Definitions

Adaptive management: A type of natural resource management that implies making decisions as part of an on-going process. Monitoring the results of actions will provide a flow of information that may indicate the need to change a course of action. Scientific findings and the needs of society may also indicate the need to adapt resource management to new information.

Aerial logging: Removing logs from a timber harvest area by helicopter. Fewer roads are required, so the impact to an area is minimized.

Affected environment: The natural environment that exists at the present time in an area being analyzed.

APA-Administrative Procedures Act: The law under which some 55 federal government regulatory agencies like the EPA create the rules and regulations necessary to implement and enforce major legislative acts of Congress such as NEPA, ESA, MUSYA and many others.

Aspect: The direction a slope faces. A hillside facing east has an eastern aspect.

ASQ-Allowable Sale Quantity: the amount of timber that may be sold within a certain time period from an area of suitable land.

Biological diversity: The number and abundance of species found within a common environment. This includes the variety of genes, species, ecosystems, and the ecological processes that connect everything in a common environment.

BMP-Best Management Practices: Practices designed to prevent or reduce water pollution.

Buffer: A land area that is designated to block or absorb unwanted impacts to the area beyond the buffer. Buffer strips along a trail could block views that may be undesirable. Buffers may be set aside next to wildlife habitat to reduce abrupt changes to the habitat.

CE-Cumulative Effects: Effects on the environment that result from separate, individual actions that, collectively, become significant over time.

CEQ-Counsel on Environmental Quality: The group, headed by a full-time Chairperson, which oversees NEPA.

Clear Cut: A harvest in which all or almost all of the trees are removed in one cutting. Collector roads: These roads serve small land areas and are usually connected to a Forest System Road, a county road, or a state highway.

Composition: What an ecosystem is composed of. Composition could include water, minerals, trees, snags, wildlife, soil, microorganisms, and certain plant species.

Connectivity of habitats: The linkage of similar but separated vegetation stands by patches, corridors, or "stepping stones" of like vegetation. This term can also refer to the degree to which similar habitats are linked.

Corridor: Elements of the landscape that connect similar areas. Streamside vegetation may create a corridor of willows and hardwoods between meadows where wildlife feed.

Critical habitat: Areas designated for the survival and recovery of federally listed threatened or endangered species.

Cumulative effects: Defined by the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act as: the impact on the environment which results from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency (federal or non-federal) or person undertakes such other actions.

DBH-Diameter at Breast Height: The diameter of a tree 4 and ½ feet above the ground on the uphill side of the tree.

DEIS-Draft Environmental Impact Statement: The draft version of the Environmental Impact Statement that is released to the public and other agencies for review and comment.

Decision Criteria: The rules and standards used to evaluate alternatives to a proposed action on National Forest land. Decision criteria are designed to help a decision-maker identify a preferred choice from the array of alternatives.

Desired future condition: Land or resource conditions that are expected to result if goals and objectives are fully achieved. Disturbance: Any event, such as forest fire or insect infestations that alter the structure, composition, or functions of an ecosystem.

EA: Environmental Assessment: A written assessment that is required to be done on all federal projects to determine if there is a significant environmental impact requiring an environmental impact statement to be completed.

Ecological approach: An approach to natural resource management that considers the relationships among all organisms, including humans, and their environment.

Ecosystem management: An ecological approach to natural resource management to assure productive, healthy ecosystems by blending social, economic, physical, and biological needs and values.

EIS-Environmental Impact Statement: A statement of environmental effects of a proposed action and alternatives to it. The EIS is released to other agencies and the public for comment and review.

Endangered species: A plant or animal that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Endangered species are identified by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Environmental analysis: An analysis of alternative actions and their predictable long and short-term environmental effects. Environmental analyses include physical, biological, social and economic factors.

EPA-Environmental Protection Agency: The federal agency, which prepares and reviews NEPA documents.

Erosion: The wearing away of the land surface by wind or water.

ESA-Endangered Species Act: A federal law, the purpose of which is to provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species or threatened species depend may be conserved and to provide a program for the conservation of such endangered species and threatened species.

Even aged management: Timber management actions that result in the creation of stands of trees in which the trees are essentially the same age.

Final cut: The removal of the last seed bearers or shelter trees after regeneration of new trees has been established in a stand being managed under the shelterwood system of silviculture.

Fire cycle: The average time between fires in a given area.

FOIA-Freedom of Information Act: A federal government law that allows citizens to get documents or information from government agencies to help solve environmental problems or to make certain that environmental laws are being enforced.

FONSI: Finding of No Significant Impact: If an agency determines that there is no significant impact as the result of an environmental assessment (EA) then the agency issues a FONSI and continues on with the project without doing an environmental impact statement (EIS).

Forest health: A measure of the robustness of forest ecosystems. Aspects of forest health include biological diversity; soil, air, and water productivity; natural disturbances; and the capacity of the forest to provide a sustaining flow of goods and services for people.

FRRRPA-Forest & Rangeland Renewable Resource Act: The 1974 federal law that provided for the protection, development and enhancement of the National Forest System, its lands and resources. This law was later superseded by the National Forest Management Act of 1976.

Forest roads and trails: Roads and trails under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service.

Fragmentation: The splitting or isolating of patches of similar habitat, typically forest cover, but including other types of habitat. Habitat can be fragmented naturally or from forest management activities, such as clearcut logging.

FWS-Fish and Wildlife Service: The federal government agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Its mission is to preserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

GIS-Geographic Information Systems: A computer system that is capable of capturing, storing, analyzing and displaying geographical referenced information (data identified according to location). Using GIS allows people who make decisions about resources to produce graphics on screen or on paper to convey the results of their analyses.

Group selection: A method of tree harvest in which trees are removed periodically in small groups. This silvicultural treatment results in small openings that form mosaics of age class groups in the forest.

