Forest Plan Implementation
Forest Plan Overview
Appendices
APPENDIX A - TIMBER RESOURCE LAND SUITABILITY
This appendix presents the results and describes the process followed to identify the lands on the Tongass National Forest that are suitable for timber production. This is accomplished in two major steps: 1) the identification of lands that are legally and practicably capable of timber production, called tentatively suitable lands; and 2) from the tentatively suitable lands, the selection of lands that are suitable for timber production based on all the multiple-use objectives for the Forest. Suitable lands in the Forest Plan constitute the land base for determining the Allowable Sale Quantity (ASQ) and all vegetation management practices associated with timber production.
APPENDIX B - INFORMATION NEEDS
This appendix outlines a framework for identifying high priority information needs and updating them through time. It also identifies current areas of interest the Forest would like to pursue with the State of Alaska, other federal agencies, and internal and external partners. Identifying and addressing higher priority information needs will substantially strengthen the scientific information base needed to support future planning efforts and provide insights into the assessment of management actions. Information needs are a critical component of the "adaptive management" feedback loop for future Plan amendments or revisions that will influence management adjustments to address economic, social, and environmental concerns on the Forest.
APPENDIX C - WATERSHED ANALYSIS
Watershed analysis is a procedure for assessing important riparian and aquatic values and processes in a watershed context. It is designed to:
- Help set the stage for project-level planning and decisions
- Strengthen the project NEPA analysis and decision
- Focus interdisciplinary discussion on key watershed resources
This appendix describes the process for watershed analysis on the Tongass National Forest.
APPENDIX D - RIPARIAN BUFFER STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES CRITERIA
Riparian areas encompass the zone of interaction between aquatic and terrestrial environments associated with streamsides, lakeshores, and floodplains, and display distinctive ecological conditions characterized by high species diversity, wildlife value, and resource productivity. The Riparian section of Chapter 4 contains Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines for managing riparian areas. The desired conditions, objectives and management direction for each channel type and process group contained in this appendix are an important component of the Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines. In this Plan, channel types and process groups are central to the direction for riparian area management (see the Riparian Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines in Chapter 4). Channel types and process groups are used for guiding land management activities and predicting the effects of those activities along all stream and river systems of the Tongass National Forest. For more information on riparian management considerations for each of the channel types, consult Paustian et al. (1992).
APPENDIX E - COMMUNICATION SITES
Appendix E provides a listing of approved communication sites on the Tongass National Forest (Table E-1). A communication site is an area of National Forest System land designated through the Forest land and resource management planning process for telecommunication uses. A communication site may be limited to a single ommunication facility, but most often encompasses more than one facility.
APPENDIX F - VISUAL PRIORITY ROUTES AND USE AREAS
This appendix lists routes and use areas from which scenery will be emphasized. Viewsheds are identified and viewpoints are established to assess the existing scenic integrity of any given project area and to develop project designs that will be consistent with the Scenic Integrity Objective (SIO) for each Land Use Designation (LUD). (See the Scenery Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines in Chapter 4 for a listing of the Scenic Integrity Objectives for foreground, middleground, and background views by LUD.)
APPENDIX G - LOG TRANSFER FACILITY GUIDELINES
Log transfer facilities (LTFs) undergo a complex and rigorous permitting process involving four state and four federal resource management and regulatory agencies, as well as comments from other interested parties. Through the permitting process, the regulatory agencies may approve or disapprove permits with stipulations that govern the construction and operation of LTFs. This appendix identifies the LTF guidelines in three sections, including: siting, construction and operation, and monitoring and reporting.
APPENDIX H - KARST AND CAVE RESOURCES
This appendix identifies the strategy, management, and assessment of karst and cave resources.
APPENDIX I - ROS CLASS STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES
The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) can help identify, quantify, and describe the types of recreation settings that the Tongass provides. The ROS system portrays the combination of activities, settings, and experience expectations along a continuum that ranges from highly modified to primitive environments. Seven classifications are identified along this continuum: Urban (U), Rural (R), Roaded Natural (RN), Roaded Modified (RM), Semi-Primitive Motorized (SPM), Semi-Primitive Non-Motorized (SPNM), and Primitive (P). The ROS inventory may be used to assess the potential effects of the alternatives on recreation settings. The setting indicators and applicable standards and guidelines for the seven ROS classes are discussed below. This appendix describes the setting indicators and the standards and guidelines for ROS classes.
APPENDIX J - TONGASS ANNUAL PROGRAM OF WORK
Direction in the Forest Plan is implemented through the development of an annual program of work that communicates forest priorities, targets, and specific goals for a given year. National, regional, and forest level strategies and initiatives also influence the Program of Work development and is outlined briefly in this appendix. The Tongass National Forest Leadership Team, within the context of statute, regulations, policies, agency strategies, and the Forest Plan, developed the Tongass National Forest Strategy for Management and Priority Setting FY2007 thru 2011 to provide broad program focus and guidance for the next 5 years. The Team's intent with this Strategy is to describe their values and vision and provide strategic goals and priorities to help employees with their work plan development and enhance understanding of the decision-making rationale as the Forest Plan is implemented. A complete copy of the Strategic Plan can be found at the Forest Plan website: www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/.
APPENDIX K - OLD-GROWTH HABITAT RESERVE MODIFICATION PROCEDURES
This appendix describes criteria for changing the boundaries of old-growth reserves (OGRs) at the project level as described in the Old-growth Habitat Land Use Designation (LUD) Standards and Guidelines (Wildlife section). For a complete review of the Conservation Strategy, including assumptions for the design of the OGR system, refer to Appendix D of the 2008 Final EIS.
APPENDIX L - SPECIAL INTEREST AREAS AND EXPERIMENTAL FORESTS
This appendix provides a list of the existing Special Interest Areas and a description of each of the new and expanded Special Interest Areas, as well as the recommended Experimental Forest. The location of each area is shown on the Record of Decision Map.