Tongass National Forest

The Forest Plan clearly states in the 1997 Record of Decision and in the Monitoring Plan that we will evaluate the conservation strategy included in the Plan. It also says that the review will be done with our interagency partners and with the scientific community.

The comprehensive conservation strategy included in the Forest Plan was based on 267 mmbf ASQ and the Tongass is harvesting well below that level. Based on a combination of monitoring, adjustments to small Old Growth Reserves, the amount of non-traditional timber harvest, ongoing research, and that no additional species have been listed since 1997, it is reasonable to conclude that viability is not a concern on the Tongass at this time.

Several Tongass forest planning events have delayed the evaluation of the conservation strategy including the issuance of the 1999 Record of Decision (ROD), the 2001 District Court decisions on the 1997 and 1999 RODs, and the 2003 Forest Plan SEIS and ROD.

There have been a number of Forest Plan follow-on studies, most identified in the Information Needs part of the Plan, as well as other studies worldwide, which address conservation biology strategies. This information needs to be brought together in a manner that key persons can identify what and how much of this information can apply to the Tongass Forest Plan and the conservation strategy included in it.

Part of making this application needs to be done in the perspective of how much Forest Plan implementation has been taking place since 1997. For example, the conservation strategy for the Plan was based on assumptions and projected affects associated with an ASQ of 267 MMBF. Actual harvests have been less than half of that projected during the first 5 years of the Plan. If timber markets improve, the volumes harvested are likely to increase in the future too, and this needs to be considered.

(See also the concern that marten and goshawk structural requirement standards and guidelines may not be consistent with current science for these species [04-9].)

Conduct a scientific evaluation of the Forest Plan conservation strategy with ADF&G, USFWS, and PNW that incorporates information generated since 1997 and any new science.

• Interagency Partners
• PNW
• IMI
• Forest Planner
• Forest Wildlife Biologist

• Study Plan/Proposal
• Report on the scientific review of the conservation strategy with findings and recommendations.