Tongass National Forest

Concern has also been expressed that the Forest Supervisor is not implementing the interagency biologist’s recommendations for adjusting OGRs.

Since 1998 (through FY 2002), there has been a net increase of 12,644 acres in OGRs with a net decrease of suitable acres of 3,085 acres due to this increase. These changes have occurred through non-significant Forest Plan Amendments as provided for in the Forest Plan. (Table 2-8 of the 2002 Tongass Monitoring and Evaluation Report displays these changes.) As noted in the Monitoring Report, the decrease of suitable acres is less than one percent and is considered insignificant from a Forest Plan level.

The Forest Plan requires an assessment of the Small OGRs when doing projects that could affect old growth forests, and expects the Forest Plan to be adjusted as necessary to improve this component of the Forest Plan conservation strategy. The Small OGRs included in the Plan were based on various quality levels of information and thus were expected to be adjusted based on better and more consistent information generated at the project level.

In addition to the Forest Plan standards and guidelines and Appendix K, there are TPIT Clarifications regarding analyses and adjustments for OGRs. Part of the Clarifications is a review and recommendation process to be used by project planning. This includes the use of an interagency group of biologists that make their best biological recommendations to the Forest Supervisor for consideration in the project planning process. These recommendations are used in the project planning process to help find the best balance of Forest Plan implementation needs. The Forest Supervisor includes appropriate discussions and rationale for the final decisions, including that associated with adjustments of OGRs.

Continue to monitor the cumulative acres converted from suitable and available acres to non-development acres. Continue to reiterate the TPIT processes for development and use of the interagency biologist recommendations. Include as appropriate in Forest Plan Implementation Refresher Training.

• Forest Planner
• Forest NEPA Coordinator
• Forest Wildlife Biologist

• Ongoing monitoring and Forest Plan Implementation training.