This Fire Management Plan (FMP) outlines those actions that will be taken by Agate Fossil Beds National Monument (Agate, park) in meeting the fire management goals for the area. This meets the requirement in National Park Service (NPS, Service) Director’s Order #18 (NPS 2002a) that all park units with vegetation capable of sustaining fire develop a fire management plan.

B. Resource Management Relationship

Agate's Resources Management Plan (AGFO 2002a) addresses the issue of fire management in a general manner. This specific action plan implements fire related management actions from that document

C. Compliance

An environmental assessment of the actions that are proposed to be conducted under this plan was completed in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321) and NPS Director’s Order #12 (NPS 2001), and is included here as Appendix C. An assessment of the effect of the proposed actions was included with that appended environmental assessment, in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470) Section 106, and includes a letter of concurrence from the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Officer. This plan includes provisions for complying with the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 470a) as amended, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3006), and Executive Order 13007, Indian Sacred Sites. In compliance with these documents and the Executive Order of April 29, 1994, on Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal Governments, the Agate environmental assessment and assessment of effect (AGFO 2003) were developed in consultation with the 31 tribes that are culturally affiliated with the park landscape. The plan is developed in consideration of NPS Director’s Order #77-1, Wetland Protection (NPS 2002b) was also addressed in the appended environmental assessment.

D. Authorities for Implementing this Plan

Authority for carrying out a fire management program at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument originates with the Organic Act of the National Park Service, August 25, 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1). This Act states that the primary goal of the Service is to preserve and protect the natural and cultural resources found on lands under its management in such manner as will leave them unimpaired for future generations.

NPS fire management policy is expressed in Director’s Order #18 (2002a) and its accompanying Reference Manual 18, The Wildland and Prescribed Fire Management Policy: Implementation and Reference Guide The Guide is being constantly updated and is available online at www.nps.gov/fire/fire/policy/rm18/. These documents are incorporated herein by reference. The park’s fire management objectives conform to the referenced documents.

II. COMPLIANCE WITH NPS POLICY AND RELATION TO OTHER PLANS

A. National Park Service Management Policies concerning Fire Management

Fire once played an important role in the functioning of the local ecosystem. Far from being a negative and destructive force, naturally occurring fires have helped to shape the landscape over time. In many cases, the landscapes we see today are the legacy of both past fires and fire suppression. Many plant and wildlife species have evolved under the influence of fire and, in some cases, depend on fire for their continued existence. To remove fire from an ecosystem deprives that system of a powerful and dynamic natural force. The ultimate goal of fire management in the National Park Service is to restore fire to park ecosystems, where possible, through the use of prescribed fire.

The presence in and adjacent to Agate of people, contemporary and historic developments, and archeological, sacred, historic, and geological resources requires that the protection of life and property be a primary concern. Mechanical hazard fuel reduction and prescribed fire can be implemented to prevent loss of life or damage to resources.

It is the policy of the Service to allow natural processes to occur to the extent practical while meeting park management objectives.

B. Enabling legislation and Purpose of the Park

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument was Congressionally authorized on June 5, 1965 (Public Law 89-33, 79 Stat. 123). The park was established on June 14, 1997. The purpose of the park is "to preserve…the outstanding paleontological sites known as the Agate Springs Fossil Quarries, and nearby related geological phenomena…[and] to facilitate the protection and exhibition of a valuable collection of Indian artifacts and relics…." The park was also to be administered in accordance with the National Park Service 1916 Organic Act, “ to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such a means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations" (16 U.S.C. 1).

C. The Statement for Management as It Relates to Fire Management

Fire management goals are addressed generally in Agate's Statement for Management (AGFO 1995:5), which reads that the Service will “…identify, inventory, monitor the condition of natural, cultural and scenic values of the park and provide appropriately for their preservation, protection and use.”

D. Objectives of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument’s Resources Management Plan as They Pertain to Fire Management

Agate's Resource Management Plan (AGFO 200a:13) states that the park needs to “...conduct prescribed burns, manage exotic plant species and restore the functioning of disturbed vegetation communities.” In addition (p. 15), based on research, modeling, and fire history information Agate's 1988 Fire Management Plan needs revision to include prescribed fire.

E. How the Fire Management Plan Will Help Meet Agate Fossil Beds National Monument’s Objectives

Agate’s 1965 Master Plan, the park’s primary planning document at the present time, noted that while no fire records were available when the Plan was developed the area was “in a high danger zone, because of the fuel types involved. The park’s 1995 Statement for Management (AGFO 1995:5) listed as a primary management objective “…to provide appropriately for their [natural, cultural, and scenic values] preservation, protection, and use.” In its discussion of the park’s existing resources and conditions, the Statement (p. 6) says:

The mixed grass prairie is in need of “rebirth” by fire. The park has not had a fire on the prairie for over ten years [and that one was only a small controlled test]. This has aided exotic species in taking over additional ground from the native prairie.

Authorization and implementation of this fire management plan would clearly assist in meeting Agate’s objectives.

F. Fire Management Plan Description

The Fire Management Plan for Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a detailed and comprehensive program of action to carry out fire management policies and objectives.

III. SCOPE OF FIRE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

A. Goals

1. Resource Management Goals

Goal RM1: Restore fire as a critical component of the ecosystem, restoring habitat conditions existing in the late 1800s when there was the first significant Euroamerican settlement of park lands. This would include strengthening of the mosaic pattern of different plant communities associated with post-fire stages.

