Utah Environmental Congress
A SELECTION OF TERMS COMMONLY USED BY THE FOREST SERVICE
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS EA, Environmental Assessment FONSI, Finding Of No Significant Impact DN, Decision Notice ROD, Record of Decision FOREST PLANNING FORPLAN ASQ, Allowable Sale Quantity IRM, Integrated Resource Management Plan; or RAA, Resource Area Analysis ICOs, Issues, Concerns and Opportunities S&Gs, Standards and Guidelines FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Even-age Management Uneven-age Management Shelterwood Harvest Clearcut Seedtree Harvest Selection Cut TIMBER TERMINOLOGY Sawtimber Post and Poles Sale Area Cutting Unit Stand Tractor Logging Cable Logging
MUSYA
The Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act (1960) provides for a variety of uses on National Forests. Commodities (i.e. timber, grazing), are to be produced in amounts that can be sustained over a long period of time.
EIS, Environmental Impact Statement
Required by NEPA for any activity with a "significant impact on the human environment." This is the most rigorous level of environmental analysis. It typically provides several alternatives and attempts to gauge the environmental consequences of each. It is first prepared in a draft form (DEIS) with a public review and comment period. The final (FEIS) is accompanied with a record of decision (ROD).
The environmental analysis conducted for federal activities found to not have a significant effect on the human environment. This is the level of environmental analysis usually conducted for timber sales. It typically provides several alternatives and attempts to gauge the environmental consequences of each. It is first released in a draft form with a public review and comment period. The final EA is accompanied by a decision notice (DN).
A FONSI is the statement issued by an agency when they believe their proposed action will have no significant effect on the existing environment. This finding allows for a level of environmental analysis less rigorous than an EIS (i.e. EA).
This document selects between a range of alternatives provided in the EA. It states what the agency plans to do and why.
This document is the same as a DN except it accompanies an EIS.
LMP, Land Management Plan
This document is required of each forest by NFMA. It plans and describes forest activities for ten years and projects the effects of these activities into the future. It is generally known as the Forest Plan.
The computer program used by the Forest Service to develop their LMPs. It compares the commodity and non-commodity outputs possible on a national forest for a given set of constraints.
The ASQ is a guideline to indicate the average annual amount of timber which can be sustainably harvested on a national forest. The ASQ is the maximum level - not a target or goal - which cannot be exceeded by the end of the LMP period (10 years).
An analysis process whereby the Forest Service develops plans for all resources in a given area. The specific projects carried out under the IRM or RAA are evaluated individually through the appropriate environmental document (EA or EIS). The use of this process varies with individual forests.
These are points raised in the early stages of preparing an EA or EIS. They attempt to identify what the major issues are and concerns of the public or agency. They may be raised by Forest Service staff, members of the public, or other interested parties.
The regulations included in the LMP which provide specific, required regulations for forest management. Examples include: open road densities, visual quality objectives, increases in stream sedimentation, etc. These are technical standards are required to be followed while guidelines are discretionary.
CMAI, Culmination of Mean Annual Increment
The age at which the average annual growth over the life of a forest is at a maximum. If forests are harvested at culmination, harvests can perpetually be maintained at their highest possible area.
This is a type of timber management which creates areas where the trees are essentially all of the same age class. The Forest Service generally applies even-age management to all suitable timber lands.
Refers to timber management in which a variety of age classes of trees are grown together in the same area.
An even-age method of cutting trees in which about half to two-thirds of a stand is cut at maturity, and the remaining trees are left for a shelter to encourage reforestation. Once the regeneration has become well established, the "shelter" trees are removed.
Clearcutting is the cutting of all trees in an area and results in an even-aged stand. NFMA regulated clearcut openings from the harvesting of green timber (i.e. non-salvage), to a maximum of 40 acres.
This is a mid-range harvest (between shelterwood and clearcut), that leaves enough trees to provide a seed source for regeneration. This "natural" form of regeneration may not work on all sites, especially harsh, steep, or dry areas. Once the regeneration has become well established, the seed trees are removed.
Removes trees individually or in small (1-3 acres) groups in a scattered pattern, from a large area, over a number of years. This is an uneven-aged harvest method.
DBH, Diameter at Breast Height
The standard by which the diameter of a tree is measured, at 4 1/2 feet off the ground.
These are the valuable large trees (over 9 inches DBH) used for lumber.
Small trees (5 to 9 inches DBH) used for lumber.
The area in which the timber sale occurs. Not all lands within the sale area will be cut - the entire area is called the "planning area".
This is an area within the general sale area in which trees are cut. These small units have a specific management goal or prescription attached to them (i.e. clearcut, shelterwood, thinning, etc.).
A timber stand is a group of trees growing together which are uniform in age class, species composition, etc., and is distinguishable from an adjacent group. A stand is treated as an individual management or silvicultural unit.
Uses tractors generally known as skidders to remove harvested trees from a cutting unit.
This is a method of logging used on steep slopes which are not accessible to conventional tractor logging. This style of logging is common in the Northwest, and economics should prevent its use in the Southwest and Northern Rockies, but unfortunately doesn't.
