Public Inputs on Preliminary Question HLTH-1501

assessment of sustainability of our forests

Southern Forest Resource Assessment

Below is the original wording of one of the preliminary questions and public suggestions or concerns submitted about it--for details see our Public Input or Methods pages

"What is the history, status, and likely future of Southern forests (area, ownership, and location)?"

Land ownership in the Southeast.
Statistics should show the difference between a small wood lot and extensive forest acreage.
The Assessment should take into account national trends and policy changes that have resulted in a shrinking base of AVAILABLE forest lands (i.e. available for management for forest products) in an EXPANDING global market demand, i.e. land in the Pacific Northwest. This results in making intensive management of Southern forests more economically viable for Southern forest landowners.
The Assessment should use another label in place of "natural" pine, such as "non-planted" pine or "seeded" pine.
More land is owned by absentee landowners who know little about the ecology and biology of their forest lands. More land is being turned into subdivisions and timber company lands are being more intensively managed. The NF's are being logged as much as possible in anticipation that soon the Public will take away this privilege from the FS.
Every week in south Georgia I see a new forest cut. I see clearcuts, pine plantations, development, but precious little natural forest. It's a rate treat to glimpse a bit of forest that regenerated on its own and functions as forest, with groundcover and canopy trees and shrubs, and the presence of birds and mammals. A pine plantation is not a forest. It is one-species silvicultural operation and thus a type of agriculture. When you conduct this study, please be aware that we have been measuring three types of landcover: forest, agricultural commercial. Within these guidelines, the data always shows that we have more forests than we, in actuality, have. "Forest" should mean a diverse, naturally-regenerating, multi-species, multi-age growth of native flora that includes a diversity of native wildlife. In your study, please distinguish these (pine plantations) two and tell us truthfully how much forest-land we have left in the South. Not now many acres are growing trees.
An analysis of the change in timberland ownership across the SE, from private citizen ownership to corporate and/or absentee land ownership.
There are more forest lands than ever to the tune of many fold over the past 40 years.
In your design for your study, I feel you will need to broaden your study to cover all land uses within the study area for after one eliminates, the federal, state, city, and industry lands, the remaining lands are small in size and influence our lives more specifically. I would think all forestlands should include wooded areas from two acres on up.
Set a time line from the beginning to European intervention to the present and into the next hundred years of the patterns for forestland areas and how it has expanded and contracted up to the present and what can be expected into the future.
Assessment Report should include Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) information which indicated that forest acreage losses are occurring around rapidly growing urban centers, thus causing deforestation, changes in land use, and forest fragmentation.
Assessment should document the different management approaches by ownership pattern and likely future condition of forests in the South.
With the identification of old growth actually existing gin the southern Appalachians, what additional policies can be put in place to preserve ALL of it? And on private lands, what can be done to preserve old growth?
What are the history, status and potential future of forest ecosystems in terms of area, ownership, location, and ecological sustainability?
What is the impact of the comparative advantages between pine and hardwood on the balance of the two ecosystems?
The Assessment should make a serious effort to describe the history, current status and projected future of southern forests. This should include ownership patterns, area and distribution fluctuations as they have occurred in prehistorically and post Euro-settlement periods.
Have land ownership patterns (particularly average tract size pr landowner) changed significantly over time.
We preface our remarks with the emphatic recommendation that a thorough forest inventory be done for each state in the region and, at minimum, updated every 3 years. Further, we recommend that the inventory be available on the internet, either via each state forestry agency homepage or the USDAFS homepage. At the rate forests are harvested, planted, converted and restored these days, a 10-year inventory cycle is not only essentially useless, but its use can be misleading and contribute to a lot of misunderstanding about the health and status of forests.
Essential is an accurate forest inventory, including a functional value assessment for the realm of forests occurring in the South that takes into consideration the various characteristics of the "stands" that make up the forests. This is the first and most critical step that needs to be taken, and should not be diluted by tying to take on too much of a task within the 2-year time frame of the assessment.
Indications are that timber inventories and values are actually increasing in rural areas. Is the timber base really shrinking?