Habitat: The area where a plant or animal lives and grows under natural conditions.

HFRA-Healthy Forests Restoration Act: A 2003 Law, the ostensible purpose of which is to help the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management plan and conduct hazardous fuels reduction projects of federal lands and to deal with insect infestations.

Indicator species: A plant or animal species related to a particular kind of environment. Its presence indicates that specific habitat conditions are also present.

Intermountain region: The portion of the USDA Forest Service, also referred to an Region Four, that includes National Forests in Utah, Nevada, southern Idaho, and southwestern Wyoming.

IPNF-Idaho National Panhandle Forest: Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho and Western Montana area of National Forest with approximately 2.5 million acres of forest land.

Irretrievable: One of the categories of impacts mentioned in the National Environmental Policy Act to be included in statements of environmental impacts. An irretrievable effect applies to losses of production or commitment of renewable natural resources.

Irreversible: A category of impacts mentioned in statements of environmental impacts that applies to non-renewable resources, such as minerals and archaeological sites.

Land class: The topographic relief of a unit of land. Land classes are separated by slope; this coincides with the timber inventory process. The three land classes used in the Forest Plan are defined by the following slope ranges: 0 t0 35 percent; 36-55 percent; and greater than 55 percent. Management action: Any activity undertaken as part of the administration of the National Forest.

MBF: Thousand Board Feet: A measurement term for lumber or timber. One board foot is the amount of wood contained in an unfinished board 1 inch thick, 12 inches long and 12 inches wide.

MIS-Management Indicator Species: A wildlife species whose population will indicate the health of the ecosystem in which it lives and, consequently, the effects of forest management activities to that ecosystem. MIS species are selected by land management agencies. Sometimes called "indicator species".

Mitigation: Actions taken to avoid, minimize, or rectify the impact of a land management practice.

Mixed stand: A stand of trees consisting of two or more tree species.

Monitoring and evaluation: The periodic evaluations of forest management activities to determine how well objectives were met and how management practices should be adjusted.

Multiple use management: The management of all the various renewable surface resources of National Forest lands for a variety of purposes such as recreation, range, timber, wildlife and fish habitat, and watershed.

MUSYA-Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act: A 1960 federal law that governs the management of national forests. It recognizes that national forests are to be used for outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, and wildlife and fish purposes. "Multiple use" means management of all the surface resources of the national forests to meet the needs of the American people. "Sustained yield" means that harvest is in balance with growth.

Natural barrier: A natural feature, such as a dense stand of trees or downfall, that will restrict animal travel.

NEPA-National Environmental Policy Act: Congress passed NEPA in 1969 to encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between people and their environment. One of the major tenets of NEPA is its emphasis on public disclosure of possible environmental effects of any major action on public lands.

NFLRMP-National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan: Also called the Forest. Plan or just the Plan, this document guides the management of a particular National Forest and establishes management standards and guidelines for all lands of that National forest.

NFMA-National Forest Management Act: This law was passed in 1976 and requires the preparation of Regional Guidelines and Forest Plans.

No action alternative: The most likely condition expected to exist in the future if management practices continue unchanged.

Nonpoint source pollution: Pollution whose source is not specific in location. The sources of the discharge are dispersed, not well defined, or constant. Rain storms and snowmelt often make this type of pollution worse. Examples include sediments from logging activities and runoff from agricultural chemicals.

Notice of intent: A notice in the federal register of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement on a proposed action.

Old growth: Old forests often containing several canopy layers, variety in tree sizes and species, decadent old trees and standing and dead woody material.

ORV-Off Road Vehicle: Off-road vehicles, such as motor cycles, 4-wheel drives vehicles, and 4-wheelers.

Public land: Land for which title and control rests with a government-federal, state, regional, county or municipal.

Ranger district: The administrative sub-unit of a National Forest that is supervised by a District Ranger who reports directly to the Forest Supervisor.

Regional forester: The official of the USDA Forest Service responsible for administering an entire region of the Forest Service.

ROD: Record of Decision: An official document in which a deciding official states the alternative that will be implemented from a prepared EIS.

Scoping: The ongoing process to determine public opinion, receive comments and suggestions, and determine issues during the environmental analysis process. It may involve public meetings, telephone conversations, or letters.

Second growth: Forest growth that was established after some kind of interference with the previous forest crop, such as cutting, fire, or insect attack.

Sensitive species: Plants or animal species, which are susceptible to habitat changes or impacts from activities. The USDA Forest Service at the Regional level makes the official designation and it is not part of the designation of Threatened or Endangered Species made by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Standards and guidelines: Requirements found in a Forest Plan, which impose limits on natural resource management activities, generally for environmental protection.

Sustainability: The ability of an ecosystem to maintain ecological processes and functions, biological diversity, and productivity over time.

Target: A National Forest's annual goals for accomplishment for natural resource programs.

Threatened species: Those plant or animal species likely to become endangered throughout all or a specific portion of their range within the foreseeable future as designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act.

Uneven-aged management: Actions that maintain a forest or stand of trees composed on intermingling trees that differ markedly in age. Cutting methods that develop and maintain uneven-aged stands are single-tree selection and group selection.

Unregulated harvest: Tree harvest that is not part of the allowable sale quantity (ASQ). It can include the removal of cull or dead material or non-commercial species.

USDA-United States Department of Agriculture: The federal government agency that is the steward of our nation's 193 million acres of national forests and rangelands. The United States Forest Service is an agency of USDA.

USFS-United States Forest Service: The U. S. government agency, established in 1905, which is part of the USDA. The USFA manages public lands in national forests and grasslands, which encompass approximately 193 million acres.

Wildlife habitat diversity: The distribution and abundance of different plant and animal communities and species within a specific area.