National Forest Lands Research Articles

Translating national level forest service goals to local level land management: carbon sequestration

The USDA Forest Service has many national level policies related to multiple use management. However, translating national policy to stand level forest management can be difficult. As an example of how a national policy can be put into action, we examined three case studies in which a desired future condition is evaluated at the national, region, and local scale. We chose to use carbon sequestration as the desired future condition because climate change has become a major area of concern during the last decade. Several studies have determined that the 193 million acres of US national forest land currently sequester 11 to 15% of the total carbon emitted as a nation. This paper provides a framework by which national scale strategies for maintaining or enhancing forest carbon sequestration is translated through regional considerations and local constraints in adaptive management practices. Although this framework used the carbon sequestration as a case study, this framework could be used with other national level priorities such as the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) or the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Importance of demographic surveys and public lands for the conservation of eastern hellbenders Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis in southeast USA.

Comparisons of recent and historic population demographic studies of eastern hellbenders Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis have identified significant population declines and extirpations associated with habitat degradation, poor water quality and disease, leading to nomination as a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. However, populations in the southern Appalachian region of the range have received less attention despite relatively high levels of watershed protection due to the establishment of federally protected National Forest and National Park public lands. These watersheds likely represent some of the best remaining available habitat, yet the lack of published studies make assessment of population stability and viability very difficult. Our objectives were to (1) conduct a capture-mark-recapture (CMR) demographic study and a point transect survey on the Hiwassee River in Tennessee which is designated a National Scenic River, and is largely contained within the Cherokee National Forest, (2) quantify the size structure of the population, (3) compare abundance, survival and recruitment with historic and contemporary hellbender populations across the range, (4) assess the importance of this population and the significance of National Forest and National Park lands in the context of hellbender population conservation in the southeastern United States. We detected all age classes present, with larval hellbenders comprising 21.5% of captures. Using a combination of static life table and CMR methods, we determined that survival rates during the first year were low (~10%), but were high (68–94%) for taggable sized hellbenders. Density of hellbenders at the study site was very high (84 taggable sized hellbenders per 100m of river) compared to recent demographic studies conducted in other regions of the range. We detected hellbenders over ~28 km of river, with a mean density of 23 taggable sized hellbenders per 100m of river, and a total population estimate of 6440 taggable hellbenders. National Forest and National Park lands are likely to continue to play a particularly important role in providing suitable habitat for hellbenders in the southern Appalachians. In fact, only six of 21 known hellbender locations in Tennessee appear to show consistent larval recruitment, all of which are located within or adjacent to National Forest or National Park land.

Rewilding, "the Hoop," and Settler Apocalypse

This paper presents an ethnographic account of a grassroots network of mostly white-identified nomads who travel in the northwest United States’ Great Basin and Columbia Plateau regions. Living mostly on National Forest land, this movement of “rewilders” appropriates local Indigenous peoples’ traditional ecological knowledge in order to gather and replant wild foods in a seasonal round that they refer to as the “Sacred Hoop.” I discuss the Hoop network in order to explore the environmental ethics of a group that is at once strikingly unique and also an embodiment of the problems of settler colonialism within the broader environmentalist movement. I begin by introducing the group's ecologies and ethics, and subsequently move into an examination of the multiple and sometimes-contradictory lines of apocalyptic narrative logic at work in Hoopster discourse. I assert that the Hoopsters’ conflicting accounts of the Anthropocene, and the temporality of its disasters, are a manifestation of their ongoing work grappling with their own racial positionality. Despite the Hoopsters’ uncompromising critiques of colonialism, capitalism, and environmental exploitation, they struggle to come to terms with their role in ongoing colonialism and the marginalization of Indigenous peoples. In this way, the Hoopsters echo the troubled narratives at work in broader North American environmental thought, which consistently reveres the idea of Indigenous cultures while failing to enter into solidarity relationships with contemporary Indigenous communities and their efforts toward decolonization.

