FY 2002 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service

Appropriation Forest and Rangeland Research

Dollars in Thousands

FY 2000 FY 2002 FY 2002 Appropriation Final FY 2001 Uncontrollable Program President’s Changes from Title Appropriation Enacted Costs Changes Budget FY 2001 Title II 217,694 229,111 6,074 -206 234,979 5,868 Title IV [15,965] [300] [16,265] [300] Total 217,694 229,111 6,074 -206 234,979 5,868

Appropriation Language

For necessary expenses of Forest and Rangeland Research as authorized by law, $234,979,000, to remain available until expended. (Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001.)

GPRA Performance Goal(s)

Goal 3: Scientific and Technical Assistance Develop and use the best scientific information available to deliver technical and community assistance and support ecological, economic, and social sustainability.

Objective 3.b – Increase the effectiveness of scientific, developmental, and technical assistance delivered to domestic and international interests.

Objective 3.c – Improve the knowledge base provided through research, inventory, and monitoring to enhance scientific understanding of ecosystems, including human(s) uses, and to support decision-making and sustainable management of the Nation’s forests and grasslands.

Objective 3.d – Broaden the participation of less traditional research groups in research and technical assistance programs.

Dollars in Thousands FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 Annual Activities Outputs Actual Program Planned Vegetation Management Number of Research 3,359 2,966 3,021 and Protection Research Products, Tools and $92,955 $102,667 $105,880 Technologies Developed Wildlife, Fish, Watershed, Number of Research 1,680 1,426 1,453 and Air Research Products, Tools and $45,517 $50,406 $51,453 Technologies Developed Resource Valuation and Use Number of Research 1,478 1,084 1,104 Research Products, Tools and $41,362 $37,530 $38,044 Technologies Developed Forest Resources Inventory Number of Research 202 228 232 and Monitoring Products, Tools and $6,173 $6,821 $7,104 Technologies Developed

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FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 Annual Activities Outputs Actual Program Planned Forest Inventory and Percent of forest Land 42% 65% 65% Analysis covered by the annual FIA [0] [7%] [7%] program

[Additional accomplishment $31,687 $31,687 $32,498 with funds from S&PF - [0] [$4,989] [$5,013] Forest Resource Information and Analysis] National Fire Plan Number of Research 63 63 (Vegetation Management Products, Tools and [$15,965] [$16,265] and Protection Research Technologies Developed

Program Description

The Research and Development division of the USDA Forest Service (FS R&D) is one of the world’s leading forestry research organizations, conducting and sponsoring basic and applied scientific research. FS R&D develops scientific information and new technologies to increase the basic biological and physical knowledge of the composition, structure, and function of forest, rangeland, and aquatic ecosystems.

FS R&D research focuses on contributing to the knowledge needed for the sustainable management of all our Nation’s forests and rangelands. It strives to provide new knowledge and technologies that will ensure sustainable natural resources for multiple uses, e.g. healthy watersheds, forest products, wildlife protection, recreation opportunities, and other benefits. In addition, FS R&D is authorized to carry out research on an emergency basis when insects or disease-causing organisms impact conservation or environmental programs. The scope of the programs extends across all U.S. territories and the fifty States, to both Federal and non-Federal lands.

FS R&D establishes research priorities with input from Research Stations, National Forests, Congress, the Administration, as well as industry and other stakeholders. Research field projects are then developed and prioritized according to the nature and magnitude of current and anticipated problems, and information required by managers for effective national resources management now and into the future. In addition to the existing prioritization criteria, extensive project monitoring, publication review and comment from customers and peers, as well as recommendations from the Forestry Research Advisory Council (FRAC) and the National Association of Public Administrators (NAPA), are used when establishing research priorities at the local and national levels.

The FY 2001 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act directed the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to develop a National Fire Plan to address forest conditions that have evolved over many decades. The Plan emphasizes training and employment opportunities in rural communities, local contracting, volunteer programs, and the use of matching funds to achieve the goal of healthy, sustainable forests, rangelands, and communities. The Plan provides funding for Research and Development to enhance firefighting capacity and preparedness;

Forest and Rangeland Research 4 - 2 FY 2002 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service restore landscapes and rebuild communities; reduce hazardous fuels and fire risk; and work with affected communities (see the Wildland Fire section).

The Forest and Rangeland Research appropriation is organized into four activities:

Vegetation Management and Protection Research; Wildlife, Fish, Watershed, and Air Research; Resource Valuation and Use Research; Forest Resources Inventory and Monitoring.

Distribution of the Forest and Rangeland Research Appropriation by Research Activity FY 2000 –FY 2002 Dollars in Thousands

RBAIS Activity FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 Final Enacted Estimate Vegetation Management and 92,955 102,667 105,880 Protection Fundamental Plant Science 24,061 24,738 25,616 Silvicultural Applications 15,945 18,952 19,591 Quantitative Analysis of Forest 4,959 5,170 5,238 Vegetation Forest and Rangeland Management 12,648 16,152 16,675 Forest Operations Engineering 4,013 4,108 4,132 Insects/Diseases/Exotic Weeds 21,783 0 0 Ecology of Insects/Diseases/Plants 0 18,432 19,365 Mgt of Insects/Disease/Plants 0 4,863 4,733 Fire Science 9,546 10,252 10,530

Wildlife, Fish, Water, and Air 45,517 50,406 51,453 Sciences Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat 16,188 17,375 17,835 Aquatic Habitat 8,127 8,425 8,514 Watershed 15,094 16,783 17,217 Atmospheric Sciences 6,108 7,823 7,887

Resource Valuation and Use 41,362 37,530 38,044 Economics (Renewable Resources) 8,264 8,112 8,274 Urban Forestry 2,765 6,367 6,457 Wilderness 1,187 1,465 1,353 Social/Cultural 6,168 6,713 6,817 Forest Products, Utilization and 17,834 12,628 12,977 Process Forest Product Safety and Human 5,144 2,245 2,164 Health

