Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Management Situation by Revision Topic <br /> <br />2. TIMBER SUITABILITY AND MANAGEMENT <br /> <br />A. Bac~round <br /> <br />Management and treatment of timber resources on the RGNF are used to achieve various objectives <br />of multiple-use management. Wildlife-habitat improvement, water production, range improvement, <br />and timber production all may use timber-stand management and manipulation to achieve desired <br />conditions. <br /> <br />B. Rea60n5 for Inclu5ion a5 a Revi510n Topic and Type5 of Deci51on5 Needed <br /> <br />:;.. <br /> <br />The analysis of suitable timberlands and allowable sale quantity (ASQ) was required by U.S. District <br />Court Judge Sherman Finesilver's 1989 decision on litigation of the 1985 Forest Plan. Parts of the <br />decision found that the Forest Service needs to assure economic analyses are adequately discussed, <br />include a profitable timber-production program alternative, give reasons for selection or rejection of <br />that alternative, and use current price data in the analysis. The cost of conducting this analysis was <br />estimated at $400,000 and would take approximately 18 months to complete. <br /> <br />The Forest was scheduled to begin a Forest Plan Revision in a few years. It was decided that starting <br />the Revision in 1990 would comply with the Judge's order. and be more cost effective than <br />immediately spending $400,000 to correct one part of the Forest P:an. <br /> <br />Furthermore, in implementing the 1985 Forest Plan, it became more difficult to meet timber targets <br />approximating the ASQ, while abiding by the Forest Plan standards and guidelines (S&G's). <br />Consequently, the annual timber program has decreased, since S&G's take precedence over outputs <br />when there is a conflict. <br /> <br />In the current Forest Plan the dominant silvicultural prescriptions are even-aged management <br />(c1earcuts and shelterwoood) with a 20-percent leeway to apply other prescriptions. The estimates of <br />timber outputs were based on even-aged management. To shift to ecosystem management (see the <br />Biological Diversity revision topic) a broader choice of even-aged and uneven-aged management is <br />needed to optimize multiple-use values and sustainability. Application of a broader choice of <br />prescriptions will affect costs, and most likely, the ASQ. <br /> <br />Financial efficiency in timber management has taken on heightened importance since the current <br />Forest Plan was approved. The below-cost timber sale issue and the Federal budget deficit both drive <br />interest in financial efficiency. <br /> <br />Two Forest Plan amendments are needed based on the Monitoring and Evaluation Report for the <br />1985-91 period. These amendments will be done as part of the Forest Plan Revision since they are <br />dependent on the size of the ASQ and the silvicultural practices in the selected alternative. <br /> <br />The RGNF has been trying to avoid planting trees since it has been considered prohibitively expensive <br />(approximately $600 per acre). The current Forest Plan calls for up to 400 acres to be planted each <br />year. This number will need to be changed in the Forest Plan Revision. To attain ecosystem <br />management objectives it may be necessary to do some planting. The appropriate level of planting <br />will be estimated during the Forest Plan Revision. <br /> <br />11I-30 <br /> <br />'-1' 0443 <br />, tv~ <br />