Elevated Stream Pathogenic Indicator Bacteria Concentrations in Livestock Grazing Areas across a Single National Forest

Livestock presence in proximity to forest streams has been shown to contribute pathogenic bacteria in excess of water quality standards established to protect human health. However, the degree to which livestock fecal contamination in streams on national forest lands is either a limited or a potentially widespread occurrence is still debated. This study provides additional insight into the matter. We analyzed water in small streams near known cattle grazing areas within the Stanislaus National Forest in the Sierra Nevada, California from 2012 to 2016. Fourteen stream sites were sampled before and after cattle were released onto the forest (four of these sites were sampled across multiple years) to compare indicator bacteria concentrations (fecal coliform—FC, Escherichia coli—EC) to standards established for recreational contact for surface waters. One control site was also sampled. There were 194 water quality violations of either state or federal regulatory standards for recreational contact, all of which occurred once cattle were on the forest. Mean (max) FC and EC concentrations were on orders of magnitude higher after cattle were released onto the forest [FC 1307 (30,000) and EC 1033 (17,000) MPN/100 mL] than during the time period before cattle were on the forest [FC 19 (220) and EC 17 (220) MPN/100 mL; FC, F1,210 = 105, p 1,210 = 85.5, p 0.001]. In addition, the presence of cattle, visual evidence of recent cattle-related disturbances, and sampling week were important predictor variables of FC and EC. These findings support the link between cattle presence and increased levels of stream pathogenic bacteria, and also demonstrate that stream pathogenic bacteria pollution occurs widely across the forest. This research indicates the need to consider alternative range management practices to better protect water quality and human health.

Effects of wildfire on the value of recreation in western North America

ABSTRACTWildfires play an integral role in forest ecosystems of western North America. In an attempt to measure the level and value of ecosystem damage caused by wildfires, papers employing nonmarket valuation techniques—stated preference, revealed preference, and combined methods—are reviewed. A systematic review of results shows a portion of visitors finding conditions desirable in the initial years following moderate burn. Common individual traits and other site characteristics are also found to have significant effect on recreational trip demand. The conclusions reached in this study may assist in providing future guidance to forest and natural resource management programs on the role of fire in influencing value for recreational services derived from national forestlands.

Revitalizing Mountain Ginseng Cultivation in North Jeolla Province, South Korea

A study was made of measures to revitalize mountain ginseng cultivation in the eastern mountainous area of Muju, Jinan and Jangsu municipalities of North Jeolla province, South Korea. The targeted area is typical forested land and is utilized for the cultivation of ginseng. Access to seeds and seedlings for mountain ginseng cultivation is relatively easy in North Jeolla province, and the species is cultivated widely (on 63 % of the area of the province and by 74 % of farmers). This study investigated the current state of mountain ginseng cultivation and business management, including production costs and subsidy, sales and distribution system, and other business management concerns. A survey was conducted on 86 mountain ginseng-cultivating farming households living in the targeted area in 2013. It is concluded that to achieve greater production an aggressive government policy promoting the renting out of suitable sites for mountain ginseng cultivation in national and public production forestland to individual farms and farming cooperatives is necessary. Further research on increasing the survival rate of cultivated mountain ginseng (CMG) until harvesting and preventing damage by wild animals is also deemed necessary. More effective use of related municipal budget subsidy needs to be supported selectively to the enterprising farmers who aggressively pursue mountain ginseng cultivation and business management. Opening CMG retail stores to realize sustainable income growth and developing various processed products will increase farm income. The government needs to introduce policies to sustain consumer trust in CMG through initiatives such as establishing a CMG quality management system for growers, distributing government-approved seeds, and implementing a government-based CMG purchase system.

Carbon stocks and accumulation rates in Pacific Northwest forests: role of stand age, plant community, and productivity