Inventory and Monitoring 37,860 38,508 39,602

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RBAIS Activity FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 Final Enacted Estimate Forest Inventory and Analysis 31,687 31,687 32,498 Other I&M 2,900 3,000 3,124 Forest Health Monitoring 392 649 676 Monitoring Methods 2,881 3,172 3,304

Total, Forest and Rangeland 217,694 229,111 234,979 Research

Vegetation Management and Protection Research: Managed and natural forest and rangeland ecosystems provide goods and services such as food, fiber, clean air, clean water, recreation and wildlife. Sustaining these lands and their ecological functions for future generations requires in- depth knowledge of vegetation ecology and management systems; the effects of disturbances such as fire, invasive species, insects and diseases; processes and production systems; and how forests and rangelands interact with global environmental changes and social systems.

Vegetation Management and Protection sub-activities include:

Fundamental Plant Science. Plant Science focuses on ecology, genetics, biotechnology, and plant physiology. The research measures, analyzes, and models the interactions of environmental, biochemical, genetic, physiological, biological, and ecological factors regulating the composition, structure, function, and growth of forest and rangeland vegetation.

Silvicultural Applications. Silvicultural research provides the knowledge base for forest management by defining the effects of various management practices on vegetation composition, reproduction, growth, dynamics, and forest health. Silvicultural tools are essential to maintaining and enhancing production of fiber and other forest products, biological diversity, wildlife habitat, fuels management, and watershed protection.

Quantitative Analysis. Quantitative analysis is used to synthesize the knowledge of forest and rangeland vegetation dynamics through the application of modeling techniques. The results of this research and synthesis effort are critical to quantifying and understanding the processes governing forest productivity, the development of effective forest and rangeland management and prediction systems, and understanding and predicting the outcomes of human-environment interactions.

Forest and Rangeland Management. Forests and rangelands provide forage and habitat for domestic livestock and key wildlife species. Forest and rangeland management research evaluates management activities that support improved forest and rangeland health and provides the technical information needed to maintain and restore ecological diversity and productivity of forests and rangelands.

Forest Operations and Engineering. Research in operations and engineering develops new technologies to better manage forests and rangelands. Examples of this research are

Forest and Rangeland Research 4 - 4 FY 2002 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service development of better roads and road building techniques to reduce erosion and stream sedimentation and the development of computer aided visualization programs to evaluate possible outcomes of management decisions.

Diseases, Insects, and Non-Native Invasive Species. Native insect pests and microbial diseases are important controllers of ecosystem function and can become major problems when forests are managed without an understanding of their ecology. Researching these organisms provides the knowledge of how they operate in, and affect, an ecosystem.

Forest Service R&D also works with other federal and state agencies to improve the ability of land managers to prevent invasive species introduction and spread. Knowledge of invasive species is obtained through pathway analyses, risk assessments, predictive models, host-site relationships, socioeconomic research, development of surveys, control, restoration technologies and strategies.

Fire Science. Fire science research works to develop the knowledge need to adequately manage wildland fires on our Nation’s forests. Fire science, 1) develops models and decision support systems to enhance fire fighting capacity and preparedness, 2) develops and tests strategies for post fire rehabilitation, restoration treatments, and management of invasive species to help restore ecosystem health, 3) develops and tests improved approaches for assessing and monitoring fuels and fire risk, fuel modification, and the economic viability of small diameter materials, and 4) evaluates social and economic dimensions of fire and fuel management. Fire science also evaluates ecosystem responses to alternate fire management treatments.

Global Change Research. Global change research, which encompasses all four FS R&D activities, studies the relationship between climate change and forests and rangelands. Research is focused on measuring, understanding, and predicting climate-related changes in our ecosystems. Priorities include understanding and managing the forest and rangeland carbon cycle and enhancing productivity and carbon sequestration.

Wildlife, Fish, Watershed, and Atmospheric Sciences Research: The viability of fish and wildlife populations and communities along with the purity of our water and air are key indicators of the health of forest, rangeland and aquatic ecosystems. These attributes also serve as important indicators of the effects of management activities on ecosystems and their components and species. Research from this activity expands the understanding of organisms, populations, ecosystems, and ecological processes, and provides results that are essential to the ability to manage forests and rangelands to sustain air and water quality and biological diversity. Information provided by this research is crucial to the agency’s capabilities to comply with requirements of key environmental statutes, including the National Forest Management Act, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and Clean Air Act.

Wildlife, Fish, Watershed, and Atmospheric sub-activities include:

Wildlife Habitat. Habitat research provides land managers with the technical information needed to sustain plant and animal populations through habitat protection, management, and restoration. It is also used to develop recovery plans for endangered species and conservation

Forest and Rangeland Research 4 - 5 FY 2002 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service plans for sensitive species so that listing will not be required. R&D emphasizes integrating wildlife habitat management with other resource uses.

Aquatic Habitat. FS R&D is the only national research program that specifically focuses on protecting, managing and restoring fish habitat. The objectives of aquatic habitat research include defining habitat requirements, identifying factors limiting populations, and developing methods to protect, improve and restore habitats. Aquatic Habitat research also focuses on developing cost-effective methods to monitor and evaluate habitats.

Watershed. Knowing how watersheds function provides the technical basis for understanding what processes enhance or impair the quantity and quality of water that comes from forests. Results from this research provide the basis for developing techniques to assess, protect, manage and restore our nation's forested watersheds. Research results are essential to sustaining clean drinking water for human consumption, high quality waters for recreation, and critical habitat for fish and aquatic and riparian wildlife.