The Southern Appalachians has great diversity of forests. Hemlock, white pine and northern hardwoods (beech, birch and maple) extend almost to the northern limits of the eastern United States. There is a Canadian zone of spruce and balsam in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. White Oaks and red oaks extend far to the south. The lower valley has sweet gum, Water oak and willow oak which also go southward. Xeric sites have Virginia pine and shortleaf pine. There are many other tree species present. Rutherfort Platt in 1,001 Answers to Questions About Trees that the most lush and varied forest in the country are centered in a region about 50 miles east of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Assessment should include a historical account of forest resources throughout the region. Factors which have reduced the extent of forests or led to their fragmentation should be documented.
What forest types are the better long-term providers of these ecological services?
We hope that the study delineates between native forest habitats and highly managed, monoculture tree farms.
The study needs to provide accurate information about the extent of remaining forest habitats, as opposed to clearcuts and tree farms, not merely vague figures of "forest cover."
The study cannot count clearcuts and monoculture tree farms in the same way that bottomland hardwoods or longleaf pine-wiregrass ecosystems are counted.
What are the patterns of land ownership (private, corporate, public, farmers, etc.) in the region and what are the relative amounts of taxes paid by each of these ownership classes? How many of the corporate owners are absentee owners (out of state)?
Native hardwood forests are being replaced by pine plantations which destroys biological diversity, an important concern as we are losing many important species.
When I drive through South Ga and see that our heritage has turned into a Loblolly pine festival I wonder how it was 200 years ago.
When evaluating ownership, evaluate ownership profiles--income, taxes (inheritance, absenteeism).
Georgia has less of its land area publicly owned (about 7%) than any other state, and urgently needs to purchase more land to provide recreation, save some biodiversity, and protect our rivers from pollution by eroded soil.
What percentage of the landscape in the study area is being managed for old growth characteristics?
What percentage of native forests logged in the past decade have actually improved in understory diversity, soil productivity, and ecosystem functioning toward historic levels of pre-human mucking about?
Where are the unbroken forest blocks of 7500 acres or more in the study area and what are the forecasts for the future of these unfragmented lands? What are the potential threats to the remaining large blocks of unfragmented native forests? How long will they last under current trends?
What roles do private lands play in sustaining species diversity as compared to public lands?
Trends appear to be cut & run. Far too many clearcuts. Far too much pulpwood extraction. Far too little attention to forest health.
History of timber management in the south (clearcutting at turn of the century) lack of virgin forests, and dynamic nature of forests in the region.
Consider history as far back as it can be documented.
Soil losses or changes, biodiversity change resulting from forest practices and land use changes.
Document diversity benefits of ownership patterns of the south.
Document the role of fire in formation of our forests.
Timberland vs. forestland. Ownership attitudes should also be factored in.
Are there differences among ownership classes in terms of their performance in providing timer, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, biodiversity, etc.?
What is the definition of forests?
Pay attention to alternative definitions of forests.
Should be based on use?
Should address the limitations of the FIA data, especially the timing issue.
Changes in the F.I.A. definition and sampling procedures.
Define the strengths and weaknesses.
Disclose the limits of the data. Reveal all the assumptions of modeling.
Sub-merchantable size (L5") timber is not included in FIA volume data. Factor in this size class and acknowledge it.
Be sure to standardize manipulation and analysis of FIA data among states/ecological regions.
Ownership is changing – corporate to syndicated, etc., and how it may be managed in the future.
Which factors should we consider studying in relation to the state of our forests? Pine Plantations should not be considered “forests.”
Pine Plantations should not be considered “forests.”
Pine Forests are mono cropping; they do not support a large number of living organs.
Forest Service is out of Department of Agriculture; Forest Service needs scientific expertise; not qualified to do study.
Need standard definition of forest, quantifiable by amount of biodiversity.
Academia needs to be trained to evaluate forests.
Study activities that affect forest health: Climate changes; Industrial harvest. Pollutant loading – UVB radiation, Agriculture Acid Rain. Exotic pests.
Fragmentation due to roads – study genetic exchange, in National Forests and out clearcutting also causes this fragmentation.
Change in ownership patterns. How much the percentage is changing between private and corporate ownership. Look at trends that forest land is owned in smaller parcels due to inheritances or corporations dumping land.
Pine Plantations, we should not identify them as forests. They are not bio-diverse.
Population growth – what will it look like in 20 years. How will this affect tourism? Will the health of woods near urban areas be sustainable?
We need to address all conservation issues. They all relate to forest issues.
Private Forest owners need to manage their forests better. Market competition could be stronger. (Get more for your wood if it’s managed well.)
What is the effect of even-age management across the South? Look at hydrological, diversity of species in the soil, look at herbaceous layer, understory and canopy. Look at an overview of the whole thing – water, air, and soil.
How do these layers and species help and support the forest health?
