Atch_21_HAFB_Integrated_Natural_Resource_Mgmt_Plan.pdf

Headquarters 49th Fighter Wing

Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico

INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO

For Plan Period

January 1999 - January 2004

INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT PLAN

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO

PREPARED BY

Holloman Air Force Base 49th Civil Engineer Squadron

Environmental Flight Building 55

550 Tobosa Avenue Holloman AFB, New Mexico

New Mexico Natural Heritage Program University of New Mexico

Biology Department 851 University Blvd. SE

Suite 101 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131

December 1999

INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT PLAN

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO

APPROVAL

This Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan meets the requirements of the Sikes Act (16 USC 670aet seq.), as amended.

William J. Lake Brigader General, U.S. Air Force Holloman Air Force Base Date

Jennifer Fowler-Propst Field Supervisor New Mexico Field Office U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Date

Daniel C. Frederick Field Supervisor Austin Field Office U.S. Fissh and Wildlife Service Date

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CHAPTER 1 - PLAN INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION TOINTEGRATEDNATURAL RESOURCEMANAGEMENT

POLICY GUIDANCE

PURPOSE OFPLAN

BACKGROUND

INRMP PROCESS ANDPARTNERSHIPS

RELATIONSHIP TOOTHER DOCUMENTS ANDAUTHORITIES

INRMP AND NEPA FORSPECIFICPROJECTS ANDPROGRAMS

MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY

Natural Resource Management at Holloman AFB

PLAN STRUCTURE

CHAPTER 2 - INSTALLATION LOCATION AND FACILITIES

SETTING

HISTORY OFINSTALLATION

CURRENTMILITARY MISSION

MILITARY ACTIVITIES

FACILITIES AND TENANTS

CHAPTER 3 - NATURAL SETTING

CLIMATE

TOPOGRAPHY ANDGEOMORPHOLOGY

SOILS AND GEOLOGY

HYDROLOGY

RANKING SENSITIVE SPECIES

VEGETATION

FAUNA

CULTURAL RESOURCES

CHAPTER 4 - MANAGEMENT UNITS AND ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS 64

ORGANIZATION OF MANAGEMENT UNITS ONHAFB

CANTONMENT

DUNELANDS

NORTHERNSHRUBLANDS

TESTTRACK

LAKE HOLLOMAN WETLANDS

BOLESWELLS WATER SYSTEM ANNEX

Boles Wells Well Field Southern Well Fields (Douglas and San Andres)

GEOGRAPHICALLY SEPARATEDUNITS

Red Rio Bombing Range Oscura Bombing Range Radar Target Scatter Complex RATSCAT Advanced Measurement Site Air Force Special Weapons Complex - Weapons Impact Target

CHAPTER 5 - MISSION IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENT

INTRODUCTION

MAJORIMPACTS

Military Ground-Based Training Military Ground-Based Operations Grounds Maintenance

Landscaping Pest Control

Outdoor Recreation

POTENTIAL FUTURE IMPACTS

CHAPTER 6 - MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND CONCERNS

INTRODUCTION

SENSITIVE NATURAL AREAS

SENSITIVE SPECIES

WETLANDS

WATERSHEDPROTECTION

FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

FIRE MANAGEMENT

EXOTIC PLANTS AND ANIMALS

GEOGRAPHICINFORMATION SYSTEMS(GIS)

RESEARCH ANDMONITORING

CHAPTER 7 - MANAGEMENT GOALS GUIDELINES AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

INTRODUCTION

Matrix of Ground-Based Training by Management Unit (MU)

CANTONMENT

DUNELANDS

NORTHERNSHRUBLANDS

TESTTRACK

LAKE HOLLOMAN WETLANDS

BOLESWELLS WATER SYSTEM ANNEX

Northern (Boles Wells) Well Field Southern Well Field

GEOGRAPHICALLY SEPARATEDUNITS (GSUS)

Red Rio Bombing Range Oscura Bombing Range Radar Target Scatter Complex (RATSCAT) RATSCAT Advanced Measurement Site (RAMS) Air Force Special Weapons Complex (AFSWC) - Weapons Impact Target (WIT).. 241

TIMELINE FOR MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

INDEX

SCIENCE/NATURAL RESOURCE ABBREVIATIONS

MILITARY/GOVERNMENT ABBREVIATIONS

APPENDIX A LIST OF NATURAL RESOURCES LEGISLATION AND

REQUIREMENTS

APPENDIX B. SELECTED COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS AND

MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING

APPENDIX C. CLIMATE DATA

APPENDIX D. BIRD LIST HOLLOMAN AFB

APPENDIX E. LANDSCAPING

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTERNET/INTRANET LINKAGES

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE 1. HOLLOMAN AFB ACREAGECOUNTS

TABLE 2. RODENTS TRAPPED WITHIN THEHAFB DUNE PERIPHERY

TABLE 3. HOLLOMAN AFB REPTILES

TABLE 4. ECOSYSTEMHIERARCHY BASED ONVEGETATIONMAPPINGUNITS

TABLE 5. TOTAL AREA REPRESENTED BY EACHECOSYSTEMTYPE

TABLE 6. MILITARY TRAINING OPERATIONS AND RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATION

TABLE 7. MILITARY GROUND-BASED TRAINING SITES

TABLE 8. MISSION IMPACTS BYMANAGEMENT UNIT AND TRAINING SITE

TABLE 9. WETLAND PLANTS AT HOLLOMAN AFB

TABLE 10. PHYTOPLANKTON COMMUNITY COMPOSITION OFSTINKY PLAYA

TABLE 11. MACROINVERTEBRATE ABUNDANCES ATSTINKY PLAYA

TABLE 12. LIST OFGIS COVERAGES

TABLE 13. MATRIX OF GROUND-BASEDTRAINING BY MANAGEMENT UNIT

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE1. HOLLOMAN AFB AND SURROUNDING SITES