Atmospheric Sciences. Atmospheric science strives to understand the effects of air pollution, weather and climate on public lands. Atmospheric science research is done in cooperation with the research on climate change, fire effects, forest health, watershed, soils, ecosystem management, and wildlife/fisheries of FS R&D and other agencies. Results enhance our understanding of the effects of weather on forest fires and smoke, impacts of air pollution and acid deposition on watersheds and aquatic ecosystems, and the effects of climate variability and extreme weather events on forest and rangeland productivity.

Resource Valuation and Use Research: Forest products, economics, recreation, urban forestry and wilderness are the focus areas for this activity. Meeting the needs of the Nation’s expanding and diverse population requires a better understanding of the benefits and trade-offs of different technologies and resource management use options. Forest products and use R&D helps industry be more efficient and environmentally friendly in the processing and use of solid wood and fiber resources. Also, the understanding of recreation use, urban/wildland forestry, and wilderness issues is vital for sound natural resource management planning.

Resource Valuation and Use sub-activities include:

Forest Products Utilization and Processing: A major focus of this research is to provide advanced technologies that will significantly improve the quality, durability, environmental performance, energy efficiency, and affordability of the Nation’s housing. The research also seeks to find economic uses for small-diameter and other low-value material that must be removed to reduce fire and related forest health risks. Included in this sub-activity is biobased product and bioenergy research that develops technologies to enhance products and energy production from wood residues and from recycled waste wood and waste paper.

Forest Products Use and Human Safety and Health: This research provides the under-pinning for performance-based codes and standards to assure the safety and integrity of wood structures, with particular emphasis on disaster-prone areas. This research also focuses on environmentally safe products and processes, such as non-toxic chemicals in wood preservatives and air quality

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related to wood processing and use. Improved water quality is sought through the development of inexpensive technologies for sulfur and chlorine-free wood pulping and bleaching, and through reduced energy demands in wood processing

Renewable Resources Economics: This research tracks markets for forest products, analyzes the economic efficiency of alternative management actions, assesses the status and direction of the national and international renewable resource situation, and provides a comprehensive analysis of the supply and demand of timber and other renewable resources.

Recreation, Social and Cultural: This research develops and updates assessments of changing recreation demand and supply, values, attitudes, and satisfaction levels to help managers and policy-makers better understand and manage recreation activities. Information is also developed on how demographic patterns and changing ethnic, cultural, and social values can affect forest management options. The research examines historic and contemporary societies’ use of natural resources to help resolve current resource use conflicts.

Urban, Community and Urban/Wildland Forestry: R&D of this field evaluates the effects of urbanization and sprawl on the function and health of the urban forest ecosystem, develops information on how diverse urban populations experience and use urban natural landscapes, and develops improved methodology for measuring and tracking urban forest tree cover and estimates for urban forest health. R&DD also evaluates the impact of air pollution, excess nitrogen deposition, and water pollution on the urban landscape; and then develops recommendations for mitigation. This research also develops improved methods for protecting life and property from fire in urban-wildland areas.

Wilderness: Increasing use of wilderness areas and development near wilderness, creates stresses that threaten the biological and societal benefits derived from wilderness. R&D provides managers with information to improve our understanding of the structure, function, and composition of wilderness ecosystems. R&D also assesses the biological and social impacts of human activities on wilderness, the role of wilderness in larger social systems, and impacts of different policy and management alternatives on wilderness.

Forest Resources Inventory and Monitoring: Forest resources inventory and monitoring is critical to maintaining the ecological, economic, and social sustainability of America’s forests. Research from this activity collects information on the composition and health of our Nation’s forests. This information is provided to federal, state, Tribal, and local land management officials, environmental organizations, academic institutions and other research organizations, the media, and the public.

Forest Resources Inventory and Monitoring sub-activities include:

• Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA). The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program provides the only continuous inventory that periodically quantifies the status of forest ecosystems, including timber and nontimber information, across all land ownerships in the U.S. The FIA program is the Nation’s forest census, reporting on forest ecosystem attributes including location, area, composition, and structure of forests; growth, mortality, and

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removals of trees; structure and distribution of non-tree vegetation, and woody debris; amount and types of wood products produced; and land ownership. The Forest Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Association of State Foresters calling for expanding the FIA program to conform to the requirements of the 1998 Farm Bill. In conjunction with the Forest Resources Information and Analysis program, FIA program activities will expand national coverage.

Forest Health Monitoring (FHM). The Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) program reports on status and trends in forest health. It consists of three phases: a detection monitoring component comprised of ground and aerial sampling designed to detect changes in forest health; an evaluation component designed to evaluate causes of changes in forest health and provide guidance for appropriate management activities; and an intensive site monitoring component designed to develop quantitative linkages between observed changes in forest health parameters and the likely long term effects on forest health.

Monitoring Methods Research (MMR). Monitoring methods and applications research is needed to develop and test new techniques for understanding the role of biotic and abiotic agents and the impact of their interactions on forest ecosystems. MMR consists of a wide array of small-scale research projects aimed at answering specific questions or developing techniques to address a specific monitoring need. These methods and technologies frequently require long-term studies where considerable research is needed to identify and correlate indicators that can assist in measuring the health, productivity, and sustainability of forest ecosystems.

FY 2000 Accomplishments FS R&D FY 2000 accomplishments reflect priority research based on the FY 2000 forest and rangeland research appropriation as enacted, and may not correlate directly to the FY 2000 plans presented in the FY 2001 budget justification.

• Neotropical migrants. Research has demonstrated that coffee plantations with an overstory of shade trees provide valuable habitat for both resident and migratory birds. Research has also identified habitat traits that can be managed to promote avian diversity. Results are currently being used to promote conservation of neotropical migrants and to formulate formal management guidelines for coffee growers. This research was primarily conducted by the International Institute of Tropical Forestry.

• Invasive species. Research was expanded on the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) for evaluation of pesticide control options, survey tools, dispersal behavior host plant susceptibility, and other issues. This research was primarily conducted by the North Central and Northeastern Research Stations.