AbstractForest ecosystems are removing significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. Both abiotic resource availability and biotic interactions during forest succession affect C accumulation rates and maximum C stocks. However, the timing and controls on the peak and decline in C accumulation rates as stands age, trees increase in size, and canopy gaps become prevalent are not well‐understood. Our study examines measured change in live and dead woody C pools from 8767 inventory plots on 9.1 million ha of Pacific Northwest National Forest lands to determine how the balance of tree growth, mortality, and dead wood decomposition varied by stand age, plant community type, and site productivity; and to compare the contribution of different tree sizes to C accumulation. Maximum non‐mineral soil C for old‐growth stands varied significantly by productivity class within plant community types, but on average stands accumulated 75% of maximum stocks by age 127 ± 35 yr. We did not see a decline in net primary production of wood (NPPw) with age in moderate and low‐productivity classes, but found a 33% reduction in high‐productivity classes. Mortality increased with stand age such that net change in live tree biomass, and change in total woody C, was not significantly different from zero in old‐growth stands over age 400 (0.15 ± 0.64 Mg C·ha−1·yr−1for woody C). However, significant though modest C accumulation was found in forests 200–400 yr old (0.34–0.70 Mg C·ha−1·yr−1, depending on age class). Mortality of trees >100 cm diameter exceeded or equaled NPPw, but trees were growing into the larger sizes at a high‐enough rate that a net increase in large tree C was seen across the region. Although large trees accumulated C at a faster rate than small trees on an individual basis, their contribution to C accumulation rates was smaller on an area basis, and their importance relative to small trees declined in older stands compared to younger stands. In contrast to recent syntheses, our results suggest that old‐growth and large trees are important C stocks, but they play a minor role in additional C accumulation.

Assessing the impacts of federal forest planning on wildfire risk mitigation in the Pacific Northwest, USA

We analyzed the impact of amenity and biodiversity protection as mandated in national forest plans on the implementation of hazardous fuel reduction treatments aimed at protecting the wildland urban interface (WUI) and restoring fire resilient forests. We used simulation modeling to delineate areas on national forests that can potentially transmit fires to adjacent WUI. We then intersected these areas with national forest planning maps to determine where mechanical treatments are allowed for restoration and fire protection, versus areas where they are prohibited. We found that a large proportion of the national forest lands (79%) can spawn fires that burn adjacent WUIs. The bulk of the predicted WUI exposure originated from simulated fires ignited outside of conservation and preservation reserves and in dry forests, rather than moist mixed conifer forests. Thus the notion that fuel buildup in reserves on national forests contributes to wildfire risk in the urban interface was only partially supported by the data for the region studied. Most of the national forest lands that contribute wildfires to the WUI are not within the boundaries of community wildfire protection plans, which may undermine the effectiveness of these planning efforts. We used the spatial data themes developed in the study to map conflicts and opportunities for restoration and mitigation of WUI wildfire risk. The analysis disentangles the spatial complexity of managing landscapes for multiple socio-ecological objectives as part of ongoing restoration programs, collaborative planning, and national forest plan revisions on national forests in the US.

Downstream Warming and Headwater Acidity May Diminish Coldwater Habitat in Southern Appalachian Mountain Streams.

Stream-dwelling species in the U.S. southern Appalachian Mountains region are particularly vulnerable to climate change and acidification. The objectives of this study were to quantify the spatial extent of contemporary suitable habitat for acid- and thermally sensitive aquatic species and to forecast future habitat loss resulting from expected temperature increases on national forest lands in the southern Appalachian Mountain region. The goal of this study was to help watershed managers identify and assess stream reaches that are potentially vulnerable to warming, acidification, or both. To our knowledge, these results represent the first regional assessment of aquatic habitat suitability with respect to the combined effects of stream water temperature and acid-base status in the United States. Statistical models were developed to predict July mean daily maximum water temperatures and air-water temperature relations to determine potential changes in future stream water temperatures. The length of stream considered suitable habitat for acid- and thermally sensitive species, based on temperature and acid neutralizing capacity thresholds of 20°C and 50 μeq/L, was variable throughout the national forests considered. Stream length displaying temperature above 20°C was generally more than five times greater than the length predicted to have acid neutralizing capacity below 50 μeq/L. It was uncommon for these two stressors to occur within the same stream segment. Results suggested that species’ distributional shifts to colder, higher elevation habitats under a warming climate can be constrained by acidification of headwater streams. The approach used in this study can be applied to evaluate climate change impacts to stream water resources in other regions.

