Conclusions

The Aquatic Multi-Scale Assessment and Planning Framework, as a web-based decision support tool, will facilitate conservation and restoration planning for aquatic species and watersheds influenced by national forest management. Through a six-step process that organizes information into tabular and spatial (GIS) formats, the Framework helps aquatic practitioners visualize and analyze complex fisheries and watershed data, from the site-specific project level up through national forest and regional spatial scales. The Framework provides a one-stop shopping site for maintaining and updating data and analysis procedures

For aquatic resources, such as cutthroat trout populations and their habitat in a particular planning area, the Framework produces tabular and spatial displays of: (1) current status and distribution of populations or habitats; (2) desired future conditions; (3) risks and threats to the species concerned; (4) analysis approaches; (5) a conservation and restoration strategy; and (6) a monitoring, inventory,and research strategy. The Framework also provides a logical system for developing, tracking, and documenting aquatic information. It summarizes available information at various spatial scales (subwatershed to basin) and can hyperlink the user to best available science resources and supporting information. For example, different analysis approaches, (e.g., extinction risk matrices, influence diagrams, probabilistic networks) along with scientific papers or case studies are directly linked and downloadable from the Framework. The Framework helps define and display information assumptions and gaps and is transparent and defensible.

This transparent and defensible design will assist in clarifying decision outcomes and the elements and pathways used to support them. The ability to clearly track the background data and thought processes that go into controversial land use planning and decision documents may reduce misunderstandings and mistrust in stakeholders and enable timely and effective restorative actions that will benefit fishes and other aquatic organisms.