Natural and cultural resources management plan and environmental assessment

National Park Service. Saguaro National Monument

This revised Natural and Cultural Resources Management Plan reflects major revisions of all formerly submitted Project Statements in the Management Program Addendum. The revisions of both the plan and the management program reflect partially completed studies, cancelled studies, experience gained in assessing resources problems, inflationary cost increases, and mandatory compliance with laws. Horse Trail Rehabilitation and Resource Protection, SAGU-RM-1 , is the most important natural resources project. Severe gulley erosion must be stopped in the lower cactus forest. Trail rehabilitation work and ranger patrols will demonstrate good faith in efforts to protect the resource. Projects are indicated in priority order on the natural and the cultural resources projects programming sheets. A five year planning strategy for resources management is presented in the overview and needs section of both natural and cultural management programs. It was determined through public and National Park Service review of the 1979 Resources Management Plan, Environmental Assessment and Management Program that proposed actions lacked potential to cause significant impacts on the environment. Review copies of the plan and management program were sent to 18 organizations and numerous individuals. Review comments were incorporated into the plan and management program revision. Because newly proposed projects in this document fall within the "umbrella" of the 1979 Environmental Assessment, no further consultation and/or documentation of environmental impacts is necessary prior to project implementation. An Environmental Assessment has been provided with this revised plan for background information. Some minor modifications and additions have been made to the original Environmental Assessment from 1979.