What job opportunities could be offered to people in timbering to restore forest health?
Look at how the composition of the forest is changing through systems of cutting (i.e., clearcutting is reducing number of oaks).
Respect for the integrity of the “web-of-life” and the welfare of all. Sustainability must be a prominent issue and approach for this study.
BMPs are not being followed by a vast majority of the loggers. Find a small area where the BMPs have been followed and compare that to what else is happening.
80% of the land of the South is under private ownership. How should we teach individual landholders to maximize the education of the private landowner? Very few of the forests are managed at any level except by loggers.
Look at how the health of our forests affect us. A new paradigm will give an economic incentive to preserve the forests rather than cut them. This paradigm is health related. Look at how the health of the forest is related to our health. These forests are vital to our health.
Private landowners are forced to cut just in order to pay taxes. This should be looked at.
A silviculture view of forest health is not the only view of forest health.
Alternative ways for society to fund a full stand of mature woods, especially when our carbon sinks are dwindling rapidly.
There is a religious campaign for forest preservation; a different view of the forest is emerging.
Non-timber effect – over-harvesting of herbaceous layer and the soil layer and get answers of exposure of the soil to this as well as to herbicides and insecticides. J.J. fears that the study will be too biased by input of Forest Service. Let’s get independent ecologists and specialists in here.
Let’s get more meetings (like one halfway through) and add meetings.
Let’s not use studies that have been done. We need new studies.
Study cumulative effect of invasive pests. This is a growing problem.
Distinguish between natural deterioration of the forest deterioration due to new outside stressors.
How will pines hold up under hot, dry conditions vs. mixed mesophytic forest?
Probability factor, what is the projected view – long-term – of our forests.
Like to see other studies incorporated into this study. Learn from their mistakes and achievements.
Look at alternative policy decisions that are in effect around the world. We need descriptions of what is working elsewhere.
Where is the money coming from? Is there enough money? The assessment needs to be a condition wherein audits can be done.
An age indicator alone is now considered the indicator of forest vulnerability. Other indicators besides age need to be considered.
How is the age-class of harvestability changing?
Evaluate repeated harvest of pine on soil quality.
Used to be 40,000 board feet per acre. Now 10,000-12,000 per acre. Hardwoods need topsoil. Consider extending time between cuts to 100-150 years. Study old forests like Joyce Kilmer. Consider forest health not just in relation to age. Need to give credit to very old forests.
Need input and funds from other groups for this study. What is available?
Decline in native pine and increase of pine plantations – is diversity a value? We can have recommendations in form of values, not prescriptions.
Identify most endangered species in our area.
Agriculture land vs. total forest land. Concern of conversion to plantation.
Land use change and species composition – how much hardwood.
What are perceptions as to ownership issue?
In some areas we are cutting 3rd or 4th generation timer from the same spot and this will continue. The area of forest will increase. Ownership will go more and more too corporate giants. As crops change forest will be relegated to poorer and poorer soils or wetland areas.
I am concerned about the credibility of the report because of the age of the data being used (FIA data 10+ years old in some states). Need USFS to put high priority on getting as much FIA data as possible before the analysis is begun. Don’t understand why FIA budget was not substantially increased after the clear direction given by congressional appropriations committees in the cost budget authorization.
How can the question relate to the economic demands from Federal, State and local laws?
How is the history of the land use in the South going to be determined? How far are you going back? (Clearly define/describe limitations of information for the study.) (Incorporate all tree sizes in report.)
Is there a distinction between a natural stand and a planted stand?
Are the cumulative effects of invasive species going to be considered in the study?
Documentation/proof showing there is diversity on the 89% of private lands?
What percentage of people take advantage of available free programs?
Define forest health and sustainability better?
What has been the effect of the exclusion of fire from the forests?
How have past agriculture practices affected the existing forests health?
How will the practices of future family farms affect the forest?
How have Federal & State regulations affected the forest status/ownership, planting and health?
The change caused by urban expansion in the southern forest? How does it affect the present and how will it affect the future? Compare the effects on forest between those who use BMPs and those who don’t.
How have past agriculture practices affected the existing forests health? How will the practices of future family farms affect the forest? How have Federal & State regulations affected the forest status/ownership, planting and health? The change caused by urban expansion in the southern forest? How does it affect the present and how will it affect the future? Compare the effects on forest between those who use BMPs and those who don’t.

Question as revised in response to these comments
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modified: 1-MAR-2000
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