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Glossary

affected environment- The natural environment that exists

at the present time in an area being analyzed.

allowable sale quantity (ASQ)- The amount of timber

expected to be sold within a certain time period from an

area of suitable land. ASQs are usually stated to give the

commercial timber industry an indication of the annual

amount of commercial forest products that it can anticipate

from federal lands.

alternative – A combination of management prescriptions

applied in specific amounts and locations to achieve a desired

management emphasis as expressed in goals and objectives.

aspect- The direction a slope faces. A hillside facing east

has an eastern aspect.

best management practices (BMP) - A practice or a

combination of practices, that is determined by a State (or

designated area-wide planning agency) after problem

assessment, examination of alternative practices, and

appropriate public participation to be the most effective,

practical means of preventing or reducing the amount of

pollution generated by non-point sources to a level

compatible with water quality goals (40 CFR 130.2g).

big game- Large mammals, such as deer, elk, and antelope

that are hunted for sport.

biological assessment (BA) - A stand alone document

whichh reviews BLM planned, funded, executed or

permitted programs and activities for possible effects on

Federally listed threatened, endangered, proposed and

candidate species as identified for the cumulative effects

area in coordination with the USFWS . A Biological

Assessment is used to satisfy consultation requirements with

the USFWS for projects requiring an Environmental

Assessment (EA). The Biological Assessment displays the

Determination of Effects for the preferred alternative. The

Determination of Effects is limited to: (1.) No Effect; (2)

Not likely to adversely affect; (3) Likely to adversely affect;

and (4) Beneficial effect.

Biological Opinion- Document which includes (1) the

opinion of the US Fish and Wildlife Service as to whether

or not a federal action is likely to jeopardize the continued

existence of a listed species, or result in the destruction or

adverse modification of designated critical habitat; (2)

summary of the information on which the opinion is based;

and (3) a detailed discussion of the effects of the action on

listed species or designated critical habitat.

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.

browse- Twigs, leaves, and young shoots of trees and shrubs

that animals eat. Browse is often used to refer to the shrubs

eaten by big game, such as elk and deer.

candidate species - A species being considered for listing

as a federally endangered or threatened

species.

canopy- The part of any stand of trees represented by the

tree crowns. It usually refers to the uppermost layer of

foliage, but it can be use to describe lower layers in a multistoried forest.

chemical treatment- The use of pesticides and herbicides

to control pests and undesirable plant species.

climax- The culminating stage in plant succession for a given

site. Climax vegetation is stable, self-maintaining, and selfreproducing.

coarse filter management- Land management that

addresses the needs of all associated species, communities,

environments, and ecological processes in an area; as

opposed to fine filter management, which focuses only on

the needs of a few species.

Condition Class– Condition classes are a function of the

degree of departure from historical fire regimes resulting in

alterations of key ecosystem components such as species

composition, structural stage, stand age, and canopy closure.

One or more of the following activities may have caused

this departure: fire exclusion, timber harvesting, grazing,

introduction and establishment of exotic plant species,

insects and disease (introduced or native), or other past

management activities.

Condition Class 1 – Attributes: Fire regimes are within

or near an historical range. The risk of losing key

ecosystem components is low. Fire frequencies have

departed from historical frequencies by no more than

one return interval. Vegetation attributes (species

composition and structure) are intact and functioning

within an historical range.

Condition Class 2 – Attributes: Fire regimes have been

moderately altered from their historical range. The risk

of losing key ecosystem components has increased to

moderate. Fire frequencies have departed (either

increased or decreased) from historical frequencies by

more than one return interval. This results in moderate

changes to one or more of the following: fire size,
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frequency, intensity, severity, or landscape patterns.

Vegetation attributes have been moderately altered from

their historical range.

Condition Class 3 – Attributes: Fire regimes have been

significantly altered from their historical range. The risk

of losing key ecosystem components is high. Fire

frequencies have departed from historical frequencies

by multiple return intervals. This results in dramatic

changes to one or more of the following: fire size,

frequency, intensity, severity, or landscape patterns.

