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 Forest and Rangeland Research 4 - 1 FY 2002 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service 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 Forest and Rangeland Research 4 - 3 FY 2002 Budget Justification USDA Forest Service 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