• Gypsy Moth. Forest Service scientists designed the national gypsy moth “Slow-the-Spread” program strategy that provided a valuable tool in reducing the spread of gypsy moth. In addition, Forest Service scientists contributed to the USDA-FS national risk mapping effort of Washington Office-Forest Health Protection by developing the gypsy moth layer. This research was primarily conducted by the Northeastern Research Station.

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• Dutch Elm Disease. FS R&D scientists developed a DNA based method for identification of American elm tree strains. This technique was used to analyze nursery stocks of American elm trees in several commercial tree nurseries. As a result of this effort scientists identified trees susceptible to Dutch elm disease, which had been mislabeled as disease tolerant strains. This research was primarily conducted by the Southern Research Station.

• Threatened and endangered species. FS R&D scientists developed recommendations for designing and implementing monitoring protocols for Mexican spotted owls, developed a national survey protocol for wolverines, and provided leadership for the national scientific assessment team for wolverines. This research was primarily conducted by the Rocky Mountain Research Station.

• Northern spotted owl habitat. A collaborative project involving FS R&D scientists, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Forest System Regional biologists has clarified occupancy, nesting/roosting, and foraging habitat characterizations for Northern Spotted Owls in California and southern Oregon. This refined description has been adopted as the standard for all management and regulatory decisions regarding the Northern Spotted Owls in the Pacific Southwest Region. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific North West and Pacific Southwest Stations.

• Forest plants and wildlife uses. A Forest Service scientist coauthored Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses, a field-durable manual describing 330 plant species and summarizing wildlife uses for each plant genus. The book was published by the Southern Weed Science Society, and received the Printing Industry Association of the South’s award for best 4-color book in 1999. This research was primarily conducted by the Southern Research Station.

• Rare salamander species. Data on the distribution of rare salamander species within the range of the Northwest Forest Plan were compiled and analyzed to document the effectiveness of required federal survey efforts since 1996. Research also helped determine the likelihood of species persistence under newly developed federal management alternatives. Survey protocols and known site management guidelines for rare salamanders in managed forests were developed for standardized regional application on federal lands. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific North West and Pacific Southwest Stations.

• Clean water. Research was completed which demonstrated low-cost, fiber-based water filtering technology can remove organic and inorganic toxic materials, pesticides, and herbicides from both point and non-point sources. Field research trials were initiated in the New York City and the Catskill Watershed Corporation, and in the Wayne National Forest to clean up contaminated water from abandoned mines. This research was primarily conducted by the Forest Products Laboratory.

• Sustainability and watershed protection. Research was completed on the interactive effects of forest harvesting and acid deposition on soil nutrient supplies. Maps were developed showing areas sensitive to acidic deposition. This provides Forest Service and

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other natural resource management agencies with information that will aid management decisions in maintaining long-term sustainability and protecting watersheds. This research was primarily conducted by the Northeastern Research Station.

• Using trees to clean polluted groundwater. FS R&D scientists began a collaborative project with the Department of Defense (DOD), the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate using trees to accumulate and metabolize pollutants in shallow groundwater in Texas, Florida, Colorado, and South Carolina. This research was primarily conducted by the Southern Research Station.

• Municipal water supplies. Research completed by FS R&D scientists on instream-flow needs was used in establishing water permits in several areas in Puerto Rico and was highlighted in a National Science Foundation sponsored video on the Long-Term Ecological Research program. This research was primarily conducted by the International Institute of Tropical Forestry.

• Economic forest restoration and fuel reduction. Assistance was provided to approximately 70 rural communities across the Nation to help them produce value-added products from material removed to achieve forest fuel reductions and forest restoration. This research is equally conducted by all Stations.

• Urbanization and wildfire risk. A full-scale economic analysis of the 1998 Florida wildfires was conducted to assess the degree to which vegetation management can mitigate economic losses from wildfires in Florida. The research findings of these analyses can be used to inform public debate on the costs of wildfire and help develop more effective wildfire risk mitigation strategies in Florida and nearby states. This research was primarily conducted by the Southern and Pacific Southwest Research Stations.

• New wildland fire software technology. Through the National Interagency Fire Center, a revised software package was distributed to firefighting agencies throughout the U.S. for assessing the relative merits of alternatives for fighting escaped wildfires. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific Southwest Research Station.

• Fire effects in the ecosystem. The Rocky Mountain Research Station published the first volume of a five volume series on Fire Effects in Ecosystems. The first volume, Effects of Fire on Fauna, describes how fire affects animals mainly through effects on their habitat. The Rocky Mountain Research Station primarily conducted this research.

• Fire and old-growth Ponderosa pine. Long-term research continued on the effects of fire in maintaining late-successional, old-growth ponderosa pine forest. Stand density management and stocking control studies in ponderosa pine show that spacing for precommercial thinnings on similar sites should be at least 14 feet and wider if managers desire large-diameter trees with low bark beetle mortality. This research was primarily conducted by the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest Research Stations.

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• Prescribed fire models. Continued cooperative efforts with State and Private Forestry, and Universities on the four-year Joint Fire Sciences Program. This program has resulted in the development of fuel consumption models for prescribed fires and wildfires, such as the CONSUME software, which is in widespread use today. Efforts are continuing to update and create new ideas and technologies to better manage wildland fire. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain Research Stations.

• Best Management Practices (BMPs). BMPs for forest harvesting were upgraded via a publication designed to serve as a desktop reference to assist land managers in better managing forest riparian areas. This research was equally conducted by all Stations.

• Carbon Sequestration. FS R&D scientists contributed critical science in developing U.S. policy on carbon sequestration in forests, produced a verifiable forest carbon inventory, and developed management recommendations to help product sustainable forests. This research was primarily conducted by the Northeastern Research Station with contributions from all other Stations.