FIGURE2. HOLLOMAN AFB 49TH FIGHTER WING ORGANIZATION CHART

FIGURE3. OWNERSHIP ANDACREAGE ONHOLLOMAN AFB

FIGURE4. HOLLOMAN AFB WITHIN THE TULAROSA BASIN

FIGURE5. SOIL MAP OF MAIN BASE

FIGURE6. SOIL MAP OFBOLESWELLS WATER SYSTEM ANNEX

FIGURE7. VEGETATIONMAP OFMAIN BASE

FIGURE8. VEGETATIONMAP OFBOLESWELLS WELLFIELD

FIGURE9. HOLLOMAN AFB MANAGEMENT UNITS (MUS)

FIGURE10. CANTONMENT MU VEGETATIONMAPPINGUNITS

FIGURE11. DUNELAND MU VEGETATIONMAPPINGUNITS

FIGURE12. NORTHERNSHRUBLANDS MU VEGETATIONMAPPINGUNITS

FIGURE13. PUPFISHPOPULATIONS ANDPROTECTEDHABITAT ZONE

FIGURE14. TESTTRACK MU VEGETATIONMAPPINGUNITS

FIGURE15. CONSTRUCTEDWETLAND STUDY AREA

FIGURE16. LAKE HOLLOMAN WETLANDS VEGETATIONMAPPINGUNITS

FIGURE17. BOLESWELLS WELL FIELD VEGETATIONMAPPINGUNITS

FIGURE18. HOLLOMAN AFB GEOGRAPHICALLY SEPARATEDUNITS (GSUS)

FIGURE19. GROUND-BASEDTRAINING SITES

FIGURE20. PESTMANAGEMENT - WEED, MOSQUITO, AND VERTEBRATECONTROL

FIGURE21. OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL SITES ONHOLLOMAN AFB

FIGURE22. CRYPTOGAMCOVER BY VEGETATIONMAPPINGUNIT

FIGURE23. PROPOSED GRAMA GRASS CACTUS CONSERVATION AREAS

FIGURE24. PUPFISH SP

FIGURE25. BURROWINGOWL SITES

FIGURE26. WESTERNSNOWY PLOVER (CHARADRIUS ALEXANDRINUS NIVOSUS)

FIGURE27. STORM WATER AND NON-STORM WATER DISCHARGEAREAS

FIGURE28. AFRICAN RUE PLANT AND SEEDS

FIGURE29. RUSSIAN KNAPWEED

FIGURE30. ORYX

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CHAPTER 1 - PLAN INTRODUCTION

Western Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea)

This Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP) has been prepared by the New Mexico Natural Heritage Program (NMNHP) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, in support of the 49th Civil Engineer Environmental Flight (CES/CEV) of Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB), New Mexico. Additional preparation was provided by 49 CES/CEV Natural Resources Manager and GIS Program Manager.

The INRMP uses an interdisciplinary approach to ecosystem management, integrating all aspects of natural resources management within the context of the military mission. It is designed to provide a well-documented reference for base natural resources, including information on location, sensitive areas, management issues, and use constraints. This chapter addresses the INRMP process and the management philosophy used to develop the plan.

The plan was developed for access on the internet. This approach provides a unique opportunity to integrate pertinent research topics and supporting Air Force and government documents into the plan without increasing the size of the core document.

Users are able to easily find in-depth information on topics pertinent to their interests by taking advantage of hypertext links. Links (signified by underlined blue text) "jump" the user either to other web sites or to other on-line documents. Additional links can be added throughout the plan period, making the document essentially adaptable to new natural resource data, changing management schemes, or laws governing management practices.

Introduction to Integrated Natural Resource Management

The Department of Defense is committed to the consideration and protection of biodiversity on military lands. The ecosystem management approach strives for sustainable use, consistent with operational readiness and mission. The Department of Defense Handbook for Natural Resources Managers “Conserving Biodiversity on Military Lands” (1996; Chapter 1) confirms that:

“[t]he 25 million acres of Federal and state land managed by the Department of Defense (DoD) include national assets of exceptional ecological value and biological diversity…In terms of acreage, DoD is the fifth largest Federal land manager…Although DoD-managed lands represent only about 3% of the total Federal land inventory, there is strong evidence that they have disproportionate value in terms of biodiversity…This biological diversity is a direct reflection of the wide range of training environments and strategic locations that the military requires to maintain readiness…There is no doubt that the DoD controls areas of land that have substantial biological significance. The American people expect this public land to remain ecologically viable and healthy in perpetuity.”

This plan is in accordance with Department of Defense policy Directives andInstructions designating procedures to develop comprehensive ecosystem management plans (DoDI 4715.3, DoDD 4700.4). In addition, this plan is in compliance with Air Force Directives and Instruction AFPD 32-70,AFI 32-7064and AFI 32-7065.

The chief tool for managing natural resources in a coordinated manner within the context of operational mission on DoD installations is the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP). In accordance with AFI 32-7064 (01 Aug 97) and the 1997 amendment to the Sikes Act, all military installations must have an INRMP by 1998, review it annually, and revise it every five years. Based on an interdisciplinary approach to ecosystem management, the INRMP ensures the successful accomplishment of the military mission by integrating all aspects of natural resources management with each other and with activities associated with the installation’s mission.

