Tongass National Forest Plan Maintenance Program

Monitoring Program

Wilderness

Forest Plan Objectives and Monitoring Plan Questions

The following objectives, monitoring questions, evaluation criteria, and adaptive feedback mechanisms are identified in Table 6-1 of the 2008 Forest Plan.

Objective

Extensive, unmodified natural environments characterize all designated Wilderness on the Tongass National Forest. Ecological processes and natural conditions are not measurably affected by past or current human uses or activities. Users have the opportunity to experience independence, closeness to nature, solitude and remoteness, and may pursue activities requiring self-reliance, challenge and risk. Motorized and mechanized use is limited to the minimum needed for the administration of the wilderness, access to state and private lands, subsistence uses, and for public access and other uses specifically allowed by ANILCA.

Monitoring Plan Question

Is the wilderness character being maintained?

Sampling/Reporting Period

Annual/5 year

Evaluation Criteria

Compliance with guidelines establishing levels of social encounters, development, and visitor impacts: REC3.

Data and Inventory Sources

Wilderness inventory and monitoring

Feed Back Mechanism

Evaluate management practices and change if needed; Wilderness Standards and Guidelines.

Inventory and Monitoring Data and Reports

This section is a location where resource-specific inventory and monitoring data and reports can be stored and made available for review by Forest Service and other participating agencies, as well as interested members of the public.

Procedures and Tools

The Procedures and Tools subsection of this web site provides information on important procedures and tools used in Forest Plan implementation. These procedures and tools are provided on this web site to help ensure that they are applied in an accurate and consistent manner.