• Science and conservation issues. FS R&D provided leadership and oversight of the scientific foundation used for the controversial decision-making processes on millions of acres of Federal lands in the Interior Columbia River Basin, the Sierra-Nevada ecosystem, and the Northwest Forest Plan. Through that science information, the biological diversity and ecological integrity of the systems are simultaneously being better protected along with provision of goods and services to local economies and communities. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific Northwest Station.

• Ozark-Ouachita Highlands Assessment. A set of five reports was published that provided a complete assessment of the social, economic, physical, and biological conditions and trends in the Highlands of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. This research was primarily conducted by the Southern and North Central Research Stations.

• Riparian management in U.S. forests. The Forest Service Southern, Northeastern, North Central Research Stations and Regions 8 and 9, jointly published Riparian Management in Forests of the Continental Eastern United States, that is serving as a desk-top reference for natural resource administrators, educators, and on-the-ground managers who routinely face the challenges of protecting riparian areas. This research was primarily conducted by the Southern Research, Northeastern and North Central Research Stations.

• Soil quality standards. Soil quality standards were developed for operational monitoring of sustainable forestry on public lands of the United States. These standards have been adopted by the country's largest family-owned, forest management company, Sierra Pacific Industries. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain, North Central, Northeastern and Southern Research Stations.

• Livestock management. The Rocky Mountain Research Station published Livestock Management in the American Southwest: Ecology, Society, and Economics. The book presents the ecological and human aspects of grazing, and reflects the interdisciplinary

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research aimed at resolving environmental challenges while sustaining the livelihoods of people in the Southwest. This research was primarily conducted by the Rocky Mountain Research Station.

• Missouri chip mills. A special study on chip mills was conducted in cooperation with the State of Missouri that compared the consequences of several alternative scenarios on future wood supply, forest conditions, and economic activity. The study was used by the Governor of Missouri to formulate a State policy on the introduction of chip mills. This research was primarily conducted by the North Central Research Station.

• Glued-laminated timber (Glulam) from Ponderosa pine. In a feasibility study, Forest Service scientists showed that glulam combinations made entirely of small-diameter Ponderosa pine laminations are approximately 40% higher in stiffness than currently available in glulam standards. These results show the value of small diameter Ponderosa pine, and the possible value of other small diameter materials, to local timber industries. This research was primarily conducted by the Forest Products Laboratory.

• Fiber assessment for standing small diameter timber. The Forest Products Laboratory, in cooperation with the Pacific Northwest Research Station, completed a series of studies aimed at developing a field assessment (stress wave) technology to evaluate the quality of standing small-diameter timber. This research has potential to assist Forest Service managers in field assessments for forest ecosystem health. This research was primarily conducted by the Forest Products Laboratory and Pacific Northwest Station.

• Utilization of low quality Alaskan Hemlock “pulpwood” logs. A cooperative study between the Forest Service and Viking Lumber, Klawock, AK, evaluated yields of structural lumber products from 409 hemlock “pulpwood logs.” The results show that significant yields of Structural Framing lumber for potential manufacture of wooden trusses, Machine Stress Rated lumber of potential use in truss or I-joist manufacturing, and Laminating Stock for potential production of glued-laminated timbers can be obtained from this resource. This research was primarily conducted by the Forest Products Laboratory.

• Chlorine-free pulp bleaching. A chlorine-free wood pulp bleaching technology was developed. This will eliminate discharge of chlorinated hydrocarbons from pulp and paper mills into rivers and streams. This research was primarily conducted by the Forest Products Laboratory.

• Global climate change. The Northeastern Research Station published a book with Springer- Verlag titled "Responses of Northern U.S. Forests to Environmental Change" that summarized the research results of the first decade of the Northern Global Change Research Program. This research was primarily conducted by the Northeastern Research Station.

• National climate change impact report. The first National Assessment on Climate Change Impacts on U.S. Forests was published in FY 2000. The assessment offered a number of conclusions in the areas of forest processes, biodiversity, socio-economic change, and disturbance interactions with climate change. It also provided insight into gaps in

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understanding of how forest ecosystems respond to multiple environmental stresses across the nation. This research was primarily conducted by the Rocky Mountain, Northeastern and Southern Research Stations.

• Carbon dioxide reduction. The Pacific Southwest Research Station published the Urban Forestry Guidelines for Professional and Volunteer Tree Planters (PSW-GTR-171). The publican is a national tool used by utilities, urban foresters, arborists, municipalities, consultants, nonprofit organizations and others to determine the benefits of urban forests on atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) mediation. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific Southwest Research Station.

• Ecosystem modeling technology. After several years of development, a new global ecosystem modeling technology is now available. The new assessment combines outputs from the equilibrium MAPSS model across seven future climate scenarios. The dynamic simulations indicate that fire frequency could increase over much of the West and under the warmer climate scenarios, over many of the Eastern U.S. forests. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific Northwest Research Station.

• The Coastal Landscape Analysis and Modeling Study (CLAMS). The CLAMS models was used to visualize how landscapes might change across all ownerships in the Oregon Coast Range by projecting the potential future of the Coast Range for 100 years under recently enacted forest policies. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific Northwest Research Station.

• Ground penetrating radar technology. Roots are critical for both the function of trees and provide a large sink for sequestering carbon. In collaboration with the Agricultural Research Service, FS R&D scientists explored using ground penetrating radar (GPR) to quantify root biomass on a range of site types in the Southeast. This ongoing research will find a faster and cheaper method to measure root biomass, and was primarily conducted by the Southern Research Station.

• Douglas-fir grafting. The culmination of 35 years of genetics research on testing and breeding of graft compatible Douglas-fir rootstock indicates that graft compatibility is highly heritable and that breeding for graft compatibility rootstock is possible. This research has been largely responsible for making Douglas-fir tree improvement a reality in the U.S. Pacific Northwest as well as other countries. This research was primarily conducted by the Pacific Northwest Research Station Station.