Biodiversity conservation on Air Force controlled lands and waters shall be promoted when consistent with the mission and practical. Maintaining biodiversity is crucial to overall ecosystem integrity and sustainability. Failure to maintain ecosystem diversity may result in severe degradation of the land and loss of public confidence in the Air Force’s stewardship of the land. If access to the land is subsequently denied to the Air Force, this will negatively impact the Air Force mission (AFI 32-7064).

This plan was developed in an interdisciplinary manner and involved military and/or civilian representatives of all relevant Holloman AFB groups. Two separate phases of meetings, held between March, 1997, and January, 1998, gathered input from base personnel and other stakeholders. During Phase I meetings, base personnel and stakeholders offered short presentations on their operations. These meetings provided a baseline of information to begin a Geographic Information System (GIS). The GIS was used to identify potential conflicts between base activities and Air Force management directives. Phase II meetings addressed issues identified from the GIS and during Phase I meetings.

Early in the planning process, decisions were made to make the final INRMP available on the Holloman AFB internet site. Making the plan available on the internet will increase the user base and efficiency in implementing procedural guidelines. Using hypertext technology, the plan incorporates ancillary data, with the click of a mouse. The hypertext makes available in-house data reports, pertinent AFIs, and related web sites.

The result is a robust and useful plan that is actually interactive, updateable and can be tailored by the individual user.

The plan closely follows the suggested format (AFI 32-7064). This document directs natural resource management policy for the five-year planning period. It is provided in both a hard copy and digital format. The hard copy is available through the 49th Civil Engineer Environmental Flight (CEV) and the digital format is located on the Holloman (AFB) Web Site.

Policy Guidance

• Dr. William J. Perry, former Secretary of Defense, incorporated environmental considerations into the DoD mission (Leslie et al. 1996):

“Protecting our national security in the post-Cold War era includes integrating the best environmental practices into all Department of Defense activities.”

• The importance of ecosystem management on DoD lands is emphasized by Sherri Goodman, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Environmental Security) in amemo dated 8 Aug 94:

“I want to ensure that ecosystem management becomes the basis for future management of DoD lands and waters. Ecosystem management is not only a smart way of doing business, it will blend multiple-use needs and provide a consistent framework to managing DoD installations… Ecosystem management of natural resources draws on a collaboratively developed vision of desired future ecosystem conditions that integrates ecological, economic, and social factors...

The goal is to maintain and improve the sustainability and native biological diversity of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems while supporting human needs, including DoD mission.”

• Working together to integrate environmental protection and military readiness is encouraged by General Joseph W. Ralston, USAF, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (Leslie et al. 1996):

“By working as a team we can preserve both the natural diversity of military training areas and our opportunity to train the way we plan to fight now and in the future.”

• Air Force policy on Environmental Quality integrates environmental planning into comprehensive planning (Air Force Directive 32-70 Environmental Quality):

“Achieving and maintaining environmental quality is an essential part of the Air Force mission. The Air Force is committed to planning its future activities to minimize environmental impacts and managing responsibly the irreplaceable natural and cultural resources it holds in public trust…through effective environmental planning… Environmental opportunities and constraints will be the foundation of comprehensive plans for installation development.”

Purpose of Plan

The plan is designed to facilitate adaptive management policies to correspond to the changing natural environmental conditions while integrating base mission goals and strategic plans. The INRMP has the following basic purposes:

� To create an easily accessible, well-used, integrated reference base for use by Command, Action Proponents, Base Planners, and Natural Resource Managers, that would:

• Identify locations of natural resources.

• Identify locations and circumstances of potential conflicts and conflict resolution opportunities.

• Identify unique and sensitive areas.

• Provide information for proactive planning by action proponents.

• Develop a “one-stop” planning document that integrates goals, purposes, management direction, and management activities for each natural resource, fully consistent with each resource component plan and complementary with other component plans.

� To foster understanding of the jobs, roles, responsibilities, and needs of the various flights and functional operations as they relate to the protection, rehabilitation, maintenance, and enhancement of natural resources on Holloman Air Force Base to:

• Identify, coordinate, and clarify the cross-functional roles of the organizational representatives and action proponents within the base organization.

• Open lines of communication for effective and timely planning, efficient mission operations, and pleasant, proactive, and cooperative relationships.

• Identify various Federal, state, and local agencies and Indian tribes, and public and private stakeholders and interested parties, and provide appropriate means for participation in Base planning and management of natural resources.

� To develop realistic management goals, management activities, programs, identify manpower (staffing) needs, and funding levels for Holloman Air Force Base natural resources that both support mission and increase the quality of work and recreation on the base.

� To direct natural resources management policy on base for the planning period, through cross-functional consensus and Command approval, so that all functional activities on Holloman Air Force Base can move forward together to:

• Identify areas dedicated to natural resource management.

• Determine primacy of goals and management activities when activities and natural resources conflict, and provide rationale for changing existing natural resource management plans when necessary.

� To ensure consistency of Holloman Air Force Base programs and functions with environmental laws, regulations, Executive Orders, DoD Instructions and guidance, and Air Force Instructions (see Appendix A).

Background

In accordance with AFI 32-7064, as part of the integrated planning process of the INRMP, Holloman was required to conduct a scoping meeting for stakeholders at the initiation of the planning process. An internal scoping meeting was held on 27 February 1995 to identify natural resource issues. A preliminary list of these issues was developed and used to frame subsequent internal scoping meetings.

