Southern Forest Resource Assessment led by the USDA Forest Service's Southern Region and Southern Research Station in collaboration with the USEPA, US Fish & Wildlife, TVA, and state forestry agencies of the Southern United States

Broad Category: Landscapes/Terrestrial Ecosystems

Question Manager: Jim Baker and Patrick Martin (replacing Roger Boykin December 2000)

Question TERRA-4: What are the historical and projected future impacts of forest management and access on terrestrial ecosystems in the South?

1. How have and will changes in pine plantation acreage influence wildlife habitat and associated wildlife species, populations and communities.
2. Address how fire exclusion and management has shaped the structure of wildlife habitat.
3. Address how standard silvicultural practices, such as clearcutting and selective harvesting; nonstandard silvicultural practices, such as high-grading; and other forest management practices, such as site preparation, artificial regeneration have influenced the distribution of tree species, including species that produce hard mast and the resultant effects on wildlife.
4. Evaluate how forest-based recreation influences the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems.
5. Evaluate the impacts of various corridors, including power lines, pipelines, roads, and canals, on terrestrial ecosystems.
6. Identify the causes and impacts of forest fragmentation on the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems.
7. Link projected future characteristics with anticipated demands for southern timber for various product types--i.e., hardwood and softwood fiber and sawtimber, if possible.

Overview:

This question/section will focus on “What are the impacts of physical implementation practices on terrestrial ecosystems in the South?”    To include some resulting wildlife impacts.  This will include site-specific data from various sources and to be extrapolated to broad ecosystems/physiographic regions.

Explanation:

As forest management and fire management programs are implemented on the landscape, certain physical practices must be carried out.  These practices have both primary and secondary impacts on the land, habitat, and wildlife.

Methods of Analysis:

The general method of analysis used will be to gather information/research data which focuses on site-specific impacts of sivicultural and fire management practices, and then using larger data bases extrapolate cumulative or total impacts of practices on ecosystems/physiographic regions.

Data Sources:

Larry Walker - BMP (Compliance and effectiveness), Southern State Foresters.

TVA - series of studies - Pioneer Forest low impact studies

Jeffery Hill - UGA - population counts

FIA - USDA Forest Service forest inventory.  This will be used as the primary data set to calculate total impacts of practices by physiographic regions.  Other large data set(s) will be explained/looked for (Statewide studies, university questionnaires to forest product industries, etc.).

Southern Forest Experiment Stations, cooperative units (Primarily located at universities), NGOs, research conducted by universities, and private company research data sets will be the primary source for site-specific information.

Information used on a site-specific basis will focus on those data sets which can be correlated to large regional data sets.

Examples of site-specific research looked for:

*  What are the effects on the land, of different intensities of harvest operations?

*  Anadotal evidence of impacts of past logging practices (Long lineing, helicopter, skidding, etc.).

*  Fire management practices

wildfire control techniques, past and presents control-burning strategies.

*  Effects on exotic species of soil disturbance.

*  Wildlife management - primarily hunting access.

FIA:

Appears to be the primary region wide physiographic region database needed.  The ability for analysis to be run on this database relative to smaller available databases is absolutely imperative.  Without this ability, the question can only be addressed on a site-specific basis with very broad subjective comments made on widespread effects.

Small-scale/site-specific data bases are not presently identified due to lack of knowledge of what is available and how they relate to FIA.

Products:

Both narrative discussion and a system of matrix.

Historical information will be presented in:

1.  Narrative format

2.  Photographs (Supporting narrative format)

3.  Matrix, but to a lesser degree in this format than presently used practices

Present information will be presented in:

1.  Narrative format - both general and supporting 2, 3, & 4

2.  Photographs

3.  Matrix

4.  Charts

Future information will be presented in:

1.  Narrative 2. Photographs 3.  Matrix 4.  Charts

Future information will focus on new practices, will be observed/studied, but not in widespread use or widely accepted as practical from an economic basis.

The system of matrix will be the primary organizing feature of this chapter, along with physiographic regions.

1.  There will be a general narrative which opens the chapter that states the question to be examined, and how an explanation of that question is to be approached.  An explanation of the general organization will also be included in the general narrative.

2.  There will be an explanation of practices considered and both reported on and not reported on, with a brief explanation of how and why thee were or were not selected.

3.  Individual physiographic region sections will then be addressed with the products listed under past, present, or future practices.

Organization of physiographic region sections:

1.  Short introduction of physiographic region

2.  Matrix of practices

3.  Narrative of photographic discussion of significant portions of the matrix

4.  Summary - possibly focusing on greatest impacts of selected practices and contrasting some practices.

Organization of matrix:

1.  Physiographic region

2.  Groups of practices, e.g., general, forest management, fire management

3.  Infrastructure versus implementation

Possible example of matrix:

Lower Coastal Plain

Fire Management

Wildfire Suppression

Time Line:

February 2000	Begin development of study/work plan Begin identification of data needs
April 1, 2000	Complete study plan Complete first phase of data-needs identification
April 15, 2000	Revise study plan based on response to data availability
May 15, 2000	Revise, complete, and request data needs
November 1, 2000	Begin analyzing data
December 31, 2000	Complete data analysis
March1, 2001	Complete first/rough draft chapter
June 1, 2001	Complete revision of chapter

This time line does not allow time for the writer/editor to compile and edit this chapter into a final document.

It also does not allow time for extensive public revision/review/input and resulting revisions; especially if new data sets and analysis is needed in response to public involvement.

Any slippage along this time line will result in slippage in date for final product.

 modified: 23-JAN-2001