• Aspen ecology. State of the art information was compiled on aspen ecology and management. Over 240 scientists and managers from around the world attended the international symposium, “Sustaining Aspen Ecosystems in Western Landscapes.” The conference proceedings provided information for better management of aspen ecosystems. This research was primarily conducted by the Rocky Mountain Research Station.

• Urban forests. An Urban Forests Effects Model (UFORE) and sampling protocol was developed by FS R&D. The model is being used by various cities to help easily assess urban

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forest structure and various forest functions (e.g., air pollution removal, carbon sequestration). These tools are being used to better manage urban forests and improve human health and environmental quality in cities. This research was primarily conducted by the Northeastern Research Station.

• Annualized inventory. The FIA Program transitioned to annual inventories throughout the United States. Annualized surveys will provide more timely information to public and private land managers on the status, condition, and trends of forest resources through the development of the FIA National Presentation Data Base and National Data Distribution tools. Seventeen States were fully annualized in 2000. This research was primarily conducted by the Northeastern, North Central, Southern, Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest Research Stations.

• FY 2001 Program

• Fire science. Fire science is developing models and decision support systems to enhance fire fighting capacity and preparedness; developing and testing strategies for post-fire rehabilitation and restoration treatments and management of invasive species; developing and testing improved approaches for assessing and monitoring fuels and fire risk, for fuel modification, and for economically viable utilization of small diameter materials; and evaluating social and economic dimensions of fire on fuel management.

• Biobased products and bioenergy. Research efforts are developing and demonstrating the science, management practices, and utilization technologies for short rotation woody cropping systems. This includes appropriate planting stock, sustainable cropping systems, enhanced productivity, increased operational efficiency, new product development, and market development.

• Monitoring methods. Research is developing remote sensing applications for accurate measurement of land use, land condition, land use change, and developing indicators to test sustainability and ecosystem condition.

• Restoration. Ongoing research is developing methods for restoring degraded lands back to productive forest and rangelands. Specific examples of systems under study are bottomland hardwoods, longleaf pine and other fire-dominated systems, rangeland systems, and riparian systems.

• Silviculture and management. Research is developing improved rehabilitation and management systems for degraded lands, alternative management systems for a variety of types and sizes of forests, forest operations systems, genetics, and improved nursery practices and production.

• Global change. Research is focused on measuring, understanding, and predicting climate- related changes in our forest and rangeland ecosystems and developing robust management and mitigation systems to counteract the negative changes. As part of this research, an

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updated national forest carbon inventory will be completed. Additional research is being done on improving water and air quality, understanding habitat changes, enhancing the life of wood products, and improving the recycling of wood fiber.

• Carbon sequestration. Research is inventorying carbon stocks and their changes, and working to understand the biological, ecological, and atmospheric processes and interactions of the carbon cycle. Research is also developing an accounting model of carbon from forest establishment through product use and disposal and developing responsive management systems to enhance sequestration. R&D is cooperating with Coop Forestry and other agencies to provide assistance to landowners to actively engage in carbon management activities.

• Forest productivity. Research is being done on managing the carbon, water, and nutrient cycles of soils to sustain and increase its productivity, develop cost-effective, low-impact operations, and develop improved management options. Science and technology are being developed to understand and manage ecological processes to restore, maintain, and enhance the condition and function of forest and rangeland while protecting the environment.

• Microbial decomposition of slash to seduce fire risk. R&D is assessing the benefits of enhancing microbial decomposition (mushrooms) of slash to reduce fire risk to that of prescribed burns.

• Termites in wood products and forest. Research is being done on termites to assess their impact on loss of wood in homes and other wood buildings. The ecology of termites in forest ecosystems as shredders of downed woody debris also is being examined.

• Coordination of invasive species research operations. The FS and APHIS are establishing an interagency Exotic Pest Rapid Detection Team to coordinate research and control methods on new introductions. The FS and APHIS are also working with the equivalent Canadian agencies to share information about what is coming into North America, what is known about the organisms, possible control methods, and monitoring strategies.

• Control methods for introduced forest and rangeland pests and plant species. Researchers are working with researchers from other countries to provide biological information on introduced pests in order to develop control methods. Some of the pests include the Asian longhorned beetle, hemlock wooly adelgid, pine shoot beetle, European and Asian gypsy moth, Sudden Oak Death in western oaks, pitch canker, kudzu in the South, and several invasive weeds found in western rangelands.

• Insects and diseases as agents of change. Research is clarifying the role of insects and disease-causing organisms as agents of disturbance that shape the nature and character of forest landscapes. Results of this work are helping to better understand and manage forest vegetation to meet an array of desired outcomes for wildlife habitat, timber production, recreational opportunities, and scenic beauty. For example, R&D is providing information on the role of insects, diseases, and invasive weed species that threaten the restoration of overstocked stands by disrupting normal ecosystem succession.

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• Reductions in losses due to bark beetles. Researchers are developing several approaches to control native tree killing bark beetles. They are developing tree varieties that are resistant to bark beetles, as well as developing biological controls for bark beetles such as pheromone traps and mating disrupters. They are also developing models that predict where the bark beetle outbreaks will occur.

• Agenda 2020 Sustainable Forestry. R&D is funding research projects in cooperation with the Department of Energy to substantially improve the productivity of our nation’s forests in a sustainable manner. Research priorities of Agenda 2020 focus on: (1) biotechnology/tree improvement, (2) tree physiology, (3) soil productivity, and (4) remote sensing/forest inventory. This program utilizes competitive grants and a peer review process to provide matching funds for research on innovative technologies that enhance forest productivity and energy efficiency through biomass utilization.

• Watershed. Research is continuing to develop a better understanding of key watershed processes to develop the technical basis for managing and restoring watersheds and for protecting sources of clean water for human populations and aquatic ecosystems. Results provide the basis for developing and testing best management practices, assessing the effects of management on watersheds and aquatic ecosystems, evaluating the effects of forest roads on streamflow and erosion, understanding the linkages between the cycles of water and nutrients, defining in-stream flow needs of aquatic species and communities, and for evaluating effectiveness of burned area rehabilitation practices.

