This dataset provides descriptive and location information for the Sierra National Forest Land Management Plan 2023 Wildlife Habitat Management Area. Management Areas, sometimes called Land Allocations or Prescriptions, are required as part of a Land Management Plan (LMP), often referred to as Forest Plan. These plans detail how certain areas or land types will be managed.

The Wildlife Habitat Management Area provides a focus on conservation of old-forest-associated species such as California spotted owl, northern goshawk, fisher, marten, and the old-forest habitat on which these species depend. This strategy recognizes that individuals of these species can be adversely affected by habitat disturbances, and that much of their habitat has been lost or is at risk of loss due to ongoing tree mortality and high severity wildfires. Forest plan direction for the wildlife habitat management area is to facilitate increased habitat resilience while also providing for both the near-term and long-term needs of old-forest-associated species.

Accumulation of fuels from past fire suppression and land management has resulted in the loss of high-quality old forest habitat due to high-severity wildfires. Widespread tree mortality caused by insects and drought has killed many larger and older trees, which are essential to old-forest-associated species. The best remaining habitat for these species remains at risk of loss to fire, insects, and drought. Restoration treatments that would improve habitat resilience are needed and, given that less habitat remains, old-forest-associated species may be more sensitive to disturbance and even temporary loss of any remaining habitat that is essential for survival and reproduction. Therefore, forest vegetation management needs to retain essential habitat features for old-forest-associated species while increasing habitat resilience and sustainability. There is also a need for management to facilitate the development of high-quality old forest habitat to replace what has been lost to disturbances.

The wildlife habitat management area was initially mapped to contain the best remaining habitat for old-forest-associated species outside of wilderness where the need and opportunity to improve forest resilience was the greatest. However, large and severe wildfires affected the wildlife habitat management area as this forest plan was being developed, and much of the old forest habitat has been burned at high severity. Given current climate predictions, large and severe wildfires will continue to be a threat to the sustainability of habitat for old-forest-associated species in much of the western United States, including the plan area. Plan content for the wildlife habitat management area focuses on the long-term goals of conserving remaining old forest habitat where ecologically appropriate, facilitating the development of additional habitat for old-forest-associated species, and ensuring that these old forest habitat areas are surrounded by a diverse and resilient mix of forest conditions. These goals apply to both the remaining unburned landscape as well as the post-disturbance landscapes. Because of the need to protect human safety, the management constraints included in the plan components for the wildlife habitat management area do not apply within community buffers. See the fire section for more information on community buffers and community wildfire protection zones.