Goal RM2: Rehabilitate areas that have been historically planted or grazed and in which exotic plant species (e.g., Bromus tectorum [cheatgrass], B. japonicus) have become established, with native plant species.

2. Fire Management Goals

Goal FM1: Make firefighter and public safety the highest priority of every fire management activity.

Objective: Ensure all wildland fire and prescribed fire operations do not result in serious injuries to the public, park staff or firefighters.

Strategy: All personnel involved in fire management operations will receive a safety briefing describing known hazards and mitigating actions that addresses established firefighter safety practices, current fire season conditions and current and predicted fire weather and behavior.

For prescribed fires all personnel involved must meet National Wildfire Coordinating Group standards listed in publication 310-1 (NWCG 2000), including the fitness test. The requirement for unplanned ignitions will mandate that firefighting personnel meet the qualification standards of their agency. After the initial stages of the incident, every effort will be made to use only personnel that meet the 310-1 standards.

· Park neighbors, visitors, interagency partners and the local residents will be notified of all planned and unplanned fire management activities that have the potential to impact them.

· The Superintendent may close, to the public, all or portions of the park when fire activity poses a threat to human safety.

· On every prescribed fire project, there will be one person designated as being responsible for safety.

Goal FM2: Suppress all unwanted and undesirable wildland fires regardless of ignition source to protect the public, check fire spread onto private property and protect the natural and cultural resources of the park.

Objective: Contain a minimum of 95% of unwanted wildland fires at less than 10 acres in size.

Strategy:

· Prioritize suppression actions on fires or portions of fires that threaten to damage public property.

· Ensure park staff is trained in wildland fire operations.

· Ensure park engine is in a state of readiness during fire season.

· Ensure park staff responsible for fire operations understands fire policy.

Goal FM3: Manage wildland fires so that park resources (natural, cultural, and administrative) are protected from damage by suppression actions and fire.

Objective: Manage suppression actions so that rehabilitation costs are less than 10% of suppression costs.

Strategy:

· Ensure wildland fire suppression operations employ “Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics”.

· Ensure fire operations personnel are briefed on park resources and potential damage from fire management actions.

Goal FM4: Facilitate reciprocal fire management activities through the development and maintenance of cooperative agreements and working relationships with pertinent fire management entities.

Objective: Annually review and modify as necessary agreements with neighboring agencies.

Strategy: Coordinate with Harrison Rural Fire Protection District, Nebraska National Forest, Crescent Lake/North Platte National Wildlife Refuge Complex and other cooperating agencies.

Goal FM5: Use prescribed fire where and when appropriate as a tool to meet resource management objectives within the park. Maintain or restore, where possible, the natural resources of the park and those ecological conditions that would prevail were it not for the advent of modern civilization.

Objective: Treat 40%-60% of the fire-dependent ecosystem within the park every five years.

Strategy:

· Achieve resource objectives such as reduction of woody species encroachment.

· Improve watershed by increasing herbaceous cover to keep soil erosion at natural levels.

· Increase native plant diversity and reduce exotic species occurrence.

· Implement hazard fuel reduction burns around developed and resource areas to reduce intensity of subsequent unwanted wildland fires.

· Restore fire as an ecological process in the park.

· Monitor the effects of fire on the ecosystem.

Goal FM6: Reduce wildland fire hazards around developed areas, along boundary areas and adjacent to cultural sites.

Objective: Ensure fire does not destroy any structures or developments, nor incur any damage to any cultural site.

Strategy: Apply hazard fuel reduction around developed areas and resource sites that are at risk from wildland fire to reduce fire intensity and severity.

Goal FM7: Manage prescribed and wildland fires in concert with federal, state and local air quality regulations.

Objective: Ensure air quality thresholds for National Ambient Air Quality Standards are not exceeded and visual quality is not significantly reduced in adjacent airsheds due to prescribed fire activities.

Strategy:

· Air quality impacts will be addressed as a part of the alternative development and selection in the Wildland Fire Situation Analysis.

· Air quality objectives will be incorporated in each prescribed burn plan.

· Smoke impact mitigation measures will be developed and implemented for prescribed burn and all wildland fire actions.

Alternative methods (i.e., mechanical, biological, etc.) to prescribed fire will be analyzed prior to selecting prescribed fire treatments.

B. Wildland Fire Management Elements to be Applied

1. Wildland Fire:

All wildland fires will be suppressed using an appropriate management response. Management responses to specific wildland fires will be determined through evaluation of public and firefighter safety, fire behavior, values at risk, potential suppression damage and availability of fire management resources.

Management responses will vary from fire to fire and sometimes even along the perimeter of a fire. Appropriate management response options range from monitoring without on-the-ground disturbance to intense suppression actions on all perimeters of the fire.

2. Prescribed Fire:

Hazard Fuel Reduction Management - Hazard fuel reduction will be used in close proximity to development, cultural, natural and geologic resources that are at risk from a high intensity fire. The intent of this program is to reduce the wildland fire hazard to levels that enable fire suppression forces to control fires with minimal loss of values. At Agate Fossil Beds National Monument hazard fuel reduction will be accomplished by mowing and by the use of prescribed fire.

Ecosystem Management - Prescribed fire will be used in support of ecosystem management in order to maintain and/or restore plant communities, cycle nutrients, reduce or remove exotic plants and for a variety of other resource management objectives.