• Riparian areas. R&D is conducting research to develop guidelines and “best management practices” for use in managing and restoring riparian areas and in mitigating wetland decline.

• Fish and aquatic habitat. Research is providing new information on the watershed and habitat requirements of aquatic species and ecosystems. Specific R&D efforts are focused on salmonids and related anadromous species in the Pacific Northwest, and on native fishes and aquatic invertebrates (e.g., mollusks, crayfish) in all forested regions of the US. A number of these species are presently identified as Threatened, Endangered or Sensitive (TES) species.

• Wildlife habitat. Research is enhancing our knowledge of the habitat requirements of wildlife species, with special emphasis on TES species. Results lead to improved protection of TES species, reduced species listings, reduced appeals and litigation, and greater flexibility and reduced costs of land management. Research is also continuing to develop and provide technical support for agency approaches to population viability analyses. Research results provide the basis for developing recovery plans for endangered species and conservation plans for sensitive species.

• Soil productivity. R&D is assessing the effects of management on soil resources and developing methods to prevent or ameliorate impacts on soil productivity in a national long- term soil productivity study. The study will also be used to design soil monitoring methods to assure compliance with legal mandates.

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• Atmospheric sciences research. Research is developing new tools to mitigate the effects of weather on fire occurrence and spread while managing the impacts of forest fire smoke on air quality. Additionally, research is evaluating the extent to which air pollutants (e.g., ozone, atmospheric deposition) damage forest and range sustainability. This will allow managers to partner effectively with states in reducing emissions. Work is also continuing on understanding and mitigating impacts of short-term climate variability (such as El Nina/ La Nino) on vegetation, water resources, and wildlife habitat.

• Forested Wetlands, Bottomland Hardwoods, and Riparian Zones. Research is providing information required for restoring and managing forested wetlands and riparian zones to yield desired products and values while sustaining ecosystem functions that ensure environmental quality.

• Recreation. R&D is conducting research to develop effective visitor management strategies for high-use wildland recreation areas to ensure resource protection while meeting recreational needs.

• Advance housing research. The Advanced Housing Research Center, located at the Forest Product Laboratory, will continue to develop new technology for affordable, durable, and energy efficient housing.

• Conservation of forest resources. Conservation research will continue to develop knowledge and technology to use forest resources more efficiently, make wood products last longer, reuse wood fibers as many times as possible, and economically use under-valued biomass that must be removed to improve forest health.

• Underutilized forest resources. FS R&D will develop economically sounds and environmentally friendly technologies that are of appropriate size for its use to help communities adapt to using underutilized forest resources (e.g., small diameter trees).

• Clean and abundant water. Research is being done to eliminate toxic chemicals such as chromium, copper, and arsenic in preservative treatments of wood. Research is also developing technology to eliminate/reduce the production and discharge of chlorinated hydrocarbons into rivers and streams and developing low-cost, efficient fiber-based water filtering technology to remove organic and inorganic toxic materials, pesticides and herbicides from both point and non-point sources.

• Social Values. Research is filling the gaps in information about human social values regarding timber management, recreation, special forest products and biodiversity and the interactions of these values with management activities. Research is also examining how markets function or fail with respect to forest resources and developing alternate techniques to assess and incorporate non-market values into forest management decision-making.

• Urban Forests. R&D is evaluating the effects of urban vegetation on air and water quality, the impacts of urbanization on forest health and productivity, and developing management tools to improve human health and environmental quality. Research is developing urban

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forest computer models that will allow individual cities to collect and analyze data and input management alternatives to optimize the benefits received from urban vegetation.

• Decision-making. R&D is developing guidelines and improving access to current social, cultural, and demographic data so that planners, policy makers, and legislators can incorporate this information into their decision-making.

• Forest Inventory and Analysis. The FIA program continues to provide the most current information on condition and trends in our nation’s forests. In FY 2001, the Forest Service plans to achieve a forest coverage rate of 65% with the funds given to R&D. FIA leverages federal funds with State funds to enhance program coverage and data collection. In conjunction with the Forest Resources Information and Analysis program, the Nation’s coverage rate should reach 72%. The Forest Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Association of State Foresters calling for expanding the FIA program to conform to the requirements of the 1998 Farm Bill.

• Assessments. Research is building the integrating framework and scientific basis to support management of forest lands within mixed forest ownership in the Southern Appalachians Region and the Interior Highlands (Ouachita/Ozark).

• Neotropical birds in the Caribbean. Research and monitoring to develop and test strategies for managing neotropical migratory birds and threatened, endangered, and sensitive species will continue. Research is being conducted on the wintering habitat of Neotropical migrant birds in the forests of the Caribbean to increase the knowledge of wintering habitat on populations and to contribute to the conservation of wintering grounds.

• FIA in the Caribbean. Research is providing a comprehensive assessment of the forest resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands consistent with the national FIA program. It is building on IITF's long-term forest plot monitoring program to include sites in other regions of the American Tropics, and improve, through the use of GIS technologies, our ability to conduct local (Puerto Rico) and regional (Caribbean-wide) analyses of forest cover, forest composition, and its changes over time.

• National Fire Plan. The National Fire Plan calls for increasing the capability of federal research and development to support efforts to reduce the human and ecological losses from wildfires. For example, FS R&D has developed models for sophisticated predictions of fire and smoke behavior, and powerful GIS and remote sensing methods to help predict how fires burn in different landscapes.

• National Fire Plan. Scientists from the research stations have increased their training and technical assistance activities to support the anticipated training of hundreds of new recruits. New research is showing fire managers ways to improve the use of the Wildland Fire Situation Analysis and the Prescribed Fire planning process to minimize the potential for accidental uncontrolled fires.