Vegetation attributes have been significantly altered

from their historical range.

conifer- A tree that produces cones, such as a pine, spruce,

or fir tree.

cover- Any feature that conceals wildlife or fish. Cover may

be dead or live vegetation, boulders, or undercut

streambanks. Animals use cover to escape from predators,

rest, or feed.

critical habitat- Areas designated for the survival and

recovery of federally listed threatened or endangered species.

crown closure- What percent of tree canopies that are

touching. When stands have 100 percent crown closure

limited to no light reaches the forest floor. See canopy.

crown height- The distance from the ground to the base of

the crown of a tree.

cultural resource- The remains of sites, structures, or

objects used by people in the past; this can be historical or

pre-historic.

cumulative effects - Effects on the environment that result

from separate, individual actions that, collectively, may

become significant over time.

deciduous- Shedding foliage at the end of the growing

season.

Decision Record (DR) – The decision document associated

with an Environmental Assessment (EA)-level analysis.

density- Number of trees in an area, generally measured as

trees per acre.

developed recreation- Recreation that requires facilities

that, in turn, result in concentrated use of the area. For

example, campgrounds require roads, picnic tables, and toilet

facilities.

direct effects - Effects on the environment which occur at

the same time and place as the initial cause or action.

dispersed recreation- Recreation that does not occur in a

developed recreation site, such as hunting, backpacking, and

scenic driving.

displacement - As applied to wildlife, forced shifts in the

patterns of wildlife use, either in location or timing of use.

disturbance- Any event, such as forest fire or insect

infestations that alter the structure, composition,

or functions of an ecosystem.

ecology- The interrelationships of living things to one

another and to their environment, or the study of these

interrelationships.

ecosystem- An arrangement of living and non-living things

and the forces that move among them. Living things include

plants and animals. Non-living parts of ecosystems may be

rocks and minerals. Weather and wildfire are two of the

forces that act within ecosystems.

edge effect–The richness of flora and fauna occurring in a

transition zone where two plant communitiies or

successional states meet and mix (USDA, 1988).

effects - Physical, biological, social and economic results

(expected or experienced) resulting from achievement of

outputs. Effects can be direct, indirect and cumulative and

may be either beneficial or detrimental. (See Impacts)

encroachment— The progression of trees from forested

areas into grassland or shrubland.

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 Assessment (EA) - A statement of the

environmental impacts of a proposed action and alternatives

to it.

escape cover- Vegetation of sufficient size and density to

hide an animal, or an area used by animals to escape from

predators.

fauna-The animal life of an area.

fire-adapted – Having evolved strategies that that allow

populations to be maintained on sites where fires commonly

occurred.

fire cycle- The average time between fires in a given area.

fire, types: http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/glossary.html
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Spot Fire – A fire ignited outside the perimeter of the

main fire by flying sparks or embers.

Torching – The ignition and flare-up of a tree or small

group of trees, usually from bottom to top.

Crown Fire (Crowning) – The movement of fire through

the crowns of trees or shrubs more or less independently

of the surface fire.

Fire management – includes fire suppression, fire use, and

prescribed fire.

Fire management plan – Strategic plans that define a

program to manage wildland and prescribed fires based

on approved land management plans.

fire regime- The characteristics of fire in a given ecosystem,

such as the frequency, predictability, intensity, and

seasonality of fire.

Fire use – The management of naturally ignited wildland

fire to accomplish specific pre-stated resource management

objectives in predefined geographic areas outlined in

approved Fire Management Plans.

flora- The plant life of an area.

forage- All browse and non-woody plants that are eaten by

wildlife and livestock.

forb- A broadleaf plant that has little or no woody material

in it.

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.

