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<br />:::\ <br /> <br />Management Situation by Revision Topic <br /> <br />:-;) <br /> <br />In 1989 the RGNF prepared a Timber-Stand Improvement (TSI) needs assessment to guide program <br />budget requests until the Forest Plan is revised. It was recommended that there wlll not be any <br />thinning because it is not economical. Thinning, to enhance future sawtimber, m,ay not be <br />economical at today's costs and stumpage prices. Some thinning may be appropriate to enhance <br />vegetation for such reasons as increasing wildlife cover, improving scenery, or halVesting Christmas <br />trees while accelerating growth. <br /> <br />Multiple-use goals and objectives are likely to change due to the application of ecosystem <br />management and biological diversity (see the Biological Diversity revision topic). A soil survey that <br />was not available during development of the current Forest Plan will allow better assessment of <br />productivity and regeneration potential in determining suitability. Furthermore, a spatial analysis can <br />now be done because of new d'ltabase capabilities. Management-area prescriptions and S&G's also <br />likely will change due to ecosystem management, biodiversity considerations, soil considerations, and <br />spatial analysis. lands suitable for timber harvest and ASQ will also likely change for the reasons <br />given above. <br /> <br />C. Current Situation and Pa5t Trt'lnd5 <br /> <br />Land Cla66ification <br /> <br />The purpose of determining the tentatively suitable timber land base is to identify the amount and <br />location of these lands. Determining these lands is basically a process of elimination. There are five <br />initial standards which are used to determinewhether a particular parcel is suitable or unsuitable for <br />timber production. Those lands which remain suitable after applying the five standards are termed <br />'Tentatively Suitable Timber lands' (TSTl). <br /> <br />The tentatively suitable timber lands are just that -- tentative. Each management alternative will use <br />the TSTl as the starting point for <br />determining the suitable timber lands <br />(STl) for each alternative. The STl will <br />be different for each alternative. The <br />differences in the STl among the <br />alternatives is. based on the <br />management prescriptions used in the <br />alternative and the financial 'lnd <br />economic strategy of the alternative. <br /> <br />Land Base Distribution <br /> <br />Results of Detennining Tentatiwly Suitable Timber umds <br /> <br />Nonforestod Londs 35% <br /> <br />Forested Wik:temess '2% <br /> <br /> <br />her Ownership 5% <br />stedfrllgitesoils ,% <br /> <br />Results from the evaluation show that <br />approximately 40% of the Forest's <br />land base is tentatively suitable for <br />timber management (Figure 11I-6). <br /> <br />NonindU$t,iI'S""cies 3% <br />ReforestlltKHl prObJems 4" <br /> <br />Tentlltively Suitllble for M.n.gement 40% <br /> <br />Figure 11I-7 illustrates that these lands <br />are spread throughout the Forest., The <br />distribution between the four .districts Figure 11I-6. Land Base Distribution <br />is: 33% on the Saguache District, <br />28% on the Del Norte District, 20% on the Creede District, and 19% on the Conejos Peak District. <br /> <br />IGNF GrouAtf,a. 1,1J5.J54&aes <br />Jl,P'IU&ryltU <br /> <br />11I-31 <br /> <br />('J24411 <br />