The INRMP scoping meeting for stakeholders and interested parties outside the base was held on 13 and 14 March, 1995. The purpose of the meeting was to initiate discussion and solicit recommendations on natural resource issues from a variety of interested groups, including federal and state agencies, other military installations, non-profit organizations, and university departments. Recommendations were solicited for future research opportunities, especially management and conservation biology-oriented research pertinent to the Tularosa Basin.

Following these meetings, Holloman AFB proceeded with a series of facilitated meetings to gather detailed input from military personnel and other groups, including tenants, that conduct business on the base. This series of meetings was instrumental in gathering baseline data for the Geographic Information System (GIS). To accommodate individual schedules and bring together groups that shared resource areas, meetings were conducted by operational area. For example, groups conducting activities within the Boles Wells Water System Annex were brought together. During this process, potential conflicts and problems were elucidated that were ultimately useful in proactive planning procedures.

The integrated natural resources planning process follows procedures necessary for quality cross-functional planning:

• Identify cross-functional (interdisciplinary) team members.

• Inventory and map natural resources and identify, describe, and map mission-related activities that could affect or be affected by natural resources and their management.

• Identify, coordinate with, and involve federal, state and local agencies, Indian tribes, other stakeholders and interested persons and organizations.

• Identify conflicts, opportunities, and constraints associated with operational and mission and activities, natural resources characteristics, and their interaction, condition, and trends.

• Identify desired future condition, measurable management objectives, and reliable measures of success for each natural resource, ensuring consistency with the Holloman Air Force Base General Plan.

• Identify alternative management strategies, mitigation, and opportunities, again ensuring consistency with the General Plan.

• Ensure consistency and compliance with NEPA and other laws, regulations, executive Orders, AFIs and DoD Instructions concurrently with integrated natural resources planning.

• Initiate review of plan review with MAJCOM and HQ USAF and obtain installation approval through the Environmental Leadership Council.

• Implement the plan and monitor its effectiveness.

INRMP Process and Partnerships

Under this plan, the diverse environments under the jurisdiction of the DoD are maintained for present and future human use, and their natural systems are allowed to function normally. The INRMP operates on the basis of the ecosystem management approach incorporating ecological, socio-economic, and institutional perspectives.

Partnerships include other military installations located within the Tularosa Basin, such as White Sands Missile Range and Ft. Bliss. These partnerships provide unique opportunities to share common land use issues that are particular to military activities.

White Sands National Monument (WSNM) and the San Andres National Wildlife Refuge (SANWR) are valuable partners that help support conservation efforts of plants and animals endemic to the basin as well as providing seasonal migratory habitat for birds.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) provide an invaluable service for guidance on listed threatened and endangered species, as well as information on sensitive mammals, reptiles and amphibians, fish, birds, and some invertebrates. The Bureau of Land Management

(BLM) shares management responsibilities with Holloman AFB at the Boles Wells Well Field Annex and portions within the base near Lake Holloman and Stinky Playa. Under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995, the Bureau of Land Management transferred ownership of 511.11 ha (1262 acres) covering portions of Lake Holloman and Stinky Playa to the Secretary of the Air Force. These partnerships help define activities within these withdrawl areas that meet the needs of both the mission of the base and BLM. Lincoln National Forest (LNF) manages lands east of the Boles Wells Well Field Annex and provides information on resource issues germane to the Sacramento Mountain foothills. Other agencies such as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Jornada Experimental Range and the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) provide data on environmental processes specific to resources within the Tularosa Basin. Non-profit groups such as the Sierra Club, New Mexico Audubon Society, Mesilla Valley Audubon Society and New Mexico Native Plant Society are partners in conservation issues and provide volunteers for project-oriented tasks to improve wildlife habitat within Holloman AFB. University groups such as the New Mexico Natural Heritage Program (NMNHP) of the University of New Mexico provide database information on many of the endemics occuring on Holloman AFB and have conducted numerous field studies on the base and within the Tularosa Basin.

Relationship to Other Documents and Authorities

The Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan is cross-referenced with the Holloman Air Force Base General Plan(1996). Information from other survey and inventory reports and planning documents pertinent to integrated planning needs have been incorporated into the INRMP. An environmental impact analysis process (EIAP), required by the National Environmental Policy Act, AFI 32-7064, Chapter 2, and AFI 32- 7061 is prepared concurrently with the development of the plan to support the proposed recommendations.

Information and direction incorporated in the INRMP will be integrated into and used in conjunction with the General Plan and appropriate component plans for base planning activities. Natural resource constraints are to be considered for all future installation development, including land use planning and the Housing Community Plan.

Information in the General Plan will not be duplicated in the INRMP; however, this information is cross-referenced for ease of referral. Other base component plants, such as theBASH Plan, the Pest Management Plan, and the Cultural Resources Management Plan are supported by and integrated into this INRMP.

Internal and external assessments of natural resources programs shall be conducted as part of the Environmental Compliance Assessment and Management Program (ECAMP), as outlined in AFI 32-7045,Environmental Compliance Assessment and Management Program. Since implementation of an INRMP may constitute a potentially significant federal action, it may require consideration of potential environmental effects as described in AFI 32-7061,Environmental Impact Analysis Process.

Holloman Air Force Base component plans will be made consistent with the INRMP upon completion of all necessary planning requirements and administrative approvals. As appropriate, HAFB component plans will be reviewed and revised as needed based on the results of this integrated planning effort. The INRMP baseline information and its associated GIS layers will be reviewed annually, where necessary, using an interdisciplinary process, and revised and modified as necessary to ensure a quality foundation for integrated planning efforts and natural resources management at Holloman Air Force Base.