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.

fuel- combustible plant material, both living and dead that

is capable of burning in a wildland fire situation.

fuel break – A zone in which fuel quantity has been reduced

or altered to provide a position for suppression forces to

make a stand against wildfire. Used for suppression safety

and fire behavior modification. Fuel breaks may consist of

one or a combination of the following: Natural barriers,

constructed fuel breaks, manmade barriers. The effectiveness

of fuel breaks is improved when strategically located

adjacent to areas containing low fuel accumulation (Tons/

Acre). In the long-term fuel breaks are more effective when

managed to maintain a low fuel loading. Tools used for fuel

break maintenance include mechanical treatment, prescribed

burning, and grazing.

fuels management- The treatment of fuels that would

otherwise interfere with effective fire management or

control. For instance, prescribed fire can reduce the amount

of fuels that accumulate on the forest floor before the fuels

become so heavy that a natural wildfire in the area would

be explosive and impossible to control.

fuels treatment – The rearrangement or disposal of natural

or activity fuels to reduce fire hazard.

game species- Any species of wildlife or fish that is

harvested according to prescribed limits and seasons.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - GIS is both a

database designed to handle geographic data as well as a set

of computer operations that can be used to analyze the data.

In a sense, GIS can be thought of as a higher order map.

habitat - A place where a plant or animal naturally or

normally lives or grows.

hiding area/cover- Vegetation capable of hiding 90 percent

of an adult elk or deer from human’s view at a distance of

200 feet or less.

interdisciplinary team- A team of individuals with skills

from different disciplines that focuses on the same task or

project, often referred to as an ID Team.

irretrievable- A category of impacts mentioned in the

National Environmental Policy Act. An irretrievable effect

applies to losses of production or commitment of renewable

natural resources.

irreversible- A category of impacts that applies to nonrenewable resources, such as minerals and archaeological

sites. Irreversible effects can also refer to effects of actions

that can be renewed only after a very long period of time.

ladder fuels- Vegetation located below the crown level of

forest trees which can carry fire from the forest floor to tree

crowns. Ladder fuels may be low-growing tree branches,

shrubs, or smaller trees.

mechanical treatment – Relative to this analysis, the

manipulation of fuels by mechanical and manual means.

Mechanical treatments use machinery, manual treatments

use hand-held tools such as chainsaws.

mesic- Land conditions that are moist in nature.

mineral soil- Soil that consists mainly of inorganic material,

such as weathered rock.
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mitigation- Actions taken to avoid, minimize, or rectify

impacts of a land management practice; reducing or

eliminating the impact by preservation and maintenance

operations.

mosaic- Areas with a variety of plant communities over a

landscape, such as areas with trees and areas without trees

occurring over a landscape.

multi-story- A vertical arrangement of 3 or more canopy

layers within the same area.

National Fire Plan – A national plan of action that directs

the USDA Forest Service and the Departments of the Interior

to prepare for wildland fires and reduce their impacts on

people and resources. The National Fire Plan is based on

the five key points of firefighting, rehabilitation and

restoration, hazardous fuel reduction, community assistance,

and accountability.

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.

No Action alternative - An alternative that maintains

established trends or management direction.

non-commercial vegetative treatment- The removal of

trees for reasons other than commercial purposes.

nongame- Wildlife species that are not hunted for sport.

nonpoint source pollution- Pollution whose source is not

specific in location. The sources of the discharge are

dispersed, not well defined, or constant.

notice of intent- A notice in the federal register of intent to

prepare an environmental analysis on a proposed action.

noxious weed - According to the Federal Noxious Weed

Act (PL 93-629), a weed that causes disease or has other

adverse effects on man or his environment and therefore is

detrimental to the agriculture and commerce of the United

States and to the public health. Identified by designation in

Montana.

overstory- The upper canopy layer; the plants below

comprise the understory.

permitted grazing- Grazing on public lands under the terms

of a grazing permit.

precommercial thinning- A felling made in an immature

stand to improve the average form of the trees that remain.

predator- An animal that lives by preying on other animals

prescribed fire- Fire set intentionally in wildland fuels under

prescribed conditions and circumstances.

prescription- Management practices to accomplish specific

land and resource management objectives.

public land- Land for which title and administration rests

with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

rangeland- Land on which the principle natural plant cover

is composed of native grasses, forbs, and shrubs that are

valuable as forage for livestock and big game.

raptor- A bird of prey, such as a eagle or hawk.

reforestation- The restocking of an area with forest trees,

by either natural or artificial means.

regeneration- The renewal of a tree crop by either natural

or artificial means.

artificial – Restocking an area with forest trees by

planting seedlings not grown on site but of native origin.

natural – Restocking an area with forest trees from seeds

that fall from existing trees on the site.

delayed-natural – Restocking an area with forest trees

from natural seeds that fall from existing trees on the

site over long time periods (5 to 100 years or more).