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• National Fire Plan. The research will contribute to a better understanding of fuel load location and accumulation rates. This information is critical to reducing short and long-term fuel build up areas, and for prioritizing areas for fuel load reduction management.

Additional discussion of Wildland fire related research is contained in the Wildland Fire Management and National Fire Plan sections.

FY 2002 Plans

In addition to the work continued from FY 2001, Forest Service R&D will conduct research in the six following areas:

1. New Science for Community and Wildland Development: National Forest lands are the largest single source of water in the United States. The rapidly growing population centers are highly dependent on well-managed, healthy and sustainable forestlands that contain their watersheds, however these watersheds may be at risk due to pollution, insects and diseases. FS R&D will continue research needed to sustain and improve water quality and quantity for communities, and improve plant and animal habitat.

2. The Forest Service Global Change Research Program (FSGCRP): Changing climate and increased climate variability may be putting ecosystem productivity, health, and diversity at risk. FS R&D will continue to improve the understanding of biophysical relationships between forest productivity and health, climate change and variability, and other disturbance processes. This research includes the development of models to predict forest structure, migration, enhancement or decline under a variety of climate scenarios and their feedback to the atmosphere.

3. Watersheds for Multiple Values: Research on watershed processes are needed to ensure that the public is provided with clean and reliable water from forests and grasslands. Many impacts of land use and resource management on water quality are well understood. In FY 2002 R&D will study areas such as effects of water quality on dispersed recreation, strategies to protect and restore habitat for salmon and other ocean going and inland fish, and the use models to predict effects of road maintenance on water quality.

4. Biobased Products and Bioenergy: The demand for biobased products and bioenergy continues to increase. FS R&D will provide a significant portion of the science and technology needed to provide feedstocks and efficient processing of new products. Short rotation woody cropping systems will be developed and demonstrated economically and environmentally sound production and utilization systems. Also, research on small-diameter trees and low-value sources will focus on material recycling and increasing raw material for biobased products and bioenergy.

5. Sustainable Forest and Rangeland Productivity: Our Nation depends on productive forests and rangelands to meet a multitude of needs including wood fiber for paper and structural wood products for housing and furniture, forage, clean water

Forest and Rangeland Research 4 - 19 FY 2002 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service to drink, recreation, carbon sequestration, and a wide variety of other benefits. FS R&D is developing and demonstrating forest management strategies and techniques that enhance forest and rangeland productivity, health, and carbon storage opportunities. Researchers also develop and communicate the science and technology needed to understand, predict, and manage the carbon, soil, nutrient, and water cycles to sustain and enhance productivity.

6. National Fire Plan: In FY 2002, the FS R&D will continue developing methods for reducing the potential impacts of uncontrolled fires. Funding will be provided under Wildland Fire Management and Fire Operations (see Wildland Fire Management). Forest and Rangeland Management practices and wildfire suppression activities have lead to an increase in fuel loads across the country during the last 40 years. Increased fuel loads coupled with hot and dry climate have resulted in a rise in wildfire damage and increased risk of catastrophic fire across the country. Specifically, in FY 2002 FS R&D research will continue to focus on: (1) enhancing firefighting capacity and preparedness, including predictive models for fire weather, behavior and smoke dispersion; (2) restoring landscapes and rebuilding communities; (3) reducing hazardous fuels and fire risk; and (4) working with communities.

Justification of FY 2002 Program Changes

The FY 2002 Budget Request for the Forest and Rangeland Research appropriation is $234,979,000, an increase of $5,868,000 from the FY 2001 enacted. This increase partially covers uncontrollable costs, including increases in salaries, benefits and rent.

Four areas will be given special emphasis in FY 2002, through the reallocation of appropriated dollars from other research areas. The emphasis areas include:

Producing Wood within a Sustainable Framework

FS R&D will increase funding for Agenda 2020 Sustainable Forestry program co-sponsored with the Department of Energy to $2 million in FY 2002, which is a $1 million increase from the FY 2001 level. Funding for this additional research will come from redirections in fundamental plant sciences research. This program will continue to utilize the existing framework of competitive grants and a peer reviewed process to focus cost-shared research on innovative technologies that enhance individual tree and forest productivity and wood biomass utilization for energy efficiency.

Additional emphasis will also be given to tree health and growth to increase fiber production through genetic research, biobased products, and the development of alternative restoration and management practices to increase forest productivity and vigor.

The Advanced Housing Research Center, located at the Forest Product Laboratory, will continue to develop new technology for affordable, durable, and energy efficient housing.

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Forest Inventory and Analysis

The FIA program is continuing to provide the most current information on condition and trends in our nation’s forests. However, data analysis and interpretation are lagging behind plot establishment, therefore $500,000 of the FIA budget will be reallocated within FIA to reduce the analysis backlog. FS R&D commitments to some plot establishments will be delayed to redirect funding to data analysis and interpretation. Continued leveraging of federal funds with State funding support enhances national program coverage and survey detail.

The Forest Service will continue FIA program activities at the same level as in FY 2001.

Forest Health and Reducing Fire Risk

Decades of fire suppression and other forest and rangeland management practices have caused a dangerous build up of fire fuels in many parts of the country, and greatly increased the potential for catastrophic wildfires. In FY 2002 $600,000 of FS R&D funding will be reallocated toward better understanding and developing management alternatives for controlling wildfire impacts on forests and communities. FS R&D funding for this research increase will be redirected from the Forest Health Initiative.

Large Scale Watershed Restoration Program

Beginning in FY 1999, this program has examined the impacts of land management practices on large-scale watershed structure and function on the Nation’s forestlands. Based on priorities in the R&D 2001 business plan, large scale watershed restoration research findings require ground validation and the development of technology applications for managers. In FY 2002, $1.2 million of FS R&D funding will be utilized for projects in this research area.

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