In accordance with AFI 32-1031 Civil Engineers Operations Management, activities affecting natural resources require one or more of the following forms submitted: Air Force Form 332 (Base Civil Engineer Work Request), AF Form 813 (Request for Environmental Analysis), AF Form 103 (Digging Permit, or DD Form 1391 (Military Construction Project Data).

INRMP and NEPA for Specific Projects and Programs

All ground-based military training exercises are evaluated in detail in the Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Ground-Based Training at Holloman Air Force Base. The results of this programmatic EA will be incorporated into this INRMP. Ground-based training exercises were identified as the primary impact on natural resources on base; it was decided to evaluate the environmental impacts in detail separately, but as a component of this INRMP. The intent of the programmatic EA is to develop a long-range training/exercise plan for HAFB, using NEPA as the basis for the comprehensive planning effort, that:

• meets the mission needs of HAFB organizations and units,

• minimizes scheduling conflicts on the same training areas,

• uses available sites optimally, including joint training,

• identifies sites not appropriate for training exercises,

• provides for long-term use of the training areas by maintaining necessary environmental requirements and components, and

• optimizes environmental quality, both short-term and long-term.

Through the INRMP planning effort, the following projects and programs were identified as requiring further study. As a minimum, they will also require specific planning and documentation efforts under the National Environmental Policy Act:

• Management of the HAFB golf course, including the addition of nine more holes, because of use of water, pesticides, and herbicides;

• Management of horse stable and trails on base, because of potential for soil erosion and spread of noxious weeds;

• Extension of the FamCamp, because it is in a floodplain and landscaping should include xeriscaping, not exotic ornamental plants;

• Management of a formal all-terrain vehicle (ATV) area near Dillard Draw, because of safety and environmental concerns;

• Management of the noxious weed program, because of use of herbicides and need for systematic program incorporating integrated management techniques.

The results of these NEPA planning efforts will be incorporated into the INRMP as the planning is completed and approved.

Management Philosophy

Holloman Air Force Base Environmental Mission Statement:

In a relatively small geographic area, Holloman AFB contains representatives of a high diversity of ecosystem types characteristic of the northern Chihuahuan desert. Holloman AFB is committed to supporting the military mission of Holloman AFB by restoring and maintaining these ecosystems and fostering biodiversity and the natural processes that maintain these ecosystems. The Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan uses an interdisciplinary approach to integrate all aspects of natural resources management with each other and with activities associated with the installation's mission.

Holloman AFB is dedicated to maintaining and enhancing populations of native plants and wildlife, and their respective habitats. Using an adaptive management strategy, Holloman AFB will continue to increase efforts to research, enhance, and monitor changing environmental conditions due to either natural or human influences. Long range goals include providing environmental education, fostering responsible stewardship, and enhancing appreciation of properly functioning ecosystems.

The AF has outlined specific goals for maintaining and when integral to the health of the system, restoring environments toward attaining properly functioning systems. In order to meet these goals, the following guidelines are recommended (AFI 32-7064):

• Maintain or restore remaining native ecosystem types across their natural range.

• Maintain or reestablish viable populations of all native species in an installation's areas of natural habitat when practical.

• Maintain evolutionary and ecological processes, such as disturbance regimes, hydrological processes, and nutrient cycles.

• Plan management for a long time period to ensure consideration of changing system dynamics.

• Perform all mission activities in concert with natural resources conservation.

• Accommodate human use.

• Use regional approaches incorporating cooperation with other DoD components, other federal agencies, and with adjoining property users.

Natural Resource Management at Holloman AFB

• Natural resources management has been active on Holloman AFB since 1994. The Environmental Flight (49 CES/CEV) is the recipient of:

• Natural & Cultural Resources Program Management Award 1992-1994 (best in ACC)

• Command Leader recognition for natural resources program from 1996 external ECAMP review process

• 1996 Conservation Award from the Mesilla Valley Audubon Society

• 1998 Air Combat Command Environmental Quality Award for Natural Resources Management Award-Large Base. As ACC winner, HAFB Natural Resources Program will compete in the AF-wide General Thomas D. White Award.

Holloman AFB was recognized by Southwest Environmental Center for outstanding service for the environment in New Mexico in 1996 for the constructed wetlands project associated with the new wastewater treatment plant.

The Natural Resources Program is involved with a number of research investigations:

• Funding cooperative research projectson Effects of Helicopter Noise on Mexican Spotted Owls(with Northern Arizona University, CERL, USDA Rocky Mountain Forest Range & Experiment Station)

• Conducting four research projects on White Sands Pupfish (with Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia, New Mexico State University, and North Dakota State University)

• Conducting study on control of African rue, a non-native exotic weed with USDA Forest Service Southwest Region

• Conducting surveys of Burrowing Owls and monitoring reproductive success (with University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University)

• Conducting historical and biological resources studies at the Cinetheodilite Missile Towers (with University of New Mexico)

• Initiating study of effects of military operations on gypsic soils of HAFB (with New Mexico State University, Jornada Range Experiment Station and National Biological Survey)

• Conducting a study of foraging requirements of migratory wetland birds on Holloman Lakes (with University of New Mexico)

Additional surveys and management resources include:

• Delineation of all wetlands and waters of the U.S. on high quality digitized color- IR aerial photos of the base;

• Completion of threatened, endangered and sensitive species management plan

• Completion of draft fish and wildlife management plan

• Delineation of detailed vegetation map

The natural resources manager (Dr. Hildy Reiser) is also a member of the White Sands Pupfish Conservation Team, a member of the state of New Mexico Wetlands Task Force, and a participant in the New Mexico Partners in Flight Program.

