species
 25% on public lands (lower 48)
 Opportunity!
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6. National Forests
 The United States Forest Service is a
division of the federal government that
manages National Forests
 There are 155 National Forest covering
almost 190 million acres of forests and
grasslands in the United States (8.5%
percent of land in the United States).
 There are 15 National Forests in
Colorado covering over 13 million acres
(20% of land in Colorado).
 The Rio Grande National Forest covers
1.86 million acres in southwest
Colorado.
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7. Forest Planning
 Every National Forest must develop and
maintain an effective management
plan.
 The Forest Service is required to involve
the public in forest planning.
 The Forest Service must develop and
update a 10 to 15 year plan for how it
would manage the land and resources
in each individual national forest.
 All management activities in the
national forest must be consistent with
the forest plan.
 The Rio Grande National Forest is in the
process of updating its plan.
Divide Ranger District - North Clear Creek Falls, water tumbling
over a rock cliff. West of Creede, Highway 149.
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8. Wetlands Analysis: Public Lands
 Goal: identify important wetlands and wetland complexes
 High value
 Ecosystem services
 Biotic habitat
 Including “watershed” area
 Simple GIS analysis
 Readily available data
 Portable to other landscapes
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9. Methods
 Start with NWI data
 Assess variables
 8 abiotic
 15 biotic (43 species identified)
 Additive scoring system
 No rankings/weightings
 Rank scored by HUC12
 Document conflicts
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10. Abiotic Variables
 Wetland size
 Adjacency
 Network
 Headwaters
 Springfed (2)
 Carbon sequestration
 Human modification
Rio Grande Reservoir, fall foliage, West of Creede,
Highway 149, US Forest ServiceGIS in the Rockies 2016
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11. Biotic Variables
 Boreal toad
 Bald eagle
 Gunnison sage-grouse
 Osprey
 Peregrine falcon
 Rio Grande chub
 Rio Grande cutthroat trout
 Xanthus skipper
 Altai cottongrass
 Arizona willow
 Northern moonwort
 Philadelphia fleabane
 Smith’s whitlowgrass
 Southern Rocky Mountain cinquefoil
Gunnison sage-grouse Northern moonwort Xanthus skipper
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12. Data Sources
Data Set Source Contents Used in Analysis
National Wetlands
Inventory
US Fish & Wildlife Service Wetlands/Characteristics
National Hydrology
Database
USGS Streams/Rivers/Springs
National Map USGS Springs
NHD Plus EPA/USGS Stream Order
Element Occurrences Colorado Natural Heritage
Program
Animal and Plant Sightings
Potential Conservation
Areas
Colorado Natural Heritage
Program
Habitat for Sensitive Species
Wildlife Habitat Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation
Commission/Colorado Parks and
Wildlife
Animal Habitat Areas
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13. Results
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14. Results – Score by HUC12
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15. Results
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16. Caveats?
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17. Thank You/Questions
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18. Contact Information
 Aaron Hall
Rockies and Plains Representative
Defenders of Wildlife
720-943-4581
ahall@defenders.org
 Alison Gallensky
GIS and IT Director
Rocky Mountain Wild
303-454-3345
alison@rockymountainwild.org
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