Screening Guidelines
Potential concerns related to implementation of the Forest Plan or to the Plan itself can be sorted on a systematic basis. Once these potential items/concerns are annotated/identified, they can be tested against a set of screens.
This guide is intended to describe each screen and how it can be applied. Where appropriate, examples are used to help explain the logic of a screen. Note that some items/concerns could have more than one screen applicable to address them. Usually, the best screen in these circumstances will be dependent on when is the best time to address the item/concern.
Following are the screens and relative information to guide their use:
- Item/concern can be addressed by minor changes or additions to policy or procedures.
Early in the Plan we took efforts to standardize approaches for how we would meet the intent of the Plan. After 5 years of implementing the Plan, some of these work approaches may need to be adjusted based on our increase in knowledge. Additionally, some subjects or approaches to resource information management may be given more emphasis than was foreseen by the Plan. The Forest Plan was not intended to be an exhaustive document that addresses every potential issue or resource concern. Implementation of a Forest Plan occurs through time, with the plan used to guide our responses to continuing changes on the ground and the demands of the public. When we encounter a subject not specifically mentioned in the Plan, looking at the intent of the Plan may be sufficient to address the subject or concern. Concerns in this screen category may also indicate the need to make minor adjustments to our policies or procedures used to implement the Forest Plan to best address them. One must be mindful of budgetary consequences when considering changes to policy or procedures as well.
An example of this category could be the current emphasis on managing invasive species. The Forest Plan does not specifically mention invasive species. However, when one looks at the intent of the Plan, especially in the Forest Desired Conditions and Forest-wide Multiple-use Goals and Objectives in Chapter 2 of the Plan, the ability to address invasive species issues is assumed. Additionally under this example, if there is a project proposed to address an invasive species situation, the Forest Plan could be amended to more specifically address the topic with an appropriate NEPA decision (see Screen 4 below), or if treatment of the invasive species is consistent with the goals and objectives of the applicable Land Use Designation (LUD), no site-specific amendment to the Plan may be needed.
- Item/concern can be addressed by clarifications of existing policy or procedures.
Some aspects of the Forest Plan and its implementation are complex and/or controversial. Standardized approaches in these situations are usually the best. Some concerns may be addressed by internal standardized clarifications. Other concerns may be best addressed with our State and Federal agency partners and others as appropriate.
A good example of how concerns could be processed in this category, include the interagency Tongass Plan Implementation Team (TPIT) processes completed right after the Forest Plan went into effect (Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan Implementation Policy Clarification, August 1998). The TPIT was made up of representatives of the Forest Service, State and other Federal agencies, and addressed 11 specific subject areas for clarification and standardized approaches for interpretation and implementation of the Plan.
- Item/concern can be addressed by implementation of a specific adaptive management opportunity.
Recognizing that conditions on the Tongass National Forest do not remain static and that new information is constantly being developed, the Forest Plan embraces an adaptive management approach. This approach refers to the continuous process of action-based planning, monitoring, research, evaluation, and adjustment, with the objective of improving implementation to achieve desired management goals and objectives. Some concerns, situations, or opportunities are not clearly, or specifically, addressed by Forest Plan Goals and Objectives or Standards and Guidelines, even though they are certainly within the intent of Forest Plan implementation. Adaptive management approaches may be a good approach for these types of items. Each item in this category has to be evaluated on its own merits when considering the adaptive management approach.
- Item/concern can be addressed by a non-significant amendment to the Forest Plan with an appropriate project NEPA decision.
Forest Plans done under the 1982 Planning Regulations (like the Tongass Forest Plan) are expected to have a life-span of 10 to 15 years and then be formally revised. It is anticipated the Forest Plan will be updated formally throughout its life by amendments pertinent to specific situations. Specific situations often arise during planning efforts when portions of a landscape and the associated resources are looked at or analyzed in more detail than was necessary for the forest-wide or programmatic levels of detail. Because amendments to the Forest Plan require appropriate NEPA analysis with Forest Supervisor approval, it is logical to include Plan amendments with relevant decisions.
Forest Plan amendments associated with adjustments to Small Old Growth Reserves have, for example, routinely been done since the Plan became effective. Another example that may fit into this category is the apparent need to adjust karst related Standards and Guidelines based on implementing the current direction in several different projects, as well as, ongoing Forest Plan monitoring efforts. Note that Screens 1-3 above may be appropriate for specific situations or used to deal with situations of a short duration. Screens 4-6 are used to address concerns that are of longer duration, reoccurring, or otherwise pertinent to formally address such.
- Item/concern can be addressed by a non-significant amendment to the Forest Plan with a stand-alone non-significant amendment and associated NEPA decision.
Some issues or concerns are more forest-wide in nature or scope and can best be addressed based on their own analyses and merits, rather than linked to a specific project and associated NEPA decision.
An example of this approach is our current evaluation of the Forest Plan Management Indicator Species list. There are concerns related to the type of information the Plan requires the Forest to gather for monitoring these species, the usefulness of the information that is gathered in relation to future Plan revisions, the potential duplication of information gathered for different species, overall costs relative to the pertinence of the information, and whether or not the list should be changed. Each species on the current list is being evaluated for their suitability and utility as indicator species. If the Forest believes it is necessary to make changes to the list, appropriate NEPA analysis will be initiated to amend the Plan accordingly.
- Item/concern can be addressed by a significant amendment or revision of the Forest Plan.
Some issues, circumstances, or changes in policies or land status may be of such magnitude that the Plan may require significant amendment or complete revision.
Examples of this could include a large-scale land exchange or full implementation of the Roadless Conservation Rule. Each situation would have to be evaluated on its own merits in relation to the Goals and Objectives of the Plan and the outputs expected from the Plan.
- Item/concern is beyond the scope, or not applicable to the 5 Year Review at this time.
This category is meant to address those items that do not fit in the previous screens. Of most interest here is usually timing. If an item is not best addressed in the previous screens, it is often the case that the item is not ripe for analysis or decision at this time.
Examples for this category could include the same items used as examples in Screen 6 above. Until such time a large-scale land exchange is actually proposed, or the Roadless Rule prohibitions go into effect on the Tongass, these items are not ripe for appropriate levels of analysis necessary to amend or revise the Forest Plan.