Plan Structure

The Holloman AFB INRMP was designed to incorporate DoD guidelines on ecosystem management and ensure compliance with AF, Federal, and State regulations in support of the military mission at Holloman. The following is a synopsis of the features discussed within each chapter.

Chapter 1provides an introduction to the approach followed by Holloman AFB throughout the Integrated Natural Resource Management process. Cross-references to pertinent documents and partnerships are discussed. Specific projects and programs developed from the INRMP process are outlined.

Chapter 2gives a geographic context for Holloman AFB in relation to nearby natural areas, including federal and state lands. Holloman AFB history is discussed in relation to military activities.

Chapter 3presents an overview of the landscape characteristics of Holloman AFB, including physical and biological components. Threatened, endangered, and sensitive species and important cultural resources are introduced.

Chapter 4provides detailed descriptions of ecosystem types within each Management Unit.

Chapter 5incorporates military, tenant, and recreational activities into the context of potential and realized impacts on environmental processes.

Chapter 6is a synthesis of management issues and concerns organized by categories, formerly encompassed within Component Plans.

Chapter 7proposes the management direction and recommends solutions to natural resource issues explained in Chapter 6. This chapter is the consensus of all planning efforts providing management prescriptions for proactive, effective natural resource management at Holloman AFB.

CHAPTER 2 - INSTALLATION LOCATION AND FACILITIES

Since 1942, Holloman Air Force Base has played a decisive role in our nation's national security. Clear skies, a moderate climate, and low population densities provide a highly favorable environment for nearly year-round training and military readiness operations.

Holloman AFB is currently home to the 49th Fighter Wing and is organized in five groups: 49th Operations Group, 49th Logistics Group, 49th Support Group, 49th Medical Group, and 49th Material Maintenance Group. A diverse group of tenants provide important research and testing integral to maintaining military excellence.

Setting

Holloman Air Force Base is located in Otero County, in southeastern New Mexico, approximately 13 km (8 miles) west of Alamogordo, NM. Within its contiguous boundaries (Main Base) are 21,089.5 ha (52,073 acres), including a recent land parcel transfer of 511 ha (1,262 acres) from the Bureau of Land Management near the Holloman Lakes complex in the southwestern portion of the base (National Defense Authorization Act 1994). The Holloman AFB General Plan(1996) outlines the general land use patterns of the base and economic impact on the local community (Section 4.7.1, pgs. 4- 54 through 4-60; Section 3.72, pgs. 3-16-3-17).

Southeast of the contiguous portion of the base, the USAF also has jurisdiction over 1,091 ha (2,694 acres) called the Boles Wells Water System Annex (BWWSA, unofficially referred to as the Boles, Douglas, and San Andres well fields), which include fee purchase and condemnation tracts (Figure 1). The well field annex begins 8 km (5 miles) south of Alamogordo, adjacent to the western foothills (bajada) of the Sacramento Mountains. In addition to these parcels, Holloman AFB has sub-surface interests to protect and develop the underground water supply on 1,696 ha (4,187 acres) of public land withdrawn under Public Land Orders 3434 and 4667. Land surface management for these public lands lies with the Bureau of Land Management. The total acreage of the BWWSA is 3,001 ha (7,411 acres). North/northeast of Holloman AFB is the 46.6 ha (115 acre) Bonito Lake Water System Annex, with an additional 31 ha (77 acres) of easement and 31.6 ha (78 acres) of general use permits and licenses. The above parcels total 24,154 ha (59,639 acres).

The primary purpose of the Boles Wells Water System Annex, and the Bonito Lake Water System is to provide continuous sources of potable water for the base. Lands to the east of the Annex area are under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management on the north and the Lincoln National Forest on the south. The southern tip of the annex area borders McGregor Range, Fort Bliss, U.S. Army. Separating the north and south well field areas is Oliver Reed State Park. To the west of the well fields is a mosaic of private lands, Bureau of Land Management lands, and land held by White Sands National Monument. The Old El Paso Highway provides north-south public access through the southern part of the Boles Wells Annex area (Douglas and San Andres Well Fields areas). US Highway 54 intersects the extreme northwestern corner of the Annex area.

Holloman AFB is uniquely situated at the center of the Tularosa Basin within easy reach of several ecologically distinctive areas. These nearby managed areas include volcanic peaks and mesas covered in high mountain grasslands and conifer forests, dropping to desert shrublands mantled with cactus and yucca. Surrounding mountain fronts vary in vegetation cover from xerophytic shrublands, to juniper-pinyon savannas, to high mountain meadows at their peaks. Dominating the area are the diverse, broad expanses of lowland desert environments, including gypsum dunelands punctuated by playas and ephemeral drainages.

• The White Sands National Monument, administered by the National Park Service, is located to the southwest of and contiguous with portions of the western border of the base (Figure 1). Over 500,000 visitors each year use the park, including recreational driving of the loop road through the Monument, self-guided hiking trails, and picnicking. A primitive overnight camping site is available by permit. Monument and Holloman AFB personnel jointly conduct a popular interpretive hike for the public through the dunes and White Sands pupfish (Cyprinodon tularosa) habitat once or twice a year. The Monument cooperates with Holloman AFB on fencing for oryx (Oryx gazella) management, and research and management for the White Sands pupfish. Due to the proximity of the Monument to HAFB, concerns over non-native plant infestations such as African rue (Peganum harmala) and salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima) are a natural resource concern.

