MAJOR FOREST PLANNING ISSUE

 Many issues currently being considered in the new forest planning process are of interest to the Allegheny Forest Alliance, but perhaps none any more than the restructuring of the “management areas” (MA).  For those unfamiliar with the process, there are eleven MA prescriptions used in the current (1986) plan to determine the type of forest activity that may occur on particular sections of the forest. 

 There are for instance, areas designated specifically for wilderness (MA 5.0), for Allegheny National Recreation Areas (MA 6,4) and for large scale recreation areas and resorts (MA 7.0).  There are also areas set aside for commercial harvesting (MA 3.0) and for motorized recreation and wildlife species habitat (MA 6.1).  These are just five of the eleven.

 As the new forest planning process moves forward, there is the strong likelihood the acreage allotted for each of these management areas will be significantly reshuffled in addition to having some designations dropped and others added.  The major concern is the potential reduction in commercial harvesting acreage in favor of more preservation acreage in one form or another.

Currently, there are 327,000 acres of MA 3.0 and an additional 110,000 acres of MA 6.1.  While MA 6.1 is primarily designated for motorized recreation and wildlife habitat, it calls for timber harvesting quite often to achieve the desired condition.  All totaled under the old plan, approximately 85% of the ANF’s 513,000 acres is open to timber harvesting.  Under the new plan that figure is scheduled for reduction.  How much is the $64,000 question.

 As long ago as 1995, the Forest Service began planning for the reduction.  The “Timber Harvest Program Capability” study of that year suggested scaling back MA 3.0 to about 219,000 acres, a one third reduction.  If this manifests itself in the new plan, less land will be available for harvest activity therefore reducing the amount timber that can be legitimately harvested while maintaining sustainability.

 It is incumbent upon all of us to insist through comment that the Forest Service includes a no net loss in MA acreage available for timber harvesting in the new plan.  If we do not, we will surely find that there will be a far lower ceiling on the amount of allowable sale quantity (ASQ) coming off the Allegheny.