Looking Back to Move Forward: Collaborative Planning to Revise the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests Land and Resource Management Plans

The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service (Forest Service) manages 154 national forests and 20 grasslands in 44 states and Puerto Rico. National Forest Land and Resource Management Plans (forest plans) form the basis for land and resource management of national forests in the United States. For more than a decade the Forest Service has been attempting to incorporate innovative, collaborative public involvement strategies into the process for revising forest plans. In 2012 and 2015 the Forest Service codified new regulations for developing, revising, and amending forest plans. Collaboration and public involvement are explicit goals of the new regulations. This paper briefly reviews the literature on collaborative planning on national forests and explores a successful collaborative planning process used by the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests, located in Vermont and New York respectively, to develop their 2006 forest plans. This paper shows how the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests developed parallel public and internal collaborative processes to build trust, relationships, and partnership, and discusses the implications for process design, capacity building, and facilitating agreements. By looking back at this successful case of collaborative forest planning, key lessons can provide ideas for developing collaborative processes for future planning efforts.

Evaluation of Aggregate-Surfaced Roads for Timber Haul

The Siuslaw and Willamette National Forests in western Oregon have approximately 8,000 mi (12,900 km) of aggregate- and native-surfaced roads. These forest roads provide access for the general public (mainly recreation) and allow timber to be hauled to local lumber mills. The forests have developed a procedure for assessing whether an existing aggregate-surfaced road has the capacity to support this traffic. The procedure notes any existing surface distress, determines aggregate depths and material quality, ascertains the subgrade characteristics along the road segment, and then segments the road into like sections according to these observations. Next, the surfacing thickness program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is used to determine aggregate requirements for supporting traffic without excessive surface deterioration. Options for mitigating typical surface distress are addressed. The Siuslaw and Willamette National Forests have found that this procedure provides a reasonable and cost-effective means with which to determine where to apply aggregate on forest roads and how much, conserving the limited rock resources in national forest lands.

A Burning Problem: Social Dynamics of Disaster Risk Reduction through Wildfire Mitigation

Disasters result from hazards affecting vulnerable people. Most disasters research by anthropologists focuses on vulnerability; this article focuses on natural hazards. We use the case of wildfire mitigation on United States Forest Service lands in the northwestern United States to examine social, political, and economic variables at multiple scales that influence fire hazard and risk reduction treatments and their effectiveness. Variables highlighted include policy direction to prioritize wildfire risk reduction in the wildland-urban interface, laws and policies that make treating fuels in some national forest land management allocations challenging, social and political constraints on using prescribed fire, agency budget and target pressures, and integrating fire hazard reduction into forest management projects having multiple objectives. These variables compromise the effectiveness of wildfire mitigation treatments. Understanding the social dynamics of natural hazard mitigation is important because they affect its outcomes, creating differential exposure to natural hazards—one component of social vulnerability. Interdisciplinary research to identify how the social dynamics of natural hazard mitigation influence hazard reduction outcomes can contribute to more informed and effective approaches to disaster risk reduction.

Integrating social science research into wildland fire management

Purpose – Social science research is used to support the formulation of natural resource management decisions with accurate and timely information. Due to risk and potential impacts, this is important in wildland fire management. The purpose of this paper is to identify the respondent perceptions of a natural disturbance agent's impact on fire management in Colorado and Wyoming. Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology included a self-administered questionnaire completed by a random sample of respondents in three study locations adjacent to national forests. A quantitative analysis was conducted to identify attitudes about fuels management (prescribed fire) and beliefs about fire and fire management. Findings – Respondents viewed prescribed fire favorably and they understand the natural role of fire on the landscape. While results suggest respondents support management of forest conditions to decrease the effects of a wildfire, they do not feel that individuals have a right to expect their home to be protected from fire by land managers, nor do they agree with restricting home building near national forest land. Research limitations/implications – Future research should continue the longitudinal assessment of attitudes toward prescribed fires, incorporating respondent distance to the national forest or identifying respondents living within the wildland-urban interface. Originality/value – This paper illustrates how applied, social science research can meet the needs of agencies and public officials. Results of this paper have been presented to state and federal forestry officials, and members of an executive-level task force in Colorado studying wildfire insurance and forest health.

