This document can be accessed on the Shawnee National Forest website: www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/shawnee. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, 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, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................1 I. THE FOREST PLAN....................................................................................................................1 A. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN.......................................................................................................1 B. ORGANIZATION OF THE PLAN .............................................................................................2 II. FOREST LOCATION ..................................................................................................................3 A. UNIQUE FEATURES OF THE FOREST.................................................................................3 B. A VISION OF THE FUTURE....................................................................................................5 CHAPTER II. SUMMARY OF THE MANAGEMENT SITUATION .......................................................7 I. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................7 II. RESOURCE SUPPLY AND DEMAND ANALYSIS ....................................................................8 A. RECREATION..........................................................................................................................8 B. TIMBER....................................................................................................................................8 C. RANGE ....................................................................................................................................9 D. ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES ................................................................................9 CHAPTER III. RESPONSE OF PLAN TO THE NEED FOR CHANGE .............................................11 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................11 A. NEED FOR CHANGE ............................................................................................................11 CHAPTER IV. FOREST MANAGEMENT DIRECTION .....................................................................19 I. MANAGEMENT GOALS............................................................................................................19 A. MULTIPLE-USE MANAGEMENT..........................................................................................19 B. ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT..............................................................................................19 C. PUBLIC RELATIONSHIPS ....................................................................................................20 D. RECREATION MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................20 E. VISUAL-RESOURCE MANAGEMENT..................................................................................20 F. HERITAGE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.............................................................................20 G. SPECIAL-FEATURE MANAGEMENT...................................................................................21 H. RESEARCH ...........................................................................................................................21 I. CANDIDATE WILD AND SCENIC RIVER MANAGEMENT ...................................................21 J. WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................21 K. FOREST ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY...................................................21 L. RANGE-RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................22 M. WILDLIFE, FISH AND AT-RISK SPECIES MANAGEMENT ................................................22 N. TRANSPORTATION-SYSTEM MANAGEMENT...................................................................23 O. SOIL, WATER, AIR MANAGEMENT.....................................................................................23 P. GEOLOGY AND MINERALS MANAGEMENT ......................................................................23 Q. LAND-OWNERSHIP ADJUSTMENT ....................................................................................24 R. LAW ENFORCEMENT ..........................................................................................................24 S. FIRE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................24 T. HUMAN AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT......................................................................25 II. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES.................................................................................................25 III. PROPOSED AND PROBABLE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES...............................................26 CHAPTER V. STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES...............................................................................31 I. IMPLEMENTATION ...................................................................................................................93 A. APPROVAL OF THE REVISED PLAN ..................................................................................93 B. PROJECT-LEVEL DECISION-MAKING................................................................................94 II. MONITORING AND EVALUATION PROGRAM ......................................................................95 A. MONITORING........................................................................................................................95 B. EVALUATION ........................................................................................................................95 C. AMENDMENTS AND REVISIONS ........................................................................................96 D. LEGAL AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS .................................................................. 97 E. MONITORING FRAMEWORK............................................................................................... 98 F. MONITORING PRIORITIZATION.......................................................................................... 98 G. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................... 99 H. EVALUATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA .............................................................. 99 I. ANNUAL MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT......................................................... 99 J. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT...................................................................................................... 100 K. MONITORING MATRIX....................................................................................................... 100 APPENDIX A. GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS...............................................................................107 I. GLOSSARY............................................................................................................................107 II. ACRONYMS..........................................................................................................................129 APPENDIX B. VEGETATION TREATMENTS THROUGH TIMBER SALES...................................133 I. LAND SUITABILITY FOR TIMBER PRODUCTION...............................................................133 II. ALLOWABLE SALE QUANTITY AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINED YIELD..……...………….134 III. TIMBER HARVEST METHODS............................................................................................135 IV. OTHER TIMBER INFORMATION........................................................................................135 APPENDIX C. SILVICULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.....................................................137 I. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................137 II. SILVICULTURAL SYSTEMS.................................................................................................137 A. UNEVEN-AGED SYSTEM................................................................................................139 B. EVEN-AGED SYSTEM.....................................................................................................140 III. MAJOR FOREST-COVER TYPES.......................................................................................142 A. HISTORY...........................................................................................................................142 B. OAK-HICKORY..................................................................................................................143