Existing seed source is not available to restock within

5 years. Reforestation will progress over a span of time

(5 to 100 or more years) from the existing seed source,

as new seedlings will have to grow for 40 to 80 years

and cast more seed.

Resource Management Plan (RMP) – A planning

document for an administrative units managed by the Bureau

of Land Management that provides general guidance and

direction for land management activities within that

administrative unit.

restoration (of ecosystems)- Actions taken to modify an

ecosystem to achieve a desired, healthy, and functioning

condition.

revegetation- The re-establishment and development of a

plant cover by either natural or artificial means, such as reseeding.

riparian – Areas with distinctive resource values and

characteristics that are comprised of an aquatic ecosystem

and adjacent upland areas that have direct relationships with

the aquatic system. This includes floodplains, wetlands, and
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all areas within a horizontal distance of approximately 100

feet from the normal high waterline of a stream channel, or

from the shoreline of a standing body of water.

riparian ecosystem- The ecosystems around or next to water

areas that support unique vegetation and animal communities

as a result of the influence of water.

Review and Update of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire

Management Policy (2001 Federal Fire Policy)- A policy

that finds and recommends that federal fire management

activities and programs are to provide for firefighter and

public safety, protect and integrate land management

objectives and human welfare, integrate programs and

disciplines, require interagency collaboration, emphasize the

natural ecological role of fire, and contribute to ecosystem

sustainability.

salvage harvest – The cutting of trees that are dead, dying,

or deteriorating (i.e. because they are damaged by fire or

insects) before they lose their commercial value as

sawtimber.

savannah- A grassland that has scattered individual trees.

sawtimber- Trees containing at least one 12 foot sawlog or

two noncontiguous 8 foot logs, and meeting regional

specifications for freedom from defect. Softwood trees must

be at least 8 inches in diameter and hardwood trees 11 inches

in diameter at breast height.

Section 202 – A Wilderness Study Area (WSA) that is being

studied under authority of Section 202 of the Federal Land

Policy and Management Act of 1976. FLPMA requires

recurrent land-use planning by the Bureau of Land

Management.

sediment – Solid material, both mineral and organic, that is

in suspension, being transported, or has been moved from

its site of origin by air, water, gravity, or ice.

Special Status Species – A group that includes five classes

of plants and animals: A.- Federally Listed Threatened and

Endangered Species and Designated Critical Habitats; B. –

Federally Proposed Species and Proposed Critical Habitats;

C. – Candidate Species; D. – State Listed Species; and E. –

BLM Sensitive Species.

seral- The stage of succession of a plant or animal

community that is transitional. If left alone, the seral stage

will give way to another plant or animal community that

represents a further stage of succession.

silviculture- The art and science that promotes the growth

of single trees and the forest as a biological unit.

stand- A group of trees that occupies a specific area and is

similar in species, age, and condition.

stand replacement- When a stand has been totally modified

by some disturbance (fire, insects, disease, logging), and

needs to start, or be started, over.

structure- How the parts of ecosystems are arranged, both

horizontally and vertically. Structure might reveal a pattern,

or mosaic, or total randomness of vegetation.

successional stage - A stage of development of a plant

community as it moves from bare ground to climax. The

grass-forb stage of succession precedes the woody shrub

stage.

succession- The natural replacement, in time, of one plant

community with another. Conditions of the prior plant

community (or successional stage) create conditions that

are favorable for the establishment of the next stage.

suppression – Any act taken to slow, stop, or extinguish a

fire. Examples of suppression activities include fireline

construction, backfiring, and application of water of

chemical fire retardants.

sustainability- The ability of an ecosystem to maintain

ecological processes and functions, biological diversity, and

productivity over time.

temporary road –Temporary roads are used for a single,

short-term use, i.e. to haul timber to developed roads, access

to build water developments or conduct other administrative

functions, etc.

thinning- A cutting made in an immature stand of trees to

accelerate growth of remaining trees or to improve the form

of the remaining trees.