Impact of the first recorded outbreak of the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata, in southern California and the extent of its distribution in the Pacific Southwest region

The Douglas-fir tussock moth (DFTM), Orgyia pseudotsugata McDunnough (Lepidoptera:Erebidae:Lymantriinae), is a native western North American defoliator of true fir, Abies spp. Mill., and Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco. We investigated the population genetics and impact associated with the first recorded outbreak of DFTM in southern California (USA), and report the first collection of DFTM in Baja California Norte, Mexico. This latter population is similar genetically to populations from Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada. We assessed forest stand characteristics, levels of defoliation, and mortality of white fir, Abies concolor Lindl., associated with the DFTM outbreak in the Transverse Mountain Ranges of southern California. We compared these data to those from southern California non-outbreak stands of A. concolor, and from virgin stands with an A. concolor component in the Sierra San Pedro Martir National Park (Mexico). Total stand density (ha−1) was significantly higher (22%) in non-outbreak stands than in outbreak stands. However, outbreak stands had significantly higher mortality of A. concolor than non-outbreak stands [whether expressed as density (70%) or basal area (m2ha−1) (32%)]. Total stand and A. concolor density and basal area for living and dead trees were significantly lower in the Sierra San Pedro Martir National Park than in southern California. Dead A. concolor comprised >95% of all tree mortality in both outbreak and non-outbreak areas in southern California, which corresponded to a mean 20% basal area loss of A. concolor associated with DFTM feeding injury within the outbreak area. The mean level of defoliation of A. concolor by DFTM was 39%, and 62% of all dead A. concolor were associated with DFTM defoliation. In stands with high levels of defoliation, larval feeding and tree mortality were also noted in Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf. The amount of dead A. concolor basal area associated with the fir engraver, Scolytus ventralis LeConte (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), in non-outbreak stands was 96% greater than in outbreak stands. Using the U.S.D.A. National Insect and Disease Risk Map software, a total of 13,534ha were predicted to be at risk to basal area loss from future DFTM outbreaks on national forest lands in southern California. Changes in forest management practices and fire suppression policies likely led to an increase in the density and continuity of DFTM’s preferred host in southern California and to a southward shift in the historic range of DFTM outbreaks.

Relative Economic Values of Open Space Provided by National Forest and Military Lands to Surrounding Communities

AbstractOpen space lands are provided by a variety of entities from private individuals to the federal government and these entities make management decisions based on a very broad range of priorities. The net benefits of additional open space depend on the number, quality, and composition of existing open space in the vicinity. In areas where open space is abundant and there is a significant proportion that is federally owned, the net benefits are not well understood. In this study, the marginal willingness to pay for proximity to public open space is estimated using the hedonic property method and home sales transactions in 2007 for El Paso County Colorado, a location that boasts of having over 150,000 acres of open space. Results from a generalized spatial two‐stage least squares regression indicate that homes in close proximity to open space provided locally by city, county, and state governments sell for a premium, but larger premiums are associated with proximity to the Pike National Forest and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station likely at least partially due to the natural amenities of the Rocky Mountains. In contrast, proximity to Fort Carson Army Installation is found to negatively affect house sales prices likely due to undesirable activities that occur on and around the installation. As for the other area of federal lands, proximity to the U.S. Air Force Academy and to Peterson Air Force Base was found to negatively affect house prices; however, these effects were not statistically significant.

Primary forest cover loss in Indonesia over 2000–2012

Extensive clearing of Indonesian primary forests results in increased greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. However, there is no consensus on the areal extent and temporal trends of primary forest clearing in Indonesia. Here we report a spatially and temporally explicit quantification of Indonesian primary forest loss, which totalled over 6.02 Mha from 2000 to 2012 and increased on average by 47,600 ha per year. By 2012, annual primary forest loss in Indonesia was estimated to be higher than in Brazil (0.84 Mha and 0.46 Mha, respectively). Proportional loss of primary forests in wetland landforms increased and almost all clearing of primary forests occurred within degraded types, meaning logging preceded conversion processes. Loss within official forest land uses that restrict or prohibit clearing totalled 40% of all loss within national forest land. The increasing loss of Indonesian primary forests has significant implications for climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation efforts. Deforestation affects climate, biodiversity and other ecosystem services. This study quantifies Indonesia’s increasing rate of primary forest loss, which runs counter to the declining rates of loss in Brazil. The results highlight the value of thematically consistent and spatially and temporally explicit information in tracking forest change.

