DIVISION of FORESTRY 2020 Annual Report TABLE of CONTENTS
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Alaska Department of Natural Resources DIVISION OF FORESTRY 2020 Annual Report TABLE OF CONTENTS STATE FORESTER’S COMMENTS ................................................................................................................................2 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT Forest Practices Implementation on Private, Municipal and Trust Land ....................................................3 Notifications and Inspections ...............................................................................................................3 Variations and Enforcement .................................................................................................................3 Effectiveness Monitoring .....................................................................................................................3 Compliance Monitoring ........................................................................................................................3 Board of Forestry .................................................................................................................................5 Forest Management CoVid Response ..................................................................................................................................6 Good Neighbor Authority Projects ........................................................................................................9 Tongass Young Growth Federal Grant Project ...................................................................................14 Coastal Region Forest Management .................................................................................................16 Northern Region Forest Management................................................................................................20 Alaska State Forests ......................................................................................................................................10 2020 FRPA Statistics ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Cooperative Forestry Programs Forest Health Program .......................................................................................................................23 Forest Stewardship Program .............................................................................................................27 Community Forestry Program ............................................................................................................31 FIRE & AVIATION 2020 Wildland Fire Season ............................................................................................................................36 2020 Fire Statistics .........................................................................................................................................43 Fire Summary .....................................................................................................................................52 Program Management ........................................................................................................................................ Aviation ............................................................................................................................................. 53 State Fire Support ..............................................................................................................................59 National Fire Plan & Wildland Urban Interface Projects.....................................................................63 Fire Training Program ........................................................................................................................66 2020 DIVISION OF FORESTRY ACTUALS ..................................................................................................................72 2021 DIVISION OF FORESTRY BUDGET ....................................................................................................................73 2020 DIVISION OF FORESTRY ORGANIZATIONAL CHART .....................................................................................74 2020 DIVISION OF FORESTRY DIRECTORY ..............................................................................................................75 For online copy of annual report, go to http://forestry.alaska.gov/overview Front cover photo by Jim Smith. Back cover by Kevin Meany. The mission of the Division of Forestry is to proudly serve Alaskans through forest management and wildland fire protection. Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry 2020 Annual Report The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry • Manages a wildland fire program on public, private, and municipal land; • Encourages development of the timber industry and forest products markets; • Conducts timber sales for commercial use, personal use, and fuel woods; • Protects water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and other forest values through appropriate forest practices and administration of Forest Resources and Practices Act; • Manages the Southeast, Haines, and Tanana Valley state forests, which cover a total of 2.1 million acres; • Administers the federally funded Community Forestry, Forest Health Protection, and Forest Stewardship programs; and • Gives technical assistance to owners and managers of forested land. The State Forester’s Office is in Anchorage. The division has regional offices in Fairbanks and Palmer and other offices throughout the state. As of December 2020, the division had 58 full-time, 181 part-time/seasonal, and 25 non-permanent positions. ALASKA STATE FORESTERS Earl Plaurde October 1959 - June 1968 Malcolm “Bob” Dick January 1989 - November 1992 William Sacheck July 1968 - June 1974 Dean Brown (acting) December 1992 - February 1993 George Hollett July 1974 - June 1976 Tomas Boutin March 1993 - January 1997 Theodore Smith July 1976 - April 1982 Dean Brown (acting) January 1997 - July 1997 John Sturgeon May 1982 - June 1986 Jeff Jahnke July 1997 - July 2005 George Hollett (acting) July 1986 - February 1987 Dean Brown (acting) July 2005 - October 2005 John Galea March 1987 - May 1988 John “Chris” Maisch October 2005 - present Tom Hawkins (acting) June 1988 - December 1988 Alaska Department of Natural Resources • Division of Forestry STATE FORESTER’S COMMENTS As I reflect on the past year of work and accomplishments by the division, I also note that this will be my final oppor- tunity to author this forward to the annual report. I retire in early 2021 after 15 plus years as the State Forester and Direc- tor. Many things have changed over this period, but equally important many things have not. The dedication and profes- sionalism of the division and our delivery of the core ser- vices has not wavered despite many challenges. “We proudly serve Alaskans through forest management and wildland fire protection” is a task that we take to heart and work to State Forester Chris Maisch is presented an achieve every day. In an organization this large, these duties Alaska state flag that flew over the capitol in can take on many dimensions and through flexibility and Juneau by DNR Commissioner Corri Feige adaptation to current needs and external events, the em- and Deputy Commissioner Brent Goodrum. phasis areas may change from year to year. This is expected and demonstrates a resourceful and resilient agency that can respond to the situation at hand and successfully meet the demands of the core mission(s). This continued focus is due to two key attributes: individual initiative and dedicated employees. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded earlier this year the division took a proactive approach to provide information, guidance, and a forum to discuss the constantly changing information and best practices. A small incident management team was established within the division to be the interface with employees and the information coming from the administration, Health and Social Services, and the Center for Disease Control. We created a best practices handbook and regularly updated it (edition 15) with information on a range of topics with the central focus of keeping the workforce healthy and work environment safe. This was a special challenge in the fire suppression world and for field crews that flew frequently in small aircraft or helicopters, lived in remote camps, and worked in close proximity with fellow crew members and other personnel. I am pleased to report that no major issues arose due to COVID-19 and individual situations were promptly resolved. The business of the state continued, fires were suppressed, timber sale proj- ects moved ahead, and services to individual citizens were maintained, albeit with some different delivery methods and techniques. The point is, the division adapted and so did Alaskans. Going forward there will be ongoing and new challenges, but you have the resources and leader- ship to continue to accomplish meaningful work in support of the core mission(s). In fact, you can help chart a course for a more aggressive and proactive approach to dealing with forest health and resiliency. You can help to get in front of wildland fire, climate, and economic challenges our state faces. Each of you has something to contribute in your professional role and should seek out opportunities to engage with your peers and partner agencies or organizations. As I close out this chapter of my career, I look back with pride on what