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 of 1973.

Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL)- A requirement

(Clean Water Act 303 (d)) that establishes the maximum

allowable loading for each pollutant for a waterbody to meet

water quality standards and allocates that load among

polluting contributors.

type conversion- The conversion of the dominant vegetation

in an area from forested to non-forested or from one species

to another.
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underburn- A burn by a surface fire that can consume

ground vegetation and “ladder” fuels.

understory- The trees and woody shrubs growing beneath

the overstory in a stand of trees.

understory burn- A type of burn designed to reduce fuel

accumulations beneath an overstory tree canopy and be

designed to achieve specified levels of site preparation.

vegetation management- Activities designed primarily to

promote the health of forest vegetation for multiple-use

purposes.

vegetation type- A plant community with distinguishable

characteristics.

Visual Resource Management (VRM) Class I areas

(including all Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas

(WSAs) unless specifically exempted in an RMP) – To

preserve the existing character of the landscape. This class

provides for natural ecological changes; however, it does

not preclude very limited management activity. The level

of change to the characteristic landscape should be very low

and must not attract attention.

VRM Class II areas – To retain the existing character of

the landscape. The level of change to the characteristic

landscape should be low. Management activities may be

seen, but should not attract the attention of the casual

observer. Any changes must repeat the basic elements of

form, line, color and texture found in the predominant natural

features of the characteristic landscape.

VRM Class III areas – The objective of this class is to

partially retain the existing character of the landscape. The

level of change to the characteristic landscape should be

moderate. Management activities may attract attention but

should not dominate the view of the casual observer.

Changes should repeat the basic elements found in the

predominant natural features of the characteristic landscape.

VRM Class IV areas – To provide for management

activities which require major modification of the existing

character of the landscape. The level of change to the

characteristic landscape can be high. These management

activities may dominate the view and be the major focus of

viewer attention. However, every attempt should be made

to minimize the impact of these activities through careful

location, minimal disturbance and repeating the basic

elements.

watershed- The entire region drained by a waterway (or

into a lake or reservoir). More specifically, a watershed is

an area of land onto which rain falls and is subsequently

stored in soil then released down slope to a stream.

Watersheds are divided by topographic features.

wetlands- Those areas that are inundated by surface or

ground water with a frequency sufficient, under normal

circumstances, to support a prevalence of vegetative or

aquatic life that requires saturated or seasonally saturated

soil conditions for growth and reproduction. Wetlands

include marshes, bogs, sloughs for growth and reproduction.

Wetlands include marshes, bogs, sloughs, potholes, river

overflows, mud flats, wet meadows, seeps, and springs.

Wild and Scenic Rivers: Management designation that

currently applies to the Upper Missouri Wild and Scenic

River. Eligible river segments meet determinations of being

free-flowing and having adjacent land area possessing at

least one river-related value considered to be outstandingly

remarkable.

Wildland fire- Any wildland fire that is not a prescribed

fire.

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) – The line, area, or zone

where structures and other human developments meet or

intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels.

wildlife habitat diversity- The distribution and abundance

of different plant and animal communities and species within

a specific area.

Woody debris - The residue left on the ground after a fire,

storm, timber cutting, or other event. Woody debris includes

unused logs, uprooted stumps, broken or uprooted stems,

branches, bark, etc.

woody draw- A classification of areas, particularly in

grassland settings, where an overstory of woody vegetation

in small drainages creates habitat for many wildlife species

and shade/wind protection and forage for livestock. The

vegetation is a result of higher moisture conditions than in

the surrounding areas but surface water if any, running thru

the areas is generally short term.

xeric- Land conditions that are dry in nature.