Use of private lands for foraging by California spotted owls in the central Sierra Nevada

The use of private land by owls has long been of interest to wildlife managers in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, because private lands could contribute to owl conservation if it is used extensively. Therefore, we studied the use of private lands for foraging by 14 California spotted owls (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) in the central Sierra Nevada, California during 2006. We modeled foraging locations as a function of 2 land-ownership categories within an owl's territory: public and private land. The log probability of an owl using a public-land location was 15% greater than for a private-land location. Private-land distribution was relatively consistent with respect to the geometric center of owl home ranges, suggesting that our result was not influenced by a peripheral distribution of private land in owl home ranges. Based on our findings, national forest lands within our study area currently have more foraging habitat for California spotted owls than do private lands. We recommend that managers consider owl use of private land within the context of our results when developing conservation strategies for California spotted owls in the central Sierra Nevada. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.

Hedonic Valuation of Land Protection Methods: Implications for Cluster Development

This study estimates a generalized spatial hedonic pricing model to assess how residential property values are impacted by inclusion within cluster developments and by proximity to various types of protected land. The estimated model simultaneously controls for the spatial dependence of residential housing prices and for the presence of spatial autocorrelation. The sample includes 4,008 single-family housing sales transactions within the non-urban portions of Larimer County in northern Colorado. The empirical framework accounts for topographical diversity across the study region, as well as distinguishing between several distinct types of publicly and privately protected land. The key findings of the study are: (i) proximity to national or state park land and to city or county open space has a significant positive impact on property values, while proximity to national forest land or to privately conserved land exhibits no significant effects; and, (ii) inclusion of a property within a cluster development decreases its value by 17 to 26 percent. These findings are robust to different estimation techniques and model specifications, which suggests important considerations for policymakers who design development rules and alternative land protection measures aimed at preserving open space in non-urban areas.

Hedonic valuation of land protection methods: implications for cluster development

This study estimates a generalized spatial hedonic pricing model to assess how residential property values are impacted by inclusion within cluster developments and by proximity to various types of protected land. The estimated model simultaneously controls for the spatial dependence of residential housing prices and for the presence of spatial autocorrelation. The sample includes 4,008 single-family housing sales transactions within the non-urban portions of Larimer County in northern Colorado. The empirical framework accounts for topographical diversity across the study region, as well as distinguishing between several distinct types of publicly and privately protected land. The key findings of the study are: (i) proximity to national or state park land and to city or county open space has a significant positive impact on property values, while proximity to national forest land or to privately conserved land exhibits no significant effects; and, (ii) inclusion of a property within a cluster development decreases its value by 17 to 26 %. These findings are robust to different estimation techniques and model specifications, which suggests important considerations for policymakers who design development rules and alternative land protection measures aimed at preserving open space in non-urban areas.

Comparing the Status of Two Sympatric Amphibians in the Sierra Nevada, California: Insights on Ecological Risk and Monitoring Common Species

Abstract Basic information on species distribution and abundance is often lacking, even for common species. The historically abundant Mountain Yellow-legged (Rana sp.) and Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris sp.) species complexes occur sympatrically and are exposed to similar threats. We evaluated the status of these species complexes on national forest lands in the Sierra Nevada, California as part of a long-term bioregional amphibian monitoring program. To determine occupancy and abundance indices, we surveyed all lentic and a sample of lotic habitats in 208 small watersheds (2–4 km2) selected using an unequal probability design where watersheds occupied previously had a higher likelihood of being selected. For Rana sp., results corroborated other assessments that the taxon has declined substantially. We found breeding activity in an estimated 0.04 (SE = 0.01) of watersheds rangewide, 0.47 (SE = 0.04) of watersheds with locality data from 1990–2001, and 0.02 (SE = 0.03) of watersheds with locality data prior ...