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<br />iiJ <br /> <br />Management Situation by Revision Topic <br /> <br />q <br /> <br />D. Future Trendeand Demande <br /> <br />A conscious strategy to manage for sustainable ecosystems within the context of multiple-use <br />management is necessary to assure long-term productivity for all values. <br /> <br />Depending on your individual perspective, sustainability may mean maintaining species diversity, <br />maintaining ecosystem processes intact, or maintaining some level of commodity output. The idea of <br />j , sustaining ecosystems is actually more a probability debate. There is conceivably a sustainability <br />continuum that exists in time and space. Alternatives which we know do not maintain habitat for <br />TES species, or do not maintain natural ecosystem processes, probably will not sustain natural <br />ecosystems as well as alternatives that do. An alternative that has a higher probability of not <br />sustaining natural ecosystems' would require more energylinput from people to maintain desired <br />conditions. An analogy might be a dam in a drainage. The dam will require some level of periodic <br />maintenance to perpetuate the structure. Without the maintenance, the dam would eventually lose <br />its intended effect. If this happened the drainage would eventually reach a new dynamic equilibrium <br />with its environment. So, alternatives which are least likely to sustain natural ecosystems might take <br />very large amounts of 'maintenance' from people to perpetuate the desired condition. Thus, <br />people need to be aware of the consequences of their choices. <br /> <br />The environmental analysis for the Forest Plan Revision will assess the effect of current management <br />and other management strategies on sustaining natural ecosystems. Over time, the Forest will need <br />to carefully monitor activities at different scales. A meaningful dialogue between the Forest Service <br />and the public should help fine-tune where the RGNF may reside on the sustainability continuum. <br />The resultant consequences of choices should be better articulated as everyone's :understanding of <br />ecosystems grows. Current management was not analyzed for the sustainability of ecosystems during <br />development of the Forest Plan. <br /> <br />Emerging issues such as managing for biodiversity, old growth, riparian areas, wildlife habitat, <br />fisheries habitat, and threatened and endangered plant and animal species all relate to ecosystem <br />management. Public involvement in this planning effort shows that the public desires a balanced <br />approach to the management of Nation'll Forest System lands where amenity values such as scenery <br />and recreation are sustained for the long term just as much as commodity values such as timber, <br />livestock forage, oil or gas are. The ecosystem approach is a strategy, to achieve such balance. <br /> <br />E. Typee of Dt':CieioM9 to be Made <br /> <br /> <br />Applying multiple-use management from an ecosystem prescription basis should produce a balanced <br />mix of goods and services. Management-area prescriptions and standards and guidelines are likely to <br />change to better provide sustainable natural ecosystems. lands suitable for timber harvest may <br />change based upon our growing knowledge of the Forest's biological diversity. Different approaches <br />to monitoring and evaluation may be needed to assess the results of ecosystem management. <br /> <br />1\; t') 11.11 ? <br />'." ",4<t'ft ~ <br /> <br />111-29 <br />