The monument has begun a program to control the spread of salt cedar, which quickly colonizes riparian areas, usually displacing native species.

• The White Sands Missile Range(WSMR), administered by the US Army, is a 2.2 million acre expanse of nearly pristine desert plains, riparian areas, and montane ecosystems.

The majority of livestock was removed from the Range by 1950. The basin within the Missile Range has not been grazed by livestock for over 45 years, with the exception of feral horses, oryx, and some trespass cattle, primarily along the eastern boundary. The Missile Range is west of Holloman AFB and stretches both north and south with some contiguous boundaries. Only approximately 3% of the missile range is actually used for military research and testing activities and associated disturbances (SeeChapter 4, Geographically Separated Units, Figure 18). The Range has no public access except for limited escorted hunting of oryx, mule deer, and small to moderate mammals such as rabbit and coyote. Holloman and WSMR cooperate on management strategies and research for the White Sands pupfish. All vegetation communities within Holloman AFB are represented in the Missile Range, including wetland plant communities. However, a constructed wetland program, recently implemented at Holloman AFB may provide different habitat options than are currently unavailable on WSMR for resident birds and migrating waterfowl.

• The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Las Cruces District Office manages areas within the Tularosa Basin from the Valley of Fires Recreation Area, west of Carrizozo, to joint management of the McGregor Range within Fort Bliss. McGregor Range is a multiple-use area open to grazing and hunting, in accordance with the Sikes Act (16 USC 670 et seq). Military use is varied over this extensive range that includes bombing and ground maneuvers. Three Rivers Petroglyphs Site allows camping and has an interpretive trail leading to petroglyphs and partially excavated ruins of the Jornada Branch of the Mogollon culture. BLM and Holloman plan to cooperate to manage and develop the Boles Wells Water System Annex at the base of the Sacramento Mountains.

Additionally, a new tactical bombing range on Otero Mesa within McGregor Range is to be constructed. Holloman AF would be the principal unit operating these missions. The BLM-administered lands are typically interspersed with state and private holdings and support some endangered and sensitive plants. The BLM and Holloman AFB have cooperated in plant surveys within the Boles Wells Water System Annex for state and federally listed species such as the Alamo Canyon beardtongue (Penstemon alamosensis), Villard's pincushion cactus (Escobaria villardii), button cactus (Epithelantha micromeris), and the Sacramento prickly poppy (Argemone pleiacanthassp.

pinnatisecta).

Figure 1. Holloman AFB and surrounding sites

ALAMOGORDO

LAS CRUCES

White Sands Missile Range

White Sands National Monument

Mescalero Indian Reservation

Three Rivers Petroglyphs Site

Valley of Fires Recreation Area

Carrizozo ÿ

Holloman

AFB

Boles Wells Water System

Annex

Fort Bliss ÿ� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � ÿ�� �� ���

Oliver Lee State Park

• The Lincoln National Forest is located immediately east of Alamogordo in the Sacramento Mountains. Camping, hunting, hiking, timber harvests, and livestock grazing occur in the forest. The Sacramento Mountains provide a critical source of potable water for Holloman AFB and Alamogordo. The Mexican Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), a Federally-listed threatened species is protected and managed following federal guidelines (50 CFR Part 17). The Sacramento Mountains thistle (Cirsium vinaceum), Kuenzler's hedgehog cactus (Echinereus fendlerivar.kuenzler), Todsen's pennyroyal (Hedeoma todsenii), Sacramento prickly-poppy, and Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) are other federally listed species are also native to the Sacramento Mountains. The USDA Forest Service works with outdoor recreation (49 SVS/SVRO) at Holloman AFB through cooperative recreation agreements that provide both directed and self-directed activities.

• Oliver Lee State Parkis located in Dog Canyon, 15 miles south of Alamogordo between the north and south Boles Wells Water Annex Systems. The canyon has diverse plant and animal life that are attracted to the springs and seeps. Facilities include camping sites, picnicking, hiking trails, and a visitor center. The park preserves and illustrates some of the history of turn-of-the-century ranch life found in Otero Country, particularly between 1885 and 1941, when the Oliver and Winnie Lee family owned much of the county.

• The Mescalero Indian Reservation is located approximately 25 miles east of the city of Tularosa and is surrounded by the Lincoln National Forest. The Tribe conducts timber thinnings, timber harvests, prescribed burns, and livestock grazing in its ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests.

• Fort Bliss, administered by the US Army, comprises approximately 1.1 million acres south of Holloman AFB, extending into Texas. The base functions as a training area for the army, with ground maneuver activities occurring in the basin and adjacent mesas.

One of the largest extents of black grama-blue grama (Bouteloua eriopoda-Bouteloua gracilis) grasslands in the state occurs on Otero Mesa, a large east-dipping tableland located south of the southern foothills of the Sacramento Mountains. Many sensitive and endemic species reside within this diverse landscape, which includes basin dunelands and montane forests. McGregor Range is jointly managed for multiple-use (mostly grazing and hunting) by the BLM. Extensive studies on vegetation and fauna are ongoing.

