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Designation of management classes were done by the respective Forest <br />staffs, on each of the 3 National Forests. We did not question the definitions <br />or the allocations as part of this effort. Allocations are assumed consistent <br />with Forest Plan revisions and data resolution does not allow further <br />characterization, or justification, of the allocations within each of the four <br />management classes. <br />Of the total 1,343,000 acres of national forest land in the North Platte <br />drainage, approximately 223,000 acres, or 16.5 percent of the total, is <br />designated Wilderness. Approximately 391,000 acres, or 29 percent of the <br />total, has been determined to be Unsuitable for Timber Harvest. Of the <br />remaining 731,000 acres, 502,000 acres, or 37 percent of the total, is <br />designated Suitable for Timber Harvest while the remaining 229,000 acres <br />are considered Tentatively Suitable for Timber Harvest. The U.S. Forest <br />Service management class designations define those areas available for <br />timber harvest, and those, which are not available. <br />Stand Description <br />The information provided to us by the U.S. Forest Service was derived from <br />the current (ca. December 1999) GIS database. In total, data consisted of <br />characterizing approximately 23,000 separate polygons or unit areas. Each <br />polygon represents an area with a matrix of descriptive parameters <br />describing the area the polygon represents and the nature of the uniform <br />cover type it represents. The descriptive parameters include aspect, <br />elevation, 6h order watershed location, and cover type. <br />Cover Type <br />Each polygon portrays a single Cover Type that can be characterized as <br />either water, barren, grass, shrub, or forest. Information on specie <br />composition, basal area, cover density, and size class further characterize the <br />forest cover type. No further information is given on the other cover types. <br />Less than one percent of the total 1,343,000 acres of Forest Service <br />ownership is covered by water (8303 acres). Barren Area designation <br />occupies 2.75 percent of the total area or 36,971 acres, while grasses occupy <br />5.8 percent or 77,729 acres. Brush dominates on 112,000 acres or 8.4 <br />percent of the total NFS lands. Because of the minimal acreage occupied by <br />cottonwood, the 122 acres were added to the acreage designated as water or <br />23 <br />