Introduction Overview Role of Analysis Inventory & Monitoring Types of Monitoring Components of a Plan Setting Up a Plan Monitoring Methods What Worked? Glossary & References Contributors Links Forms & Tools

The Role of Roads Analysis and Watershed Analysis in Road Decommissioning Monitoring Complete draft (*.pdf) Roads Analysis “The objective of roads analysis in the Forest Service is to provide line officers with critical information to develop road systems that are safe and responsive to public needs and desires, are affordable and efficiently managed, have minimal negative ecological effects on the land, and are in balance with available funding for needed management actions." (FS-643 1999) A completed analysis informs future management decisions on the merits and risks of building new roads in previously unroaded areas; relocating, upgrading, or decommissioning existing roads; managing traffic; and enhancing, reducing, or discontinuing road maintenance. The roads analysis process is an on-going iterative process that builds a strong scientific foundation for implementing needed actions, monitoring, evaluating, and continued learning. Roads analysis fits with planning and other analytical activities including watershed analysis as a tool for adaptive management.

Watershed Analysis - What are the Linkages between monitoring and WA Watershed analysis allows specialists and managers to understand connections at a broad scale of ecosystem components. Previous analysis focused on relatively small areas. The broad scale allows team members to see patterns and processes that shape the ecosystem. Conceptual models in watershed analysis help identify linkages between resources, ecological processes, and environmental variables. (Norman) After the team defines the desired condition they focus on bridging the gap between the existing condition and the desired condition. The IDT then identifies effective monitoring questions for testing their understanding of how perceived processes operate. Monitoring enables us to see what happened and to analyze the results.