History of Installation

Broad, relatively flat and open spaces, clear skies, and sparsely populated areas within the Tularosa Basin suited the purposes of military missions for developmental testing of early space technology. Perhaps for some of these same reasons, long before this area was acquired for defense purposes, early man created solar observatories in the nearby Sacramento Mountains. One of these, Walley's Dome, has several upright rock formations supporting a horizontal rock slab that appears to be astronomically aligned to record annual solstice events (Eidenbach 1981). The father of modern rocketry, Robert Goddard, also found the physical landscape of New Mexico favorable for his research near Roswell, New Mexico, throughout the 1930s. Today, a national center for ground-based observations of the sun, the National Solar Observatory, is located at Sunspot, New Mexico in the Sacramento Mountains.

Not until the Legacy Resource Management Program (Public Law 101-511) were archives explored and field explorations made to uncover the primary role Holloman AFB contributed to the beginnings of space exploration. Under the LRMP on Holloman AFB for National Register Surveys, a Thematic Survey of Early Missile, Instrumentation and Test Objects was conducted (Mattson and Tagg 1995). Following guidelines set by the LRMP, the objective of this survey was to "inventory, protect and conserve the physical and literary property and relics of the DoD connected with the origins and development of the Cold War" (Mattson and Tagg 1995). This research reveals that Holloman AFB was conceived nine months after the United States declared war against Germany, Italy and Japan and was thereafter integral in the early stages of the United States space program throughout the Cold War.

On 6 February 1942, the Alamogordo Army Air Field (AAAF) was established, and construction began on an extensive bombing and gunnery range later known as the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range. Facilities were designed after the Royal Air Force base, used in the British Training Program for World War II bomber crews. The Royal Air Force base is typically a cantonment area, west area and north area.

On 16 July 1945, in the northwest corner of the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range (now WSMR), the first atomic bomb was detonated at the Trinity Site. In 1946, more lands became available within the Tularosa Basin and the base was reassigned to a missile development facility. By 1947, the Air Force became a separate service and AAAF was transferred to the Air Material Command to conduct guided missile programs. On 13 January 1948, the base was renamed Holloman AFB after Col. George V. Holloman, an early pioneeer in guided missile development. The range was 64 miles long, running north and south, and 38 miles wide. At this time, the Army Ordnance Corps built White Sands Proving Ground (WSPG) with a range just south of these lands.

The combined range of these facilities was 100 miles long and 40 miles wide (Mattson and Tagg 1995). Under army management, on 1 September 1952, the Holloman AFB Bombing and Gunnery Range was combined with the Army Range to form the 'Integrated White Sands Range'.

From 1952 to 1970 missile development and testing included the Snark, Matador, Mace, Falcon, Aerobee, JB-2 Loom, and Firebee. High speed sled tests, high altitude balloon projects, and Aeromedical Field Laboratory experiments were also conducted. During this time the Central Inertial Guidance Test Facility and the Radar Target Scatter Test Facility were developed. The Primate Research Facility trained the first chimpanzee (HAM) to make a suborbital flight and the first chimpanzee (Enos) to orbit the earth. In 1972 the base was taken over by Tactical Air Command (TAC) and became primarily a fighter base with some developmental testing continued. Tactical Training Command

Holloman was inactivated and replaced by the 833rd Air Division on Dec. 1, 1990. On Nov. 15, 1991 command responsibility passed from the 833rd Air Division to the 49th

Fighter Wing. Today, the 49th Fighter Wing provides leadership to the installation. Two projects begun during the Cold War continue on the base, the High Speed Test Track and the Primate Research Lab.

Current Military Mission

Maintaining over 50 years of 49er excellence by providing:

• Mission-Ready Forces and Equipment to Meet Worldwide Contingencies

• The Best Training For Our People and International Aircrews

• Quality Support For All Base Personnel, Associate Units, and the Local

Community

The 49th Fighter Wing supports national security objectives as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff with F-117 Nighthawks and HH-60G helicopters. The wing can rapidly mobilize and deploy worldwide to meet peacetime and wartime contingencies. In addition, the wing conducts fighter fundamentals training for selected allied nation aircrews and the F-4 initial training and fighter weapons instructor courses for German Air Force aircrews. The wing is designated as a support unit for space shuttle launches when White Sands Space Harbor is selected as the abort once around (AOA) site. The 49th Fighter Wing provides morale, welfare, and administrative support for over 6,000 assigned personnel.

Military Activities

Holloman AFB is one of the Air Combat Command Resources under the 12th Air Force.

The 12th Air Force Headquarters is at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. The 12th controls ACC forces based in the western United States and Panama and is the air component for U.S.

Southern Command and U.S. Strategic Command (battle management). It also has Joint Task Force/Battle Management responsibilities for U.S. Strategic Command.

Holloman AFB is home to the 49th Fighter Wing: F-117A, T-38, HH-60G and German F-4E. The 49th Fighter Wing provides leadership to Holloman AFB, having three active runways and seven flying squadrons.

The 49th Fighter Wing units are (Figure 2): the 49th Fighter Wing Staff Agencies, 49th

Operations Group, 49th Logistics Group, 49th Support Group, 49th Medical Group, and the 49th Material Maintenance Group. A summary of the leadership and groups of the 49th

Fighter Wing are provided below; information was taken from the49th Fighter Wing Home Page. Consult the 49th Fighter Wing Home Page for comprehensive information and contacts.

The 49th Wing Staff Agencies include agencies that make up the wing commander's staff.

The staff agencies are the Inspector General, Staff Judge Advocate, Public Affairs, Wing Operations Center, Manpower-Quality Improvement, Chapel, Wing Plans and Inspections, Safety, Manpower, History, Social Actions, Environmental Office and the 49th Comptroller Squadron.

Figure 2. Holloman AFB 49th Fighter Wing Organization Chart

The 49th Operations Group operates and maintains the Air…