UUnitednited StatesStates UUnitednited StatesStates DDepartmentepartment ofof DDepartmentepartment ofof TheThe HealthyHealthy ForestsForests AAgriculturegriculture tthehe IInteriornterior The Healthy Forests FForestorest ServiceService BBureauureau ofof LandLand MManagementanagement InitiativeInitiative andand HealthyHealthy FFS–799S–799 FFebruaryebruary 20042004 ForForestsests RestorationRestoration ActAct IInterimnterim FFieldield GGuideuide United States United States Department of Department of TheThe HealthyHealthy ForestsForests Agriculture the Interior The Healthy Forests Forest Service Bureau of Land Management InitiativeInitiative andand HealthyHealthy FS–799 February 2004 FoForestsests RestorationRestoration ActAct IInterimnterim FFieldield GGuideuide USDA Forest Service DOI Bureau of Land Management FS–799 February 2004 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250–9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. i Contents Introduction _____________________________________________________________________________1 Purpose of This Field Guide _________________________________________________________________ 1 Increased Risk of Catastrophic Fire ___________________________________________________________ 2 Delays Caused by Procedural and Administrative Processes _______________________________________ 3 Healthy Forests Initiative ___________________________________________________________________ 4 NEPA Categorical Exclusions ____________________________________________________________________________ 4 Guidance for Environmental Assessments of Forest Health Projects ______________________________________________ 4 USDA Forest Service Appeals Rule Amendments ____________________________________________________________ 5 DOI BLM Full Force and Effect Regulations _________________________________________________________________ 5 DOI Appeals Rules Amendments _________________________________________________________________________ 6 New Endangered Species Act Procedures __________________________________________________________________ 6 Stewardship Contracting ________________________________________________________________________________ 6 DOI Administrative NEPA Improvements ____________________________________________________________________ 6 Healthy Forests Restoration Act ______________________________________________________________ 7 Environmental Analysis Requirements for HFI and HFRA Projects ______________________8 Healthy Forests Initiative ___________________________________________________________________ 8 Categorically Excluding Hazardous-Fuel-Reduction Actions ____________________________________________________ 8 Environmental Assessments _____________________________________________________________________________ 9 Healthy Forests Restoration Act ______________________________________________________________ 9 Developing the Proposed Action and Alternatives _____________________________________________________________ 9 Decision Diagrams _______________________________________________________________________ 10 Title I of the HFRA—Hazardous-Fuel Reduction on NFS and BLM Land _______________ 15 Wildland-Urban Interfaces Within or Adjacent to At-Risk Communities _______________________________ 15 At-Risk Municipal Watersheds ______________________________________________________________ 15 Determination of Significant Risk _________________________________________________________________________ 16 Documentation ______________________________________________________________________________________ 19 Threats to Ecosystem Components or Forest or Rangeland Resources ______________________________ 20 Determination of Significant Threat to an Ecosystem Component or Forest or Rangeland Resources ___________________ 20 Determining Whether Blowdown or Ice-Storm Damage Increases Risk to an Ecosystem Component or Forest Resources ___ 20 Determining the Existence of an Insect or Disease Epidemic ___________________________________________________ 22 Evaluating the Threats Posed to Ecosystem Components or Forest or Rangeland Resources _________________________ 23 Documentation ______________________________________________________________________________________ 23 Threatened and Endangered Species ________________________________________________________ 23 Determining the Threat of Fire and the Need for Enhanced Protection ____________________________________________ 24 Documentation ______________________________________________________________________________________ 25 Old-Growth and Large-Tree Retention ________________________________________________________ 25 Old Growth__________________________________________________________________________________________ 25 Large-Tree Retention __________________________________________________________________________________ 27 Administrative Review ____________________________________________________________________ 29 Judicial Review __________________________________________________________________________ 30 Documentation ______________________________________________________________________________________ 30 Setting Priorities and Collaborating __________________________________________________________ 32 Identifying At-Risk Communities _________________________________________________________________________ 34 Developing Community Wildfire Protection Plans ____________________________________________________________ 34 Setting Priorities Collaboratively _________________________________________________________________________ 36 Providing Financial Assistance for Projects on Non-Federal Lands ______________________________________________ 36 ii Contents The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act ______________________________________________ 36 Monitoring _____________________________________________________________________________ 38 Multiparty Monitoring __________________________________________________________________________________ 38 Monitoring Maintenance of Treated Areas __________________________________________________________________ 38 Reporting Accomplishments ____________________________________________________________________________ 38 Tracking Acres Burned_________________________________________________________________________________ 38 Title II—Biomass ______________________________________________________________________ 40 Research to Improve Biomass Use __________________________________________________________ 40 Rural Revitalization Through Forestry ________________________________________________________ 40 Biomass Commercial Utilization Grant Program ________________________________________________ 41 Title III—Watershed Forestry Assistance ______________________________________________ 42 Watershed Forestry Assistance _____________________________________________________________ 42 Tr ibal Watershed Forestry Assistance ________________________________________________________ 42 Developing Program Guidelines _____________________________________________________________ 43 Title IV—Insect Infestations and Related Diseases ____________________________________ 44 Accelerated Information Gathering___________________________________________________________ 44 Applied Silvicultural Assessments ___________________________________________________________ 44 Title V—Healthy Forests Reserve Program _____________________________________________ 46 Title VI—Miscellaneous________________________________________________________________ 47 North American Exotic Forest Pest Information System __________________________________________ 47 Forest Health Protection ___________________________________________________________________ 47 Rapid Pest Detection Program ______________________________________________________________ 47 Pest Suppression ________________________________________________________________________ 48 Forest Health Monitoring __________________________________________________________________ 48 Forest Inventory and Analysis ______________________________________________________________ 48 Glossary ________________________________________________________________________________ 49 References _____________________________________________________________________________ 52 At-Risk Municipal Watersheds ______________________________________________________________ 52 Publications _________________________________________________________________________________________ 52 Threats of Insect or Disease Epidemics _______________________________________________________ 52 Threatened and Endangered Species ________________________________________________________ 52 Web Sites __________________________________________________________________________________________ 52 Publications _________________________________________________________________________________________