A Forest Service employee collects data to evaluate the regrowth of vegetation after an area received a prescribed fire.
U.S. Forest Service photo
The 2020-2021 monitoring and evaluation biennial report for the Hoosier National Forest has just been published and is available to the public online at fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1123507.pdf.
The report summarizes the results of management actions conducted under the forest’s 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan, aka forest plan, and meets the intent of both the forest plan and the 2012 planning rule regulations in the National Forest Management Act, according to a news release from the U.S. Forest Service.
Management of a national forest with a broad, multiple-use mission and mandate requires careful consideration of trade-offs and expected effectiveness of projects to be implemented.
Many land and resource management projects in service of the public require short-term disturbance to achieve mid- and long-term benefits. To the extent possible, these impacts are avoided or mitigated prior to, during or after project implementation, according to the forest service.
The monitoring report summarizes findings of forestwide monitoring efforts and informs managers of the progress being made toward implementation of the forest plan and assists in making future decisions based on anticipated effectiveness of those actions and mitigation measures meant to minimize undesirable impacts. Effective forest plan monitoring and evaluation fosters improved management and more informed planning decisions.
The report is of value to forest service leadership, managers and employees and the public as it helps identify the need to adjust management direction, such as desired conditions, goals, objectives, standards and guidelines, as conditions change.
The biennial report provides a readily available reference document for forest service managers as they plan, evaluate the effects of actions on resources and implement future projects. This information can illuminate changes needed in project planning and implementation or changes needed in forest plan direction.
This report also describes to the public how their public lands are being managed and how effectively the commitments made to them within the 2006 forest plan are being met.